Need Advice for AiMesh with AC86U primary with two AC68U nodes

[JT Strickland]

OE, I wondered about that, also, how it could "remember" the access point configuration after a reset. They're not my instructions, their Asus's. I don't have a clue without a cookbook recipe or some direction. Of course, I do think about it, that's how I have learned the little bit that I have. But that is what they said in the instructions.

The tutorial video by Asus didn't say anything about resetting to factory default, but the instructions did. The guy in the 2 minute or so video just used the phone app, and biff, bam, boom, he was done, no factory reset.

If it don't "remember" what it was configured for, then what's the point? I don't see how it could be configured for an access point afterward, because when the Aimesh router "pairs" with the node, you don't have any control over it anymore as far as I can see. It's too late then, it seems like, to configure it as a node or access point.

But I may have missed something. I'm not trying to tell anyone how it's done. I was just trying to follow their instructions, without which, I am as lost as a goose. The directions on the website, and in the box, may not be correct or I may have misunderstood. I am confident that you guys know what you are doing, and are very good at it.
jts

edit: I should have done some more searching before I asked all those questions. I've found answers to a couple. I know you guys get tired of answering the same thing. It is difficult to wade through everything to find an answer, though.

 

[OzarkEdge]

OE, I wondered about that, also, how it could "remember" the access point configuration after a reset. They're not my instructions, their Asus's. I don't have a clue without a cookbook recipe or some direction. Of course, I do think about it, that's how I have learned the little bit that I have. But that is what they said in the instructions.

The tutorial video by Asus didn't say anything about resetting to factory default, but the instructions did. The guy in the 2 minute or so video just used the phone app, and biff, bam, boom, he was done, no factory reset.

If it don't "remember" what it was configured for, then what's the point? I don't see how it could be configured for an access point afterward, because when the Aimesh router "pairs" with the node, you don't have any control over it anymore as far as I can see. It's too late then, it seems like, to configure it as a node or access point.

But I may have missed something. I'm not trying to tell anyone how it's done. I was just trying to follow their instructions, without which, I am as lost as a goose. The directions on the website, and in the box, may not be correct or I may have misunderstood. I am confident that you guys know what you are doing, and are very good at it.
jts

edit: I should have done some more searching before I asked all those questions. I've found answers to a couple. I know you guys get tired of answering the same thing. It is difficult to wade through everything to find an answer, though.

I recommend my install notes.

Here are ASUS' AiMesh install instructions.

OE

 

[JT Strickland]

I could have been looking in the wrong place on the sheet that came with the pair of RT-AC68Us. It was confusing, with three different languages on the same sheet. I did follow your notes, as best as I could, the second time, but thought I knew how to set them up since I had once. The AC86U didn't have an Aimesh setup sheet in it, just some directions to get it started.

I wondered why the node router was configured and then reset to defaults, but decided that they must retain a part of the setup. I didn't really know, but it seemed silly to me, so I convinced myself that I just didn't understand. And that's not hard, because I don't.

Anyway, wherever my error came from, I was consistent, and plowed on, even though I was in the wrong field. Kinda like the trucker who was going the wrong way, but didn't turn around because he was making such good time.
jts

 

[Grisu]

If it don't "remember" what it was configured for, then what's the point? I don't see how it could be configured for an access point afterward, because when the Aimesh router "pairs" with the node, you don't have any control over it anymore as far as I can see. It's too late then, it seems like, to configure it as a node or access point.

Aimesh-node mode is different from AP or router or any other modes.
You don't set it on the node but factory reset them and do everything on Aimesh-master.
If you later want to use it in any other mode disconnect it in Aimesh-master node list and make factory reset.

 

[JT Strickland]

Aimesh-node mode is different from AP or router or any other modes.
You don't set it on the node but factory reset them and do everything on Aimesh-master.
If you later want to use it in any other mode disconnect it in Aimesh-master node list and make factory reset.

