Asus's new AiMesh - a smarter Wifi for all your devices

So, here I am, I'm still sitting back and enjoying some holiday time off with the son.

He's got his 3 devices, his new laptop, his 3DS and his phone.  At least I've convinced him to stop bringing all three with him as he moves around room to room.  I'm in the living room with the Pixelbook, my Pixel 2 XL and I've got my Moto Z ready for another episode of The Room 3.  I'm sitting next to our Google Home Mini, and then our TV is connected to an Android box and a Roku.

And that's just the devices I can see.  Downstairs is another mini, there's our smart security system, another phone and tablet somewhere, another Roku, a Wii... and probably more that I'm missing.

Everything is connected to the WiFi at the same time. I recently upp'd our bandwidth with the provider, but even still, there are sometimes when I notice a blip in the speed etc... a lull in streaming Netflix or loading up a page.  Nothing serious, but it's there.

And this is even with the Linksys Velop I got last year at this time.  It's still very awesome and I enjoy it very much.  Mesh WiFi has become something of an almost given if you've got multiple people and multiple devices etc...  But is it enough?

Asus has now come along and announced their new AiMesh system.  Best of all, it'll seemingly work with some of their existing routers.  The idea is that you update the firmware on compatible routers and then just link them.  It'll do all the rest of the work.



That makes it seem VERY simple.

Take your existing compatible router, apply the new firmware and connect it to other routers you have.  It's almost too simple, in the 'why didn't I think of that'.

I remember trying to set up my routers to act as repeaters with that DD-WRT stuff and I kinda knew what I was doing and it was a pain.

Very cool.

Source:  https://www.asus.com/AiMesh/

Press Release
ASUS Announces AiMesh 

-- AiMesh is an innovative new router feature that connects multiple ASUS routers to create a whole-home WiFi network --
Fremont, CA (January 3, 2018) — There was a time not too long ago when our WiFi networks only had to support a couple of computers and maybe a gaming console, but the last ten years have gifted us an entire ecosystem of smart devices to streamline our lives. Making matters worse is the fact that these devices are not all sitting in one convenient location where the WiFi signal is the strongest. These devices are now dispersed throughout your home, sometimes in rooms where you previously would not have noticed a weak spot in the network. Getting decent speeds or connection stability in the most-used areas of the house is no longer good enough.
Fortunately, the answer to this massive increase in connected devices is actually simple. Mesh networks allow you to blanket your entire house with WiFi, from garage to guest room to backyard patio, by spreading access across multiple nodes to cover your home’s layout. Although these Mesh network products can be convenient all-in-one solutions, they are often only available in expensive fixed bundles, with a limited choice of WiFi speeds, hardware features and upgrade paths. In fact, your old router probably won't work with these systems, so you'll need to get rid of it — an expensive and wasteful thing to do.
With AiMesh, users can create a completely flexible whole-home WiFi system tailored to their needs, while continuing to enjoy all the functions of their current ASUS router, such as class-leading WiFi performance and enhanced security features like AiProtection. AiMesh also offers convenient central management and control via either the ASUS Router mobile app or the ASUSWRT web interface.
Enabling AiMesh on a compatible router just requires an easy — and completely free — firmware update that allows it to be added to any AiMesh network, so users can mix and match ASUS models according to their budget and/or needs, while making good use of their old router when they upgrade.
For a full overview on ASUS AiMesh, how it works and why this might just be your perfect networking solution, please visit us at Edge Up ASUS to learn more.
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AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS AiMesh is a free update for selected ASUS routers and is now available worldwide. To view currently supported ASUS routers, please check www.asus.com/AiMesh. Additional ASUS wireless routers will be added throughout 2018, so please keep checking our AiMesh support page. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.
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About ASUS
ASUS is one of Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies, and is dedicated to creating products for today and tomorrow’s smart life. Our comprehensive portfolio includes Zenbo, ZenFone, ZenBook and a range of IT devices and components, along with AR, VR and IoT. ASUS employs more than 17,000 people worldwide and over 5,500 world-class R&D talents. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, the company won 4,385 awards and earned approximately US$13.3 billion of revenue in 2016.