USB Port GT-AX11000 ???

[thecolin85]

Hey all! Hope people will see and comment on this thread. Not sure how active this forum is vs maybe another networking-only type forum is, but here goes!

I have the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000 router and it's worked fine for the last 1yr+. I have a 1200mbps down & 40mbps up internet plan from Xfinity. I spent way too much time and energy of my life trying to get those speeds to my desktop PC through the GT-AX11000. I now finally receive the hardware limitations of the device and how I'll never be able to achieve those speeds without more than just the one single 2.5g port on my ASUS router. Meaning, I can plug the ethernet (CAT8) from the modem's 2.5g port into the 2.5g port on the AX11000 just fine, but then all other ports henceforth are capped at 1g. I'm actually considering selling this router as it's mostly useless to me in that regard - I can't access the full speeds I'm paying for, so it's a waste. I've been eyeing the "lower" model new AX6000 as I've heard great things AND it has more than one 2.5g port. I'm 99% sure that'll allow me to get what I pay for. Alas, I want to try one last thing... the USB port!

In fact, ASUS makes this USB-to-Ethernet adapter: https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/Wired-Networking/Wired-Adapters/USB-C2500/







I might be the only person in the world to be curious about this or try it, but what if I keep that same config I just laid out, except instead of using one of the 1g capped ethernet ports on the router to my desktop PC's 2.5g ethernet onboard port, I try using the USB 3.0 port on the AX11000 as an OUT and then plug the USB-Ethernet adapter there, THEN run that ethernet cable to my 2.5 Realtek onboard port on my ASUS Crosshair VIII motherboard?

It's a lot cheaper than a new router (i.e. AX6000), so I might give it a whirl just to see. But curious if anyone's tried it or thinks it technically could be achievable or if there's some limitation or inability I'm overlooking...

[jzchen]

I realize that you were hoping to run 1.2 Gbps through the router to the computer Ethernet port...

If you notice compatibility it does not say ASUSwrt. I would first ask ASUS tech support before buying such an adapter. As I know the USB port can be used as a "WAN" port meaning you can connect it to an Android phone for dual WAN, but I've not read anything to the affect it can be used for Ethernet. The ASUSwrt would need a driver to run it, and only ASUS would know that information.

1. Is WiFi connection from router to computer an option? WiFi bandwitdh is great, up to 4804 Mbps on each of the 5 GHz bands.

2. Is there an option to keep the AX11000 as a node, and get the AX6000 you are considering for the main router? AX6000 to 2.5 G switch to AX11000. (You can use another one of the 2.5 G ports on the switch to connect to your computer). One thing I started doing was putting the routers (node routers) next to the front and rear exterior facing windows/walls, which extend WiFi into the front and rear yards of our house. (I wasn't fond of the idea of taking a hit selling the AXE11000 which I now have next to a 2nd floor rear window so WiFi extends deeper into our backyard).

[Saltgrass]

I suppose a couple more things to consider. But first, is your ISP connection advertised as 1.2 Gbps or is that your testing speed?

Since the 2.5 Gbps is a Wan/Lan port, it may be able to make the full speed available to the router. But you still need to get it to everything else. The Wi-Fi suggestion is a good one and that system does seem to show Wi-Fi 6.

If you have more than one device on Ethernet, then the two devices would surpass your available download speeds. There aren't many things you can do that need more than the 1 Gbps speeds from Ethernet. Any Wi-Fi devices, if active, would also take up some of the bandwidth.

I can't get the manual up right now, but do the USB ports show as more than storage options?

[RouterOnFire]

Yesterday, I had read through your other thread about getting the 2.5G through the AX11000 router and felt the pain along with you. I actually bought the AX6000 earlier this week just for the dual 2.5G WAN and LAN ports. I only have gigabit internet, but I wanted to max that limit out without losing any on modem/router overheads, while also keeping a high speed LAN network capable of multi-gig speeds for my NAS. However, the AX11000 is only $20 more than the AX6000 right now, and for the utility of the extra 5Ghz band I think you made the right choice.

I do like that the AX6000 doesn't have a fan and supposedly can stay within operational temps by passive convection. Does the AX11000 have a fan?

Keep in mind that your modem can handle the 1.2 Gb ISP connection. Then your router can get the full 1.2 Gb through it's 2.5G port. Now, as is, your router can only deliver 1 Gb to your main PC, but you can deliver the full 1.2 Gb to all of the devices on your LAN through a combination of the WiFi and the multiple 1 Gb LAN ports.

Here's a suggestion, if you really want to get the 2.5 Gb down to your main PC or any one device on your network. Look into link aggregation on the AX11000's LAN ports. I've not set it up before, but the idea is that you can setup two of the 1 Gb LAN ports to work together. You could get a 2.5 Gb switch and put it between your AX11000 and the main PC. The AX11000 would have two cables between it and the switch, but you would only need one cable between the switch and the 2.5G port on your main PC. The AX11000 supports link aggregation so this should work. You'd just have to cough up the dough for the 2.5 Gb switch and the electricity to run it.

[ahfoo]

link aggregation do not equal to 2. It more than redundancy in my opinion if my memory do not lapsed.

[RouterOnFire]

ahfoo wrote:
link aggregation do not equal to 2. It more than redundancy in my opinion if my memory do not lapsed.

It doesn't equal to exactly 2 Gb/s due to inefficiencies and overhead, but one of the functions of 802.3ad link aggregation is increasing the throughput of the device to device link. Another function is redundancy, yes. Both cables are treated as a single connection, according to the Asus marketing material on their implementation of it. So happily, I can report that it is an option for the OP to keep his AX11000 and get a wired ~2Gb/s connection through link aggregation. Here is an Asus FAQ talking about it: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1016088/.

Make sure the switch you buy supports it. I don't know if that means it would have to be a managed switch.

[xeromist]

RouterOnFire wrote:
It doesn't equal to exactly 2 Gb/s due to inefficiencies and overhead, but one of the functions of 802.3ad link aggregation is increasing the throughput of the device to device link. Another function is redundancy, yes. Both cables are treated as a single connection, according to the Asus marketing material on their implementation of it. So happily, I can report that it is an option for the OP to keep his AX11000 and get a wired ~2Gb/s connection through link aggregation. Here is an Asus FAQ talking about it: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1016088/.

Make sure the switch you buy supports it. I don't know if that means it would have to be a managed switch.

What Ahfoo means is a LAG will only provide any single connection stream the speed of a single link. It's useful in multi-user environments because multiple connections can be routed over separate links to reduce contention. But it doesn't do what you want where you LAG 2 single gig connections and get a single 2gbps connection out of the other side of the switch. This is stated in the FAQ you linked.

Ultimately, the reason the AX11000 has LACP is the scenario ASUS describes where a NAS that supports LACP is in use by multiple clients, or you need to trunk to another switch that will be servicing multiple clients.

[RouterOnFire]

Ah, that's an important distinction, so thank you for the education!

[ahfoo]

well explained xeromist.

[jzchen]

So the link aggregation combines 2 1 G trunks which the S33 should support, (product video implies 3.5 Gbps through the two ports at the very end). BUT the OP just needs his 1.2 G service to get through, so the extra 0.8 Gbps is covered by overhead? Definitely worth a shot:

https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039053/

My modem provides a 2.5 G connection to my AXE16000, but my service provides maximum 1075 Mbps on speed test, lots of overhead room my meaning....