AiMesh Node fails to install

[Preskitt.man]

I have rt-ax86u as my primary router. Was trying to setup an rt-ac86u as an aimesh node. Primary has Merlin 300.388.4 installed and the node has Merlin 386.12 installed.
I factory reset the ac86u and powered it on - placing it within 8 feet of ax86u. There were no cables (other than power) attached to the node. (I am on a fiber connection, so there is no modem)
From the ax86u, I first clicked on AiMesh from the main screen, and from the resulting screen, clicked on Search. It pretty quickly found the ac86u and I clicked on install.
Somewhat deliberately, it seemed to be proceeding through the process until it got up to somewhere in the 60% range. Then it proceeded much faster to completion, where it said, install failed and gave advice as to what to do next.
This included wait a few minutes if other installs might also be going on
Make sure node had been factory reset
Make sure proper firmware installed.
Make sure node was close to the primary router
Bottom line, I retried this several times, all with the same result. So currently ac86u node is setup as an AP, but would like to get it as a mesh node.
If it matters, my previous setup was the ac86u was a primary node in a mesh system with an ac68u as the mesh node. The ac68u bit the dust, and I purchased the ax86u to be new primary router with the intent of using the ac86u as a mesh node. Mostly it is serving devices like my TV, Alexa and other IOT devices, but I do use wifi calling a lot and want phone conversations to be kept alive as I or my wife wander through the house.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have rt-ax86u as my primary router. Was trying to setup an rt-ac86u as an aimesh node. Primary has Merlin 300.388.4 installed and the node has Merlin 386.12 installed.
I factory reset the ac86u and powered it on - placing it within 8 feet of ax86u. There were no cables (other than power) attached to the node. (I am on a fiber connection, so there is no modem)
From the ax86u, I first clicked on AiMesh from the main screen, and from the resulting screen, clicked on Search. It pretty quickly found the ac86u and I clicked on install.
Somewhat deliberately, it seemed to be proceeding through the process until it got up to somewhere in the 60% range. Then it proceeded much faster to completion, where it said, install failed and gave advice as to what to do next.
This included wait a few minutes if other installs might also be going on
Make sure node had been factory reset
Make sure proper firmware installed.
Make sure node was close to the primary router
Bottom line, I retried this several times, all with the same result. So currently ac86u node is setup as an AP, but would like to get it as a mesh node.
If it matters, my previous setup was the ac86u was a primary node in a mesh system with an ac68u as the mesh node. The ac68u bit the dust, and I purchased the ax86u to be new primary router with the intent of using the ac86u as a mesh node. Mostly it is serving devices like my TV, Alexa and other IOT devices, but I do use wifi calling a lot and want phone conversations to be kept alive as I or my wife wander through the house.

My guess is that the node will add if you put ASUSWRT on the node as is advised here, or on all nodes.

OE

 

[glens]

Leave it as AP is my advice, for what it's worth. Roaming works just as well in my experience. Better system control, too, that way.

 

[Preskitt.man]

Possibly, but article said what wouldn't work was asuswrt primary and melin node. Only downside to using both primary and secondary as melin was lack of auto update. Prior to ac68u biting the dust, both nodes were on Merlin

 

[Preskitt.man]

Leave it as AP is my advice, for what it's worth. Roaming works just as well in my experience. Better system control, too, that way.

Got no inherent problem leaving it as AP. Have same SSIDs setup on both. Concern is, phone in rear of the house takes a call (on wifi calling), and while on the call walks to the front of the house. All might go well, but 2 other possibilities are phone might stubbornly stick to original router and lose the call, or phone could drop the original router, transition to the same ssid on the now closer router and drop the call.

 

[Tech9]

This article was last edited in 2019 before AiMesh 2.0. Asuswrt-Merlin had issues with AiMesh 2.0 on all 386 series firmware. In particular - wireless node discovery wasn't working properly. It was fixed somewhere in 388 firmware with Asus help. Mixed 388-386 AiMesh - take your chances. Better chances for working wireless AiMesh - Asuswrt on all routers.

 

[Preskitt.man]

Would it help if I coonrcted the node to the main router via a wire? If so, connect it to lan or wan port?

 

[Tech9]

It may be your only AiMesh setup option with fail back to wireless after. If the wireless connection fails later on though you have to do it again.

