Beta ASUSWRT 386 RC2 public beta with full functions AiMesh 2.0

[L&LD]

@reddeath, welcome to the forums.

On your router models, there has been a fair share of issues with all the 386.1 Beta's, including Beta 3 for some people. I suggest you wait until there is a stable release of the 386.x code for your model before trying AiMesh v2.0, and only then, after more brave souls have proven it stable too (AiMesh v1.0 not currently recommended anymore which runs on 384/385 branch code).

 

[reddeath]

@reddeath, welcome to the forums.

On your router models, there has been a fair share of issues with all the 386.1 Beta's, including Beta 3 for some people. I suggest you wait until there is a stable release of the 386.x code for your model before trying AiMesh v2.0, and only then, after more brave souls have proven it stable too (AiMesh v1.0 not currently recommended anymore which runs on 384/385 branch code).

Thank you for the comments on the firmware stability. The current RC-10 build is listed as stable on the ASUS website for couple of days now.

My question is more generic though. I would like to understand the difference in functionality between my setup that I described and AI Mesh. In short, why should I use AI Mesh instead of running the second router in AC mode?

 

[L&LD]

Do you mean in AP mode (I think)?

First, an 'RC' is not stable, by definition. Particularly one offered from Asus (or any other manufacturer).

Functionally, you will find the network to run almost identical to what you are experiencing now.

Setting it up though (and when needing to reconfigure) you will find that it is a much more straightforward process. You're only applying settings to the main router and when you add the node, they are duplicated there too.

I'm also not sure if your routers will be offered updated wireless drivers as some models have benefited from. But I can almost be certain that any past/remaining bugs from the 384/385 code base will be finally cleaned up when they're moved to codebase 386.xx (and a full reset is performed afterward, of course).

I am also sure that as time goes on, AiMesh 2.0 will keep getting new features and 'controls' for the nodes. Further making it much easier to manage your entire network from a single point (your main router).

ASUS Wireless Router RT-AX95Q - Network Map

Asus AiMesh 2.0 Big Changes in 2021 - Here's What Features They Added - Firmware Update Dec 30, 2020 - YouTube

 

[jlok]

Today I am at my breching point. This Asus stuff really dissapointed me. I spent almost $500-600 CAD on their crap that doesnt work at all. Never correct more then 1 week witohut issues. Even with all the tweaks and recommandtion it doesnt work.. Now my phones constantly disconecting from the 5G Wireless.

Disable WMM No-Acknowledgement if you have that enabled. I had the same issue with mobile devices.

 

[Moabdave]

First, an 'RC' is not stable, by definition. Particularly one offered from Asus (or any other manufacturer).

His response was poorly worded, but correct.
At the same time as RC-10 was released, Asus published a 3.xx.386.xx release build for the RT-AC88U on their website, with an identical build number as the 9.xx.xx RC-10 build posted on this forum. So while I don't know for certain if RC-10 is identical to the latest release build for the AC88U, it sure looks like it is. I'm running the released build, presumed to be identical to RC-10, on my 88U and have so far found no difference in features or performance as RC-9. I'm still running RC-9 on my other router. I'm to chicken to upgrade to RC-10 for that one, with the known issues others have posted.

 

[LexxM3]

Thanks. I am in Canada, not EU, and I’d rather not play more return games regardless as I already have enough drama in my life. If ASUS steps up and delivers a stable and effective product, they’ll have my business and support (I influence everyone around me regarding technology). If they don’t, they won’t. I am long past the naïveté of loyalty to a tech brand — they are all mostly organizationally-incompetent and only occasionally and accidentally temporarily succeed with great products.

Following up my own, even still too optimistic, post above. After a many more hours wasted today due to the many bizarre instabilities and weird and irrational mesh node automatic reconfigurations that caused failures of the entire mesh, I've decided to return the 4 node CT8 system well before the 30 day return window closes. This is mostly to preserve my time and sanity as I am sure that I would be compelled to try to futilely make it work if I kept it ... and that's just an extremely poor use of time and mental energy for an expensive, paid-for product. My primary positives for the system are:

1. If the system ever becomes actually stable, the promise of the ability to bind STAs to specific nodes is fantastic and absolutely essential (in a "well duh, it's about fricking time" sort of way), and
2. If I were to keep the system, my level of physical fitness would increase due to the additional travels up and down the stairs required to physically reset the base and nodes when they start cycling again.

Back to Orbi RBx50 system it is then ... almost boringly stable.

