Asus xt8 or nest wifi

[DipDipDipam]

Howdy peeps,

Hoping some can help/advise.

So I've been struggling with my smart devices at home. I've got about 100.

The sky sr203 obviously can't handle it all, so I need to upgrade my system. I've been looking into threads on here and can see the Asus xt8 is highly recommended. But not sure if it's the best option for me.

I've got one sky q box, 4 sky q mini boxes and one sky booster. All connected wirelessly with no realistic way of hardwiring them all.

I'm guessing it'll be best to keep the sr203 as my primary router and then connect a xt8 to it or something like nest wifi (although I realise nest wifi isn't WiFi 6 but probably a cheaper option if multiple access points are needed). This would be on the ground floor, and I've got 3 floors.

Can you connect the xt8 as the main router and then connect the sr203 to it so my mini boxes still work?

There are 2 mini boxes on the ground floor, sky q + 1 mini on 1st floor and 1 mini on the 2nd floor. The 2nd floor mini is currently disconnected but I do have a booster up there to help with the signal in my bedroom.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[cookiemonsteruk · Accepted solution]

@DipDipDipam 

Are you on full fibre fttp or superfast fttc

Your best option to maintain the 5ghz  connection to the minis etc would be to use the sr203 and ethernet the xt8 and put the asus in access point mode. The sr203 and xt8 5ghz shouldn't clash as the xt8 can use 5ghz freqs well above the sky hub

[DipDipDipam]

Fttp. I'm on ultrafast 1. The sr203 is connected to a bt openreach ont box.

[cookiemonsteruk]

@DipDipDipam 

Then the xt8 itself can be directly connected to the ont as well and authenticate skys network so that the sr203 isn't needed. Again the wifi connection will use the 2.4ghz wifi as opposed to the more robust 5ghz.band. The option would be to place the xt8 strategically so that they mesh via wifi but ethernet to the sky q and miniboxes

[DipDipDipam]

Isn't the 2.4ghz network not ideal for the minis?

Hardwiring isn't an option unfortunately. Although I'd really love to be able to. I live in a townhouse and the plasterboard in every room is dot and dabbed to the block work so no room to feed cables.

[cookiemonsteruk]

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@DipDipDipam wrote:

Isn't the 2.4ghz network not ideal for the minis?

Hardwiring isn't an option unfortunately. Although I'd really love to be able to. I live in a townhouse and the plasterboard in every room is dot and dabbed to the block work so no room to feed cables.

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It more to do with interference from neighbouring ssids and certain household devices

[DipDipDipam]

Okay thanks for that. That definitely helps. How do I go about extending the network? Is it just more xt8 devices or do they normal matching extenders?

Trying to work out if maybe something like the nest wifi is more wallet friendly and beneficial. Don't mind spending more though if the best is miles better.

[Thornhill5]

The Asus XT8 seems like the better option going from reviews/speed tests that you read about. Extending the network is a case of adding another XT8 to the existing network. XT8 unlike the Nest uses a backhaul band as well purely for communication between nodes. 

[DipDipDipam]

Ended up with the Asus xt8 and it's amazing. So perfect for my needs.