Grisu, I cam see that now. I got off on the wrong foot somehow with the setup. I don't know where I got off track. I was puzzled why one would setup the node and then reset it to defaults. I blamed Asus, but it was no doubt all my fault. The large setup sheet for the Aimesh that came with the pair of RT-AC68U's was in about 3 languages and scattered around, with "if this, skip that" and I probably read something in that wasn't supposed to be, so I will blame them for at least part of it. There was no setup sheet for Aimesh with the 86U, but I thought I know what I was doing. Wrong.
Thanks again.
jts

A quick question: Do you use the IP's generated by DHCP for psuedo-static assignment, or number them as you want to? TIA

 

[OzarkEdge]

A quick question: Do you use the IP's generated by DHCP for psuedo-static assignment, or number them as you want to? TIA

This is in my notes:

- set router static IP (192.168.1.1) and DHCP server pool (192.168.1.10-254; assign manual IPs within this pool, .10-254; assign client side static IPs outside this pool, .1-9)

Manually-assigned IPs is a router function. Perhaps this is what you mean by 'psuedo-static assignment'.

OE

 

[Grisu]

number them however you want to within router subnet /24. Within or outside pool range (if you reduce it <254 DHCP clients), both are ok.
This is only a reservation list, router will use it if a client is set in this list, used IPs wont be taken for other clients. Static IP is set on client side (without DHCP).
Advice from OE makes sense too.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Advice from OE makes sense too.

Credit Mr. Merlin. He clarified this awhile back.

OE

 

[JT Strickland]

Guys, I got a scare a while ago. I had finished inputting my local static numbers for my pc and other peripherals (I assume this is what you call the client side static?) from 192.168.1.21+, and I got a scare. I left the NAS and printer IP's as is because they are harder to reconfigure and connect, and numbered the others to remember them better.

I had hit "apply" a couple or three times before finishing with my dozen or so assignments, and I rebooted the RT-AC86U afterward. The lights went completely off, and the browser counted down and said "completed" but sat there and ran. The lights never came back on. I turned it off, and then back again, and after it was back up, it was normal.
Did I do something stupid, or is this an indication that I can expect future trouble?

OE, what I meant by "pseudo static" was, if I understand correctly, the "real" IP is quite different than the local ones, and changes, therefore it isn't really a static IP?

Thanks again,
jts

 

[OzarkEdge]

Guys, I got a scare a while ago. I had finished inputting my local static numbers for my pc and other peripherals (I assume this is what you call the client side static?) from 192.168.1.21+, and I got a scare. I left the NAS and printer IP's as is because they are harder to reconfigure and connect, and numbered the others to remember them better.

I had hit "apply" a couple or three times before finishing with my dozen or so assignments, and I rebooted the RT-AC86U afterward. The lights went completely off, and the browser counted down and said "completed" but sat there and ran. The lights never came back on. I turned it off, and then back again, and after it was back up, it was normal.
Did I do something stupid, or is this an indication that I can expect future trouble?

OE, what I meant by "pseudo static" was, if I understand correctly, the "real" IP is quite different than the local ones, and changes, therefore it isn't really a static IP?

Thanks again,
jts

My thoughts...

Be patient when you ask the router to do something... it usually comes back at you as it should.

I would limit router manually-assigned IPs to none or just one or two really important ones. For now, just use the network to prove it before writing it in stone... you might be resetting everything sooner than later.

As for IP addresses, I only understand the following:

1. static IPs are assigned by the user at the client/adapter device;

2. manually-assigned IPs are assigned by the user at the router;

3. dynamic IPs are assigned by the router;

4. IPs assigned by 2. and 3. reside within the router DHCP server IP pool as defined by the user.

So, how is your AiMesh performing? Have you performed any speedtest.net with a capable wired and wireless PC client connected to each node?

BTW, I updated my notes to include the distinction between an AiMesh where the root node is an AiMesh router, and an AiMesh where the root node is an AiMesh AP. Thanks to you!

