AiMesh & Asuswrt-Merlin

[Tech9]

I have Merlin/GNUton fork on my XT8s

GNUton's fork 388.1 was released 3 days ago. Your XT8's are running beautifully for 3 days? Reading multiple XT8 threads with issues - you are lucky!

 

[Elmer]

I can certainly understand the angst with AIMESH; initial connection can be very frustrating. The reasons I keep using it is; 1) my aimesh uses the older Asus routers I have on hand after upgrading over time, 2) the unbeatable Merlin firmware w/AMTM on the MAIN router (so I remain on the Asus router upgrade path).

I just made the mistake of NOT doing a factory reset over several firmware upgrades, bad things started happening, so I bit the bullet and did a factory reset which include reattaching all the aimesh nodes. I run an ax88 with merlin FW, and the aimesh nodes are all on the latest Asus FW (not Merlin). To connect, I do a factory reset on the aimesh unit (power/wifi button), then a regular reset using the reset button, and then place the unit very close to the AX88 with NO ethernet connecton - just wireless. I use the search for aimesh unit dialog from the network map page (click on the aimesh icon), and i usually get a connection almost immediately - if not, let the search time out, hit the reset button again, and search again. Once it does it's thing (sometimes that takes a couple tries) you can disconnect, take the system where you want it, plug in ethernet backhaul (to the wan port) if you wish, power on, and the main router will find it in time (be patient). It's time consuming a bit frustrating, but it works.

 

[Tech9]

You got lucky as well, I guess. In your signature "all with ethernet backhaul" is the key. All you need to do is reset the nodes and re-associate them to wired AiMesh where they are. No need to carry them close to the router and attempt wireless AiMesh setup first. Wireless AiMesh with Asuswrt-Merlin main and older AC68U variants as nodes falls apart often. You perhaps have never seen this happening with Ethernet backhaul. It works with stock Asuswrt though.

 

[RobJack]

GNUton's fork 388.1 was released 3 days ago. Your XT8's are running beautifully for 3 days? Reading multiple XT8 threads with issues - you are lucky!

Ha!! Not so fast...I'm on the 386 release. I was thinking of upgrading, but now it seems I may want to hold off as my mesh has truly been rock solid since installing the 386 release back around last August. You know the saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

[Tech9]

You know the saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Reading the thread below and multiple others with attempts in finding good XT8 firmware - don't touch!

The Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 is a POS, right?

I sorta don't get it. I've been really disappointed with the reliability of the ZenWifi XT8... and then as I read these forums it feels like the problems I see are pretty common. For me, it's node reboots and a regular loss of connectivity over the wireless backhaul. I had a google wifi setup...

www.snbforums.com

 

[GHog]

Just another users experience with Merlin firmware and AiMesh. I have used for over a year plus a RT-AX6000 router for master and a RT-AC68U as the node using radio connection. Never any issues and setup went fine when I followed ASUS instructions to be close when setting up master and node. I never did any default restoration of the routers prior to setting up the network. Never any problems with Merlin firmware, again. Only complaint I have is that the real time use of data can only be seen real time on master. I have complained to ASUS, but no response to my ticket. I now have a GT-AX6000 master and the RT-AX6000 setup as node. I initially did setup as a radio-based network. I got some time to pull in a new cat 6 cable and then went in and changed to ethernet backhaul. Again, both using Merlin firmware and no issue converting setup to ethernet backhaul. Last week I went ahead and did a factory reset on both devices and setup the mesh network again using the ethernet backhaul method. I did this just to see what would happen from having both devices set to ASUS default prior to setting up the AiMesh network. The GT-AX6000 is suing the Merlin firmware not the ".rog" style. I am using latest release 388.1 on both routers.
A couple of things I do that might be making a difference.
1) Turn off smart connect
2) I select what channels to use instead of auto selection. This is based on network traffic in my neighborhood. You live in a crowded area with lots of Wi-Fi users, you must make sure to use a control channel that is not used by others if possible.
3) Never use the DFS bands. Planes and airports, and weather radar bounces off of anything metal let alone any other reflective material. Just have had 0 luck turning the band on. Stick with lower and upper bands.
4) I also turn off ROAMING.
5) I do not turn on the guest network feature.