 

[Maverick009]

Background: I purchased 4x CT8 units (2x packs) a few days ago as a potential replacement for Orbi RBx50 mesh. Intended use is strictly AP mode all wireless backhaul mesh — I like my routers/firewalls separate and can’t run wires in this environment. Got the basic single SSID setup to work with good performance (good enough to seriously consider replacing the Orbi setup) on stock latest firmware and nodes collocated with the Orbi nodes (which form a very stable and good performance star in my environment). Tried Guest network and immediately figured out it works only on the base unit — a showstopper. Was about to repack to return the setup, but learned of this beta and the fact that Guest network on all mesh nodes is part of it (and obviously many other VERY interesting and valuable functions) and decided to give it a shot. I am in a 30 day return window countdown now.

Result of initial testing of 9.0.0.4.386.41535: Summary = works ok as an AP mesh AS LONG AS GUEST NETWORK IS OFF; becomes completely unusable as soon as Guest network is turned on. Unusable = base and guess network up and down cyclically every couple of minutes — had to recover to factory to get back to sanity, no other way to do it as the units didn’t stay up long enough to even be able to manually turn off Guest network.

Next steps: Let’s see how far ASUS can get within 30 days to stabilize this. I am rooting for them as I really (really!) like where this is going, but it’s all going back Jan 30th if it’s not stable/usable as I can’t just throw away that kind of money to help a large company do software testing.

ASUS has been continually building out this software, and again it is BETA unfinished software. The current software on their production routers, is quite stable and has most quirks corrected, but at same time it went into maintenance mode, as the 386 firmware, is the beginning to some heavy backend updates and more specifically overhauling the AiMesh settings. Being in Beta, it is unfinished, and still having some tweaks done and mainly bug squashing at this point. They have begun to launch the 386 firmware on routers that the code is stable enough and finalized on, but their highend RT and ROG GT series, are taking a little longer which is normal for them. Each release has corrected issues and squashed bugs, so we are almost there.

 

[Maverick009]

Thank you for the comments on the firmware stability. The current RC-10 build is listed as stable on the ASUS website for couple of days now.

My question is more generic though. I would like to understand the difference in functionality between my setup that I described and AI Mesh. In short, why should I use AI Mesh instead of running the second router in AC mode?

RC-10 is considered stable for a release candidate build where you can run the firmware with minor issues and should be no major show stopping bugs, but it is just a step above beta, and they are now moving through the code base to squash any bugs and get to RTM build on each router the 386.x firmware was made for. Just because an RC build is stable, does not mean by any means it will be free of issues.

The difference between running AiMesh 2.0 vs. AP/Repeater mode can be 10 fold. With AiMesh 2.0, you have the main router, and each additional router, can act as a Node, and give you a seamless wireless connection with no drops as you move throughout your home, and the wireless name can remain the same. In AP/Repeater mode, you would have different names for each device used as a repeater, and when you get to far from that device, there is a small disconnect/reconnect hop from one device to the next, which in return may even have a small interruption in services as the device switches devices due to that hop. Also can add more complications to the network.

AiMesh 2.0 also will now allow you to access each node separately and use more functions such as the USB ports for mass storage which was not possible with AiMesh 1.0.

 

[L&LD]

I'm still running RC-9 on my other router. I'm to chicken to upgrade to RC-10 for that one, with the known issues others have posted.

So, you're supporting my view?

 

[KingBravery]

Following up my own, even still too optimistic, post above. After a many more hours wasted today due to the many bizarre instabilities and weird and irrational mesh node automatic reconfigurations that caused failures of the entire mesh, I've decided to return the 4 node CT8 system well before the 30 day return window closes. This is mostly to preserve my time and sanity as I am sure that I would be compelled to try to futilely make it work if I kept it ... and that's just an extremely poor use of time and mental energy for an expensive, paid-for product. My primary positives for the system are:

1. If the system ever becomes actually stable, the promise of the ability to bind STAs to specific nodes is fantastic and absolutely essential (in a "well duh, it's about fricking time" sort of way), and
2. If I were to keep the system, my level of physical fitness would increase due to the additional travels up and down the stairs required to physically reset the base and nodes when they start cycling again.

Back to Orbi RBx50 system it is then ... almost boringly stable.

You already have the stable mesh.

Why would you want to change to Asus?

You must have the concrete reason.

For me, I'm using Asus because it is cheaper than Netgear things in my country.

Additionally, no other consumer routers would provide OpenVPN client at router level even Mikrotik or Ubiquiti.

So, I think, Asus is the best choice.

