Running Merlin on mesh nodes.

[ducky124]

I have noticed some people have stated they you should run stock ASUS firmware on mesh nodes. I remember reading that the mesh component of the firmware is not open source so Merlin can't change it from original. I haven't found a reason why this should be done. I was wondering if somebody could give me actual reasons for this. Or is this, like quite a bit info on the internet, just people's perception that it works better on original firmware without actual facts supporting it?

 

[AndreiV]

It's totally pointless having Merlin on a node or AP as you would have zero benefit from any of the extra features.

The "perception" is based on real life experience of many users , they have a more stable network using stock firmware.

 

[ducky124]

It's totally pointless having Merlin on a node or AP as you would have zero benefit from any of the extra features.

The "perception" is based on real life experience of many users , they have a more stable network using stock firmware.

one of the reasons for running Merlin is that it is more stable than ASUS firmware. So wouldn't it be more stable on a mesh node. I have been running it on my meshes node and found it to be quite stable.

 

[AndreiV]

one of the reasons for running Merlin is that it is more stable than ASUS firmwar

another perception ......... you need to realise that Merlin IS ASUS stock firmware with additional features, it isn't something different.

 

[L&LD]

No, it's not Asus stock firmware, merely with additional features. It is stock Asus firmware, fixed, with additional features.

I haven't seen stock firmware running more stable than RMerllin's counterpart.

 

[Tech9]

I was wondering if somebody could give me actual reasons for this.

Because Asuswrt-Merlin is not needed on nodes and also introduces some issues when AiMesh is used. If you look around there are many threads about nodes finding and associating issues under Asuswrt-Merlin. There are more prominent in wireless AiMesh configurations. A few recent ones:

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Hi all, I have an AC86U running Asus Merlin latest firmware (386.9) and an AC68U which I want to set up as an AIMesh node. But I can't get it to work, at all. I've done this before - but had to factory reset the AC68U earlier this week for something else, and now can't restore it as an AIMesh...

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The issue is not officially recognized and threads pop up all the time with folks asking the same questions over and over again. Stock Asuswrt on nodes as well as wired initial AiMesh setup with fail back to wireless are common workarounds, but your experience may vary based on different models.

People who claim everything is fine and it's an user error usually stay silent as you can notice in the examples above. There is a way to use Asuswrt-Merlin with AiMesh successfully, but the setup procedure is not exactly as described by Asus and may get complicated in AiMesh with mixed gen routers.

 

[AndreiV]

I haven't seen stock firmware running more stable than RMerllin's counterpart.

Oh what a surprise .

Just because in your limited experience you haven't seen a problem it doesn't mean there isn't one for the many other people that regularly report them here.

 

[Tech9]

one of the reasons for running Merlin is that it is more stable than ASUS firmware

With the model support expansion whatever is broken in Asuswrt will most likely stay broken in Asuswrt-Merlin:

"Also, the code has become so large and complex, with significant portions of it no longer being open source, that from now on, I will be devoting less time trying to fix bugs in Asus' own code, focusing on my own code instead. The reality is, a single hobbyist does not have the time or resources to debug code developed by an entire team of fulltime engineers who have access to the entire source code..."

Plus whatever is discovered broken on top from open source + closed source mix. As far as I understand the new Asuswrt-Merlin builds are automatically generated with no testing on actual device before posting Alpha/Beta threads. If it's more stable or not on your router - it's up to you to discover.

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[Morris]

Running stock on the nodes has at least two advantages:
- Firmware updates to the nodes is simply a GUI button press. The rest is done for us.
- Any Asus router that supports AI Mesh can be used as a node. This may save funds and provides nodes with different features and appearance.

 

[L&LD]

Oh what a surprise .

Just because in your limited experience you haven't seen a problem it doesn't mean there isn't one for the many other people that regularly report them here.

My experience is hardly 'limited'. I also didn't state that issues don't exist either. Re-read what you quoted me saying.