[Official Release] AiMesh Firmware v3.0.0.4.384.10007 for All Supported Products

[MarkHawke]

I have an AC-RT3100 as primary router and AC-RT1900 as essentially an AP router connected via ethernet cable using same SSID for both systems. Setup was working well. Upgraded both to 384. Set 3100 as primary router again with 1900 joined via AIMesh. Seemed like all was working well. However, over time, the web gui would start to REALLY slow down and worst of all, my WAN connection was being severely impacted. Instead of a standard 5-10 Meg down was only seeing around .2-.8 Meg. Directly connecting a laptop showed normal speed. Reconnecting back to router, back to degraded speed. Rebooting would get it working for a little while but went back to degraded pretty fast.

So just flashed primary router back to 382 and left 1900(AP) at 384 so no AIMesh. Speeds and performance seem to be back to normal now. I think the AIMesh sounds great but it still seems a bit "not-quite-done" to me. I'll wait for another release or two to try again I think.

 

[brucemac]

Also you will notice an increase in ISP speed and router wasting less memory/cpu using.
I really want to use AIMESH, but not now with this beta firmware, the future looks amazing

Hey hotsauce, will you please be sure to report back in a day or so on your rollback reliability with the existing firmware? I'm about ready to pull the plug on aimiesh as well. Spending too much time fiddling with this. Wife and kids are getting slightly irritated. Yesterday I came home from skiing and my wife had lost internet access on her work laptop--all SSID's. I went to fix, but found I couldn't even log into the main router from the web UI. I had to physically reboot the router, node and AP (66U). I can understand this is fairly big feature improvement and it's relatively new, but it doesn't seem like it's fully baked yet. I'm hoping they get there though. I really do.

 

[Volfi]

Speed difference. Connecting to main router, which is AC88, I can reach my internet provider connectivity limit, 500Mbps, 12ms latency. Connecting to AiMesh Node (AC86) it is still very decent 350Mbps, 13ms. Phone is in this case about 20 meters from main router, 10 meters from Node. Definitely better speed then Extenders I have used.

Happy with the mesh, when it works.

 

[ExhibitA]

ok so I dunno if anyone else is having this problem or if its just me... I have the rt-ac3100 as my main router for the aimesh, and I recently bought the ac1900p and updated the firmware for aimesh on both of them.. my 3100 found the 1900p as the node and everything is working out perfect.. now I went on to buy the rt-ac86u and did the same thing.. updated the 86u to the aimesh firmware my 3100 finds it as a node and asks me if I want to add it a spinning wheel pops up starting at 1% and goes to 100% and it fails each time saying something like someone else is trying to set up an aimesh at the same time, or check to see if the routers are on, which they are, or make sure the right firmware is installed and it is.. because if it wasn't my 3100 wouldn't be able to locate it in the first place... so after doing many factory resets to the 86u I thought to myself that there might be a defect with it... so I exchanged it for another 86u and now this new one is doing the same thing... so I'm baffled as to what is happening.. would appreciate any help thanks...btw I tried adding the 86u as a node also through my phone but I was getting a different failed message. It says "this device is added to your aimesh system failed. Please check all of your devices are powered on the try it again."

 

[Richard Li]

Hi, I need some help/advice as I am not able to add AiMesh Node. The things that was mentioned in the window which pops up - i already checked and did.

Here is the sequence of events that I did:

I already have a RT-AC86U running as my main router (as 192.168.1.1). This has been upgraded to the release Aimesh FW - V3.0.0.4.384_10007. It is currently hard wired connected to another Asus RT-AC66U which is setup as AP. This is my current working setup for home wifi

I recently bought a RT-AC68U, and loaded in the same AiMesh FW. Then I factory reset it, and bring it close (almost next to) to the main router AC86U.

I logged into AC86U WebUI and proceed to search for AiMesh node, which it was able to see this AC68U. I then click on it, and can see the percentage increasing, up to around 80%, then it speeds up and the below message popsup.

I factory reset a few times, and same issue. What else could be the issue? Thanks in advance for any advice...

View attachment 11593

1. You need to connect an AiMesh node using wireless only (i.e. the AiMesh node do not need to have any wired connection)
2. After adding the AiMesh node, then you connect to wired ethernet and setup preferred connection method to ethernet.

 

[Richard Li]

I have a strange feeling about how AiMesh works. If one connect different models of routers, say RT-AC88U and RT-AC68U, it seems that even though the firmware versions are the same (V3.0.0.4.384_10007), these 2 routers has different settings in the WebUI (RT-AC88U have the Smart Connect and Smart Connect Rules, while RT-AC68U do not have these options).