(I know my notes are cryptic, but brevity is a good thing, imo, and also reflects this forum's character limit.)

OE

 

[JT Strickland]

My thoughts...

Be patient when you ask the router to do something... it usually comes back at you as it should.

I would limit router manually-assigned IPs to none or just one or two really important ones. For now, just use the network to prove it before writing it in stone... you might be resetting everything sooner than later.

As for IP addresses, I only understand the following:

1. static IPs are assigned by the user at the client/adapter device;

2. manually-assigned IPs are assigned by the user at the router;

3. dynamic IPs are assigned by the router;

4. IPs assigned by 2. and 3. reside within the router DHCP server IP pool as defined by the user.

So, how is your AiMesh performing? Have you performed any speedtest.net with a capable wired and wireless PC client connected to each node?

BTW, I updated my notes to include the distinction between an AiMesh where the root node is an AiMesh router, and an AiMesh where the root node is an AiMesh AP. Thanks to you!

(I know my notes are cryptic, but brevity is a good thing, imo, and also reflects this forum's character limit.)

OE

No, there's nothing wrong with your notes, the problem is, I don't understand much of the language yet. I'm still unsure of what pool to assign my local devices in, such as this PC. Are the lower numbers, i.e. 1-9, for that? Or the upper ones? And, I guess I should take out everything but devices that I don't want to change IP's on a reboot?

So far, the only speed tests that I have done are similar to before. A local computer tech that works for the school system thinks there may be a bug in the Internet cable, sticking nodes or something like that. I am anxious to find out, because I don't want to chase a ghost that isn't there. I may not see a great difference. The Aimesh network was probally performing pretty good before. But I got one heckuva signal now. If it was dispelled into sound energy it would be blasting like a freight train.

Most of my previous slowness, I have attributed to slow device processors and the degradation caused by the VPN. I am going to try some tests near each node at different times, and then later, after placing the switch between the Aimesh Router and Nodes, if it will work. And, I plan to test a true star configuration with the addition of a temporary cable, and then use it to backfeed and test a daisy configuration similar to current, taking out my original cable, to see if there's any benefit to the powerline buried by the original ethernet. The 86U will probably shine most with an internal OpenVPN configuration. I may try to set it up just to see, but will probably not keep it. A lot of things have changed from my original plans. Seems like it would be the best to run everything though a VPN, but it's not for me yet.

It will take a little time, because I got to make a living in the meantime.
thanks again,
jts

 

[OzarkEdge]

No, there's nothing wrong with your notes, the problem is, I don't understand much of the language yet. I'm still unsure of what pool to assign my local devices in, such as this PC. Are the lower numbers, i.e. 1-9, for that? Or the upper ones? And, I guess I should take out everything but devices that I don't want to change IP's on a reboot?

Normally, all you need to do is let the router DHCP server use the entire IP range/pool of 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.254.

If you want a particular device to use a particular IP, you can configure the router to manually assign that IP to that device by its MAC address.

If you have a need to assign a static IP directly on a device, then you must first set aside that IP from the pool used by the router DHCP server. My notes suggest starting the router IP pool at .10. This sets aside .2 through .9 for static IP use. I only use two static IPs... .1 for the router and .2 for a printer.

That's all there is to it.

OE

 

[JT Strickland]

I gotcha now. That is why you reserve the lower numbers. I thought it was being reserved for something else because I didn't understand the terminology. Now I've created confiicts, devices with an old ip and a new because they haven't renewed yet, Router is treating them as two devices. I took all of the static but 3 out. I'm going to take them all out, let it settle down, and put back the 3 that I want to stay static in the lower range.
thanks again,
jts

 

[Grisu]

... and I rebooted the RT-AC86U afterward. The lights went completely off, and the browser counted down and said "completed" but sat there and ran. The lights never came back on. I turned it off, and then back again, and after it was back up, it was normal.
Did I do something stupid, or is this an indication that I can expect future trouble?

