[Official Beta] AiMesh beta firmware for RT-AC68U/RT-AC86U/RT-AC5300/RT-AC88U

[Stephen Harrington]

Around two months later

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Thank you arthurlien!

Guest Networks for AiMesh will be a very welcome development!
ASUS already has arguably the best (Router) GUI interfaces and software and AiMesh can only make the value proposition even better.

StephenH

 

[BrasiliaFlyer]

Good evening, hoping y’all could point me in the right direction. I have two TM-1900 routers both converted to RT-AC68U’s and flashed to 9.0.0.4.382. I’ve modified the CFE file to the one kindly provided by goggles99, and updated the MAC addresses.
When I try and add the aimesh node, sometimes the percentage will hang while it’s adding the node, and other times it gets to 100% then tells me it’s unable to add AiMesh node and to try again. I’ve reset the nvram on both routers, but to no avail. Has anyone experienced this?
Thanks!!

 

[Mic]

Trying to run a RT-3100 as an AP and two TM-1900 covered using CFE by goggles99 and only one of two TM-1900 can be seen by the RT-3100 at a given time. I think that there's two possibilities:
1) RT-3100 can only see one node
2) The firmware recognizes unique CFEs as nodes.

Does anyone else have either 1) RT-3100 seeing more than one node or 2) Have two or more converted TM-1900 operating at the same time using another AiMesh master?

 

[arda4]

What is the determining factor that switches a device from one AiMesh node to another?
I remember the non AiMesh, factory firmware had an option for repeater mode that lets a device go if it got under a certain rate (roaming assistant?). Is this what AiMesh is doing automatically?

I have 1 main router with 2 nodes, all 3 AC68u, and both nodes are visible/active with full bars and show active clients on the web UI. However when I tested my setup by moving my laptop around from the main router, to each node, to see if the speed says somewhat consistent, I noticed dramatic speed reduction.

The wifi bars show full, but the speed diminishes the further I get from the main router, even if I'm within arms reach of the node. When I toggle WiFi off and back on, I'm back at the expected speed.

I was under the impression that the AiMesh handoff would occur automatically to deliver the best speeds relative to location, but it seems like my devices are hanging on to the original signal it connects to.

I am on the latest beta and performed a nvram reset and factory reset on each router after the update.

 

[drabisan]

Regarding roaming, do you have idea if it is fit for use with voice call or VOIP.

I did some tests today.u
Client: Pixel XL running up2date Android 8.
Router: RT-AC68U
Node: GT-AC5300
Encryption: WPA2
Frequency: 5GHz only SSID.
Channels: 100 on 68U with 80MHz spacing and 44 on AC5300 with 20MHz spacing (known bug in the current AiMesh release)
Whatsup voice call.

I started the call on an area covered only by 68U. I could confirm the phone was attached to 68U.
During the call, with Wi-Fi analyser running on the phone, I roamed to AC5300. There was some jibberish for less than 1/2 second but the call was not affected.
Roaming back to 68U - same. Maybe slightly shorted, but still a bit of jibberish.

Clearly behind the hood Asus implemented some sort of fast roaming. I can't find any reference if Asus supports 802.11r (most likely not). Very likely WPA2 keys are cached and passed between router and node. It's a speculation, I didn't do any packet capture on the 1G link between router and node.

Not perfect, but neither on enterprise is any better. I'm absolutely impressed by what Asus build here!

 

[Hawk]

Thanks for testing it out, result are indeed very interesting.

I am waiting for my second RT-AC86U to arrive and will do some test as well.

@drabisan, you connecting via wire or wireless for backhaul connection.

 

[Hawk]

Quick question from what I am reading it seems aimesh router and node uses same wifi channel for 2.4 GHZ and same concept applies to 5 GHZ. If so, doesn't it increase clients, nodes and router all compete for airtime.

Is there a way have them on separate channels, to reduce competition for time to talk.

Also what about BSSID, do they advertise different ones or agree on one BSSID.

