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

[hotsauce2007]

I meant to use it as the server/main router. I did read that the tri bands do not have that functionality yet. I just did not know what the plan was for that. It would be silly for me to use the 68u as my main router and the 5300 as a node just to get AImesh working unfortunately. I will sit back and wait for a while and hope that Asus can find a way to harness the power of this router and create a quality mesh firmware/architecture. Although right now I do not have a ton of faith as even the standard GT-AC5300 firmware is buggy.

I am using the same way,

One ac68u with merlin for router and another ac68u with AIMESH AP and two NODES

 

[ToniCipriani]

strings /dev/mtd0 |grep bl_ver
strings /dev/mtd1 | grep bl_ver
strings /dev/mtd1 | grep odmpid
strings /dev/mtd0 | grep odmpid
strings /dev/mtd1 | grep model
strings /dev/mtd0 | grep model

my friends works great!

This is VERY encouraging... makes the 66 a great buy, it's on sale all the time.

 

[dude6156]

This is VERY encouraging... makes the 66 a great buy, it's on sale all the time.

Did you find a way to get 66 working as a node? If so, please post how you did it - much appreciated.

 

[Trial_Master]

I have a doorbell which catches signal from both router and node. Is there a way to lock it to node?

Hi arthurlien are you able to offer any comment?

 

[routingoz]

Hello,

I have an issue with my AC68U Node falling offline after a period of time. (few hours)
Also, If I reboot the Router (not node) the Router has an empty AiMesh Node data table and the Node does not reconnect and is not visible post a search.

If I reset NVR and Reset Node, the node becomes visible again to the Router and will pair successfully again.

This is running a clean install with no alterations to settings, other than changing the wireless power under Wireless/Advanced.

Is this normal.

Config 2 x AC68U 1 Router, 1 Node. Both running
Firmware Version:9.0.0.4.382_18943

Cheers
G

 

[arthurlien]

Hi arthurlien are you able to offer any comment?

try to set "MAC Filter" in Master.

Wireless -> Wireless MAC Filter
1. Select your band
2. Enable MAC Filter : Yes
3. MAC Filter Mode : Reject
4. Add your client MAC address.

 

[arthurlien]

Hello,

I have an issue with my AC68U Node falling offline after a period of time. (few hours)
Also, If I reboot the Router (not node) the Router has an empty AiMesh Node data table and the Node does not reconnect and is not visible post a search.

If I reset NVR and Reset Node, the node becomes visible again to the Router and will pair successfully again.

This is running a clean install with no alterations to settings, other than changing the wireless power under Wireless/Advanced.

Is this normal.

Config 2 x AC68U 1 Router, 1 Node. Both running
Firmware Version:9.0.0.4.382_18943

Cheers
G

Suggest to wait for newer version and it's coming soon

 

[Trial_Master]

try to set "MAC Filter" in Master.

Wireless -> Wireless MAC Filter
1. Select your band
2. Enable MAC Filter : Yes
3. MAC Filter Mode : Reject
4. Add your client MAC address.

Cheers, but this was suggested back in post #666

Can we have this functionality added in future beta release?

 

[Stephen Harrington]

Cheers, but this was suggested back in post #666

Can we have this functionality added in future beta release?

@arthurlien, to explain, if you “Reject” a MAC address in the current beta it is rejected across the entire mesh including all Nodes according to what @Trial_Master found. What we need is to be able to “lock” certain devices to one Node only via MAC address. For example I have at least 2 IP cameras in my house that are in fixed positions but on Wifi, and get signal from multiple APs. This could be either by having Reject lists for each Node or some other method such as BSSID of Node maybe? It will definitely be an issue I think in many situations?

StephenH

 

[arthurlien]

@arthurlien, to explain, if you “Reject” a MAC address in the current beta it is rejected across the entire mesh including all Nodes according to what @Trial_Master found. What we need is to be able to “lock” certain devices to one Node only via MAC address. For example I have at least 2 IP cameras in my house that are in fixed positions but on Wifi, and get signal from multiple APs. This could be either by having Reject lists for each Node or some other method such as BSSID of Node maybe? It will definitely be an issue I think in many situations?

