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XT8 Packet Loss Wired Mesh - Using as Access Points Only

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spyerx

New Around Here
Hi - so I had this odd occurrence after a very stable network with the XT8 for the last year. Firmware changes are manual and no updates for about 3 months.

My setup:

Fiber ONT --> Edgerouter 4 --> 2.5gb switch --> hardwired backplane Qty 4 XT8 in access point mode + some other switches and devices off the same switch

What happened:
Noticed lagging with YouTube tv, zoom calls, lost connections, etc.

Debugging:
1. Ping router LAN port from a laptop hard wire, I'm setting lost packets, about 20%
2. Ping 1.1.1.1 from laptop hard wire, I see same packet loss
3. Login to Edgerouter - ping local local LAN port, no loss
4. Ping 1.1.1.1 from Edgerouter, no loss (ok, so its not my internet connection / ONT)
5. Wire laptop directly to LAN port on edge router, ping both lan port and 1.1.1.1, no loss (ok seems to be something on the local network, not the edge router LAN port
6. Swap switch, wire direct to switch, ping both destinations, no loss
7. added other ports to switch, I am getting loss again
8. I remove devices one at a time and when I get to 1 of the 4 XT8 and remove it from the network, still pinging directly on the switch, the loss stops, even though I'm not routing via this device OR connected to the XT8 directly, it is simply on the network.
9. So I remove the XT8, and I install another switch in its place and plug in the 3 other devices hard wired to ti - NO LOSS

So, it seems that somehow, the XT8 is polluting the local network and causing packet loss. There was nothing of note in the XT8 or router logs.

I guess I'll just trash this node and get a new one? Has anyone seen this sort of behavior?
 
Update: removed the device and ran 30k+ pings to my router LAN port and another 30k pings to 1.1.1.1 with 0 packets lost. Yep, it's the asus device. Just that 1, the other 3 are online and working fine.
 
If you are using all the 4 XT8s as access points I suppose you have set 4 different SSIDs....
Or are using 1 of the XT8s as a main node and the other 3 as mesh nodes?

Anyway try resetting the problematic XT8 to factory and set up it again.
 
If you are using all the 4 XT8s as access points I suppose you have set 4 different SSIDs....
Or are using 1 of the XT8s as a main node and the other 3 as mesh nodes?

Anyway try resetting the problematic XT8 to factory and set up it again.

They are setup as a mesh so single ssid. The bad node is not the main node.

So one thing i didn’t mention. This particular node has given me issues since new. For example on a firmware update it would need to be restarted multiple times to rejoin the mesh. Or it would lose connection. It was generally stable but never caused issues other than going offline every now and again. The other 3 have been solid.

I’m going to replace it as i need the node, but will mess with it later.

I’ve done full factory resets on it many many times.

Sometimes to get it to rejoin the mesh I’d need to do a full reset, set it up as a router, reset it again, and it would join.

Anyway i have a pair today.
 
If you are using all the 4 XT8s as access points I suppose you have set 4 different SSIDs....

There is no issue with APs and single SSID. The system in my signature has 4x APs. I also run a business location with 8x APs.
 
Definitely a bad unit. It won't come online even after a hard reset, Replaced in 5 minutes with a new one... got 3 years out of it...
Anyway, Amazon had a deal on a pair for $140 from the "outlet" they had been opened but look never used.
 
Not sure why you are using home routers for APs. Tri-band XT8 was designed for wireless backhaul, but you have them wired. The better 4x4 radio is locked to upper 5GHz range only. Your main router is VLAN capable, XT8 routers are not. Separate power supplies - no easy central power backup.
 
Not sure why you are using home routers for APs. Tri-band XT8 was designed for wireless backhaul, but you have them wired. The better 4x4 radio is locked to upper 5GHz range only. Your main router is VLAN capable, XT8 routers are not. Separate power supplies - no easy central power backup.

They work, easy, location of devices, easy to manage, no desire to mess with vlans, or the other ubiquity stuff, wiring cabinet is small not good location for access points, hence why i use an Edgerouter . The dual band wifi does work for wifi when the backhaul is ethernet. Wifi if fast everywhere - house is large, 3 levels/long/slanted on a hillside. No need for central power, I have whole house batteries, router and ONT on UPS.
 
no desire to mess with vlans

Easy, but with limited capabilities. You can’t have things like guest network or IoT network isolated from your main network with this setup. Not supported in Asuswrt in AP mode.
 
Interesting fault, sounds like you had a faulty ethernet 2.5ghz ethernet chip (assuming you were using the 2
5Ghz port). Would have been interesting if you tried one of the Lan ports on that XT8 as the backhaul instead.... The other 4 ports don't use that chip I believe.

I've seen a very similar issue on an enterprise network where a single faulty switch port was causing a broadcast storm very intermittently, causing the whole network to slow down. Took weeks to nail that after many wireshark captures and splitting bits of the network off to eleminate floors and switch stacks.
 

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