 

[ALEX1002]

Disable WMM No-Acknowledgement if you have that enabled. I had the same issue with mobile devices.

Where is the WMM settings?
I see in professional settings , but theres no "disable" only enable.

 

[mrmarcog]

Hi,

I've a meshed configuration with an AC86U as a main ai-mesh router and an AC88U as ai-mesh node connected by an ethernet backhaul.
Every 4-5 days, or in every case randomly, the ethernet ports of the ai-mesh node (the ac88u) stop working, but the wireless connection is fully operative.
A software reboot of the ac88u is useless, only a power off\on of the unit solve the problem. The issue is present from the first RC I've tried, maybe RC6 or RC7, I don't remember.

Any suggestion?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi,

I've a meshed configuration with an AC86U as a main ai-mesh router and an AC88U as ai-mesh node connected by an ethernet backhaul.
Every 4-5 days, or in every case randomly, the ethernet ports of the ai-mesh node (the ac88u) stop working, but the wireless connection is fully operative.
A software reboot of the ac88u is useless, only a power off\on of the unit solve the problem. The issue is present from the first RC I've tried, maybe RC6 or RC7, I don't remember.

Any suggestion?

The AC88U was a reputation for its LAN5-8 ports dying. If your issue is related to those upper ports, then you might have dying ports. The workaround is to not use them.

OE

 

[Rendo]

The AC88U was a reputation for its LAN5-8 ports dying. If your issue is related to those upper ports, then you might have dying ports. The workaround is to not use them.

OE

Actually, RMerlin provided the real workaround

Try a complete electrical reset:

1) Turn off router
2) Unplug power
3) Turn it on to drain any leftover power
4) turn it back off
5) Plug back in, turn it on

Source:

RT AC88U- ports from 5 to 8 down

Hi all, from about one week ports from LAN 5 to LAN 8 are down. Is it possible that internal Realtek switch has broken? Any lan devices i attach don't work. Thank you

www.snbforums.com

 

[baz]

Back to Orbi RBx50 system it is then ... almost boringly stable.

I am so trying to avoid something like that. I'm guessing my problem has something to do with the 2.4 seeing how all my IOT just drops. I had to role back from the official RC to Merlins Beta 3. Seems a lot more stable, and my IOT seems to work here and there. However...on the bright side, it is still an RC/Beta...so here is top hopping that most of our main problems get fixed.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Actually, RMerlin provided the real workaround

Try a complete electrical reset:

1) Turn off router
2) Unplug power
3) Turn it on to drain any leftover power
4) turn it back off
5) Plug back in, turn it on

Source:

RT AC88U- ports from 5 to 8 down

Hi all, from about one week ports from LAN 5 to LAN 8 are down. Is it possible that internal Realtek switch has broken? Any lan devices i attach don't work. Thank you

www.snbforums.com

The real workaround is to get such equipment off your network.

OE

 

[drabisan]

The real workaround is to get such equipment off your network.

OE

OE,
When this beta started I was loosing a specific device (that uses a cheap ECP chipset).
When that device was disappearing from WiFi the only option to force it to reconnect was to power it on while unplugged from power (to get rid of bad mood and stuff ).
It sounds stupid and it is, but I've seen than s..t!
Fortunately Asus fixed the problem and that device it's now connected to the network, for several releases.

I was actually considering getting rid of it, but all alternatives were using the same chipset

 

[OzarkEdge]

OE,
When this beta started I was loosing a specific device (that uses a cheap ECP chipset).
When that device was disappearing from WiFi the only option to force it to reconnect was to power it on while unplugged from power (to get rid of bad mood and stuff ).
It sounds stupid and it is, but I've seen than s..t!
Fortunately Asus fixed the problem and that device it's now connected to the network, for several releases.

I was actually considering getting rid of it, but all alternatives were using the same chipset

Yeah, we all tolerate things we have to or to manage cost. But as a network management rule, I try to minimize the use of dodgy equipment. AiMesh has really tested this rule!

If I had an AC88U switch that will likely act up again and affect the network at large, I'd replace it before it happens... my users deserve that consideration... ME!

OE

 

[L&LD]

@OzarkEdge or at least just buy a 5 Port 1GbE switch or larger and plug it into LAN Port 1-4 and don't use the 5-8 Ports at all.

 

[livefeed]

With any of these builds does anybody with a Harmony hub find them having a hard time staying connected? Maybe it’s a setting in 2.4 that needs to be off or on - any advice would be appreciated. BTW I have a similar problem with the Phillips Hue Sync Box.