AiMesh node (RT-AC68U) doesn not sync through wifi to Mesh Router (RT-AC86U)

[santhy]

Hi guys,
I have been trying to setup a mesh network by adding an RT-AC68U to my RT-AC86U.

Adding the node worked like a charm. But as soon as the node was added, it appeared offline.

If I connect the node with an ethernet cable, it syncs up and shows online.

Any idea what I could do to be able to connect wirelessly please?

Many thanks for your help!

(both routers have been updated with their latest respective ASUS firmwares)

S.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi guys,
I have been trying to setup a mesh network by adding an RT-AC68U to my RT-AC86U.

Adding the node worked like a charm. But as soon as the node was added, it appeared offline.
View attachment 37044

If I connect the node with an ethernet cable, it syncs up and shows online.

Any idea what I could do to be able to connect wirelessly please?

Many thanks for your help!

(both routers have been updated with their latest respective ASUS firmwares)

S.

I would confirm adequate node signal power at the 86U router for the wireless backhaul... the AC86U coverage is about 20% stronger than the AC68U, so wireless backhaul distance/path is constrained by the weaker AC68U. Move the node around/closer to get it connected and then inspect its 2.4 and 5.0 backhauls in the router Wireless Log after it settles... greater than -68 dBm is my target but you can get by with less signal (more negative).

Two, try different channels in case new noise is interfering.

Three, use a WiFi Analyzer to roughly compare router and node signal power... if one is grossly different, then suspect the reason for that may be the issue, such as a new/out-of-box hardware issue.

OE

 

[santhy]

Thanks @OzarkEdge,

Actually right after setup (wuth the node sitting a meter from the router), the node is can't even sync through wifi. Really weird.
Only when I connect it through ethernet does it become part of the mesh network.
Sound like it s probably not a wifi strength issue?

SSID: "xxxxxxx"
noise: -93 dBm Channel: 4
BSSID: D4:5D:64:7A2:60 Capability: ESS ShortSlot RRM
Supported Rates: [ 1(b) 2(b) 5.5(b) 6 9 11(b) 12 18 24 36 48 54 ]
VHT Capable:
Chanspec: 2.4GHz channel 4 20MHz (0x1004)
Primary channel: 4
HT Capabilities:
Supported HT MCS : 0-23
Supported VHT MCS:
NSS1 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS2 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS3 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11

Interference Level: Acceptable
Mode : AP Only

Stations List
----------------------------------------
idx MAC Associated Authorized RSSI PHY PSM SGI STBC MUBF NSS Tx rate Rx rate Connect Time
40:45A:60:2A:0E Yes Yes -79dBm n Yes Yes No No 1 58.5M 1M 01:04:44
40:45A:93:E1:F9 Yes Yes -61dBm n Yes Yes No No 1 65M 1M 01:08:29
38:8B:59:75:57:B8 Yes Yes -97dBm n No Yes No No 1 19.5M 1M 13:54:34
B0:4A:39:0D:61:C5 Yes Yes -92dBm n No Yes Yes No 1 72.2M 13M 14:20:17

SSID: "xxxxxxx"
noise: -92 dBm Channel: 157
BSSID: D4:5D:64:7A2:64 Capability: ESS RRM
Supported Rates: [ 6(b) 9 12(b) 18 24(b) 36 48 54 ]
VHT Capable:
Chanspec: 5GHz channel 157 20MHz (0xd09d)
Primary channel: 157
HT Capabilities:
Supported HT MCS : 0-31
Supported VHT MCS:
NSS1 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS2 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS3 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS4 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11

Interference Level: Acceptable
Mode : AP Only

Stations List
----------------------------------------
idx MAC Associated Authorized RSSI PHY PSM SGI STBC MUBF NSS Tx rate Rx rate Connect Time
36:8B:68:09:BF:7A Yes Yes -51dBm ac Yes Yes No No 2 192.5M 6M 01:07:31
42:E9:35:66:77:B8 Yes Yes -44dBm ac Yes Yes No No 2 130M 24M 06:26:06
98:2C:BC:A5:B9:A5 Yes Yes -44dBm ac No Yes Yes No 2 173.3M 173.3M 06:27:21
A4:83:E7:31:6F:A1 Yes Yes -45dBm ac Yes Yes Yes No 3 144.4M 24M 08:48:32
4865C:CB:29 Yes Yes -72dBm ac No Yes No No 1 86.7M 65M 13:29:41
00:42:38:12:78:93 Yes Yes -46dBm ac No Yes Yes No 2 173.3M 173.3M 22:23:13

Any advice on how to resolve this would be really appreciated!
Thanks,
S.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks @OzarkEdge,

Actually right after setup (wuth the node sitting a meter from the router), the node is can't even sync through wifi. Really weird.
Only when I connect it through ethernet does it become part of the mesh network.
Sound like it s probably not a wifi strength issue?