It is a known problem that 86U sometimes wont reboot and hang, you will have to power off/on to get it restarted, nothing special with your router to be scared about.

OE, what I meant by "pseudo static" was, if I understand correctly, the "real" IP is quite different than the local ones, and changes, therefore it isn't really a static IP?

Your "real IP" is called public IP, the single one IP you get from your ISP and used on routers or modem WAN port.
Everything else behind your router are local IPs out of your defined local subnet, per default maybe 192.168.1.x /24.
If you set an IP on the client its called static IP and must be outside the DHCP range you set on your router (OE uses x.x.x.1 to 9 for that).
Ususally you wont need static IPs!
Instead you can set reserved IPs (what you call "pseudo static") on the router and then the router will give a client this defined IP using DHCP, so client asks for an IP via DHCP and get the one you defined inside the router for this MAC address.
DHCP range is defined yourself to on the router. If you dont need really static IPs let it be 1-254 and define IPs in DHCP reservation list for clients you want to have a special (easy to remember or short) IP.
All other clients will get a random IP fom DHCP range, but usually the same after reconnect as the router will remember the last one for this client.

In router client list there are sometimes shown 2 or 3 (or more) connections through a client.
Another known problem not really identified strange behavior why, just forget it!

 

[JT Strickland]

It is a known problem that 86U sometimes wont reboot and hang, you will have to power off/on to get it restarted, nothing special with your router to be scared about.

Your "real IP" is called public IP, the single one IP you get from your ISP and used on routers or modem WAN port.
Everything else behind your router are local IPs out of your defined local subnet, per default maybe 192.168.1.x /24.
If you set an IP on the client its called static IP and must be outside the DHCP range you set on your router (OE uses x.x.x.1 to 9 for that).
Ususally you wont need static IPs!
Instead you can set reserved IPs (what you call "pseudo static") on the router and then the router will give a client this defined IP using DHCP, so client asks for an IP via DHCP and get the one you defined inside the router for this MAC address.
DHCP range is defined yourself to on the router. If you dont need really static IPs let it be 1-254 and define IPs in DHCP reservation list for clients you want to have a special (easy to remember or short) IP.
All other clients will get a random IP fom DHCP range, but usually the same after reconnect as the router will remember the last one for this client.

In router client list there are sometimes shown 2 or 3 (or more) connections through a client.
Another known problem not really identified strange behavior why, just forget it!

Grisu,
That's good to know about the router. I may have crashed it when I reassigned the IP's in DHCP tab. I think one was the same as one of my nodes, which I had forgot about when renumbering. I was using numbers out of the router pool instead of the lower ones that I had reserved. I changed it to something different, and then took all of them out. I may put back my PC, NAS, and one Printer after things settle down.

I set the reserve from 1/20 which was a typo. I meant to go 1/10 like OzarkEdge's notes said, but I just left it alone. I thought there was plenty left, so rather than mess with it further, I just let it be for now.

I was getting the two connections thing on 2 or more devices in the network summary tab, but they went away after I changed the node priorities from Auto to Ethernet, but showed back up after I screwed up the DHCP. Maybe this will correct after lease renews, but I'm not worrying about it as you said.

I am unsure whether or not the AiMesh Node is better, or the AiMesh Access Point node. It seems like the cable priority would have the most potential for speed. I know now that it is configured afterward in the root node, not before reset. I still have a lot to learn, and I appreciate all the help, advice, and suggestions from every one.

Thanks again,
jts

 

[Grisu]

What do you want with Aimesh Access Point node?
You only need ONE Aimesh Master, either in router or AP mode. But YOU need first router in router mode so there is nothing to discuss about router in AP mode (with Aimesh-Master functionality).
All others are added to the first Aimesh-router (whichever mode you have chosen) as Aimesh-nodes (this is a special Aimesh mode as child).

And why do you think its better to have your clients with static IP?
Change them to DHCP and make the IP reservation for them in the router.
At the end they have the same IP but no need for static IP which will be used only in special cases you dont have!

