AIMesh not working above 386.5_2

[Pedsteruk]

RT-AC86U as router, multiple RT-AC68U as nodes all wired backhaul.

If I upgrade any nodes or the router to anything above 386.5_2, the nodes show as offline.
If I remove the existing nodes and try to re add the nodes fresh they are not discovered at all.
I have tried many combinations on multiple release (merlin and stock for nodes), every time it's a hard reset, downgrade to 386.5_2 and can be discovered and added again.

Anyone else got the same scenario with AIMesh above 386.5_2?
Anyone interested in some debug logs?

Long term I assume I wait till the 386 series is superseded?

 

[Dedel66]

Did you try to connect/search your nodes connected by cable?

 

[AndreiV]

Long term I assume I wait till the 386 series is superseded?

You'll be waiting till eternity and beyond. AC models will not get superseded.

No 388 for AC models.

 

[Pedsteruk]

Did you try to connect/search your nodes connected by cable?

In the post fella “multiple RT-AC68U as nodes all wired backhaul.”

 

[gatoo]

RT-AC86U as router, multiple RT-AC68U as nodes all wired backhaul.

If I upgrade any nodes or the router to anything above 386.5_2, the nodes show as offline.
If I remove the existing nodes and try to re add the nodes fresh they are not discovered at all.
I have tried many combinations on multiple release (merlin and stock for nodes), every time it's a hard reset, downgrade to 386.5_2 and can be discovered and added again.

Anyone else got the same scenario with AIMesh above 386.5_2?
Anyone interested in some debug logs?

Long term I assume I wait till the 386 series is superseded?

Hi, I have the same issue. Latest working release for me is 386.5_2 on AC68U. All above cannot setup mesh. Either with upgraded configuration or cleaned. With backhoul or without the same issue.

 

[nbdwt73]

I have the same setup and is working fine - however, I did have issues when using Merlin firmware in the 68U nodes. I re-flashed with native Asus firmware in the nodes only... Then, with wired backhaul, all worked fine (no issues for many months and thru several 86U updates)...

 

[Pedsteruk]

I have the same setup and is working fine - however, I did have issues when using Merlin firmware in the 68U nodes. I re-flashed with native Asus firmware in the nodes only... Then, with wired backhaul, all worked fine (no issues for many months and thru several 86U updates)...

Please can you confirm your main router firmware version? I have tired stock on the 68 nodes but still are not detected when running newer versions of the 86.

 

[Crimliar]

Tested and cannot replicate the problem with the RT-AC68U (oldest version/latest firmware - A or M) when adding it as a Mesh to either an RT-AC86U or the GT-AX6000 (with RP-AX56 also meshed).
*No matter what though I can only add it using a cable though, but that's what seems to be failing for the OP!

 

[nbdwt73]

My main router firmware is 396.9 (latest) and my 68U firmware is 3.0.0.4.386.49703 (also latest). I have always use wired backhaul - never wireless - so cannot attest to that setup but based on other users comments, they too have had to setup on wired then removed the cable to wireless...

 

[Pedsteruk]

Right ok so someone has it working, and someone has the same issue. I’m fully wired, not wireless for any nodes.

Any special settings people know about. WPS on/off, HTTPS or HTTP, default or customer admin port etc?

Im one of those people who can’t accept it not working, but as it’s the live system can’t spend too much time playing around and then having to downgrade.

 

[Tech9]

Unfortunately, you have to find your own solution for connecting nodes. There is no universal advice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. AiMesh in Asuswrt-Merlin is in “as is” state and success is model and user configuration dependent.

 

[Pedsteruk]

Unfortunately, you have to find your own solution for connecting nodes. There is no universal advice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. AiMesh in Asuswrt-Merlin is in “as is” state and success is model and user configuration dependent.

That is not helpful, and pointless posting. Forums are a place for discussion and suggestions based on personal experiences.

 

[Tech9]

I have posted my personal experience many times with zero effect. In my opinion Asuswrt-Merlin AiMesh compatibility has to be removed from Wiki. The latest statement in 388.1 thread is AiMesh is unsupported and “as is”. I’ve spend hours testing with different routers and firmware. Not doing it anymore because the community is getting nervous on bugs reported. I have no solution for you.

 

[nbdwt73]

I will admit that my setup for this AC68U was done on a previous release and then updated accordingly. I have another 68U (somewhere - have to find it) and will try a fresh setup and report back.

 

[Tech9]

There are few possible strategies:

- wired discovery and association of nodes
- stock Asuswrt on nodes with Asuswrt-Merlin on main
- stock Asuswrt on main with update to Asuswrt-Merlin after
- all routers on stock Asuswrt when Asuswrt-Merlin is not needed

One of the above usually works. Trial and error method. Too many router models with AiMesh compatibility in theory, but not exactly in reality. Asuswrt-Merlin in the mix makes it worse especially when wireless AiMesh is the final goal. Wired works in most router combinations and better with stock Asuswrt on nodes. Asuswrt-Merlin is not needed on nodes anyway. Stock Asuswrt on all routers usually works well in both wired and wireless configuration, unless it's a known firmware bug like in some recent 388 releases. Wireless node discovery never worked for me with Asuswrt-Merlin on main router.

 

[Pedsteruk]

Update on this from me. I successfully performed a dirty upgrade from 386.5_2 to 386.10 and all the mesh nodes.

All working as expected however I do find the webui and 86U can be unresponsive after a reboot.