The point is how can one set of settings propagate to different routers when different routers supports different features? And for my configuration, why using RT-AC68U as router works when finding a node while using RT-AC88U as routers cannot found RT-AC68U as node? Because RT-AC88U supports a larger feature set? As stated in the manual, it recommends to use the best device as router while others as nodes, but it seems my working configuration required me to use the worst device as router instead.

 

[Richard Li]

Speed difference. Connecting to main router, which is AC88, I can reach my internet provider connectivity limit, 500Mbps, 12ms latency. Connecting to AiMesh Node (AC86) it is still very decent 350Mbps, 13ms. Phone is in this case about 20 meters from main router, 10 meters from Node. Definitely better speed then Extenders I have used.

Happy with the mesh, when it works.

So you can successfully setup RT-AC88U as router while RT-AC68U as node?

 

[bleukrabbe]

1. You need to connect an AiMesh node using wireless only (i.e. the AiMesh node do not need to have any wired connection)
2. After adding the AiMesh node, then you connect to wired ethernet and setup preferred connection method to ethernet.

Thanks for the reply. My RT86U (main router) is connected to my "new" RT68U" via wireless and it was able to detect it as well, but was unsuccessful to add in (with the error messsage window popping up). However, the RT86U is current hard wired connected to my older RT66U and other PC as it is currently being used as a main router for the home. Do I need to disconnect my RT86U router from all connection while it is trying to add in the Aimesh node (RT68U)?

 

[arthurlien]

I am looking for someone can help me to clarify the issue that wireless backhaul dropped randomly. if you want to do, please send personal message to me with personal email, i will contact with you.

Model : RT-AC68U, RT-AC1900

 

[Richard Li]

Thanks for the reply. My RT86U (main router) is connected to my "new" RT68U" via wireless and it was able to detect it as well, but was unsuccessful to add in (with the error messsage window popping up). However, the RT86U is current hard wired connected to my older RT66U and other PC as it is currently being used as a main router for the home. Do I need to disconnect my RT86U router from all connection while it is trying to add in the Aimesh node (RT68U)?

So you now have 3 routers: 66U, 86U and 68U, right? So 66U is now the main router, right? Now you want to setup 68U as AiMesh AP? and 86U as AiMesh node? If your 68U is actually the T-mobile RT-AC1900, you need to make certain CFE mod before it can works.

 

[bleukrabbe]

So you now have 3 routers: 66U, 86U and 68U, right? So 66U is now the main router, right? Now you want to setup 68U as AiMesh AP? and 86U as AiMesh node? If your 68U is actually the T-mobile RT-AC1900, you need to make certain CFE mod before it can works.

Thanks.... to clarify:

- My current setup is RT- 86U (Main router running AiMesh FW already) --> wired --> RT66U (AP mode).
- My objective is to use RT-86U as main router and RT-68U as node (This 68U will replace my current 66U once the AiMesh is setup).
- My 68U is not a T-Mobile unit (This is from a Telco in Singapore by the way), and I have already install the AiMesh FW on it already.
- The 86U can see the 68U during AiMesh Search (wireless), but just unable to add in.

 

[DracZ]

Thanks.... to clarify:

- My current setup is RT- 86U (Main router running AiMesh FW already) --> wired --> RT66U (AP mode).
- My objective is to use RT-86U as main router and RT-68U as node (This 68U will replace my current 66U once the AiMesh is setup).
- My 68U is not a T-Mobile unit (This is from a Telco in Singapore by the way), and I have already install the AiMesh FW on it already.
- The 86U can see the 68U during AiMesh Search (wireless), but just unable to add in.

Hi, I noticed from Richard Li's previous posts, that he was only able to get his to work by making the RT-AC68U the main router, and his RT-AC88U the node. Perhaps you can try that? P.S hi fellow s'porean =)

 

[Richard Li]

Thanks.... to clarify:

- My current setup is RT- 86U (Main router running AiMesh FW already) --> wired --> RT66U (AP mode).
- My objective is to use RT-86U as main router and RT-68U as node (This 68U will replace my current 66U once the AiMesh is setup).
- My 68U is not a T-Mobile unit (This is from a Telco in Singapore by the way), and I have already install the AiMesh FW on it already.
- The 86U can see the 68U during AiMesh Search (wireless), but just unable to add in.

