Need help setting up 2x Asus 86u's in AP mode

[Mitch]

Hey guys. I'm feeling pretty stupid here to even have to post this.... I would love any advice as to what I'm missing.

I have a cable connection with cable modem, and 2x RT-AC86u's... I was running AiMesh but kept running into dropped clients and finally decided to roll AP mode over AiMesh to see if it helps.

I have not been successful setting up AP mode... just generally... do I setup both routers individually and separate from one another? Also does one go in Router mode and the other in AP mode? Or are they both going into AP mode? Also, if the 2nd router (slave) going LAN port on master to WAN port on slave? Or does it plug into the slaves LAN? Sorry for the dumb questions I've just found no guides online to setting them up this way.... only AiMesh...

My plan is to use the same SSID's and different static channels for the 4 wifi bands, and setup handoff minimum decibles to control them. I may need to reduce transmit power for this to be effective but I'll cross that bridge later.

Any help, and configuration advice is so appreciated!

 

[HuskyHerder]

1 in Router, and 1 in AP mode.
The AP mode one is really just a dumb device aka a spot for a wifi device to jump onto your net. The Router one will do all the DHCP etc

Its Lan from Router to WAN on AP. That's the same config I am running my Merlin Router to my Mesh (AP) setup.

Sounds like you have a solid plan, including reducing power if needed. I needed that for my MESH config and getting things to work properly..

 

[Mitch]

1 in Router, and 1 in AP mode.
The AP mode one is really just a dumb device aka a spot for a wifi device to jump onto your net. The Router one will do all the DHCP etc

Its Lan from Router to WAN on AP. That's the same config I am running my Merlin Router to my Mesh (AP) setup.

Sounds like you have a solid plan, including reducing power if needed. I needed that for my MESH config and getting things to work properly..

Sweet man thanks! I have Merlin on both - your saying you run one on Merlin (router), and one on stock??

Also, when setting up initially - what is the order?? Setup router first, then log into ap separately and set it up separately then connect all together and viola? Is there any settings I need to change on either or is it a one and done?

It was not working at all earlier trying to set it u0 this way is why I ask.

 

[HuskyHerder]

Yep

Mine: 5300 w/Merlin, net facing as Router, piping that Lan to Wan on a 2nd 5300 (stock for mesh) set up in Router/AP mode. That 2nd 5300 controls my mesh nodes 5) rt-ac68u (stock) giving me the best of both worlds. * 2nd 5300 only acts as a mesh controller/hub nothing else.

Router 1st, to get all the good stuff sorted, and get back online.
I set DHCP reservation for AP on the router.


* You should be able to forgo the hard issues under the spoiler below by trying a default of the unit to become your AP, and setting it to AP mode on the initial setup screen. This is how I go about my setup vs having to do all the hand coding etc.

Spoiler: AP Manually

I default the AP,
Setup things like SSID etc. Disable DHCP
Power down AP if its on work bench/desk. - * I always wait a few minutes for mine to do any background work before powering down.
Move to location.
Plug in Ethernet to WAN port (AP) from LAN port on Router.

I think thats it, I am sure I have missed something, it's been some time, since I tried to remember from scratch and not muscle memory.

 

[Easy Limits]

I have two 86U's at either end of my house. Both running Merlin firmware. One in router mode, one in AP mode. I assigned the 86U in AP mode a static IP address and shrank my IP address pool to accommodate the 86U in AP mode, a DVR and a wireless printer I have on my network. For WiFi, I have all the same SSID's except for 5Ghz band so I can tell it apart from 2.4 Ghz. I do two different channels on the 2.4 Ghz band and two different channels on the 5 Ghz band.

 

[Mitch]

For some reason I could not get one in router and one in AP mode... I created 2 different router logins and did full factory reset on both... and Inused wired connection to log in and set them up initially to make sure I wasn't actually getting into the wrong initial wireless for the setup.

Nothing I did worked. Both routers were on Merlin which is one of the reasons I wanted to switch. Unfortunately no dice and I finally gave up, downloaded the most recent stock firmware, d went back to AiMesh.

