AiMesh working and updating working on AX88U

[talon_262]

For the best directions I recommend first having the main router down to just basic settings with no scripts running---(you don't necessarily have to factory reset the main router). you can turn on the aimesh setup using the NVRAM options mentioned earlier. make sure your nodes have been cleanly reset after you have flashed the most current asus stock firmware on them. I recommend using the WPS method to force factory reset the nodes. once reset is done just leave them powered on and use the aimesh menu to search for the node, (if the node has no ethernet backhaul it may be best to pair it next to the router at first and then place it where you want it.) you can search for the node and pair it. it may take a couple of tries where you have to restart the node, or restart the router, but it should work pretty well.

I never could get my node to be recognized during pairing using a wired connection, I had to do it wirelessly; once it was paired, I put the node where I needed it, then connected the wired backhaul.

 

[Swistheater]

I never could get my node to be recognized during pairing using a wired connection, I had to do it wirelessly; once it was paired, I put the node where I needed it, then connected the wired backhaul.

they have recently implemented fixes in the firmware level for such issues, and in some cases it is better to specify wired priority as well for the best connection performance on the node(this type of situation is ment for if for example there is a switch inbetween the wired routes), but either or should work.

 

[kronic_187]

I didn't have much luck trying this with my AX88U and a brand new, latest firmware loaded AC68U.
I can't even get them to mesh using stock firmware and full resets. I've wasted a lot of time on this....

Doing it from the first setup page wizard I had issues too with stock and merlin loaded.
What I did to fix this was.

All resets and setups are all ethernet hard wired from PC to routers. Don't do anything wifi. Make sure you use the LAN ports not the WAN for pc to router connections. Do not daisy chain them. It will only load the last routers web page.

1. Reload the stock firmware's on all and start from scratch.
2. Then do hard reset with holding the reset button.
3. After this, you would setup all routers as main routers ( non mesh)
4. Choose SSID like test123 test1234 and test12345, etc for each additional.
4. Once you have the primary router setup and configured, connect the 2nd router (mesh) to the PC and remove the internet WAN cable from the primary to the 2nd router. (this is so you have internet to use). Go to the administration page (check for updates, etc.), then change manually the 2nd router from primary router to mesh config. There is an option to choose 4 or 5 modes in administration. What you are doing here is not using the wizard. The router will actually load the files and reboot. Once it does that you will need to go back into the primary router, refresh the page and you will see the mesh router listed once you click on the icon. Once you try to add it and accept, it will connect successfully. If it does not, retry add. It failed once for me and then it worked...

When I used the Wizard, it setup 2nd router (mesh) from first startup. Then the wizard ask me to disconnect cable and reconnect PC to 1st primary router. It asked me to log in and then add the AiMesh router. It failed... I think the key is here is when you manually setup the Mesh router from the administration page, it asks you to wait 1-3 minutes. The wizard does not do that I think...

 

[Gitsum]

I just went back to Merlin on the AX88 and used my 'ole trusty N66 as a repeater. Works pretty good. I just got excited to try to use the mesh thing with Merlin, but maybe try again later.

 

[Gitsum]

Just saw this line in the latest changes made to the 384.12 alpha firmware;
"rc: allow experimental AiMesh toggle to survive factory default resets"
Not sure what that's going to do.

 

[Swistheater]

how would this option even be used.

 

[MNoisy]

Does anyone have any more details or specificity about what actually might conflict with some of his optimizations beyond what's mentioned in the other threads? I hope for quite a few things to not be affected but am honestly most concerned about Bluetooth coexistence, link aggregation, and multicasting.

Any feedback on those specific features or more broadly what features might be affected overall?

Thanks!