AiMesh optimization issue

[David W]

Hi All

My first time posting on this forum so I hope you can help. I have an AiMesh comprising 2 ASUS Zenwifi AC CT8 and a newly added ASUS AC mini CD6. All 3 have latest firmware. I have 2 wifi security cameras outside the house which were struggling to connect to either CT8 (signal strength typically -79dBm), hence the addition of the CD6 which is in a conservatory separated from the cameras by just 2 panes of glass and a few metres of fresh air. The CD6 has a "great" connection to the AiMesh with an RSSI of -48dBm and the cameras can connect to it with a signal strength of -52dBm or better. When the cameras are rebooted they connect to the CD6 and work fine. However after several hours the AiMesh decides to disconnect them from the CD6 and connect them to one of the CT8s even though the signal strength is much worse and the cameras struggle to stream video. So, either there is something flakey with the CD6 or the system is incorrectly switching the cameras from a node with a strong signal to one with a weak signal. Any ideas on what might be causing this and what I can do to stop it?

Many thanks.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi All

My first time posting on this forum so I hope you can help. I have an AiMesh comprising 2 ASUS Zenwifi AC CT8 and a newly added ASUS AC mini CD6. All 3 have latest firmware. I have 2 wifi security cameras outside the house which were struggling to connect to either CT8 (signal strength typically -79dBm), hence the addition of the CD6 which is in a conservatory separated from the cameras by just 2 panes of glass and a few metres of fresh air. The CD6 has a "great" connection to the AiMesh with an RSSI of -48dBm and the cameras can connect to it with a signal strength of -52dBm or better. When the cameras are rebooted they connect to the CD6 and work fine. However after several hours the AiMesh decides to disconnect them from the CD6 and connect them to one of the CT8s even though the signal strength is much worse and the cameras struggle to stream video. So, either there is something flakey with the CD6 or the system is incorrectly switching the cameras from a node with a strong signal to one with a weak signal. Any ideas on what might be causing this and what I can do to stop it?

Many thanks.

One possibility is that when you (or Auto) toggle the radios for whatever reason, the node radios may come up last, causing simple IoT clients to connect first to the distant router AP and then stay there. So, if you restart the cameras after the AiMesh is fully up, do they connect to the preferrd node/signal?

Are you using Roaming Assistant?

The CD6 -48dBm RSSI backhaul connection could suggest too much WiFi/not enough difference in AP signal options for the cameras... investigating this could require more onsite observation of your layout... maybe the CT8 APs/signals are too available for your cams.

OE

 

[David W]

Thanks for the advice OE.

I will look into the Auto toggling - it is not something I know anything about at the moment. Yes the cameras do connect to the preferred node when reset. Interestingly one of the cameras has disconnected from the poor signal CT8 and reconnected to the strong signal CD6 all on its own, so maybe the system is learning what the best configuration looks like.

I am using Roaming Assistant.

The "line of sight" from the CT8 to the CD6 is perpendicular to a brick / breeze block cavity wall so the signal is trying to get through no more that 1 foot of brick. The line of sight from the CT8 to the furthest camera is at very acute angle to the wall so, simplistically, the signal is trying to get through around 10 feet of brick. I guess this explains the -48 dBm from CT8 to CD6 compared to -79dBm from CT8 to camera.

If I find anything interesting around auto toggling I will provide an update.

Thanks once again.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks for the advice OE.

I will look into the Auto toggling - it is not something I know anything about at the moment. Yes the cameras do connect to the preferred node when reset. Interestingly one of the cameras has disconnected from the poor signal CT8 and reconnected to the strong signal CD6 all on its own, so maybe the system is learning what the best configuration looks like.

I am using Roaming Assistant.

The "line of sight" from the CT8 to the CD6 is perpendicular to a brick / breeze block cavity wall so the signal is trying to get through no more that 1 foot of brick. The line of sight from the CT8 to the furthest camera is at very acute angle to the wall so, simplistically, the signal is trying to get through around 10 feet of brick. I guess this explains the -48 dBm from CT8 to CD6 compared to -79dBm from CT8 to camera.

If I find anything interesting around auto toggling I will provide an update.

Thanks once again.

Also try disabling Roaming Assistant to see how your clients behave... will likely not affect fixed and simple clients/cameras that prefer the first signal they can find.