 

[OzarkEdge]

I am unsure whether or not the AiMesh Node is better, or the AiMesh Access Point node.

Forget about AiMesh AP mode! You don't need it... you don't want it... and you should not use it in your situation. Your 86U is your AiMesh site router/root node; your 68Us are your AiMesh remote nodes.

Forget about AiMesh AP mode! You would only consider using this mode if your site router were not an AiMesh capable router... not a part of your AiMesh.

OE

 

[JT Strickland]

Grisu & OzarkEdge,
I may be calling it the wrong thing. I realize (now) that you can't configure a node type prior to reset. What I was talking about was, is giving ethernet priority over auto, on the Network Setup page, by selecting the nodes, and "more config". This may not be Access point at all, but I thought an access point was basically a (secondary) router connected with a cable. I had planned to test with and without the ethernet priority to see it there was any observable difference.

And, the main reason for manual assignment of "psuedo-static" IP's in the DHCP Server list is to insure that my PC, NAS, and main Printer do not change IP's. The printer is a PITA to reset, and I had to reset the NAS to factory defaults to access it, which took some doing, and I just want to insure the PC stays static, at least on the network. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? Isn't that why OE, and Merlin, set the lower reserve? I may have missed something. My computer tech buddy wanted to assign them on my computer, but I thought the router was the best place to do it, because for one thing, it would be easy to remove, or change, if needed.
thanks,
jts

 

[OzarkEdge]

Grisu & OzarkEdge,
I may be calling it the wrong thing. I realize (now) that you can't configure a node type prior to reset. What I was talking about was, is giving ethernet priority over auto, on the Network Setup page, by selecting the nodes, and "more config". This may not be Access point at all, but I thought an access point was basically a (secondary) router connected with a cable. I had planned to test with and without the ethernet priority to see it there was any observable difference.

And, the main reason for manual assignment of "psuedo-static" IP's in the DHCP Server list is to insure that my PC, NAS, and main Printer do not change IP's. The printer is a PITA to reset, and I had to reset the NAS to factory defaults to access it, which took some doing, and I just want to insure the PC stays static, at least on the network. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? Isn't that why OE, and Merlin, set the lower reserve? I may have missed something. My computer tech buddy wanted to assign them on my computer, but I thought the router was the best place to do it, because for one thing, it would be easy to remove, or change, if needed.
thanks,
jts

AiMesh AP is a specific mode with a wired backhaul (the site router and this wired backhaul are not of the AiMesh system), so you'll need to stop using that term incorrectly to avoid confusion.

AiMesh nodes can have wired and/or wireless backhauls. In theory, the AiMesh router will use the best backhaul available for best throughput. If you cut the Ethernet cable, an AiMesh system should fallback to using the wireless backhaul, assuming it is working within range.

Your IP assignment plan is ok. The lower reserve .1-.9 is my ad-hoc example, not Merlin's, and are for static IP assignment at the client device. Feel free to spec your own preferred IP pool range for the router to use.

OE

 

[Smokindog]

Given what I see in your diagrams you're similar to one section of my setup with the downstairs/upstairs router separated by 30ish horizontal feet and 10-15 vertical feet.

MY advice after wasting a lot of time with AiMesh is to reset ALL NODES to factory, go into recovery mode, reload all the routers and start fresh with a main router and two wired APs. On ALL nodes set ALL SSIDS and related wireless information the same (all nodes all frequencies) and independently configure the channels using a tool like WiFi Analyzer.

FOR ME, AiMesh buys you nothing if you can wire the nodes together. In fact, those two nodes in relatively close proximity will cause you more problems than any AiMesh good because they'll be on the same channels and confuse some clients. They're forced that way by AiMesh.

I lived the AiMesh nightmare and there are too many restrictions and quirks to ever use it in an environment where you've got wires for back-haul (MY OPINION, YMMV)!