ET8 stuck as node "Unable to connect to the Parent AP." despite factory reset

[gommm]

I bought two refurbished Zenwifi ET8. One works perfectly. The other one apparently was configured as a aiMesh node and is complaining about not finding his parent.

I did factory reset with the needle. I did a factory reset with the WPS button using this method https://www.asus.com/us/support/faq/1046973/
I rebooted in recovery mode and flashed the latest firmware.

No matter what I do when I try to connect to it I get the very unhelpful error "Unable to connect to the Parent AP."

How do I convert it into a normal AP?

Would flashing gnuton's merlin build in recovery mode solve this?

 

[OzarkEdge]

I bought two refurbished Zenwifi ET8. One works perfectly.

How are you using the one that works and is it running when you work on the second one?

And, how do you want to use the second one?

OE

 

[gommm]

On the one that works, I'm using it directly as an AP with gnuton's merlin fork for the ET8 and mervlan. Out of the box, there was no issue setting it up. Just connected to it went to 192.168.50.1

The other refurbished ET8 apparently was paired out of the box and complains about not finding it's parent's AP. I'd like it to be factory reset so that I can go to 192.168.50.1, set up the merlin firmware, set it up as an AP and install mervlan.

The problem is that when I connect to it, I see that "Unable to connect to the Parent AP error message but can't login at all.

 

[degrub]

Sounds like you need to talk with the seller.

 

[OzarkEdge]

The problem is that when I connect to it, I see that "Unable to connect to the Parent AP error message but can't login at all.

The only thing I can suggest is to try while the working AP is OFF, in case the ZEN plug and play setup is taking over.

This won't help... but I would commission new/used hardware with stock firmware first to confirm the hardware is basically healthy and then start over with the third-party firmware.

OE

 

[gommm]

Ok, here's where I'm at:

If I start the non-working ET8 (let's call it B) connected through LAN to the working ET8 (let's call it A), it connects as a node and shows up in AiMesh.
If I remove the node from the AiMesh interface, I get the standard message that it'll reset to factory defaults. Once I click yes, it reboots and then still connects as a node to ET8 A.
If I click yes and immediately remove the LAN cable to ET8 A. Then it starts does the standard DHCP server with 192.168.50.1. When I use a browser to connect to that, it still complains that it's "Unable to connect to the Parent AP."

When it's connected as a node to ET8 A, I can ssh to it (since ssh keys are synced by AiMesh). So I tried playing around with the nvram
`nvram set remode=0`, it didn't change anything.

I also tried `nvram erase` but same behaviour.

I've tried both WPS hard reset and normal reset through the reset hole, same behaviour. It keeps trying to connect to a parent AP in AiMesh and complains if it can't.

 

[OzarkEdge]

If I start the non-working ET8 (let's call it B) connected through LAN to the working ET8 (let's call it A), it connects as a node and shows up in AiMesh.

So, wired B is working.

If I remove the node from the AiMesh interface, I get the standard message that it'll reset to factory defaults. Once I click yes, it reboots and then still connects as a node to ET8 A.

Again, wired B is working.

If you disconnect the wired backhaul, does B continue working as wireless B like it should... does B failover from being a wired node to being a wireless node? If so, then wired/wireless B works.

If I click yes and immediately remove the LAN cable to ET8 A. Then it starts does the standard DHCP server with 192.168.50.1. When I use a browser to connect to that, it still complains that it's "Unable to connect to the Parent AP."

So, wireless B is not connecting to A during plug and play ZEN setup.

When it's connected as a node to ET8 A, I can ssh to it (since ssh keys are synced by AiMesh). So I tried playing around with the nvram
`nvram set remode=0`, it didn't change anything.

I also tried `nvram erase` but same behaviour.

I can't help with this troubleshooting method.

I've tried both WPS hard reset and normal reset through the reset hole, same behaviour.

B seems to reset ok.

It keeps trying to connect to a parent AP in AiMesh and complains if it can't.

B is trying to be a plug and play Zen node to A when A is ON, and this works when B is wired but not when B is wireless. To work when it is wireless, WPS needs to be enabled on A and the radios need to be healthy and able to communicate in your radio space, according to the wireless settings on A and without ambient radio interference... assuming the firmware is not defective.

Again, have you tried leaving A OFF (no power), and then reset and boot B to see if you can login to B (without A being available to it because A should be OFF)?

OE