ASUS XT9 problems with pairing?

I have an ipad that won't connect to the remote node's WIFI using the regular wifiname - it's as if it doesn't like the PW. However, it does connect to netname_dwb (which has the same PW). I've upgraded and rebooted everything.

I have two XT9's. One downstairs and one upstairs. The downstairs one covers most of the house but not all. It doesn't reach outside on our porch at all, which the remote asus is near.

I think the only access point the ipad can connect to is the main unit that's downstairs. My wife's Macbook might be having similar problems.

This might have started over the past couple of months, but I haven't changed anything other than updates are installed and reboots are occasionally done. Just noticing now because it's finally nice enough to work outside here in NY.

Suggestions?

billrouter said:

I have an ipad that won't connect to the remote node's WIFI using the regular wifiname. It does connect to netname_dwb (which has the same PW). I've upgraded and rebooted everything.

Not sure why this only recently started happening.

I have two XT9's. One downstairs and one upstairs. The downstairs one covers most of the house but not all. And it doesn't reach outside on our porch at all.

Suggestions?

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Restart ipad, then, Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

That's interesting - didn't know about those options.

However it doesn't seem to have worked. When I go outside, where only the extender's signal should reach, I can see but not connect to the signal there. I can only connect to the backhaul, which works well.

Does it seem like the two units became unpaired in some way?

billrouter said:

Suggestions?

Click to expand...

Asus made some changes in AiMesh and many folks around run into issues after the recent round of firmware updates. One possible solution is to rebuild your AiMesh and try again. It takes time, but may have to be done to stabilize your system. Good luck!

billrouter said:

Does it seem like the two units became unpaired in some way?

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I think you need to just re flash the router's firmware if a different device doesn't work.

You see, the device has to switch to a stronger signal and some devices have this ability automatically wile others you have to configure it and some don't do that at all. When you turn off the ipad's wifi and turn it back on or restart the ipad in that area, does it connect normally?

The only thing mesh systems have is a shared connection list, which is really one of the few things different from using different routers to create a mesh with the same ssid and password.

Another setting in Mac network is "ask to join new networks" that should be checked, otherwise, it will not look if the same ssid is on a stronger but different RF frequency. That might be your issue.

This looks like Asus AiMesh specific issue. General advice about mesh systems won't fix it. Similar issues were reported by other users for different router/nodes combinations, fixed with rebuilding AiMesh.

Tech9 said:

This looks like Asus AiMesh specific issue. General advice about mesh systems won't fix it. Similar issues were reported by other users for different router/nodes combinations, fixed with rebuilding AiMesh

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another layer of this is apple does have issues with mesh wifi no matter who makes it. But a lot of wifi devices will do this too. Its not guaranteed to work either.

Not in my experience. I have >30 different type and generation Apple devices in use connected to different multi-AP Cisco/Ubiquiti networks . No issues. My home Wi-Fi is coming from 4x APs and we use a mix of Windows, Android, iOS mobile devices also with no issues. As I said - @billrouter is most likely facing Asus specific issue and AiMesh changes related.

So I'm going through setting the network up from scratch and having a hard time getting the remote unit to talk to the main router. I even have them cabled together with a short ethernet cable. I have the main network back up but I can't add the remote node.

The Find AiMesh Devices just does nothing. And the lights on the 2nd router just flash blue.

I've reset it over and over. Not sure what else to do.

billrouter said:

Not sure what else to do.

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If you still have issues after you have tried everything and as described in Asus FAQ - call Asus Support, get RMA and send the units back for repair under warranty. As far as I understand you have ongoing issues with this set for couple of months already.

Update, after several attempts, I finally managed to get it to work. What seemed to make a difference was changing a backhaul option on the main router to a shared mode - i forget the exact setting. Then it found the other router even though they were wired together.

Man, I just don't get why these things are so finicky. This is exactly why I gave up on Netgear...

billrouter said:

This is exactly why I gave up on Netgear...

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The grass is always greener on the other side.

Very few people on SNB Forums will recommend you ZenWiFi series.

The Netgear forums' filled with complaints of bricked devices and having to hack in via the serial port and telnet to the OS to downgrade versions, etc. Although I see similar here too.

What probably adds to our complexity is the density of people here in NYC. There are easily 2000 apartments with their own wifi in a 250 yard radius of us. Plus a couple of youth hostels where people come and go. Trying to find clearer channels is a bit of whackamole.

But I just did what I tried to avoid, and was I'd done for my old Orbi's as well, was to buy a 3rd unit to put in the mezzanine area of our apartment that kind of bridges the upstairs and downstairs. I have a few devices in all 3 areas (living room, mezz/office, and our bedroom) that benefit from plugging in directly to the routers, so that makes some things easier.

It's not a huge apartment - maybe 1200 sq ft. But its kind of spread across 2.5 floors plus a small outside deck. Long term I need to figure out how I might run ethernet through our walls for backhaul. Or perhaps look into some of the public Mesh's that are sprouting up.

Thx