What Is AiMesh and How Does it Work?

Asus AiMesh is a technology designed to offer a mesh network in your home based on a combination of new and existing hardware. One benefit of this method is it means you don't have to buy a collection of, often expensive, mesh routers and nodes all at once to get a mesh network set up.

That can lead to some cost savings (at least in the short term) and potentially a more impressive array of features due to the nature of some Asus routers.

What Is AiMesh System?

AiMesh is Asus' technology for building a mesh network of routers without buying a specific collection of mesh routers for the job. It makes it easy to upgrade your existing router or purchase an additional one and use the combination of that new router and your current Asus router to build a mesh network.

Mesh networks have a lot of advantages, especially in larger, more dispersed homes with a lot of interfering walls. An AiMesh powered Wi-Fi network can give you a more seamless and clear Wi-Fi signal throughout your home than a single router alone can.

However, it differs from other mesh networks in the potential for combining a wide range of supporting hardware. Where other mesh networks use a standard for their nodes, AiMesh can comprise any number of different supporting routers. That means it can be a little more complicated to set up and maintain, but there are some real advantages to it, too.

Is AiMesh Better Than Mesh?

At its core, AiMesh is mesh, in that in using AiMesh, you are setting up a mesh network using compatible Asus routers. There can be some differences in the capabilities of the hardware you use in that mesh network. It ultimately draws its features from the router you use as the central AiMesh router, making it possible to extend high-end router features to the mesh network as a whole.

Standard mesh networks often comprise a single router and several mesh nodes. Those nodes can be just as capable as the router and offer fantastic Wi-Fi coverage, high bandwidth connections, and a robust feature set of network optimizations.

Since an AiMesh network can have such a mix of hardware, however, it means you can buy the hardware that's right for your needs right now and then expand or change it later as needed. That makes the setup a little more complicated, and firmware updates for individual routers can sometimes create compatibility issues. Still, there's no denying that due to the high-performance nature of many of Asus' routers, the potential is there for a more capable mesh network using AiMesh technology.

Since Asus routers tend to operate as standalone routers, they offer an array of Ethernet and USB ports than most mesh nodes. They can also have more-capable external antennas and a variety of indicator LEDs. They aren't as understated, though, so they can stand out more in the location you place them.

How Does Asus AiMesh Work?

Asus AiMesh combines connected routers onto a single Wi-Fi network. That allows you to connect to a single network throughout your home, with the AiMesh network intelligently switching you between routers/nodes as you move around to offer you the best signal, depending on where you are at any time.

AiMesh is also self-healing, in that if you connect to a router that crashes or stalls for some reason, you will automatically be migrated to another so you can maintain a steady connection while the original router reboots.

For the user of this mesh network, AiMesh works much the same as any other mesh network. Still, it combines the power and performance of Asus' high-end routers to deliver a seamless Wi-Fi connection and all the features you'd expect from an Asus router no matter where you are on the network and in your home.

How Do I Use AiMesh?

To use AiMesh, you'll need at least two routers that support AiMesh (Asus' website has a list of supporting routers). You'll need to upgrade their firmware to the latest version, then reset the router(s) you plan to use as the node(s) to factory defaults.

From there, you can use the Asus web GUI to set up the AiMesh network before placing the routers in the best physical locations in your home to offer the best signal coverage.

• How many AiMesh nodes can you have?

  Asus suggests up to five nodes, including the main router and other mesh nodes, in an AiMesh system.  If you apply all Ethernet backhaul, an optional wired connection that can significantly boost a mesh network's performance, you can add more nodes. Again, however, five is recommended for the best performance. 

• What is the IP to access an Asus AiMesh node?

  Open a web browser and go to https://192.168.1.1. Or, if that doesn't work, go to router.asus.com. Then, go to Network Map > AiMesh icon and search for the AiMesh node you want to access. Alternatively, you can download the Asus mobile app to manage your router settings.