AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG

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AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
2020-01-13 20:14:28
Model: Archer AX6000  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

Hello,

 

I'm looking to upgrade my home network wireless access points. I do NOT wish to replace my router.

 

I'm looking at the AX6000, which appears to have all of the features that I'm looking for, but I want to verify that they work in AP mode.

 

First, can the guest network feature (as described in section 6.1/p29 of the manual) be used in AP mode? Nothing to indicate that it can't, but this seems like a layer 3-centric feature, and want to be sure.

 

Second, if I set the device to AP mode, can I sill use Link Aggregation (as described in section 12.2/p67 of the manual)? It makes sense to me that "LAN" and "WAN" would lose their meaning in AP mode, but I'd like to know for certain before making a purchase. Spcifically, can I use LAN2 + LAN3 as the only connectivity to the AP? I anticipate having >1Gbps Internet service within the life of this product, but the switch that will serve it only has 1 GE and 10 GE ports, so the 2.5 GE WAN isn't suitable. (I could use it with an NBASE-T to 10 GE media converter, but that's additional expense and failure modes for little good reason.)

 

 

Thanks!

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Re:AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
2020-01-15 00:29:52

@Peter_H. 

 

You can still enable the guest network, but the router will not keep devices on the guest network from talking to devices on the main network while the AX6000 is in AP mode. 

 

Link aggregation will not be available while in AP mode, the only option you will have is to modify the IP address of the AX6000 in that menu.

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#2
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Re:AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
2020-01-15 16:41:17

@Tony Thank you for your excellent reply!

 

I have a couple of follow up questions.

 

1. Is there anything in the DHCP discover from clients on the guest network that I can use to identify guests and have my router put them in a different DCHP pool/subnet? (I'm using PFSense, so I have a LOT of control over my DHCP and routing behavior.)

 

2. Regarding link aggregation, which menu are you referring to? The Link Aggregation menu appears to have only one control, which is boolean. If you're saying that in AP mode I have to enable Link Aggregation and then go to the LAN Settings and set the IP to a valid and unused IP address on my LAN and it will bridge traffic between wireless and the wired LAN, then this is exactly what I'm looking for!

 

Thanks again!

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Re:AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
2020-01-16 19:26:24

@Peter_H. 

 

1. The guest network does not have any special tagging features. I think you will need to record the MAC addresses and do an IP reservation of sort.

 

2. While the Archer AX6000 is in AP Mode link aggregation is not avaialble or the menu disappears. The AX6000 must be in router mode.

 

However, what you can possibly do is set up the AX6000 another way which might work.

 

1. Enable link aggregation

2. Statically assign a IP address to the AX6000 that the main router is on.

3. Disable DHCP in the AX6000

4. Connect a Ethernet cable from the main router to one of the LAN ports of the AX6000, not the blue port. 

 

You should still have internet to the AX6000. This has not been fully tested, but might be worth checking or trying.

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#4
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Re:AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
2020-07-03 16:33:23
Could you explain me the purpous of guest network then? I cannot see the point of it if it is not isolated. But I might miss something?
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Re:AX6000 AP Mode Features - Guest SSID and LAG
2020-07-06 17:43:37

@JohnXYZ 

 

The guest network will only work like a typical guest network if the router is in router mode. While in AP mode is loses any routing ability and that in turn goes to the main router. So while in AP Mode, the guest network is like having another SSID broadcast from the router.

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