OE

 

[David W]

I had hoped to give an update on how I had successfully solved this issue, to help others in a similar situation. Sadly not. I tried adding the cameras to the Roaming Block List - didn't work. I tried turning off Roaming Assistant - didn't work. What I have discovered is that I don't trust the client connection information presented to me by Asus. As I type this the Asus app is telling me that one of the cameras is offline and has been for over 24 hours. And yet that camera has been, and continues to, stream live video through the wifi mesh network. The Asus app previously told me that the other camera was offline when it too was streaming live video. On another occasion the Asus app told me that a camera was connected to a CT8 with a very weak signal strength when it was streaming video at a data rate that I have only ever seen when it was connected to the CD6. So, I am going to retreat into a dark corner, scratch my head and consider what to do next.

 

[David W]

So the problem is not that the cameras disconnect from the node and reconnect to a different node with a weaker signal. The problem is that the node is disconnecting from the mesh (forcing all its clients to connect elsewhere) and then reconnecting. I am fairly sure that both the CD6 and CT8 nodes are doing this. Does anyone know what might be causing this and how to prevent it?

 

[bbunge]

So the problem is not that the cameras disconnect from the node and reconnect to a different node with a weaker signal. The problem is that the node is disconnecting from the mesh (forcing all its clients to connect elsewhere) and then reconnecting. I am fairly sure that both the CD6 and CT8 nodes are doing this. Does anyone know what might be causing this and how to prevent it?

The nodes could be switching channel. Set the router to fixed non DFS channels in the 5 GHz band. Set the 2.4 GHz to channel 1, 6 or 11.

 

[David W]

Thanks @bbunge . I went to "wireless->general" The channel bandwidth and control channel are both set to "auto" but if I click on that word I am not offered any alternatives. If I switch off smart connect I see some channel bandwidth options for 2.4GHz. If I try to select 5GHz I get an error message "The fronthaul SSID is the same as the backhaul SSID" and smart connect switches back on before I can make any changes to the bandwidth settings. What am I doing wrong?

 

[forum_dyskusyjne]

Asus has many Error with IMESH.
I have the same problem... TV there is 50cm from Master router... RT-AC59U but sometimes connects with second point (2 walls, -80dbm).
TV is lock on the Master router.

Look for this: BUG_ASUS

TV Living room
This device is currently assigned to RT-AC59U V2(Living room). In order to optimize the connection quality, the system automatically selected the optimal route for the device.

 

[L&LD]

That is not AiMesh's issue. It's a client issue.

Your screenshots should be in English only if you want any help with them.

 

[forum_dyskusyjne]

It's a client issue....? What do You mean?

1. Connect client with default device (RT-AC59U), set RT-AC59U as default.
2. Turn OFF default device (RT-AC59U).
3. Client change connection to other device (RT-AC58U).
4. Turn ON device (RT-AC59U).
5. Client not return to default device... (RT-AC59U).

 

[David W]

So the way I "fixed" the problem was to buy a big masonry drill bit, drill holes through brick walls, and run ethernet cables between the nodes as a wired backhaul. That was about 4 weeks ago and the whole network has been absolutely rock solid since then.

 

[forum_dyskusyjne]

I have still problems with connection speed. I can't find where is problem. Randomly speed my WiFi is decrease.

 

[Tech9]

Randomly speed my WiFi is decrease.

You have to talk in numbers and perhaps set realistic expectations. Your routers have 2-stream 5GHz radios (up to 866Mbps link speed) and when used in shared with clients wireless backhaul AiMesh the node connected clients won't get anything above 300Mbps throughput in ideal conditions and much less in real conditions (noise, interference, number of active clients). Your next to the router TV may not want to connect to this router because the signal is too strong and seen by the TV as not the best AP to connect to. Better wire the TV if it has an Ethernet port.

 

[forum_dyskusyjne]

Reduced speed I have on the laptop, laptop is about 3-4m from router. Laptop has Intel WiFi 6 AX201 160MHz.
In my opinion problem there is in firmware router. Because when I push:
- Optimise IMESH
or manually remove / insert WAN cable
Speed connection backs to "normally". I don't see decrease cennection between laptop - router, still there is: 866/866. Those values are very stable.
I did measurement speed test: laptop / phone... Distance the same from router.
When there is problem laptop has 100Mb / phone 300Mb. (300Mb is my internet connection).
Both device are next to each other.

 

[Tech9]

When there is problem laptop has 100Mb / phone 300Mb.

If other clients are unaffected - your laptop has a problem, not your router. Experiment with different Intel Wi-Fi drivers.