AiMesh not working anymore on 2 latest Merlin firmwares

[jaydoe]

Hello,

AiMesh seems to be broken on 2 latest Merlin FW. I have 2 RT-AC68U routers. One is being used as a host router and the other one is used as AiMesh node.

I used many hours yesterday trying to get AiMesh to work. The node was found in search but after connecting for only 1-2% it said "unable to connect". In some cases the node was not found at all.

In every case I did a complete factory reset. Here's what I tried.

Flashed Merlin 386.3 firmware to both AC68U: AiMesh didn't work
Flashed latest official ASUS firmware to node 3.0.0.4.386.43129: AiMesh didn't work
Flashed Merlin 386.2_6 firmware to host router: AiMesh didn't work
Flashed official 3.0.0.4.386.43129 to host router: AiMesh working perfectly

As I need some functions of Merlin firmware I don't want to use the official firmware on my host router.

Flashed Merlin 386.2_4 firmware to host router: AiMesh working perfectly

So finally I got AiMesh back to work with this combo:
Host router: Merlin 386.2_4
AiMesh node: ASUS official 3.0.0.4.386.43129

So in this experiment I found that AiMesh is not working on Merlin 386.3 and 386.2_6 but is working on 386.2_4.

 

[octopus]

Working fine here. Make sure WPS is turned on on main router when you paring AiMesh node(s) sometime it is not.

 

[STRUZZIN]

Its not just you I am having the same issue on 386.3.
My 68U wont connect at all and my 58U will connect but has major speed issues.
Tried full reset and setup on all still no go.

 

[jaydoe]

Working fine here. Make sure WPS is turned on on main router when you paring AiMesh node(s) sometime it is not.

Yes, WPS is on at default after full reset. That is not the issue here.

 

[STRUZZIN]

Have another 68U its doing the same thing also.
This is odd everything was fine on all 386.3 BETA.
Something change from the BETA to release that would cause this?

 

[Jumpstarter]

All working well with my rtac68u

 

[jaydoe]

Weird. Maybe some revisions of AC68U work and some don't.

 

[wiz]

my 68u did weird things too. I have scrapped all config on my main ac5300 and configured from scratch. Then I could not get my 68u to connect as an aimesh node. I updated the 68u to the _3 Merlin version and still it did not play ball. My ax55 connected no problem, but that one runs stock firmware. I have put stock firmware on my 68u and now it behaves fine.

Previously I seen devices connected to the main router being shown as connected to the 68u node. I thought I was the only one with aimesh issues...

 

[STRUZZIN]

Well I was hoping someone would have an idea what to do.
Maybe Reflash 386.3 ?
I guess we have to just mess with older Merlin or ASUS firmware and hope it works.

 

[Tvbaas]

Ran into the same issue , see my post in that tread. I observed that de stock Asus firmware size is almost 3 times as large as the Merlin version, so something is installed differently.
So please report your HW version of the AC68u to see if there is a relation why it is not working with Merlin versions.

 

[octopus]

Do you install AiMesh nod fw from master nod gui or removed and flash with lan-cable?

 

[Tvbaas]

Do you install AiMesh nod fw from master nod gui or removed and flash with lan-cable?

I flashed the firmware ( Asus and Merlin) directly with a lan-cable connected to the AC68u. Never used flashing from a master nod gui in the AiMesh router.

 

[octopus]

I flashed the firmware ( Asus and Merlin) directly with a lan-cable connected to the AC68u. Never used flashing from a master nod gui in the AiMesh router.

Ok, try then paring AiMesh nod from master nod with lan-cable. Make sure WPS is turned on on master AiMesh router.

 

[STRUZZIN]

Still can't get anything to work.
Reflashed latest release>
It either : 1.shows a percentage for a little bit then says it cant connect
or 2. Does not find the router trying to be added at all

 

[octopus]

Still can't get anything to work.
Reflashed latest release>
It either : 1.shows a percentage for a little bit then says it cant connect
or 2. Does not find the router trying to be added at all

Now we have tested all I can think of. There must be really strange setup you have. I never has such problem.
And its pure asus rt-ac68u not converted one???

 

[STRUZZIN]

Yes it it a real ASUS I really don't want to use stock.
Why it went from Merlin 35MB to ASUS stock which is 91MB ....
I don't know the router version the sticker was removes and I cut the plastic for better airflow.
Is there a command for Putty to get the router version?

 

[jaydoe]

There must be really strange setup you have.

Well, I have 2 ordinary RT-AC68U routers and I have the same problem. Absolutely nothing strange about my setup.

 

[Tech9]

Current Asuswrt is newer than current Asuswrt-Merlin. Asus may have fixed something AiMesh 2.0 related. The fix will come to Asuswrt-Merlin once RMerlin gets the newer code from Asus. Just be patient folks.

 

[wiz]

Mine is an original Rt-ac68u H/W ver: A1. Like Octupus said. I've cleared my AC5300, set it up manually, and then tried to add the 68u as an aimesh node. Just like him, I tried for half a day tinkering with it to get it working again, and once I put stock firmware on the 68u it connected no problem. Stupid thing is it did work when I first set it up, with 384.1 I think it was.

Picture of my 68u.

 

[STRUZZIN]

Okay so you have Merlin main and the others are mesh but ASUS-WRT.
Its also not just the 68U I have 2 Extra RT-AX58U and they connect but have issues.
Photo of 58U's to show that I really have them: