[Official Beta] AiMesh beta firmware for RT-AC68U/RT-AC86U/RT-AC5300/RT-AC88U

[Spawn32]

So, this week is more or less gone and stil no official or beta update to the RT-AC5300, last time i will buy a Asus flagship.... :/

@Wilson_Deng

 

[iceorbital]

with all the respect, aimesh wasn't a public feature when we bought our routers, nor asus has the obligation to share any betas with the public ahead of public release. From my POV, you have an engaged employee of asus that wants to do the right thing, get us excited about waht's coming and get the right feedback to ship this thing, and the last few pages are mostly folks complaining that their hacked device is not working or about timings. I just hope wilson keeps engaged and the feature doesn't get cut (that stuff happens). 0.02c.

 

[nightanole]

So, this week is more or less gone and stil no official or beta update to the RT-AC5300, last time i will buy a Asus flagship.... :/

@Wilson_Deng

A beta firmware posted in an unofficial asus forum, hosted on a non asus server, from a guy asking for beta testers and feed back, has not been updated for a month...

Better question would be why you would run beta software on a flag ship. Beta is for non critical crap that you do not rely on. Im just flashing these betas on "hobby" routers that are behind a reliable firewall. What happens if this beta has a major hole in it like the firewall only comes up 75% of the time?

 

[iceorbital]

FWIW , in a relatively short period of time i moved from AC3200 to AC88U to AC86U, and i couldn't be happier with my less expensive, non-flagship router. I had not had a router that solid since the AC68U. It really looks like they got the components recipe + software right this time.

 

[Wilson_Deng]

Dears,

Now we launch the AiMesh official site here:
https://www.asus.com/aimesh/
And all new beta version will be released in this web site.

For TM-AC1900, here are our statement:
TM-AC1900 is T-Mobile certificated product and with different license with ASUS open channel model.
ASUS will not provide any official firmware for TM-AC1900.
Be noted, once TM-AC1900 is flashed to firmware other than T-Mobile certificated firmware, the warranty is expired immediately.

Thanks.

 

[goggles99]

Dears,

Now we launch the AiMesh official site here:
https://www.asus.com/aimesh/
And all new beta version will be released in this web site.

For TM-AC1900, here are our statement:
TM-AC1900 is T-Mobile certificated product and with different license with ASUS open channel model.
ASUS will not provide any official firmware for TM-AC1900.
Be noted, once TM-AC1900 is flashed to firmware other than T-Mobile certificated firmware, the warranty is expired immediately.

Thanks.

The site and the features stated are very impressive, Thank you for all your hard work on this (and other Asus firmware).
Time to start flashing...

 

[fearz]

Dears,

Now we launch the AiMesh official site here:
https://www.asus.com/aimesh/
And all new beta version will be released in this web site.

For TM-AC1900, here are our statement:
TM-AC1900 is T-Mobile certificated product and with different license with ASUS open channel model.
ASUS will not provide any official firmware for TM-AC1900.
Be noted, once TM-AC1900 is flashed to firmware other than T-Mobile certificated firmware, the warranty is expired immediately.

Thanks.

Still no love for RT AC-5300!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[goggles99]

FYI, I was able to get two TM-1900s working as an AiMesh master and node on this latest firmware. The master only started seeing the node after I flashed a totally unmodified CFE that I dumped out of an RT-AC68U. (the node unit I left with the original modified CFE). Be sure to do a factory reset after writing the CFE. There are some AC68U bins in the CFE thread that should work for this. If not, let me know and I will upload mine (with zeroed out mac addresses and secret code). If someone has the patience and time it would be interesting to find out which exact value need to be changed for the TM-1900 to work with AiMesh. Someone could compare their CFE with the AC68U one using CFE Editor and change one value at a time, write, reset, attempt pair with node (rinse and repeat). Doesn't matter too much I suppose since I got it working without knowing. If it somehow is the MAC addresses though, I will have to find some donor ones because I am planning to put my AC68U back on the network.

Good luck.

 

[vicantu]

FYI, I was able to get two TM-1900s working as an AiMesh master and node on this latest firmware. The master only started seeing the node after I flashed a totally unmodified CFE that I dumped out of an RT-AC68U. (the node unit I left with the original modified CFE). Be sure to do a factory reset after writing the CFE. There are some AC68U bins in the CFE thread that should work for this. If not, let me know and I will upload mine (with zeroed out mac addresses and secret code). If someone has the patience and time it would be interesting to find out which exact value need to be changed for the TM-1900 to work with AiMesh. Someone could compare their CFE with the AC68U one using CFE Editor and change one value at a time, write, reset, attempt pair with node (rinse and repeat). Doesn't matter too much I suppose since I got it working without knowing. If it somehow is the MAC addresses though, I will have to find some donor ones because I am planning to put my AC68U back on the network.

Good luck.

I'm interested, can you please upload yours to test with my two tm1900??
Thanks

 

[fmkuz]

Dears,

Now we launch the AiMesh official site here:
https://www.asus.com/aimesh/
And all new beta version will be released in this web site.

