Modem operating in bridge configuration. Linking my router through a dual WAN connection is feasible.
Modem operating in bridge configuration. Linking my router through a dual WAN connection is feasible.
Hey everyone, I'm planning to upgrade to gigabit speeds in a couple of days and it looks like it'll actually be more affordable than my current setup (which is at 400Mbps). I'm using an AX88U with Merlin as my main router/firewall/WiFi/mesh network. I was thinking about putting my provider-supplied modem and Wi-Fi box into bridge mode and connecting the AX88U to it. If I keep the modem in bridge mode, can I still link the AX88U using a dual LAN? I want to achieve roughly 11 Gbps at the router level. Each Ethernet cable connection will only support up to 1 gigabit (the box and AX88U both have 1Gb ports...). I've heard those ports max out around 950Mbps. I'm not sure if I'll be able to run everything at full capacity on a single link, but it's more about supporting many high-bandwidth devices without spending a fortune to upgrade to 2.5 or even 10G speeds. Thanks for your help!
Uncertain because it completely relies on the "shitbox," yet we have no information about it...
It seems the Dual WAN functionality isn't intended for your AX88U in the way you think. It appears designed for situations with two distinct WAN links, not just for combining bandwidth. The purpose is likely to provide failover capabilities.
When using two distinct WAN connections, load-balancing allows multiple clients to access both, but performance varies depending on speed differences—sometimes you get inconsistent speeds, like switching between a 400Mbit and an 1100Mbit connection. For single clients aiming to use their full 1Gbit links for internet traffic, this setup may not be reliable every time.
I think you're misunderstanding what I said before. Yes, your router can do failover and load-balancing, but that's with 2 different WAN connections; i.e. two different WAN IP addresses. You can't do load balancing on a single WAN connection over 2 physical ethernet cables. If the modem fails or slows, the router's backup is to failover to the same modem? Have you asked your ISP for help with this? Because I'm predicting you might need their help to activate the correct settings on the Arris gateway.
I'm sorry, but I didn't understand your request clearly from the start. English isn't my first language, and I need more details about your setup. The plan was to use Arris Gateway with AX88U in bridge mode, but you mentioned running a single 1Gb LAN cable which limits performance. You considered connecting two AX88Us for load balancing, but you're unsure if this will work in bridge mode or if it can handle failover. Please clarify your requirements so I can help better.
It seems like you're hinting at a challenge or test. You might want to try it and share your results so we can see what you found. Just make sure you have the necessary Ethernet cables ready.