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

[cvee]

This all seems very promising.
I just went and bought a 5300 so i can setup aimesh. (Arrives next week).
In anticipation, i already upgraded my 68U with aimesh firmware.
Thankfully, operating on its own.. it seems to be running fine (no worse than the standard firmware)... actually it seems a little better since the standard 382 release has caused my Lifx lights to drop off the network constantly. This aimesh firmware seems to be playing more nicely with my lights.

Now to add a node next week and see how it all goes.

Quick question :-
Looking at the UI, i don't see much in the way of AIMESH setup.
I know i can search and ADD a node.
Do you only see the aimesh specific settings AFTER adding a node ?
I want to setup roaming wifi... which uses a single SSID.. but could not see where that is setup.
Again i have NOT yet added a node... so guessing it appears after that????

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

Quick question :-
Looking at the UI, i don't see much in the way of AIMESH setup.
I know i can search and ADD a node.
Do you only see the aimesh specific settings AFTER adding a node ?
I want to setup roaming wifi... which uses a single SSID.. but could not see where that is setup.
Again i have NOT yet added a node... so guessing it appears after that????

No new AiMesh specific settings other than you can tag the node(s) with a "location" and set "Connection Priority" to ethernet or auto as appropriate.
Maybe I'm missing something but what's the point of setting roaming in a Mesh network? The router and all mess nodes all use a common SSID for each 2.4 and 5. You can chose to use the same one in each band, or chose different ones.

 

[cvee]

No new AiMesh specific settings other than you can tag the node(s) with a "location" and set "Connection Priority" to ethernet or auto as appropriate.
Maybe I'm missing something but what's the point of setting roaming in a Mesh network? The router and all mess nodes all use a common SSID for each 2.4 and 5. You can chose to use the same one in each band, or chose different ones.

Yes i know i can manually setup a common SSID.... but i thought the magic of mesh is that it takes care of that stuff.
At the moment, i need to manually connect to the closest SSID in my network.
I was hoping in this setup, i could tell it i want roaming wifi... then it suggests a single SSID name and configures all the nodes for me.... hehehe... Maybe i'm expecting too much.

Going by the infographics at :- https://www.asus.com/AiMesh/
It shows the roaming ssid as SSID-ASUS-AiMesh so i assumed it might have been the default when choosing/configing roaming wifi.

I guess i'll find out how it works once i have another node to play with.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

Yes i know i can manually setup a common SSID.... but i thought the magic of mesh is that it takes care of that stuff.
At the moment, i need to manually connect to the closest SSID in my network.
I was hoping in this setup, i could tell it i want roaming wifi... then it suggests a single SSID name and configures all the nodes for me.... hehehe... Maybe i'm expecting too much.

Going by the infographics at :- https://www.asus.com/AiMesh/
It shows the roaming ssid as SSID-ASUS-AiMesh so i assumed it might have been the default when choosing/configing roaming wifi.

I guess i'll find out how it works once i have another node to play with.

The magic (in theory) is that it seamlessly (more or less) hands-off the client device to the "best" node/router signal. In reality, it hands-off to a good enough one. So it sorta is a variety of roaming. That's why I asked. And to answer your Q, yes - "Roaming Assistant" is there in the Wifi Professional menu. I believe it defaults to Yes.

SSIDs are propagated to the node(s). Doesn't matter what ones you use - certainly doesn't add any magic. But IIRC the default appended 2.4Ghz and 5Ghhz to the string for each band. I like to know which one I'm using so I did that too. But that is a personal preference. In my home, both bands are usable anywhere, so it doesn't really matter for my usage. In the future I might remove the suffix.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

Thinking about the above, it's not clear to me whether (with either roaming or Mesh) it seamlessly switches between 2.4 and 5. It might matter whether all SSIDs are the same. I know my phone will switch between 2,4 and 5 even with different SSIDs as long as it has the correct saved password. But I wasn't sure if that was due to roaming or my phone.