So, this is my experience. Keep up the good work Eric.

 

[Tech9]

@Spartan to test 2x GT-AX6000 running Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 in wireless AiMesh setup from scratch with no Ethernet connection, please. Something may have improved in 388 code and newer hardware. My last attempts with Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 on RT-AX86U main to RT-AX86S node were not successful as well as to RT-AC86U node. As I said I've never seen it working on any 386 firmware with 6x popular routers listed in post #3 and on 388 firmware on RT-AX86U/S. If something is improved in GT-AX6000 firmware - there is a hope.

GT-AX6000 as AiMesh Node?

I have a GT-AX6000 as my primary router with Merlin 386.7 (same issue described here occurred with Merlin 386.6 as well). I purchased a second GT-AX6000 during a recent Newegg.com sale as a "spare" (I couldn't resist the ASUS sale price in combination with Newegg's instant coupon and free...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Tech9]

We can't blame users and closed source forever:

ASUS GT-AXE16000 status?

So, I'm a Comcast customer with upcoming upgrades, 1500+ and AT&T Fiber 2-5 Gig coming. I was eyeing the 16000 as a replacement for my AX86U due to multi-gig ports. (2x10 and 1 2.5 port, which I plan to plug in a MG switch, the gateway into the 10 ports and 1 PC into the 2.5 port.) How has the...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Spartan]

@Spartan to test 2x GT-AX6000 running Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 in wireless AiMesh setup from scratch with no Ethernet connection, please. Something may have improved in 388 code and newer hardware. My last attempts with Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 on RT-AX86U main to RT-AX86S node were not successful as well as to RT-AC86U node. As I said I've never seen it working on any 386 firmware with 6x popular routers listed in post #3 and on 388 firmware on RT-AX86U/S. If something is improved in GT-AX6000 firmware - there is a hope.

GT-AX6000 as AiMesh Node?

I have a GT-AX6000 as my primary router with Merlin 386.7 (same issue described here occurred with Merlin 386.6 as well). I purchased a second GT-AX6000 during a recent Newegg.com sale as a "spare" (I couldn't resist the ASUS sale price in combination with Newegg's instant coupon and free...

www.snbforums.com

I cannot test any Merlin firmware. My last experience with it with the RT-AX88U left a very sour taste in my mouth. With my RT-AX88U, I was using the 384.XX firmware for a while and the router was great. then as ASUS started offering the 386.XX firmware I flashed it to the Merlin firmware but the VPN connection wasn't as stable anymore (had an L2TP VPN connection setup using my hide.me VPN service) and I was getting random disconnections all the time. Yes, I did the 30-30-30 reset method when I flashed the Merlin Firmware, Then I went back to the ASUS firmware but the random disconnections never stopped, like I'd be connected to the router but there was no internet activity and this would happen all day long. Had to manually reboot the router. I tried so many different firmware and resets it was not fun at all. going back to a 384.XX based firmware fixed the disconnection issues then I sold that router after sometime. My point is, I see no benefit in using the Merlin firmware and I cannot afford breaking my perfect setup right now.

 

[Tech9]

No issues. You were talking about 384.xx in other threads and I was under impression you are on Asuswrt-Merlin with the new routers. I would keep them on stock Asuswrt as well and upgrade to what now is 9.0.0.6 beta later on. I don't expect Asuswrt-Merlin firmware coming soon with the Pro features.

 

[Spartan]

No issues. You were talking about 384.xx in other threads and I was under impression you are on Asuswrt-Merlin with the new routers. I would keep them on stock Asuswrt as well and upgrade to what now is 9.0.0.6 beta later on. I don't expect Asuswrt-Merlin firmware coming soon with the Pro features.

and surprisingly, this BETA 9.0.0.6.102.3506 is super stable (for me), hadn't had a single issue with it and I've been using it since it release. The last official one 3.0.0.4.388.22068 was not so great. I had one random disconnection with that and the GUI is slower as reported by other users.

