Inestability in RT-AC86U (Aimesh Router + Node)

[marvix]

Hi everyone, I want to ask you guys help.

I have and optic fibre internet connection and works well (900 MBPS). Good speed, good stability, etc. My configuration was my ISP router with all their wifi connections deactivated and connected to an RT-AC86U throught cable (2.4 and 5 GHZ).

But, in some places of my house the internet connection wasn't good, for that reasons I get another RT-AC86U and try to connect with aimesh router with original firmware Asus. I achieved connect both routers using cable and WIFI, but the performance was very low, I had a lot of inestability and start to investigate any firmware alternative and found Asus Merlin, and I update both routers to 386.12 AsusWRT-Merlin.

When I start over my aimesh my node configuration, I cannot connect throught WIFI and the only way to achieved connect both routers was using cable. For some reason that I don't understand when I power up the aimesh node, past a time the connection become unstable and when I turn off the aimesh node I get stability but in the part of the house further away I have the same bad quality in signal.

Any suggestion?, What I can do?

 

[Adooni]

Asus is fighting with AiMesh from the beginning and it is luck if it working good for you Wire connection definitely is more stable than wi-fi. There is so many post about AiMesh stability that a lot people just ignore those - I hope you will find a help you need.

do you have ISP router-modem in bridge mode?
if not you can try this setup ISP router than AC86U in AiMesh Router in AP mode and 2nd AC86U as AiMesh Node. - this is to check if double NAT is not an issue. Not sure what you can setup at ISP router for example to add to DMZ| etc. I do not tell it shall be final solution but should allow you to test it.

your network should looks like ISP router-modem in bridge mode - LAN cable - AC68U as AiMesh router - LAN cable AC86U as AiMesh Node.

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @marvix.

The following may help.

Diversion on AX88U Pro, Entware gone and strange issue

Brand new router received the same day 3004.388.4 was released so I installed it, then Diversion which installed Entware and finally uiDivStats. I bought a tiny 64GB USB key for this new router. Now I don't look at my router stats that much but today I found out the USB key was showing on the...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Tech9]

I cannot connect throught WIFI and the only way to achieved connect both routers was using cable.

AiMesh wireless node discovery issue in Asuswrt-Merlin was eventually fixed somewhere in 388 firmware. Your routers run 386 firmware.

[ 388.2 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

Running 388.2_alpha2-g099892a1cf on AXE16000. Can confirm issue with 2.4ghz and 6ghz radio is gone (prev, devices connecting to the 2.4ghz radio would have no exit to internet). Had already seen it work in stock image, glad to see the gpl merge brought the fix to Merlin. OpenVPN to connect...

www.snbforums.com

What I can do?

Use stock Asuswrt, make sure the routers have good connection between them. Look at what AiMesh GUI page says for backhaul.

This router also has numerous common hardware and software issues. Hopefully your units are not affected and still in good condition.

Want to add new RT-AC86U to existing network as AIMesh node

I have a working RT-AC86U router and want to add a NIB 86U as an AIMesh node, but am a bit confused as to how to start, since I know the first thing I need to do is to get the new router firmware to update. Do I have to disconnect my Primary router and plug the new one's WAN port to my ISP...

www.snbforums.com

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Update:

The only person I know still using 2x RT-AC86U routers just told me the latest available firmware for it 3.0.0.4.386_51915 didn't work well for him in AiMesh and he reverted back to one of the previous ones, but he's not home to take a look which one exactly. You may have to play a bit and find what firmware works best for you. It may not be the latest one released. Older firmware versions have this issue though:

ASUS routers vulnerable to critical remote code execution flaws

Three critical-severity remote code execution vulnerabilities impact ASUS RT-AX55, RT-AX56U_V2, and RT-AC86U routers, potentially allowing threat actors to hijack devices if security updates are not installed.

www.bleepingcomputer.com