 

[glugglug]

And to answer your Q, yes - "Roaming Assistant" is there in the Wifi Professional menu.

"Roaming Assistant" has been there a long time without AiMesh. All it does is drop clients with an extremely weak signal that are far past the point they should have switched to another access point on their own, assuming you have decent coverage. It just disconnects them, it's not at all a smooth handoff, and the strongest signal level you can set for that to happen is -70dBm, which is weaker than the point that you would hope most handoffs would happen.

Most devices I've seen won't ever switch if you have different SSIDs, unless you get completely disconnected and they remember another SSID they can connect to. But with the same SSID, the device will eventually switch access points, just not nearly as soon as would be ideal, and there is an interruption where you lose connection a second or two while it's switching.

 

[hotsauce2007]

I took the AC68 Merlin out from the main router and placed the AC68U AIMESH instead, it´s running with no problem till now but the processor consuption is crazy, almost about 80% all the time, I´ve sent the feedback

I will test this configuration for one week or more, the merlin router will be off

Quit the test, the ISP speed drops like a skyrocket falling down, the MESH main router got almost 90% of cpu all the time even after some resets and starts/stops ( 5 or 10 minutes off ), I switched again from the old configuration with MERLIN in the router after ONT / FIBER and the second AC68U in MESH AP MODE with more 2 NODES in CABLE, I am just testing this situation because I did not sold the last AC68U, probably I will sell it and get one AC88U to use as the main router and keed the 2 ac68u as an AP till the Asus fix all the bugs over the AIMESH system...

I really loved the idea to use old router or new ones to build this AIMESH, the FW will be amazing in the future, but for now we are struggling with basics problems,

 

[xbladr]

Has anyone had any issues with PPTP? Once I installed this most recent beta FW and connected to my PPTP (connects fine) I can not get internet access. OpenVPN I can still gain internet it is just painfully slow. I am wondering if there is a setting somewhere I overlooked or if there is truly an issue with PPTP on this version of the FW.

P.S. The PPTP settings have not changed from the november mesh firmware to the Dec mesh firmware.

 

[joe012594]

Just found this thread yesterday. Was wondering why ASUS hasn’t released any updates since June for my RT-AC5300. Now I see that they’ve been hard at work burning the midnight oil with this incredible upgrade.

To start, I’m using the RT-AC5300 as the AiMesh router and two RT-AC68U units as AiMesh nodes on the latest beta version, 9.0.0.4.382_19612. I’ve been using them for the past 24 hours without issue. Spectrum is my ISP and I have 100Mbps down and 10Mbps up. No speed drops so far on the nodes.

The only issues I’ve seen so far are that the wireless settings (SSIDs and WPA2 passwords) on the AC5300 revert to stock randomly. This has happened twice now but easy and quick to fix. Another issue is that the TrendMicro features (AiProtection, Adaptive QoS, Traffic Analyzer, etc.) conflict with IPv6 and degrade IPv6 speeds. Sometimes even rendering completely useless. I’ve turned IPv6 off entirely in the meantime.

All in all, an impressive beta so far. I have to give major props to the ASUS networking team on this and send my deepest gratitude to them. I’d also encourage those that have been quite rough on them to be a bit more understanding, considerate, and gracious towards them. They’re clearly trying very hard to create a great product and listen to all of you on here. The fact that they’re locked in and engaged to this community is incredible. I’ve never seen a company do that for their customers. There are some great people at ASUS.

Side Note: In the attachment are some pretty thoroughly tested and solid Smart Connect settings I’ve been using for my network. They ensure that all bands have an even balanced load and separate slower and faster STAs between both 5GHz bands more effectively. Also, if you’re not using any AiMesh nodes, it’s best to turn off Roaming Assistant in Wireless > Professional on the AiMesh Router for Smart Connect to work properly by itself.

 

[wsarahan]

Anyone knows the diference from the latest aimesh FW and this one found at the Chinese asus forum?

9.0.0.4_382_19484-g00a3652_cferom_ubi.w

Tks

 

[xbladr]

Anyone knows the diference from the latest aimesh FW and this one found at the Chinese asus forum?

