Adding a node to AiMesh prevents me from being able to cast and from being able to access Nest devices.

[nickff]

I have an RT-AC88U as my main wireless router and it has been rock-solid. I recently added a RT-AX1800S as an AiMesh Node so that I would have a robust signal for a security camera that will be installed above my garage.

I am able to get the Node added to my AiMesh network, but once it is up and running...I am then unable to cast any media to my Chromecast devices as the devices do not show up when clicking the "Cast" icon. Also, I am unable to see any of my devices via the Nest app when the Node is up and running.

I have tried factory resetting the Node and power cycling.

It seems as though when any of my devices connect to the Node, they are unable to be seen by other devices on my network.

Is there a setting that addresses this or am I missing something larger?

 

[Tech9]

You are perhaps not missing anything. Asus marketing claims all AiMesh routers are compatible, but this may not be the case. You have one Broadcom and one MediaTek routers running different firmware, with different radios and in different Wi-Fi class. What is happening there even Asus doesn't know. On top of everything your main router is on End-of-Life list and no more firmware releases or fixes are expected. You perhaps need complete system overhaul and not just add more stuff to whatever old you have in use. You may be chasing issues forever this way.

 

[drinkingbird]

I have an RT-AC88U as my main wireless router and it has been rock-solid. I recently added a RT-AX1800S as an AiMesh Node so that I would have a robust signal for a security camera that will be installed above my garage.

I am able to get the Node added to my AiMesh network, but once it is up and running...I am then unable to cast any media to my Chromecast devices as the devices do not show up when clicking the "Cast" icon. Also, I am unable to see any of my devices via the Nest app when the Node is up and running.

I have tried factory resetting the Node and power cycling.

It seems as though when any of my devices connect to the Node, they are unable to be seen by other devices on my network.

Is there a setting that addresses this or am I missing something larger?

To add to what @Tech9 said, if you want to attempt to make it work, you'd be best suited to try and get them on as close of firmware version as possible (386.x on both, since the AC can't run 388), factory reset both, then start from scratch. It may make more sense to run the AX as your main router and the AC as the node for that one security camera only, and bind everything else to the main AX router.

Maybe even don't bother running the AC as part of the mesh at all and instead just have it as a standalone repeater or AP for that camera, with its own SSID (if AP mode, can't do separate SSID in repeater mode) so nothing else joins it.

 

[Tech9]

386.x on both, since the AC can't run 388

RT-AX1800S based on MediaTek with 128MB flash and 256MB RAM runs on 386 firmware and perhaps will never see 388.

 

[nickff]

You are perhaps not missing anything. Asus marketing claims all AiMesh routers are compatible, but this may not be the case. You have one Broadcom and one MediaTek routers running different firmware, with different radios and in different Wi-Fi class. What is happening there even Asus doesn't know. On top of everything your main router is on End-of-Life list and no more firmware releases or fixes are expected. You perhaps need complete system overhaul and not just add more stuff to whatever old you have in use. You may be chasing issues forever this way.

Would it be worth trying to swap out the ax1800 with an acXX model? I can likely get one fairly cheap via eBay or similar.

 

[nickff]

To add to what @Tech9 said, if you want to attempt to make it work, you'd be best suited to try and get them on as close of firmware version as possible (386.x on both, since the AC can't run 388), factory reset both, then start from scratch. It may make more sense to run the AX as your main router and the AC as the node for that one security camera only, and bind everything else to the main AX router.

Maybe even don't bother running the AC as part of the mesh at all and instead just have it as a standalone repeater or AP for that camera, with its own SSID (if AP mode, can't do separate SSID in repeater mode) so nothing else joins it.

Extending my WiFi network is all new to me...I looked up what "repeater mode" is and attempted to set that up on the ax1800. When setting it up, it appeared to create to new SSIDs (one for the 2.4 signal and one for the 5 signal). Is that how it should work? I would then have to have the security camera connect to one of those new SSIDs (likely the 2.4 signal)?

 

[drinkingbird]

Extending my WiFi network is all new to me...I looked up what "repeater mode" is and attempted to set that up on the ax1800. When setting it up, it appeared to create to new SSIDs (one for the 2.4 signal and one for the 5 signal). Is that how it should work? I would then have to have the security camera connect to one of those new SSIDs (likely the 2.4 signal)?

Yes many repeaters will by default add something like _EXT to the SSID, you can change it to match the regular SSID or something totally different. Some repeaters don't support that function (just blindly repeating the main SSID) but looks like the Asus does.

So you can probably test using the _EXT or whatever it applies by default, that lets you force machines to connect to one or the other for testing.

 

[nickff]

You are perhaps not missing anything. Asus marketing claims all AiMesh routers are compatible, but this may not be the case. You have one Broadcom and one MediaTek routers running different firmware, with different radios and in different Wi-Fi class. What is happening there even Asus doesn't know. On top of everything your main router is on End-of-Life list and no more firmware releases or fixes are expected. You perhaps need complete system overhaul and not just add more stuff to whatever old you have in use. You may be chasing issues forever this way.

I was able to get things up and running by swapping out the AX router for an AC68U...both on the newest firmware. Security camera is installed and working properly. Thanks!