StephenH

New requirement need to discuss with team internal. I can't promise in here.

 

[arthurlien]

Cheers, but this was suggested back in post #666

Can we have this functionality added in future beta release?

why you don't want it selected by itself (device) ?

 

[Stephen Harrington]

New requirement need to discuss with team internal. I can't promise in here.

@arthurlien, thank you for taking the idea on board for consideration.
I think it could become key issue for many of us ...

StephenH

 

[hotsauce2007]

and the DNS filter could be an amazing feature for sure, huge improvement

 

[drabisan]

My 2c: one of the beauties of a mesh system is to have a single administration point. Ideally from router we should be able to configure only the channel/s for the node. Nothing else.
I do understand @Trial_Master's challenge, but that is not available even as an enterprise feature. You block a mac address from accessing the network, not from accessing one or more APs. Cause the purpose is to administer a network not a cluster of independent APs.

 

[RMerlin]

and the DNS filter could be an amazing feature for sure, huge improvement

That's not a feature of the stock firmware.

 

[hotsauce2007]

That's not a feature of the stock firmware.

yah

thats why they need to hire you or pay something to help this work together

 

[Wilson_Deng]

Hi Everyone,

Update 12/16

Please download from here,for RT-AC68U(Family), RT-AC1900(Family) RT-AC86U, RT-AC2900, RT-AC3100, RT-AC88U, RT-AC5300 and GT-AC5300
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oqeaAefItZ3zKzuXrngo6rqfYwMhhF_U

Change logs:
1. add client list on nodes.
2. Fix memory leak issues, and leave more computing power on nodes.
3. Fix setup failure with Dual band and Tri-band models.
4. hidden ssid, and smart connect (band steering) improvement.
5. Fix Eth clients ip issues.
6. Few GUI fixes.
7. Download ASUS router App now, it manages AiMesh.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asus.aihome&hl=en
https://itunes.apple.com/app/asus-router/id1033794044?mt=8

 

[drabisan]

That's very good news!
@Wilson_Deng, can you share if now GT-AC5300 can be router? Or it's still restricted to be just a node?

 

[ggruszynski]

That's very good news!
@Wilson_Deng, can you share if now GT-AC5300 can be router? Or it's still restricted to be just a node?

Sure hope it can be router as I have 2 sitting here...will hopefully have a chance to test shortly since 1 hasn't even been out of the box just waiting for the right firmware.

 

[Stephen Harrington]

My 2c: one of the beauties of a mesh system is to have a single administration point. Ideally from router we should be able to configure only the channel/s for the node. Nothing else.
I do understand @Trial_Master's challenge, but that is not available even as an enterprise feature. You block a mac address from accessing the network, not from accessing one or more APs. Cause the purpose is to administer a network not a cluster of independent APs.

Another 2c: I see your point - ease of use for the masses is important but it shouldn’t preclude having “advanced” features and granularity of control that Users can access if specific needs/situations arise, suitably “hidden away” if need be to keep the UX friendly for the vast majority, but that just becomes clever design. Often software rises above the mundane by how elegantly it copes with the “exceptions” that most people don’t even encounter or consider, but are vitally important to power-users.

I don’t know how technically feasible it is or not - I accept what you say about enterprise systems not having it as I have no knowledge/evidence to the contrary - but it is at least worthy of consideration in the system design because as soon as @Trial_Master mentioned it I thought, yes, I also have a couple of fixed position wireless IP cameras that are like that, and I deal with it now on my aging N access points by MAC blacklisting them on all but the one AP I want them to stay connected to. Without this one of the cameras was forever going offline or glitching during recordings etc. Maybe when I roll out AIMesh into my Real World this won’t be an issue, but maybe it will, and if I have no tools to deal with it ... or it’s not dealt with “automagically” by the intelligence of the mesh ecosystem, then tears will surely follow

StephenH