Force different wifi-channels in Aimesh

[Ac3200user]

Hi all,

Question: I have 3 asus-routers in Aimesh-setup.
On my Wifi-radar app I can see that all three routers use the same channel for the wifi broadcast. See attached picture: the pink graph is showing all three router-signals.

This surprises me, because I assume they're interfering each other. (My routers are somewhat close to each other, on the three floors in my house)


Isn't there any way I can change the wifi channels on the routers so they use separate channels? I can't find it in the settings. I'm pretty sure it will increase the speeds on my devices.

 

[Yota]

Changing the channel doesn't help with roaming because the client needs to listen to another channel. But you can indeed switch channels via SSH in Aimesh's nodes.

0 is automatic, 1-13 are channels, Extension Channel below is u, and above is l. The following command switches to channel 1 above for you:

nvram set wl0_chanspec=1l
nvram commit
service restart_wireless

For 5GHz:

nvram set wl1_chanspec=36/80
nvram commit
service restart_wireless

Make the above command into a services-start script.


You also need to enable custom script support on the node routers (just run it once):

nvram set jffs2_scripts=1
nvram commit

 

[Ac3200user]

Thanks

 

[capncybo]

Hi all,

Question: I have 3 asus-routers in Aimesh-setup.
On my Wifi-radar app I can see that all three routers use the same channel for the wifi broadcast. See attached picture: the pink graph is showing all three router-signals.

This surprises me, because I assume they're interfering each other. (My routers are somewhat close to each other, on the three floors in my house)


Isn't there any way I can change the wifi channels on the routers so they use separate channels? I can't find it in the settings. I'm pretty sure it will increase the speeds on my devices.

This is kind of a Trick question because... you never really mentioned if you were using "Wired Ethernet" to inter-connect your router & nodes.
If they are NOT wired... Then the router_&_nodes have to use a "common" channel to communicate.
Hence, I (don't think) they can be on different channels.

 

[Ac3200user]

This is kind of a Trick question because... you never really mentioned if you were using "Wired Ethernet" to inter-connect your router & nodes.
If they are NOT wired... Then the router_&_nodes have to use a "common" channel to communicate.
Hence, I (don't think) they can be on different channels.

They are all wired attached.

 

[Strud]

I've followed the above tutorial, but it doesn't work in my case.

I set up the channel, commit and check with "nvram get wl0_chanspec" that the setting sticks. But after restarting the wireless service it switches itself back to 0 and of course the channel doesn't change.

I'm on Merlin 386.5_2 on both the main router and the nodes, all connected via cable.

Any ideas or additional settings to make?

 

[diesel]

I've followed the above tutorial, but it doesn't work in my case.

I set up the channel, commit and check with "nvram get wl0_chanspec" that the setting sticks. But after restarting the wireless service it switches itself back to 0 and of course the channel doesn't change.

I'm on Merlin 386.5_2 on both the main router and the nodes, all connected via cable.

Any ideas or additional settings to make?

Ever figure this out? I'm having the same issue on the node.

 

[Smokey613]

If all nodes are wired, your other option is to run the nodes in AP mode not AiMesh mode. This will give you the ability to set different wifi channels on each unit. There are pros and cons to using this topology, such as no longer having a single management interface.

 

[diesel]

If all nodes are wired, your other option is to run the nodes in AP mode not AiMesh mode. This will give you the ability to set different wifi channels on each unit. There are pros and cons to using this topology, such as no longer having a single management interface.

Easy enough. Thought I had finally figured out my network settings, but back to tinkering for the ol' sticky devices. Was trying to avoid running as an AP, but I think there's more benefit to it anyway...

Thanks for the help.

If anyone is wondering: I couldn't change the channels—2.4Ghz + 5Ghz—via SSH for my AX82U (GNUton Merlin 388.1 beta 3, USA) AiMesh node using ethernet backhaul. Router is AX86U (Merlin 388.1, USA).