IGMP Snooping in AiMesh node

[dCrypt]

Hi,

I am having problems with IPTV after a recent change in my setup (upgraded AiMesh node) and installed 386.1 firmware. I though there was a problem with the new firmware, but it is not. I've reverted the firmware to 384.19 and the problem persists.

My old configuration, where IPTV worked:

ONT+Router(from Movistar ISP)
|
AC88U main Router
|
Switch (IGMP Snooping capable) ------ IPTV #1
|
AC86U AiMesh Node ------------- IPTV #2, IPTV #3


In summary, there are three Ethernet zones:
- First, those devices connected directly to the main router
- Second, those devices connected to the switch in one room
- Third, those devices connected to the AiMesh node in another room

IPS ONT+Router is used to simplify the main router configuration, keeping VLAN setup as provided by the ISP and working as a simple router. The main AC88U router is configured with scripts just to add routes and dnsmaq configuration. This way, everything worked as expected. All the IPTV STBs were working flawlessly. AiMesh node is connected with main router with ethernet connection.

I recently swapped the AC86U AiMesh node with an AC88U, and the IPTV STBs #2 and #3 stopped working.
- Moving the IPTV STBs connected to the Switch (replacing #1), they work
- Moving #1 connected to the AC88U AiMesh node it stops working
- I tried enabling in the AC88U AiMesh node nvram parameter emf_enable=1, commit and reboot, it doesn't work

I can't revert back to the previous setup as I don't have the AC86U anymore.

Tests I still need to do to fully confirm my assumption (IGMP snooping not working in AC88U configured as an AiMesh node):
- Moving the switch (it supports IGMP snooping) connected between the AiMesh node and IPTV STBs #2,#3
- Replacing the AiMesh node with the managed switch
- Full reset and reconfiguration of the AC88U main router
- Bypass the AiMesh node by connecting one IPTV STB #2 or #3 directly with the main router (pretty sure I already did, but I would like to ensure it works) -> TESTED: It works
- Plugging IPTV STBs #2,#3 in different ports -> TESTED: It doesn't work
- Configure AiMesh node in AP mode
- Plugging the upstream connection to the main router into one ethernet port instead of WAN port in the AiMesh node -> TESTED: It works!!!

Is this a known problem/limitation with AC88U? Is there something I am not configuring correctly?

BR

 

[FTC]

Hi,

Very strange. This configuration should work (it does in my case with AX88U as main and AX56U as aimesh node). I can see movistar+ fine.

Is the AC88U mesh node connected as an aimesh node through the WAN port ? (it should). Does it have the same 386.1 firmware as the main router ? (it should also). Have you tested in different ethernet ports ? (AC88Us are famous for having flaky ports some times). I would definetly retry fully resetting the node from 0 and re-adding it to the aimesh.

Another test may be to configure the second 88U as access point or media bridge.

 

[dCrypt]

Hi, thanks for answering.

In fact , as I said, it worked with an AC86U as node before.

Yes, it is connected to WAN with the main router.
Yes, same firmware. I tested with 384.19 and 386.1. I even tested mixing the newest in the main and the older in the node.
I already did a full reset of the node several times with different firmware versions.
I will include different Ethernet ports and access point mode to my test list.

BR

EDIT: Additional tests, one can be significant:

- Tested the IPTV STB #2 in different ethernet ports, still failing
- Tested the IPTV STB #2 connected directly to the main router, it works flawlessly
- I plugged the ethernet from the main router to ETH Port #8 in the AiMesh node, instead of WAN, it works this way!!!

So, it seems that the AC88U can't do IGMP Snooping from WAN to LAN, at least in AiMesh Node mode!!??!! (or maybe a config issue which requires a full reset) Of course, AC86U worked without issues using the WAN connector all the time for connecting upstream.

 

[dCrypt]

Although it's not obvious, the only test that made the IPTV working again (plugging the node via LAN instead WAN port) is not really a solution, too many side effects:

- Upstream connection is not detected as Ethernet, so AiMesh is stablished with WiFi (not optimal)
- Devices in the other branches of the network are not visible from devices connected to node

As soon as I can perform the rest of the tests, I will publish their results.

BR

 

[dCrypt]

I'm absolutely confused. Additional tests:

- The original IPTV STB #1 stopped working (not broken, but a network problem with its ethernet zone)
- ALL the IPTV STBs are working now after restarting (again) both AC88U units. I have to remark that both routers (main and node) have been restarted several times since I noticed the problems and started testing
- Manually executing the IPTV script (just routing "route add -net $VOIP_DEST gw $VOIP_GATEWAY_ROUTER netmask $VOIP_MASK $ASUS_WAN_INTERFACE 2>&1") also made all the STBs work

The only reason I can imagine that could explain this behaviour is:

- During configuration/firmware upgrade/nvram config/joining node, main router restart happened automatically (this is a fact, not a guess)
- This restart was considered normal, although not really sure. Automatic restart could have led to a non working environment
- Controlled restart made everything working again

What I can't explain is why, even without any configuration change, neither in the main router nor in the node, STB #1 worked while #2 & #3 didn't work, and swapping #1 with #2/#3 made them work.

If I find any additional results, I'll update this thread.

BR