How do I create dedicated backhaul between X6S EX8000 Wireless Extender and Asus triband router?

FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Jul 14, 2020
Heres my EX7500 connected to the GT-AX11000:
Hardware Version: EX7500
Firmware Version: V1.0.0.64_1.0.74
Connection to Existing Network (2.4GHz)
Signal Strength: 192 Mbps
Name (SSID): GTAX
Connection Status: Connected
Connection to Existing Network (5GHz)
Signal Strength: 867 Mbps
Name (SSID): GTAX
Connection Status: Connected
Extender WiFi Status (2.4GHz)
Name (SSID): GTAX
Region: North America
Channel: Auto (5)
Wireless mode: Up to 400 Mbps
Wireless AP: On
Broadcast Name: On
Wi-Fi Protected Setup:  Configured
Extender WiFi Status (5GHz)
Name (SSID): GTAX
Region: North America
Channel: 149 + 153 + 157(P) + 161
Wireless mode: Up to 867 Mbps
Wireless AP: On
Broadcast Name: On
Wi-Fi Protected Setup: Configured

I had to update FW from v52 to v64 on the EX7500 to get it to connect finally. IT would not connect using v52.
Asus was factory reset and using default settings from setup wizard with Smart Connect enabled. AX mode was disabled. I went back and re-enabled AX mode on the Asus router and I lost connection to the EX for about 2 minutes. I saw the 5Ghz radio signal on the EX had been lost on its web page while the 2.4Ghz was connected still. I waited and finally got connected with the EX's web page and found the 5Ghz radio was reconncted:

Connection to Existing Network (2.4GHz)
Signal Strength: 192 Mbps
Name (SSID): GTAX
Connection Status: Connected
Connection to Existing Network (5GHz)
Signal Strength: 867 Mbps
Name (SSID): GTAX
Connection Status: Connected
Extender WiFi Status (2.4GHz)
Name (SSID): GTAX
Region: North America
Channel: Auto (10)
Wireless mode: Up to 400 Mbps
Wireless AP: On
Broadcast Name: On
Wi-Fi Protected Setup:  Configured
Extender WiFi Status (5GHz)
Name (SSID): GTAX
Region: North America
Channel: 149 + 153 + 157(P) + 161
Wireless mode: Up to 867 Mbps
Wireless AP: On
Broadcast Name: On
Wi-Fi Protected Setup: Configured
Connection to Existing Network (2.4GHz)
Signal Strength: 192 Mbps
Name (SSID): GTAX
Connection Status: Connected
Connection to Existing Network (5GHz)
Signal Strength: 867 Mbps
Name (SSID): GTAX
Connection Status: Connected
Extender WiFi Status (2.4GHz)
Name (SSID): GTAX
Region: North America
Channel: Auto (10)
Wireless mode: Up to 400 Mbps
Wireless AP: On
Broadcast Name: On
Wi-Fi Protected Setup:  Configured
Extender WiFi Status (5GHz)
Name (SSID): GTAX
Region: North America
Channel: 149 + 153 + 157(P) + 161
Wireless mode: Up to 867 Mbps
Wireless AP: On
Broadcast Name: On
Wi-Fi Protected Setup: Configured
It seems to be working. The front panel 2.4 and 5Ghz LEDS are off. Once I connected my iphone to near the EX, the 5Ghz LED lit up. Once I disconnected the iphone, the LED turned back off.

EX7700 is next...
- FURRYe38
  Guru - Experienced User
  Jul 14, 2020
  Here is my EX7700:
  Hardware Version: EX7700
  Firmware Version: V1.0.0.206
  Connection to Existing Network (2.4GHz)
  Signal Strength: 192Mbps
  Name (SSID): GTAX
  Channel: 4
  Connection Status: Connected
  Connection to Existing Network (5GHz)
  Signal Strength: 866Mbps
  Name (SSID): GTAX
  Channel: 161
  Connection Status: Connected
  
  Extender WiFi Status (2.4GHz)
  Name (SSID): GTAX
  Channel: 4
  Region: United States
  Wireless mode: Up to 400 Mbps
  Wireless AP: ON
  Broadcast Name: ON
  WPS: Configured
  Security Type: WPA2-PSK[AES]
  Extender WiFi Status (5GHz)
  Name (SSID): GTAX
  Channel: 36(p) + 40 + 44 + 48
  Region: United States
  Wireless mode: Up to 866.7 Mbps
  Wireless AP: ON
  Broadcast Name: ON
  WPS: Configured
  Security Type: WPA2-PSK[AES]
  
  Same configuration with Asus router. I disabled AX mode first. The EX connected. Then re-enabled AX mode and the EX kept the connection. iPhone connected. Saw front panel LED turn on. Front panel LED turned back off after I disconnected the iPhone.
- josephwitkin
  Tutor
  Jul 14, 2020
  Thank you for your detailed info!
  
  Interesting - on my Status page, it shows the channels that the Extender is using to connect to the router - in my case channel 161, a high band channel, but on my wired Access Point (I can tell by the channel numbers reported on the routers' interfaces), not the GT-AX11000.
  Since the "connection to existing network" is supposed to be dedicated and exclusive, I am wondering if your backhaul is low band- 867 MBps is the upper limit for low band, while for high band it can be 1700-something. Since your high band channels are available under extender wi-fi. The backhaul is supposed to be exclusive.
  
  I also have Smart Connect enabled, so all the SSIDs are the same now. I have AX on, but tried it before with AX off and didn't make a difference.
  
  I guess 7500 and 8000 firmware versions are different. Netgear website lists current firmware as 1.0.1.202, but my EX8000 upgraded itself to 206 a while back. It now says its the latest when I check through the device.
  
  Here is my status data
  
  Hardware Version: EX8000
  Firmware Version: V1.0.1.206
  Connection to Existing Network (2.4GHz)
  Signal Strength: 192Mbps
  Name (SSID): macnet1
  Channel: 6
  Connection Status: Connected
  Connection to Existing Network (5GHz)
  Signal Strength: 1053Mbps
  Name (SSID): macnet1
  Channel: 161
  Connection Status: Connected
  
  EXTENDER WiFi Status 2.4 GHz
  Name (SSID): macnet1
  Channel: 6
  Region: United States
  Wireless mode: Up to 400 Mbps
  Wireless AP: ON
  Broadcast Name: ON
  
  EXTENDER WiFi Status 5 GHz
  Name (SSID): macnet1
  Channel: 36 + 40 + 44(p) + 48
  Region: United States
  Wireless mode: Up to 866.7 Mbps
  Wireless AP: ON
  Broadcast Name: ON
  WPS: Configured
  - josephwitkin
    Tutor
    Jul 14, 2020
    Come to think of it - thinking out loud -
    
    Triband device divides high and low 5 MHz channels into two separate networks with separate throughput and bandwidth.
    
    A dual access device has all of the 5 MHz channels under one network - but its the same range of channels.
    
    So if the triband router's hi band is dedicated as backhaul for an extender connection (what I'm trying to acheive) - but my wired access point (third device) is dual band and will offer ALL the 5MHz channels, including the router's "dedicated" channel - can the backhaul ever actually be dedicated?
    
    In other words, if the EX8000 backhaul to the router is on hi band ch 157, and other devices connect to my wired access poinr on the same channel (can anything prevent that?) , is the backhaul still dedicated? I guess it is on a different radio..
    
    trying to grasp...

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How do I create dedicated backhaul between X6S EX8000 Wireless Extender and Asus triband router?