What is going on with my RT-AC66U in Access Point Mode

[Sonicmojo]

All

Been noticing a bizarre issue with an RT-AC66U that I have here.

First a bit of context - my main router is the RT-AC86U which is running the latest Merlin firmware. It lives downstairs in our network cabinet and has been rock solid for several years now.

Now - when I promoted the 86U to be our main router - the older (but no longer Merlin supported) RT-AC66U became a good candidate for reuse as an access point in our living room - which is about as far away from the main router as we can get. We have had all sorts of connection challenges in there so I placed the RT-AC66U in the media cabinet that is in the room - hard wired it via Ethernet to the LAN and followed the basic ASUS instructions to use it in Access Point Mode.

It now mirrors our two main wireless networks (same names, same passwords, same everything) but I have noticed in the last few weeks that I can be sitting 3 feet away from this cabinet/router and my iPhone can literally NOT see either of our main wireless networks at all.

I have checked and rechecked the config, bounced the router(s) several times and I am at a loss as to what might be going on. I was led to believe that running two routers like this would allow me to be on one of our two main wireless via the RT-AC86U (say - in my office downstairs) and then if I went upstairs I would seamlessly shift to the same wireless network via the RT-AC66U (AP Mode) but that is not happening.

I would love to give the AIMesh a try but this old dog does not support it.

Any tips on what else I can check would be most appreciated.

Cheers

SOnic.

 

[Tech9]

my iPhone

Is it a problem with one device only?

I went upstairs I would seamlessly shift

Not seamlessly, but with up to 10sec delay.

 

[Sonicmojo]

Tech9

Unknown whether it's just my phone. Will need to test.

Can you recommend any decent app that would let me see what devices are connected to which router at any given time? That would at least let me know if the phone is actually trying to hit the RT-AC66U.

Mind you - I could just open the Admin panel in my browswer down here and take the phone upstairs and see if it appears in the wireless part of the Client list...let me try that.

Cheers

Sonic.

 

[Tech9]

Unknown whether it's just my phone.

You have to test. The router may not be the problem, but your phone.

Can you recommend any decent app that would let me see what devices are connected to which router at any given time?

Your main router's Clients List in GUI will show all AP connected devices as wired. This is the easiest to check.

 

[wouterv]

I suppose giving the main router (RT-AC86U) and the accesspoint (RT-AC66U) the same SSID's make things go wrong.
The Access Point shall have unique SSID's, different from the router.
Only with AiMesh the different devices (routers or nodes) do use identical SSID's.

 

[Sonicmojo]

I suppose giving the main router (RT-AC86U) and the accesspoint (RT-AC66U) the same SSID's make things go wrong.
The Access Point shall have unique SSID's, different from the router.
Only with AiMesh the different devices (routers or nodes) do use identical SSID's.

Not according to the basic instructions via ASUS - they clearly spell out using the same SSIDs on both routers.

Sonic

 

[Sonicmojo]

Tech9

Checking the GUI lists for BOTH routers - I do not see any iphone listings for me or my wife or anybody?

Now - I am understanding that the MAC address of the iPhone should be viewable from Settings->General->About and then scroll down to Wi-Fi address - but I do not see this MAC address anywhere in the router client lists (for either router) - yet I am clearly connected to my wireless network.

I even switched between the 2G network and the 5G and still I do not see anything appear in the client table that even looks remotely like my phone MAC in there?

SOLVED: It was the bloody "Private Address" feature in iOS 15 - turned it off for both wireless connections and now my phone appears in the client list.

Ideas...?

Sonic.

 

[wouterv]

yes, set different SSID's

 

[Sonicmojo]

yes, set different SSID's

That seriously defeats the purpose of an access point in my own house. Changing the SSID could make me need to do the same on the phone every time I move between floors. That is not going to happen. I suppose Auto Join (on iOS) may help but I do not think I need 4 SSIDs here when 2 will do.

Also just confirmed that it seems my RT-AC66U is actually working correctly. I viewed the wireless client list on it when it had 3 items listed (our doorbell and two IP light switches) I then took my phone upstairs to the living room (after disabling the idiotic "private address" feature) and place it near the media cabinet with the router in it. Then returned back downstairs to view the RT-AC66U client console. A moment later my iPhone appeared normally as a wireless client on the 2G network (whose SSID is identical to the SSID on our main router).

So having the same SSID across these routers works exactly as ASUS said it would. Not really sure why this router is now suddenly working but I expect a reboot yesterday AND this detailed look at the client list has now confirmed for me that it's doing what it is supposed to in AP Mode.

Cheers

Sonic.

 

[wouterv]

Good luck

 

[Tech9]

The Access Point shall have unique SSID's, different from the router.

Wrong. I have 8x AP's in one of my places. So 8x unique SSID's?

It was the bloody "Private Address" feature in iOS 15

Correct. No need to use Private Address on your own network.

 

[wouterv]

Wrong. I have 8x AP's in one of my places. So 8x unique SSID's?

It is not a matter of wrong or right.
It depends on hardware and firmware if this works.
My experiences from the past with older routers set as access point is that it did not work with the same SSID's as the main router.
If works, fine. If it does not work at least try with different SSID's.

 

[Tech9]

It is not a matter of wrong or right.

It is. If you want devices to roam, the SSID must be the same. Otherwise you have to register all SSID's one every device. I use AP's setups since 802.11g times. All the same SSID, on different channels to avoid interference; including routers with no AP-mode at all - LAN-LAN with DHCP disabled.

If works, fine.

AiMesh is AP's/repeaters with one GUI. Nothing special there. All with the same SSID's and on the same channels. Does it work?