RT-AC5300 Aimesh router with an RT-AC68U node. Having connection issues.

[BenRaines304]

I have a RT-AC5300 and a RT-AC68U running version 386.7_2 setup with AiMesh.

I recently updated to 386.7_2 and after a week I noticed the node was offline.
I rebooted it and tested the network cable and it still would connect.

So I brought the node upstairs and did a reset. Added the node back and it connected fine.
Took it back downstairs and it was still offline and it inttereupts my network every couple minutes.

I took my laptop downstairs and took the network cable out of the aimesh node and plugged it into my laptop.
It worked fine with no issues for about 10 minutes.

So I reset the router and plugged the cable back in.

Again after being connected for 10-20 minutes, the node never connected to the aimesh. It just kept saying offline
on the Asus admin page. And it kept killing my network connection on hardwire and Wifi connections.

So I'm wondering if its the AC68u or the latest update I have gone to.

 

[jata]

Welcome to the forum.

Disclaimer - the following is my opinion/experience but I hope helpful.

I have a AX86S as main router with 3 nodes one of which is a AC68U and I have been using AiMesh for about 2 years with pretty good results overall. However there are some things you need to consider...

The source code for AiMesh is closed so Merlin does not and cannot make changes to it. So it's a really tricky area to troubleshoot and to be enhanced by using merlin firmware.

I have a number of apple homepods around the house and they are very sensitive to AiMesh. No idea why but they are a really good tool for me to know if there is an issue with AiMesh!

Through lots of testing, i will give you my main tips if you are using AiMesh setup.

1. in my opinion AiMesh works better if you run stock on the nodes. I also think that stock on main router is better for AiMesh stability
2. start with latest stock with a full reset on your router and nodes. First flash latest stock on each router then do a WPS reset on all of them
3. manually setup main router with minimum configuration. Don't change too many defaults.
4. use ethernet direct from router lan port to wan port on node and add through the main router gui
5. if the node will be wifi backhaul - remove wired connection and check it switches to wifi backhaul. Reboot
5. Once stable, move node to where you need it

After this you need to be patient and not play with anything for a while. watch what happens with clients to see if they are moving across nodes as you expect/hope and bind any clients that are fixed but connecting to the wrong AP.

If everything is working and you don't absolutely need merlin features/enhancements, I would not switch to merlin firmware on the main router.

But I much prefer merlin's firmware and in particular the CAKE QOS implementation so it's really hard for me to not use merlin

You can test/check stability of AiMesh with merlin by flashing merlin on main router and if it works great then go for it!

At the moment, I have stock on everything and AiMesh has been really good.

Happy to discuss further if helpful.

 

[jata]

one other point. I once had an issue with one of my nodes not connecting - similar to what you have described. I did a full WPS reset on it but the issue happened again.

I was just about to give up then I tried using the Asus restoration tool to flash stock firmware on the node. then followed the above instructions and I never had another issue with it.

 

[laracroftonline]

i own the same devices as you but i downgraded them all to 386.5_2 i had the same issues.

 

[BenRaines304]

Welcome to the forum.

Disclaimer - the following is my opinion/experience but I hope helpful.

I have a AX86S as main router with 3 nodes one of which is a AC68U and I have been using AiMesh for about 2 years with pretty good results overall. However there are some things you need to consider...

The source code for AiMesh is closed so Merlin does not and cannot make changes to it. So it's a really tricky area to troubleshoot and to be enhanced by using merlin firmware.

I have a number of apple homepods around the house and they are very sensitive to AiMesh. No idea why but they are a really good tool for me to know if there is an issue with AiMesh!

Through lots of testing, i will give you my main tips if you are using AiMesh setup.

1. in my opinion AiMesh works better if you run stock on the nodes. I also think that stock on main router is better for AiMesh stability
2. start with latest stock with a full reset on your router and nodes. First flash latest stock on each router then do a WPS reset on all of them
3. manually setup main router with minimum configuration. Don't change too many defaults.
4. use ethernet direct from router lan port to wan port on node and add through the main router gui
5. if the node will be wifi backhaul - remove wired connection and check it switches to wifi backhaul. Reboot
5. Once stable, move node to where you need it

After this you need to be patient and not play with anything for a while. watch what happens with clients to see if they are moving across nodes as you expect/hope and bind any clients that are fixed but connecting to the wrong AP.

If everything is working and you don't absolutely need merlin features/enhancements, I would not switch to merlin firmware on the main router.

But I much prefer merlin's firmware and in particular the CAKE QOS implementation so it's really hard for me to not use merlin

You can test/check stability of AiMesh with merlin by flashing merlin on main router and if it works great then go for it!

At the moment, I have stock on everything and AiMesh has been really good.

Happy to discuss further if helpful.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I didn't know that you could run the aimesh with Merlin on the main router and asus on the nodes.

I will try to get it running with stock on the node.
If that doesn't work, than I will go stock on both and than eventually upgrade to merlin on the main router.

 

[Tech9]

I didn't know that you could run the aimesh with Merlin on the main router and asus on the nodes.

Asuswrt-Merlin is Asuswrt + Merlin features on top. AiMesh is the same closed source code, but something in Asuswrt-Merlin breaks wireless node discovery. In most cases you have to use wired connection to the node during setup as a workaround.