@DrMike wrote:
I totally forgot to ask a VERY important question:
How many simultaneous recordings can Ignite TV do at once. My NextBox 3, as you know, can record up to 8 programs at the same time. How does Ignite compare?
On Ignite TV, you can record eight programs simultaneously.
Reference: Managing Ignite TV Recordings (Prioritizing scheduled recordings)
Really, its so hard to tell, till its in place.
Even when I was running that router.. i had issues in some spots of my home, like my main floor bathroom, which was only like 15 ft away from the router. Since it was behind a wall that had 3 runs of pipes, and a washer and drier in the way.
Its not BETTER with the router/pods, but no worse?
Yeah, the bigest disadvantage with using your own, is help/troubleshooting.
IF you are bridged, and need help with the TV boxes.. you'll get minimal support, since its not going through their wireless.
The band steering, is a mixed bag.
I think i have seen some things where its trying to prefer the 5 over the 2.4, and that causes it to be slower due to hanging onto a weak 5, vs a strong 2.4. But not super often.
I have heard a bunch of people complain about IoT devices which are solely 2.4 and having issues connecting.
Myself have not run into this adding any of them.
Even when I switched pods, my SSID stayed the same so didnt have to re set up any of the devices, but they were connecting to a different brand, etc of pod, a new type of access point, but flawlessly re connected.
@DrMike wrote:
With apologies to all for prolonging this thread, but I am still dithering a bit as to whether or not to make the leap to Ignite. I am partly of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality 🙂
I have 2 related questions, based on replies I have gotten from @-G- and @Gdkitty
1. So I realize that no one can really predict another's "real world" experience, but as I posted previously, I have the Hitron CGN or whatever the model is, in bridge mode, and an ASUS RT-AC68U router. I realize the model is many years old but it works perfectly. More importantly it has 3 external antennas and gives me a WiFi signal strength to all my critical areas that is truly excellent, measured by WiFi scanners to be consistently better than -50 dBm and many times better than -40 dBm. This is in part based on the router of course but also, I presume based on its central location etc. So, given that the new XB6 does NOT have any external antennas, but is a newer model, *IF* I place it in exactly the same location but without the router, does anyone have any comparative predictions as to what my new range and signal strength might be (without PODS). Should I expect a similar performance out of the XB6 alone as I got before? I won't hold anyone to their prediction of course LOL, but based on your superior knowledge, what is the betting?
If you place the XB6 gateway in the same location, I would expect similar Wi-Fi performance as what you got with your old equipment. Remember that the modem/Wi-Fi router is only one end of a wireless link. The connection quality also depends on the Wi-Fi clients that connect to the network, and mobile device often have low-power transmitters.
If you have all three of your router's antennas pointing straight up, I would expect to see similar Wi-Fi signal strength from the XB6. If you have taken great care to position your router in a fixed location, and carefully and deliberately orient the antennas so that you get maximal coverage in your home, then your router will likely have the advantage.
2. The related question is the opposite in a sense. Given how happy I am with the ASUS router, and given that one thing in particular I'd hate to lose is the "guest" network the router provides, what is the downside of using the XB6 in bridge mode and paralleling my current setup. I realize that Rogers will not offer tech support for 3rd party equipment and setups etc, but they don't now either for my router etc. I am less concerned about tech support per se as I am about it just not working well with the new Ignite TV. I think it was @-G- who said that the Ignite TV doesn't care about 2.4 or 5 GHz bands (or then presumably the WiFi source per se) it just wants a good steady signal. Is it difficult to set up bridge mode on the XB6? Will I lose other advantages/positives if I do this? I understand that if I need mesh PODS from Rogers, then I have to revert to the XB6 alone, and worse, need to turn band steering on, but if I get the kind of coverage and strength I currently have with the ASUS in bridge mode then I would not need any other enhancements etc in the first place.
Any commentary or advice or predictions most welcome 🙂
I have created a separate thread to help other users get Ignite TV working using their own equipment and with the XB6 in bridge mode: Using the Ignite TV Modem/Gateway in Bridge Mode
The Ignite set-top boxes also seem to be more finnicky now than when I wrote that guide a year ago, so I may need to revise my instructions.
I would try to configure the XB6 gateway manually, using a computer and a web browser. Configure the same SSID and passphrase for the 2.4 and 5 GHz networks as what you currently have in your own router. That will disable band steering in the XB6. Next, connect your set-top boxes to the XB6. They should connect automatically and, ideally, they should connect on the 5GHz band. Do not use the Rogers WiFi mobile app to configure or manage your XB6 gateway, and do not install Pods. (Once you start using the app or the Ignite WiFi Hub web portal, it will change how the XB6 gateway is managed going forward.) If everything works, great; there is no need to use your own router.
Use your WiFi scanner to measure the signal strength throughout your home, and compare those results with the survey that you have already done for your current setup.
If you want to try using your own router, then simply put the XB6 into bridge mode, plug in your own router and power it up. Since you have identical WiFi configurations in both your router and the XB6, everything should simply reconnect.
I do not have ASUS networking gear. I don't know its quirks and can't predict what troubles you may run into.
Here's another option to consider: Use the Rogers equipment in a standard configuration. Install Pods if you want. Configure your own router as a Wi-Fi Access Point and use it for Guest access and for connecting devices that have problems with band steering.
@DrMike wrote:
I currently use 3 of the 4 ethernet ports on my ASUS router - two computers are plugged in as well as my Phillips Hue Hub. So that means I would need some sort of switch or whatever it is called to add more usable ports to the XB6's 2 ports. Is there any way to use my router to provide those extra ports?
You could, but you would be better off using a small, unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet desktop switch to expand the number of Ethernet ports on the XB6. You can get a good 5-port switch from Amazon (or something similar) in the $20 price range.