 

[Tech9]

I apologize for failing to recognize the Pro in you, Sir.

 

[AndreiV]

How did you find out about the Turris products? I am curious about the company and their history.

Wiki about Turris

https://docs.turris.cz

https://www.turris.com/en/references/

I first saw mention of Turris Omnia routers right here on SNB Forums.

@joegreat suggested them in a thread

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/l...ditional-consumer-equipment.49393/post-439221

It is an ever growing project , a new Omnia is on its way "some time " soon .

Omnia is aimed at more experienced users and you need to read the docs as they won't do too much hand holding , the forum members are pretty good at assisting , if I can use a Turris Omnia most members here would not have any difficulty.

If you want extra packages /apps just click install from a list of over 10000 available .

Mox is for those that want to build their own router with a range of snap together modules.
Want 12 ports , buy extra modules and click in place.

Shield is a simpler security router with mostly pre-set settings and requires few skills to use , it is very effective and several people I have helped install these are very happy with their trouble free home system.

The distributed firewall system is excellent and Sentinel View will show you just how many attacks get dumped per hour/day/week etc.

I have run my Omnia for 2 years now and it has been totally stable , none of the constant faffing about chasing bugs and looking for features promised by ASUS in their hype, only to find that it "will be coming soon in a new firmware release". ( I have 3 ASUS routers on the shelf that had huge claims for features that never existed.)

No issues trying to get network shares running , just plug it in , set up and haven't looked back.

3 contacts who have bought Turris Omnia to try have all said they won't be changing back to the retail junk stuff again.

Like any device people do find the odd bug but they get fixed very quickly and security issues are usually fixed in hours.

 

[AndreiV]

Yes, I did the 30-30-30 reset method when I flashed the Merlin Firmware,

30-30-30 does not exist in ASUS WRT / Merlin so it won't work.

 

[ktheking]

RT-AC86U (AC2900) : Tested out Merlin 386.10 . Nodes not found ,neither in cabled or wireless mode. Aligned firmware on host and client.
When trying to add the node from the host ,you'll notice that the counter goes very fast ,compared to using the Asus firmware.
It ends up in all cases with no node found when trying to add it.
When installing on host and client the Asus firmware ASUS RT-AC86U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386.51255 , Mesh setup succeeds and nodes are found.
When using the old Merlin 386_5 firmware ,no issues with Mesh.
So something has changed. Asus side , merlin side ?

 

[Tech9]

So something has changed.

A fix is coming with future Asuswrt-Merlin releases:

[ 388.2 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

Running 388.2_alpha2-g099892a1cf on AXE16000. Can confirm issue with 2.4ghz and 6ghz radio is gone (prev, devices connecting to the 2.4ghz radio would have no exit to internet). Had already seen it work in stock image, glad to see the gpl merge brought the fix to Merlin. OpenVPN to connect...

www.snbforums.com

Hopefully it will be included in AC-class 386 branch firmware.

 

[ktheking]

A fix is coming with future Asuswrt-Merlin releases:

[ 388.2 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

Running 388.2_alpha2-g099892a1cf on AXE16000. Can confirm issue with 2.4ghz and 6ghz radio is gone (prev, devices connecting to the 2.4ghz radio would have no exit to internet). Had already seen it work in stock image, glad to see the gpl merge brought the fix to Merlin. OpenVPN to connect...

www.snbforums.com

Hopefully it will be included in AC-class 386 branch firmware.

Thanks for the heads up. For now I resorted to a workaround solution proposed by other members in the thread.

• install asus firmware on all devices (host + clients)
• configure and connect mesh clients
• change firmware on host to merlin firmware again

Settings are kept , so now I can use jfs and other merlin features again.
Gotta buy you a beer again Merlin. You might be out of it ,that might explain it.

 

[ktheking]

Beer donated