SSID: "xxxxxxx"
noise: -93 dBm Channel: 4
BSSID: D4:5D:64:7A2:60 Capability: ESS ShortSlot RRM
Supported Rates: [ 1(b) 2(b) 5.5(b) 6 9 11(b) 12 18 24 36 48 54 ]
VHT Capable:
Chanspec: 2.4GHz channel 4 20MHz (0x1004)
Primary channel: 4
HT Capabilities:
Supported HT MCS : 0-23
Supported VHT MCS:
NSS1 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS2 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS3 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11

Interference Level: Acceptable
Mode : AP Only

Stations List
----------------------------------------
idx MAC Associated Authorized RSSI PHY PSM SGI STBC MUBF NSS Tx rate Rx rate Connect Time
40:45A:60:2A:0E Yes Yes -79dBm n Yes Yes No No 1 58.5M 1M 01:04:44
40:45A:93:E1:F9 Yes Yes -61dBm n Yes Yes No No 1 65M 1M 01:08:29
38:8B:59:75:57:B8 Yes Yes -97dBm n No Yes No No 1 19.5M 1M 13:54:34
B0:4A:39:0D:61:C5 Yes Yes -92dBm n No Yes Yes No 1 72.2M 13M 14:20:17

SSID: "xxxxxxx"
noise: -92 dBm Channel: 157
BSSID: D4:5D:64:7A2:64 Capability: ESS RRM
Supported Rates: [ 6(b) 9 12(b) 18 24(b) 36 48 54 ]
VHT Capable:
Chanspec: 5GHz channel 157 20MHz (0xd09d)
Primary channel: 157
HT Capabilities:
Supported HT MCS : 0-31
Supported VHT MCS:
NSS1 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS2 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS3 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS4 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11

Interference Level: Acceptable
Mode : AP Only

Stations List
----------------------------------------
idx MAC Associated Authorized RSSI PHY PSM SGI STBC MUBF NSS Tx rate Rx rate Connect Time
36:8B:68:09:BF:7A Yes Yes -51dBm ac Yes Yes No No 2 192.5M 6M 01:07:31
42:E9:35:66:77:B8 Yes Yes -44dBm ac Yes Yes No No 2 130M 24M 06:26:06
98:2C:BC:A5:B9:A5 Yes Yes -44dBm ac No Yes Yes No 2 173.3M 173.3M 06:27:21
A4:83:E7:31:6F:A1 Yes Yes -45dBm ac Yes Yes Yes No 3 144.4M 24M 08:48:32
4865C:CB:29 Yes Yes -72dBm ac No Yes No No 1 86.7M 65M 13:29:41
00:42:38:12:78:93 Yes Yes -46dBm ac No Yes Yes No 2 173.3M 173.3M 22:23:13

View attachment 37078

Any advice on how to resolve this would be really appreciated!
Thanks,
S.

The router Wireless Log you have posted should show the number of streams NSS for both wireless backhauls. Given 3 antennas on the AC68U, the number of streams should be 3 for both the 2.4 and 5.0 backhaul entries.

(FYI the AC86U has an internal 4th antenna on the 5.0 band, so two AC86Us would have a 4-stream 5.0 backhaul.)

Notice that there is no 2.4 backhaul entry with 3 streams... it's missing. Also, the RSSI signal power for three of the 2.4 clients listed is not very good for 2.4 GHz, suggesting those clients are farther than normal from their AP connection. Since you know how far away they are from both nodes, you can decide which 'too far' node they are connected to and you also know that they should be connecting to the other/closer node... but they are not because that node has no working 2.4 signal (?).

I believe AiMesh requires all bands to be healthy before it will add a wireless node.

So, get both bands working on the suspect node. Start over with that node and re-commission it from scratch... download the firmware again from asus.com, upload it to the suspect node, reset that firmware using the webUI firmware Restore function with Initialize (to also clear logged data), and then confirm that both of its 2.4 and 5.0 signals are broadcasting normally. Then proceed to build your AiMesh.

Otherwise, that node may have a hardware issue.

Which node is it... the 86U root node or the 68U remote node? Early 86Us have a history of failing 2.4 radios... how old is it?... what is the country and date of manufacture on its back label?

OE