For TM-AC1900, here are our statement:
TM-AC1900 is T-Mobile certificated product and with different license with ASUS open channel model.
ASUS will not provide any official firmware for TM-AC1900.
Be noted, once TM-AC1900 is flashed to firmware other than T-Mobile certificated firmware, the warranty is expired immediately.

Thanks.

Thanks Wilson,

Do you know when you will release the beta firmware for the rt-ac3100?

Thanks in advance!

 

[effortless]

Thanks Wilson,

Do you know when you will release the beta firmware for the rt-ac3100?

Thanks in advance!

I don't see the RT-AC3100 in the coming soon section either. I see support for the RT-AC88U (coming soon) which is very similar hardware wise and I'd like to think they'd support the RT-AC3100 as well. I know the RT-AC3100 is not sold in all markets and hope that's not a reason to exclude it from AiMesh.

 

[iceorbital]

install went without a hitch on two ac86u. Was great updating the firmware on the node without having to factory reset and reconfigure the mesh. I kinda wish IFTTT integration was already there, but no luck yet. Hopefully soon

 

[argeri]

FYI, I was able to get two TM-1900s working as an AiMesh master and node on this latest firmware. The master only started seeing the node after I flashed a totally unmodified CFE that I dumped out of an RT-AC68U. (the node unit I left with the original modified CFE). Be sure to do a factory reset after writing the CFE. There are some AC68U bins in the CFE thread that should work for this. If not, let me know and I will upload mine (with zeroed out mac addresses and secret code). If someone has the patience and time it would be interesting to find out which exact value need to be changed for the TM-1900 to work with AiMesh. Someone could compare their CFE with the AC68U one using CFE Editor and change one value at a time, write, reset, attempt pair with node (rinse and repeat). Doesn't matter too much I suppose since I got it working without knowing. If it somehow is the MAC addresses though, I will have to find some donor ones because I am planning to put my AC68U back on the network.

Good luck.

Very interested in getting the file and some brief instructions on how you did it. Thanks

 

[Trentors]

This all looks very good but one thing is missing from a dedicated mesh/wifi system or even distributed AP's like Unifi: Guest networking.
It only works on the main router. The hardware is there and could support it (VLAN) and even Apple supported it with their extenders but sadly not here.

We do get better roaming it seems but that already works somewhat with roaming assist (and is probably also used here). So it is mostly a centralized system which is nice and all but without guest networking (which more and more people are also using for their IoT's) I personally see little gain.

I know it sounds ungrateful but with a wired secondary Asus router already using roaming assist, I see very little advantage here. Am I missing something?

I still like Asus and the fact they keep updating their routers. That is also the sole reason I justify buying their products over something like Ubiquiti or other consumer-based equipment.

 

[Darren S]

Dears,

Now we launch the AiMesh official site here:
https://www.asus.com/aimesh/
And all new beta version will be released in this web site.

For TM-AC1900, here are our statement:
TM-AC1900 is T-Mobile certificated product and with different license with ASUS open channel model.
ASUS will not provide any official firmware for TM-AC1900.
Be noted, once TM-AC1900 is flashed to firmware other than T-Mobile certificated firmware, the warranty is expired immediately.

Thanks.

Hi, I know this question has been asked before but are there plans for the RT-AC87U to be supported?

I'm obviously asking because I have one and would like to go to a mesh network. If this model is supported (in the not too distant future) then I will just add another Asus router (or two) to the mix but if I have to start again then that's a trickier decision.

 

[Wilson_Deng]

Thanks Wilson,

Do you know when you will release the beta firmware for the rt-ac3100?

Thanks in advance!

3100 will be a release candidate.

 

[noobixent]

Is RT-N16 too old to be of use if I wanted a 2.4 N mesh? I would really like to see this supported too, even if much later in the timeline. Is the HW on this thing too old?

 

[Hawk]

I have quick question about AiMesh roaming. Is it seamless roaming? Example if I am on VOIP call and move away from one node coverage and move to another node with 20% overlap coverage. In this case will call disconnect taking place on VOIP or it will continue regardless where I am moving.

 

[Mic]

Wilson:
Can you explain the backhaul portion of the technology? For wireless connections between router and node, does it use the 5 or 2.4 GHz? For the node, is it effectively a repeater and so the throughput is cut by half? I assume that there will be no throughput penalty with wired backhaul, is that correct?

Also, I just upgraded the firmware router on my setup, and the firmware did not propagate to the node, I am assuming that this is because the hardware were not originally meant to be part of a mesh network and so such a function is not built in and will not be in the future?

Do you have an ETA for RT-3100 support?

Rmerlin:
Will there be Merlin version of the mesh firmware in the future?

 

[RMerlin]

Will there be Merlin version of the mesh firmware in the future?

Only if it's part of the stock firmware.

Too early to tell, as I have no idea what the code will look like, and what Asus will do firmware-wise. If it's a separate firmware build (like the Facebook Wifi one), then it's unlikely to happen.