[AiMesh] Can I set up wired connection between AiMesh routers (Ethernet backhaul)? | Official Support | ASUS USA

 

[follower]

I have rt-ax86u as my primary router. Was trying to setup an rt-ac86u as an aimesh node. Primary has Merlin 300.388.4 installed and the node has Merlin 386.12 installed.
I factory reset the ac86u and powered it on - placing it within 8 feet of ax86u. There were no cables (other than power) attached to the node. (I am on a fiber connection, so there is no modem)
From the ax86u, I first clicked on AiMesh from the main screen, and from the resulting screen, clicked on Search. It pretty quickly found the ac86u and I clicked on install.
Somewhat deliberately, it seemed to be proceeding through the process until it got up to somewhere in the 60% range. Then it proceeded much faster to completion, where it said, install failed and gave advice as to what to do next.
This included wait a few minutes if other installs might also be going on
Make sure node had been factory reset
Make sure proper firmware installed.
Make sure node was close to the primary router
Bottom line, I retried this several times, all with the same result. So currently ac86u node is setup as an AP, but would like to get it as a mesh node.
If it matters, my previous setup was the ac86u was a primary node in a mesh system with an ac68u as the mesh node. The ac68u bit the dust, and I purchased the ax86u to be new primary router with the intent of using the ac86u as a mesh node. Mostly it is serving devices like my TV, Alexa and other IOT devices, but I do use wifi calling a lot and want phone conversations to be kept alive as I or my wife wander through the house.

Close the node to the Main router under 1 feet when you install the Node. Actually, Ethernet Backhaul connection is the best connection for the Node.

 

[Preskitt.man]

I was using Ethernet bckhaul before node went down. Imfrankly forget though if I was wire connected during theminitial setip, or only after node was established

 

[glens]

Wired initial setup should succeed.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I was using Ethernet bckhaul before node went down. Imfrankly forget though if I was wire connected during theminitial setip, or only after node was established

FWIW, I had no trouble adding a wireless AC86U node at 77' to my ASUSWRT AiMesh AX86U router.

If you decide to try with ASUSWRT on the node, let us know if it worked.

Is your AC86U healthy... both bands working, no funny business observed with the WiFi signals? That router is known to burn up... before it does, weird things can happen.

OE

 

[csj97229]

I have rt-ax86u as my primary router. Was trying to setup an rt-ac86u as an aimesh node. Primary has Merlin 300.388.4 installed and the node has Merlin 386.12 installed.
I factory reset the ac86u and powered it on - placing it within 8 feet of ax86u. There were no cables (other than power) attached to the node. (I am on a fiber connection, so there is no modem)
From the ax86u, I first clicked on AiMesh from the main screen, and from the resulting screen, clicked on Search. It pretty quickly found the ac86u and I clicked on install.
Somewhat deliberately, it seemed to be proceeding through the process until it got up to somewhere in the 60% range. Then it proceeded much faster to completion, where it said, install failed and gave advice as to what to do next.

I tried this same configuration of ax86u primary running 300.388.4 and ac86u node running 386.12. I had the same problem when trying to add the node. I installed stock ASUS FW (3.0.0.4.386_51915) on the ac86u and it connected wirelessly and has worked fine ever since.

 

[Preskitt.man]

Well, I tried it one more time. This time, left ac86u (aimesh node) in back room of house with connection from LAN node on main router to WAN node on mesh node. Reset the ac86u and then added mesh node. This time it was successful. Then curiously, as I check some critical devices that should have been connecting to mesh node (firestick, insignia tv, wife's laptop, ...) they either wouldn't connect at all, or were connecting to the main router with a weak connection. Tried reboots of devices and reconnects, with no success. Got out my wifi scanner (wifiman) and it did not show any signal from the aimesh node. So, rebooted both the main router and the node. Problem was solved, fortunately. Life is good and simple again.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Well, I tried it one more time. This time, left ac86u (aimesh node) in back room of house with connection from LAN node on main router to WAN node on mesh node. Reset the ac86u and then added mesh node. This time it was successful. Then curiously, as I check some critical devices that should have been connecting to mesh node (firestick, insignia tv, wife's laptop, ...) they either wouldn't connect at all, or were connecting to the main router with a weak connection. Tried reboots of devices and reconnects, with no success. Got out my wifi scanner (wifiman) and it did not show any signal from the aimesh node. So, rebooted both the main router and the node. Problem was solved, fortunately. Life is good and simple again.

So, it did not work earlier, wirelessly, when moved close to the router... this might suggest no WPS enabled or something nearby interferring with it, including aging radios/power circuits in that AC86U... keep an eye on it... a dying AC86U only gets worse.

Regarding node signals not coming up like they should... I've seen this on a few occassions upon commissioning AiMesh. A system or router reboot followed by a reboot of any unhealthy nodes/backhauls has cleared this up.

OE

 

[Wisiwyg]

Second... I've found that stock on the node works 'better' for adding mesh to the main router running Merlin.