Set up Zyxel EX5601 with dual gigabit Ethernet?

I just upgraded to a 2.5gbit connection with Lightning Fibre.

I currently have a mesh system which is the Orbi RBR750.

The Orbi only has 1G Ethernet, but in the advanced set up it allows you to aggregate multi 1G WAN connections. My thought is I can send 2Gbits through 2x 1G ports to the Orbi, and maybe get WiFi speeds over 1Gbit…

But I have to set up the EX5601 to pair two ports together and I have no clue how to do this!? Any suggestions?

I have googled it and played around with the settings but the Orbi doesn’t accept any changes.

*Yes I know that it would be a lot easier to get a mesh system with a 2.5G input and maybe even satellites with 2.5G outputs but those are very, very, very expensive.

Any help?

https://kb.netgear.com/000061324/How-do-I-set-up-WAN...

Don't think your Zyxel router will be capable of link aggregation (LAG) on the LAN ports:

https://download.zyxel.com/EX3301-T0/user_guide/EX33...

You'd have to use a single 2.5G LAN port directly. Secondly I don't think your Orbi's will be capable of > Gbps over WiFi in any case.

Thanks to you both, I'm not sure what I am looking at in the manual, but I can't see any way to set it up on the Zyxel.

The Orbi does allow aggregation, but the ethernet is only 1Gig so I would need the aggregation.

What about direct from the Zyxel? Should I be able to get over 1Gbit on wifi if I am right next to it?

(I am not sure my ethernet adaptor on my mac is capable of 2.5Gbit so need to buy one after Christmas).

To be honest I am not sure that I ever have 2.5Gbit set up as I can't test it right now!

Both devices at either end need to support link aggregation for it to work. No dice otherwise. I couldn’t see anything to suggest it could be done on the Zyxel unfortunately.

I would hazard you should see hopefully high 600 to 700~ Mbps on WiFi in the same room without obstructions with the WiFi capability of the Orbi. To reliably and solidly get more you really want WiFI 7 on both access point and client device and a 2.5Gbps wired Ethernet port, not meshed etc.

Try out what you have and let us know how you get on.

In reply to a post by Spinstorm:

The Orbi only has 1G Ethernet, but in the advanced set up it allows you to aggregate multi 1G WAN connections. My thought is I can send 2Gbits through 2x 1G ports to the Orbi, and maybe get WiFi speeds over 1Gbit…

In short no that is not how bonding works. if you bond two 1Gbps links the maximum speed any single connection can work at is still 1Gbps. You could of course now have two clients of the access point each getting 1Gbps. This is leaving aside any questions of how sensible it is to try get multi gigabit connections over WiFi is.

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

In reply to a post by Spinstorm:

The Orbi only has 1G Ethernet, but in the advanced set up it allows you to aggregate multi 1G WAN connections. My thought is I can send 2Gbits through 2x 1G ports to the Orbi, and maybe get WiFi speeds over 1Gbit…

In short no that is not how bonding works. if you bond two 1Gbps links the maximum speed any single connection can work at is still 1Gbps. You could of course now have two clients of the access point each getting 1Gbps. This is leaving aside any questions of how sensible it is to try get multi gigabit connections over WiFi is.

Sensible is probably not the word I would use. "Realistic" is more apt given the capability and limitations of WiFi6 at the AP end (and equally the connecting client devices).

Saying that, it is perfectly and easily possible to get well, well north of a Gbps sustained throughput on a normal WiFi connection. Just spec the ends and innards right.

Thank you again to everyone for suggestions,

What about mesh with the Zyxel WiFi? Really what I am after is a wired connection to my iMac with over 1Gbit speeds.

I have had a look at Zyxel’s mesh solutions and I can’t see any mesh points with more than gigabit output wired.

I assume therefore the only option here is to purchase a wifi7 mesh system with 2.5G ports on the mesh units, but due to the cost that won’t be happening anytime soon!

Is there any way you can get a wired connection from your Mac back to the router? That will get you the full wired speed available from your WAN connection.

Anything else involving WiFi bridging or meshing “in between” your router+ONT and final device, won’t be as performant (both throughput + latency).

I thought the iMac only had gigabit Ethernet?