@DrMike just to point out, if you were going to use the 68U as an Access point, you can use it for both ethernet and wifi purposes. Asus routers have an Access Point mode selection, so its easy to select, if you want to use the router as an Access point.
Also to point out, @-G- indicated something very important above:
"I would try to configure the XB6 gateway manually, using a computer and a web browser. Configure the same SSID and passphrase for the 2.4 and 5 GHz networks as what you currently have in your own router. That will disable band steering in the XB6. Next, connect your set-top boxes to the XB6. They should connect automatically and, ideally, they should connect on the 5GHz band. Do not use the Rogers WiFi mobile app to configure or manage your XB6 gateway, and do not install Pods. (Once you start using the app or the Ignite WiFi Hub web portal, it will change how the XB6 gateway is managed going forward.) If everything works, great; there is no need to use your own router."
The XB6, using pods and the app or online configuration is designed to be an all in one solution, that is to say, it thinks that its smarter than the user, so it locks the user out of some of the wifi settings, including the channel settings. The modem and pods are locked into the lower 5 Ghz band, channels 36 to 44. Thats fine as long as the pods are placed in optimum locations in the home where they provide coverage throughout the home. The lower channel range uses a maximum of 50 or 200 milli-watts for output power, depending on when they were approved by Industry Canada. The 68U probably uses 50 milli-watts given its age. The upper channels, 149 to 161 are allowed to use 1 watt max. So that power output in the upper range makes a considerable difference in the operating range from the modem or router and the maximum data rates that you will see. With pods located around the home, locking the whole system in to the lower channel range with its lower power output does make sense, but, if the pods are not placed in optimum locations, with the lower power output, you will probably find that you don't have the same performance as you do now with the 68U.
So, what @-G- is indicating is a logical first step. Install the modem, don't use the app or the Ignite WiFi Hub web portal, log into the modem as you do with the router and set the modem up just as you would with the router. Determine if there are any issues with the modem's wifi range and data rates, and consider running the router for wifi purposes if you find the wifi range and data rates from the modem to be lacking. The next logical step might be to consider using the pods.
If you happen to use a windows laptop, download and install Winfi Lite from https://www.helge-keck.com/
Thats probably the best freebie wifi analyzer available these days. Have a look at whom you're competing with in both 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels, and decide from there what the best channels might be. The 2.4 Ghz band might just be a write off if you're in a typical neighbourhood. There should be less competition in the 5 GHz channels, so, keep in mind the power output limitations in the lower and upper 5 GHz band.
Select the wrench icon in the second row, near the right hand side to bring up the lower display area, and within that area, select "Spectrum" to see the graphical interpretation of the channels in use.
Edit: Note that the Xi6-A and Xi6-T set top boxes use IPV6, so, if you are going to use the 68U, you would have to ensure that IPV6 is running.
Are you using stock Asus firmware or Merlin's Asuswrt?
@DrMike The Ignite WiFi Hub mobile and web apps enable you to monitor your network and make changes/block devices from anywhere. As soon as you start using these applications, Rogers' back-end systems will basically "take over" your Ignite XB6 gateway and you will then start managing your modem "through the cloud" going forward. The mobile app talks to the Ignite WiFi Hub service and the back-end systems push configuration changes to your Ignite gateway. You will lose access to some configuration options just by using the app. You will lose access to more WiFi options after you install Pods because the WiFi mesh network software will need to assume full control over just about every WiFi configuration setting so that it can self-optimize. (This is common on consumer-grade WiFi mesh systems, but it is something that you need to be aware of.)
@DrMike wrote:
So even if my signal strength and range/coverage was just fine and I did NOT need to use Pods, and if I wanted to NOT use Band Steering but rather keep my two distinct SSID's (one for 2.4 and one for 5 MHz) to keep all my previously set up connections intact, I can *never* use the app??? That's very disappointing.....
You still retain access to some WiFi settings even when you start using the app. (I do not use it or any of the Rogers WiFi services so, I cannot really say much more.) However, once you install Pods, band steering gets turned on and cannot be disabled, and apparently you also lose all control over WiFi channel configuration.
Conversely, if you do not use the app, then you will lose out on the advanced WiFi services that come with Ignite Internet.
Sounds like a very good reason to use your own router, where you have access to and control over all of the settings 🙂
@DrMike wrote:
And if I used my existing ASUS Router, would the Ignite App on my phone even do anything? Will I be able to use the App to control the Ignite TV and PVR etc if the app isn't also controlling the WiFi in the first place?
This is getting very confusing.
If you are a Rogers Ignite TV customer, there are three different mobile apps that you would be interested in:
MyRogers: Which lets you manage your Rogers account and services, pay your bill, etc.
Ignite TV: Which will allow you to watch Ignite TV on your mobile device, manage recordings, etc.
Ignite WiFi Hub: Which is what we have been talking about here.
These are totally separate, independent apps.
I guess the other question is, if I put the XB6 into bridge mode and used my router, I presume I could always change my mind and take it out of bridge mode, remove the router and fall back to the "default" (supported) Rogers configuration?
But what about the opposite? If I started out using the app to configure that Rogers bread-and-butter settings and control everything, if I am not happy with that, how easy (or hard) would it be to reverse all of that and go to bridge mode and my router and leave the Rogers app behind?
It's not a problem switching in and out of bridge mode.
The "problem" is that once you start using the Ignite WiFi Hub and enable the advanced WiFi functionality on your gateway, there is apparently no going back to the "basic" gateway mode. Users have reported problems/limitations/frustrations and have wanted to go back to a point where they can simply manage their Ignite modem through the web management UI and have full control over all of the XB6's wireless settings again... and apparently Rogers told them that this is not possible.
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