New chinese Wifi 6 - Routers Xiaomi Redmi AX5 and Huawei Ax3

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prob

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#274417 21-Aug-2020 06:58

I am intrigued by the latest generation AC / wifi 6 routers now available for less than NZD100.

E.g. the Xiaomi Redmi Router AX5

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001133949549.html

overview

https://www.thephonetalks.com/redmi-router-ax5-wifi-6-review

And the Huawei wifi Ax3

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001219421877.html

They are both well spec'ed and look like they would perform like a Asus AC86U or similar for less than half the price. They both have Mesh features.

I have an expensive Asus Aimesh set up (AC86U/ AC68U / rt-ac3100 behind a Checkpoint 750 firewall) but I wonder if these high end devices are about to be swept away by the latest generation of cheap and fast routers, at least for users who don't need high end features like VPN.

Note that the Xiaomi routers are built on OpenWRT opening up the possibility of open source firmware at some point.

There are drawbacks, for example both have Chinese language firmware at the moment (not a problem using google translate) and the Chinese region setting for wifi may cause problems.

However I expect English versions to land soon.

Anyone tried one out yet? They would appear to be excellent for a home mesh system. Xiaomi have a version in a more aesthetic tower profile with the same innards as the Redmi Router AX5 - the Xiaomi AX1800

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001052636749.html

PS I haven't found any professional reviews of these routers yet on the web...

Batman

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#2546725 21-Aug-2020 07:15

i reckon you should take one for the team and get one to review!

deadlyllama

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#2546735 21-Aug-2020 07:55

There's no community OpenWRT for 802.11ax devices yet.

I've just given up and bought some dirt cheqp AC2100 routers that can run OpenWRT, hoping to use them in a mesh. $50 ea :)

Batman

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#2546740 21-Aug-2020 08:02

Just bought a $1000 router from Harvey Norman for $277 ... 4 streams 3 wifis ... the Geeks will hate me but for some reason 'useless' gaming routers work if you turn off all the 'gaming' features.

michaelmurfy

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#2546803 21-Aug-2020 09:03

Batman:

Just bought a $1000 router from Harvey Norman for $277 ... 4 streams 3 wifis ... the Geeks will hate me but for some reason 'useless' gaming routers work if you turn off all the 'gaming' features.

The reason why I dislike them is they blatantly lie on the spec sheets and they simply are not good routers.

Give this a read: https://www.duckware.com/tech/wifi-in-the-us.html

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

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openmedia

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#2546833 21-Aug-2020 09:22

deadlyllama: There's no community OpenWRT for 802.11ax devices yet.

I've just given up and bought some dirt cheqp AC2100 routers that can run OpenWRT, hoping to use them in a mesh. $50 ea :)

Which AC2100 units did you get. I'm after some OpenWRT compatible units.

Also how are you going to Mesh them?

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

RunningMan

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#2546923 21-Aug-2020 11:24

prob:[snip] the Chinese region setting for wifi may cause problems.

Best you check the RSM details to see if it is compliant with NZ regs.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

deadlyllama

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#2546980 21-Aug-2020 12:41

openmedia:
deadlyllama: There's no community OpenWRT for 802.11ax devices yet.

I've just given up and bought some dirt cheqp AC2100 routers that can run OpenWRT, hoping to use them in a mesh. $50 ea :)

Which AC2100 units did you get. I'm after some OpenWRT compatible units.

Also how are you going to Mesh them?

Xiaomi AC2100 (that's the model name!)

$50 ea shipped from Aliexpress

OpenWRTing them looks like a pain but it's all software - no soldering

Mesh - in my current house it's not really necessary, there are cables. But I might use them at church. Maybe batman-adv over 802.11s or even just WDS with spanning tree.

Last time I meshed with OpenWRT (802.11g!) I used one of the layer 3 mesh protocols and tunnelled Ethernet frames back to the router over L2TP.

kotuku4

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#2552908 31-Aug-2020 10:45

Xiaomi router AX1800
Ax1800 a potential cheaper mesh system, wifi 6.
Too cheap to be good?

nztim

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#2553014 31-Aug-2020 11:17

I would check before buying any Wifi Aliexpress router that the specs meet NZRSM - last thing you want is a Radio inspector showing up on your doorstep

Also Telepermit is required if used for ADSL/VDSL - if your router bricks a line card in a DSLAM you are up for the cost of a Chorus Man in a Van

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