I remember having smartconnect on before and this time I used separate bands for 5g and 2g. Not getting the constant client drops I was getting before on the September 2018 firmware I was using. So despite not being able to get ap mode setup the issue appears to be revolved. I bought these for the AiMesh feature anyways so all is well. Time will tell if the problem-free aimesh lasts for me!

I appreciate your guys help and advice in any case!

 

[HuskyHerder]

Hey, I bounced back and forth more than once before my current setup. If you decide to try again or have issues. You know where to find us.

ps.

I always had failings using smart connect between 2.4 and 5, each and every time, that I tried it. My only resolution was no smart connect. * Well thats not exactly true, the 5300 has 2 radios of the 5g band and 1 for the 2.4 band. Smart connect works well 5g to 5g, it however never worked 5g to 2.4 for me.

 

[Dave Parker]

Correct me if I'm wrong, seems I remember reading here in the forum that Aimesh is only supported in stock firmware due to the code being locked down by Asus. Not supported in Merlins firmware because he has no access to it.

 

[Mitch]

Correct me if I'm wrong, seems I remember reading here in the forum that Aimesh is only supported in stock firmware due to the code being locked down by Asus. Not supported in Merlins firmware because he has no access to it.

You're mostly correct. I don't the exact reason Merlin doesn't support AiMesh, however, it is not supported in Merlin. I've seen some guys running a hybrid of one router on Merlin, and one on Stock and that will still somehow create a pseudo mesh network with the benefits of Merlin - but I frankly do not know how to do it.

I am running stock on bother routers since going back to AiMesh last night. No troubles or dropped clients as of this morning still!

 

[Dave Parker]

Thanks Mitch. I purchased my 86U this past November and was going to experiment with Aimesh just as a learning experience but I read that it was not supported in Merlins firmware so I just gave up. Not really needed anyway. Small house and the 86U more than covers my Wi-Fi needs.

 

[HuskyHerder]

Correct me if I'm wrong, seems I remember reading here in the forum that Aimesh is only supported in stock firmware due to the code being locked down by Asus. Not supported in Merlins firmware because he has no access to it.

Exactly true, Mesh is closed source from everything I have learned. aka No Merlin support.

My (used loosely) work around, thanks to some great help from others here in the forums. @JDB

Run Merlin on 1st router, -- 2nd router in AP mode w/ stock firmware (which fully support Mesh) then run your Mesh nodes w/ stock firmware off the AP router. *Exact setup in my sig.

My Merlin has all wifi disabled. The only wifi in the home is provided by the Mesh system.

Edit : Add outline

 

[Mitch]

Exactly true, Mesh is closed source from everything I have learned. aka No Merlin support.

My (used loosely) work around, thanks to some great help from others here in the forums. @JDB

Run Merlin on 1st router, -- 2nd router in AP mode w/ stock firmware (which fully support Mesh) then run your Mesh nodes w/ stock firmware off the AP router. *Exact setup in my sig.

My Merlin has all wifi disabled. The only wifi in the home is provided by the Mesh system.

Edit : Add outline

View attachment 16353

You much be covering a lot of space to be rolling 7 routers!

 

[HuskyHerder]

Nah not really

The Merlin is off

The 2nd 5300 is center hub in home
1, 68 in each outside edge corner of home = 4
1, 68 in detached garage - capture some IOT device cameras etc

all in all 1200 sq. ft. but with super challenging environmental issues, here https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...hz-when-set-as-aimesh-node.50303/#post-454891

Heat map from above topic https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...hz-when-set-as-aimesh-node.50303/#post-449993

 

[frankie4fingers]

I have two 86U's at either end of my house. Both running Merlin firmware. One in router mode, one in AP mode. I assigned the 86U in AP mode a static IP address and shrank my IP address pool to accommodate the 86U in AP mode, a DVR and a wireless printer I have on my network. For WiFi, I have all the same SSID's except for 5Ghz band so I can tell it apart from 2.4 Ghz. I do two different channels on the 2.4 Ghz band and two different channels on the 5 Ghz band.

Could you provide some additional detail regarding the shrinking of the IP pool? Did you do this on one or both of your devices and by how much?

I am looking to do something similar with a spare AC66U that I have.

Cheers