See if this procedure can help you:
1. Reset RT-86U to factory default by power off -> press WPS button -> power on -> wait until power light flashes quick -> release WPS button (using the reset button will not erase everything, some settings still persist)
2. Setup RT-86U as AiMesh router
3. Reset RT-68U to factory default using the same procedure as the RT-86U
4. Place RT-68U close to RT-86U
5. login RT-86U and try connect RT-68U

You need to wait until the whole process finished, it it failed, try to repeat from point 3 again. I noticed that you can found the RT-68U in search, so you should be able to work out the binding.

 

[Richard Li]

Hi, I noticed from Richard Li's previous posts, that he was only able to get his to work by making the RT-AC68U the main router, and his RT-AC88U the node. Perhaps you can try that? P.S hi fellow s'porean =)

This is a bit different from my case, I cannot even search RT-AC68U, he can search, but connect fails. I suspect the SSID of RT-AC68U may have some problem, I noticed that the RT-AC68U has SSID ASUS and ASUS_5G after factory reset , while my RT-AC88U has SSID ASUS_00_2G and ASUS_00_5G, I am not sure if this matters.

 

[DracZ]

This is a bit different from my case, I cannot even search RT-AC68U, he can search, but connect fails. I suspect the SSID of RT-AC68U may have some problem, I noticed that the RT-AC68U has SSID ASUS and ASUS_5G after factory reset , while my RT-AC88U has SSID ASUS_00_2G and ASUS_00_5G, I am not sure if this matters.

That's quite odd. The default SSID for all my asus routers so far (RT-N15 / AC1200G+ / AC68U / AC68U) have been ASUS & ASUS_5G.

 

[bleukrabbe]

See if this procedure can help you:
1. Reset RT-86U to factory default by power off -> press WPS button -> power on -> wait until power light flashes quick -> release WPS button (using the reset button will not erase everything, some settings still persist)
2. Setup RT-86U as AiMesh router
3. Reset RT-68U to factory default using the same procedure as the RT-86U
4. Place RT-68U close to RT-86U
5. login RT-86U and try connect RT-68U

You need to wait until the whole process finished, it it failed, try to repeat from point 3 again. I noticed that you can found the RT-68U in search, so you should be able to work out the binding.

OK Thanks Richard. I will try this. I was trying to avoid having to do #1 as this is currently the main router for the family and i was hoping to be able to test out the AiMesh without disrupting the family wifi. Guess I will have to schedule a downtime to do this. no big deal.

 

[bleukrabbe]

Hi, I noticed from Richard Li's previous posts, that he was only able to get his to work by making the RT-AC68U the main router, and his RT-AC88U the node. Perhaps you can try that? P.S hi fellow s'porean =)

hey hi there fellow singaporean! what is your Aimesh setup like may I ask?

 

[Richard Li]

OK Thanks Richard. I will try this. I was trying to avoid having to do #1 as this is currently the main router for the family and i was hoping to be able to test out the AiMesh without disrupting the family wifi. Guess I will have to schedule a downtime to do this. no big deal.

Well, doing a factory reset in the AiMesh router seems to be a must. I have tried to just upgrade firmware in my RT-AC68U and it is not working anyway, need a factory reset for sure, and I have read many cases that works with a full factory reset in the AiMesh router.

 

[Richard Li]

That's quite odd. The default SSID for all my asus routers so far (RT-N15 / AC1200G+ / AC68U / AC68U) have been ASUS & ASUS_5G.

Just interested in all your routers, so what is your configuration? Which one is router and which one is node?

 

[DracZ]

hey hi there fellow singaporean! what is your Aimesh setup like may I ask?

Hiya tis as follows:

Main: RT-AC68U
Node x 2: RT-AC68U
(both on ethernet backhaul)

I did a full factory reset on all the routers, before engaging the setup process from scratch, and so far it's been working flawlessly.
Only issue is that my wired WAN speed-test has been capped at around 350mbps instead of the usual 900+ I get (known bug).
However the trade off for me personally is worth it cause my old Router + AP setup under the same SSID had issues with locking onto the wrong AP with a weaker signal as I moved throughout the house.
Now it's far, far better, I can pretty much move seamlessly and the handoff is much more signal-appropriate and quicker.

Well, doing a factory reset in the AiMesh router seems to be a must. I have tried to just upgrade firmware in my RT-AC68U and it is not working anyway, need a factory reset for sure, and I have read many cases that works with a full factory reset in the AiMesh router.

Agreed. I did this and have no issues so far with dropouts / setup etc.

Just interested in all your routers, so what is your configuration? Which one is router and which one is node?

I had all these routers throughout the years. Right now my setup is as mentioned above, 3 x RT-AC68U

I mentioned the old routers just in reference to your statement earlier about the odd SSID, cause I'm pretty sure that's not the intended default.