9.0.0.4_382_19484-g00a3652_cferom_ubi.w

Tks

I believe that's an older version as the one for the gt5300 is 19612

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[wsarahan]

I believe that's an older version as the one for the gt5300 is 19612

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

Yep, but this one was not found at the aimesh session at the Chinese forum..... I need some firmware to test the port1/2 bug

 

[doc octopus]

link please

 

[Siteexperts]

It was suggested I repost my question here...

I currently have a Netgear Orbi connecting to Comcast Gigabit Internet. The throughput is amazing even with all the back haul via wireless (main unit connecting wirelessly to 2 satellites - house only has wiring in the basement) but the system is extremely unreliable. I have to restart it almost daily (and sometimes multiple times). Connectivity hickups were so bad that streaming HD to our TVs required me adding a dedicated set-up via moca adapters on the coax cables.

I just discovered AIMesh from Asus. I am considering replacing the Orbi with 2 AC5300 units. Has anyone reported the max throughput especially when connecting through the satellite router? or compared it to an Orbi? Does the dedicated channel create a true mesh (in case I add a third unit) and does it work well if the satellites are separated by 2 floors (or should I go with 3 units)? And how robust is the current beta firmware?

If I go the AC5300 route, I also most likely will leverage link aggregation to connect it to my qnap file server (already set-up this way) to maximize intranet throughput. Is the AC5300 measurably faster than an AC88?

Cost is secondary to having the fastest possible reliable wireless network.

Thanks

 

[Authority]

Be noted, once TM-AC1900 is flashed to firmware other than T-Mobile certificated firmware, the warranty is expired immediately.

Hey Wilson - you might want to check with your legal department, but that sure sounds like a violation of US Law... specifically the Magunson Moss Warranty Act.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

As I understand it, a company can't violate a warranty if a customer doesn't use their consumables... such as their ink in a printer, their gas in a car, their software in a router, etc.

 

[RMerlin]

Hey Wilson - you might want to check with your legal department, but that sure sounds like a violation of US Law... specifically the Magunson Moss Warranty Act.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

As I understand it, a company can't violate a warranty if a customer doesn't use their consumables... such as their ink in a printer, their gas in a car, their software in a router, etc.

That's not the same thing at all... A firmware is not a consumable.

If you flash the wrong bios on your motherboard and it stops POSTing, that's not going to be covered by your warranty - it's not a manufacturing defect.

Sent from my P027 using Tapatalk

 

[Authority]

That's not the same thing at all... A firmware is not a consumable.

If you flash the wrong bios on your motherboard and it stops POSTing, that's not going to be covered by your warranty - it's not a manufacturing defect.

Sent from my P027 using Tapatalk

I may not have explained it right, but I am pretty sure the law applies. A manufacture can not require their ink, their parts, their software, etc. for warranty purposes.

 

[goggles99]

Hey Wilson - you might want to check with your legal department, but that sure sounds like a violation of US Law... specifically the Magunson Moss Warranty Act.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

As I understand it, a company can't violate a warranty if a customer doesn't use their consumables... such as their ink in a printer, their gas in a car, their software in a router, etc.

I may not have explained it right, but I am pretty sure the law applies. A manufacture can not require their ink, their parts, their software, etc. for warranty purposes.

Give it up man. You are nowhere close to correct here. Custom roms on cell phones also void warranties and have done so for over 10 years.

 

[xbladr]

I may not have explained it right, but I am pretty sure the law applies. A manufacture can not require their ink, their parts, their software, etc. for warranty purposes.

Of course they can. The second you do something to the product that was not indented to have done you can void all warranties. There is no law to save you here.

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[routingoz]

Mate,
Just flash the original CFE you backed up, reset NVR, put into Recovery and flash original t mobile firmware via recovery web page.
To be safe. Once that flash completes, reset NVR and restore to default with reset button.

Now. If the hardware issue is still present. Create a support ticket for replacement.

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