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What's the difference between AIMesh node and AiMesh Router in AP mode

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Johno

Regular Contributor
I previously had my second RT-AC68U as an AI Mesh node which worked fine, but after trying to diagnose an issue with my broadband connection, the second AC68U is now set as an "AIMesh router in AP mode" rather than an AiMesh node, purely because I couldn't be bothered to retrieve the second AC68U from the attic to place it near the main AC68U in order to set it up as an AIMesh node. I've set the SSID names on the second AC68U so that the SSIDs are the same on both but my question is, in terms of reliability and performance, what's the difference between an AiMesh node and AiMesh router AP mode? I can see that the latter mode provides many more config options and status information and it seems to work fine in extending wireless coverage as it did when it was an AiMesh node.
 
I previously had my second RT-AC68U as an AI Mesh node which worked fine, but after trying to diagnose an issue with my broadband connection, the second AC68U is now set as an "AIMesh router in AP mode" rather than an AiMesh node, purely because I couldn't be bothered to retrieve the second AC68U from the attic to place it near the main AC68U in order to set it up as an AIMesh node. I've set the SSID names on the second AC68U so that the SSIDs are the same on both but my question is, in terms of reliability and performance, what's the difference between an AiMesh node and AiMesh router AP mode? I can see that the latter mode provides many more config options and status information and it seems to work fine in extending wireless coverage as it did when it was an AiMesh node.

First, I am able to add my AC86U wireless remote node to my AiMesh router/root node without moving the remote node around... it's permanently deployed 77' away. So, try that.

You only want to use 'AiMesh Router in AP mode' when you are connecting an AiMesh to a non-AiMesh router:

a router >> AiMesh AP >> AiMesh remote nodes (you don't have these)

I think you want to go back to this:

AiMesh router >> AiMesh remote nodes

You don't want to administrate a router and an AiMesh AP with no remote nodes. You want to administrate an AiMesh router with remote nodes... one system.

OE
 
Thanks, just tried your suggestion, used the GUI to reset the AP to factory default, waited a while and then set the main AIMesh router to look for the node (it's still plugged into the ethernet connection to the main router) and eventually it all synched up and worked. The only thing I miss about the AP node was that it reported the operating temperatures but then it couldn't tell me what was connected to it, whereas the AIMesh node does show me which clients are connected to each node of the mesh.
 
The only thing I miss about the AP node was that it reported the operating temperatures

There may be a way to SSH into the attic remote node to retrieve temps. Someone else here may be able to comment how... lookup the node IP address in the router webUI and then use SSH with the right commands(?).

OE
 
There may be a way to SSH into the attic remote node to retrieve temps. Someone else here may be able to comment how... lookup the node IP address in the router webUI and then use SSH with the right commands(?).

OE

That is what I did on my RT-AC1900P AiMesh node. SSH in and run this: cat /proc/dmu/temperature
 
That is what I did on my RT-AC1900P AiMesh node. SSH in and run this: cat /proc/dmu/temperature
Thanks for that, I managed to discover the AIMesh node's IP using a network scanner on my phone, oddly enough it's the same static IP that was assigned to the node when it was operating as an AP even though I deleted the DHCP static IP entry and factory reset the node before adding it as an AIMesh node.
 
Thanks for that, I managed to discover the AIMesh node's IP using a network scanner on my phone, oddly enough it's the same static IP that was assigned to the node when it was operating as an AP even though I deleted the DHCP static IP entry and factory reset the node before adding it as an AIMesh node.

Should be the same IP as is reported for the node:
Annotation 2020-07-21 144535.JPEG


OE
 
At the time I didn't see anything other than location and the client list it, but now I've looked again I see what you see. Odd, maybe my web browser was playing up :confused:

Could be the router catching up with its record keeping. I just wanted to be sure you knew where to look to find it quickly. IP addresses seem to stick well with these routers so it may not change.

OE
 
AiMesh mode allows wireless backhaul when you add a second router as a satelitte wirelessly. If you add a second router with an ethernet connection to the main router, then it is an AP with same SSIDs.
 

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