 

[drabisan]

1. Cable between router and node.
2. From what I can see it's a different channel on both 2.4 and 5. Having a cable in between plays a role. I'm expecting connecting both boxes only via wireless will end up on the same channel. You can't tune the receiver&transmitter on a per wireless frame basis. Ideally 2 3 band units will dedicate on 5GHz radio for inter device communication reducing interference and allowing a dedicated 5GHz radio for clients. Wishful thinking...
3. Same SSID, different BSSID. Each with the router or node mac in the beacon. It will be impossible to advertise the same BSSID, what will happen when both router and node hear the same client?

 

[Hawk]

Ah I see good point about BSSID, I was thinking about zero handoff option while writing.

 

[argeri]

Trying to run a RT-3100 as an AP and two TM-1900 covered using CFE by goggles99 and only one of two TM-1900 can be seen by the RT-3100 at a given time. I think that there's two possibilities:
1) RT-3100 can only see one node
2) The firmware recognizes unique CFEs as nodes.

Does anyone else have either 1) RT-3100 seeing more than one node or 2) Have two or more converted TM-1900 operating at the same time using another AiMesh master?

I have 3 converted TM-AC1900s converted (all 3) following google99's instructions. 1 is the master and 2 are nodes on separate floors in my house. They have been working well for over a week.

 

[argeri]

argeri, since I’m about to attempt similar with 4 X TM-AC1900’s (when latest batch of 3 arrive), is your Master AIMesh unit running in Router mode or AP mode? I note you put the goggles99 CFE on all of your units rather than just the Master, was this just for “completeness”?

StephenH

Master is in AP mode.

I think it is fair to say I updated all the CFEs at once for completeness. Once I got the process down it only took a few more minutes to do the others. I didn't want to have to go back and figure it all out again later in case I mixed up the role of each router or if something changes in the AIMesh code that would cause them to stop working.

 

[Hawk]

Just wanted to confirm about hardware acceleration with Aimesh firmware. Does it work or it is disabled.

If disabled is there timeline of having it solved.

 

[drabisan]

CTF (Cut Through Forwarding) is enabled.
That's what my router says.
I can easily fill 1G between the 2 boxed and I can cap my 360mbps download.

 

[Mic]

So I managed to get my RT-3100 AP to see the two converted TM-1900 nodes. It was only after a few attempts and I don't really know how I got it to work.

 

[arda4]

Will changing this effect AiMesh's functionality? Should I leave it at the default setting? I am experiencing devices hanging onto the original node in which it first connected to, and not switching to a closer node; resulting in slower than expected speeds. Toggling WiFi off and on connects to the closer node and the connection is much faster, however moving closer to another node repeats the problem.

 

[arthurlien]

Will changing this effect AiMesh's functionality? Should I leave it at the default setting? I am experiencing devices hanging onto the original node in which it first connected to, and not switching to a closer node; resulting in slower than expected speeds. Toggling WiFi off and on connects to the closer node and the connection is much faster, however moving closer to another node repeats the problem.

Could you send a feedback for us by administrator -> Feedback function ?

 

[Stephen Harrington]

Could you send a feedback for us by administrator -> Feedback function ?

I’m assuming it’s not meant to behave like that, otherwise there would be no point in having a mesh system over just multiple “dumb” AP’s ... or am I missing something?

StephenH

 

[arthurlien]

I’m assuming it’s not meant to behave like that, otherwise there would be no point in having a mesh system over just multiple “dumb” AP’s ... or am I missing something?

StephenH

I can help to clarify roaming issue by feedback feature.

我從使用 Tapatalk 的 ASUS_Z012DA 發送

 

[mgeoffriau]

Is this information private or something? It may be helpful to have it shared in the thread here, rather than communicated from the Feedback feature.

 

[drabisan]

I’m assuming it’s not meant to behave like that, otherwise there would be no point in having a mesh system over just multiple “dumb” AP’s ... or am I missing something?

StephenH

I don't have roaming assistant activated and Android phones and tablets and my Debian laptop roam super nice and fast between router and node.