hap ax3 - mesh possible or not ?

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hi there,

I bought an hap ax3 some months ago and I need to replace my netgrear orbi wifi AP (1 “router” and 2 satellites) & Mesh network for my 3 levels house. So I have the following architecture :

modem ↔ hap ax3 (without wifi enabled) ↔ netgear orbi mesh ↔ devices

Last time I read on the mesh network with ax3, I understood that it was not possible with the WifiWave2 drivers.

Whereas now, I saw some forum threads or blog posts explaining that it seems now possible to do mesh with ax3 devices.

Could someone confirm it’s now possible to do the mesh using the ax3 ?

Using mikrotik devices, should I then consider using Audience to extend the network ? Using the Audience (or any other recommended device), would it allow me to have

modem ↔ hap ax3 with wifi enabled + audience (as satellite) ↔ devices

or would it still be

modem ↔ hap ax3 (no wifi) ↔ audience (wifi) ↔ devices

Thanks in advance for your answers

2

You have this “Orbi mesh”. This is a product by another manufacturer. How it works is completely not dependent on the MikroTik router. You can’t connect two manufacturer mesh networks together, they all need to be the same models. So what was the plan in your case, you wanted the MikroTik hAP ax3 to be a part of the Orbi mesh setup, one of the wireless “nodes”? I don’t think this Orbi allows that with ANY other device. Either it’s all Orbi devices or all MikroTik devices.

3

Sorry, I was not clear enough - I plan to replace the Orbi by a full Mikrotik solution if possible.

The question is then : how I do it, having already an hap ax3 device ?

4

I think you need multiple devices, all “AX” series models, then use CAPsMAN to manage them centrally, then enable “ft-over-ds” fast roaming feature.

5

Are we assuming that he can wire all the access points?

Most people mis use the word mesh.

But if the original poster is planning to wirelessly uplink between access points…

Then the Mikrotik AX line CAN’T DO THAT.
Correct?

6

Not like dedicated mesh products. For example our Audience devices have a special third wireless intereface, that is used to connect the mesh itself.
In hAP ax3 case, you can sacrifice 2GHz interface for that, and only use 5GHz yourself (not really viable IMO). Or wire them

7

Hmm ok but I don’t plan nor can’t wire them physically speaking.

I would have hoped to “extend” the wireless network of the hap ax3 by “satellites”.

So as far as I understand, the only way would be to have the following architecture :

modem ↔ ax3 (wifi off) ↔ 1 to n Audience devices ↔ devices.

Am I right ?

8

@normis, so you would not recommend something like this: https://remotewinbox.com/mesh-mikrotik/ ?

9

@normis

What is the official opinion of remotewinbox.com?

10

Ohh goodness, another background reading ticket raised :wink:

11

Mikrotik used to have a list of Partner or something similar.

Many of use raised a serious concern with giving someone we don’t know, root access to our routers.

12

My personal view: a serious admin does not have to rely on such services.
Zero trust.

13

Ergo why when remotewinbix would try to pump their services… They usually got crapped on.