Random clients cannot connect to network - DHCP cannot be contacted

[MatynK]

RT-AX88U running in AP mode with a RT-AC68U as an AiMesh Node.
DHCP and DNS are running over two Windows 2019 Servers with load balancing.
The AX88U is plugged directly in to a Netgate Firewall running pfSense.
The AC68U is hard wired to the AX88U for its backhaul for the AiMesh network.

Running the latest stock firmware, all works and clients can connect to both 2.4 and 5GHz networks without issue and get an IP from the DHCP servers.

I installed:
RT-AX88U_386.1_beta3
RT-AC68U_386.1_beta4

Once installed I could see that random devices (Nest smoke alarm, Sensibo AC Control, HP Printer etc) could not attached to the network. Even trying to reset the network config on the devices did not work, they just would not connect.

Likewise my guest network stopped working and devices could not connect to this.

Reinstalling:
RT-AX88U_3.0.0.4_384_9579-g5362374
RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_386_40558-gc48f410

Back on the routers without changing a line of config and everything starts working again.

All I can think of is these devices cannot IPs from DHCP, but I am at a loss as how to prove this.

 

[MatynK]

Working more with this, it looks like clients connecting via the AP cannot get a DHCP lease.

I can only guess that the AX88U is not talking to the DHCP server as wired devices can connect and renew DHCP leases correctly.

 

[rswong]

RT-AX88U running in AP mode with a RT-AC68U as an AiMesh Node.
DHCP and DNS are running over two Windows 2019 Servers with load balancing.
The AX88U is plugged directly in to a Netgate Firewall running pfSense.
The AC68U is hard wired to the AX88U for its backhaul for the AiMesh network.

Running the latest stock firmware, all works and clients can connect to both 2.4 and 5GHz networks without issue and get an IP from the DHCP servers.

I installed:
RT-AX88U_386.1_beta3
RT-AC68U_386.1_beta4

Once installed I could see that random devices (Nest smoke alarm, Sensibo AC Control, HP Printer etc) could not attached to the network. Even trying to reset the network config on the devices did not work, they just would not connect.

Likewise my guest network stopped working and devices could not connect to this.

Reinstalling:
RT-AX88U_3.0.0.4_384_9579-g5362374
RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_386_40558-gc48f410

Back on the routers without changing a line of config and everything starts working again.

All I can think of is these devices cannot IPs from DHCP, but I am at a loss as how to prove this.

Thanks for the post, I have the same combination, but one more additional RT-AC68U (so two mesh nodes).

I was going to try the the same beta versions, but stopped since I saw your post.

Did you find out anything more with the beta versions? Did you by chance test AiMesh 2.0 for the Guest Networks? I use the guest network for all my smart home plugs, lights, switches, then use the private 5G and 2.4G SSIDs hidden.

Lastly, now that you've gone back to ASUS firmware, was AiMesh 2.0 available? I'm not able to confirm that AiMesh 2.0 works on the AX88U yet?

Thanks.

 

[MatynK]

Hi,

All I can say is the beta had issues and since posting here I have also found This large thread on which seems to be covering the same subject.

Basically, DHCP did not work in the setup I had with the Beta's and casting my mind back, a year or two ago, I had the same problem with just Guest Networks not being able to get to DHCP as they were not allowed to access local resources. That magically got fixed a while ago and had been working.

The new AiMesh functionality in the beta was very nice, lots of new display's and configurable options in there, all vanished when I went back to the stock firmware as its quite old now.