[Official Release] AiMesh Firmware v3.0.0.4.384.10007 for All Supported Products

[Flipmode11]

Oh geez, I don't know what to do. AC68u or AC3100.... :/
Is the 3100 that much better in performance?

 

[Ken Atkinson]

Thanks! Switched off and all seems well

I assume that if I ever need to reboot or the power goes out or whatever, that it'll still come up and sync the node properly, since it's already paired. Or will I need to re-sync manually now that WPS is disabled?

Not tried that but yes since its paired it will/should just connect and function normally

 

[Quad80]

Not tried that but yes since its paired it will/should just connect and function normally

Guess I'll find out at some point

One final question, if I may. I use the Wifi Analyzer app on my Android phone to see all the various signals in my area. This app also shows the security associated with each signal. I'm noticing that the WPS is turned off on my router (whereas it was definitely on before), but I still see WPS listed under the 2.4 GHz signal for the node. Is there a way to access the node directly so I can switch it off from there, too, or is this just a side effect because of how mesh works? I've tried going to the IP address assigned to the node (while on WiFi), but as I'm sure you're aware, it just kicks over to the main router setup. I don't know if it's possible or even necessary to access the node directly at this point, and I haven't seen any documentation either way (other than noticing I can manually update the firmware of the node from the main router settings web GUI).

I'm not even sure if it matters. I would think the router settings would override the node's, if they are somehow different. That is, as long as the router has it disabled, so too does the node, but not sure how to double check/force it so the analyzer app won't report WPS as active on the node.

 

[mogulman]

My network: RT-AC86U main, RT-AC1900p node AiMesh ethernet.

Another weird issue that may or may not be related to the RT-AC86U firmware. 2 Windows laptops connected to ethernet ports on the RT-AC86U. Using Windows Remote connection to RDP from PC1 to PC2. While connected from PC1, select Sleep on PC2. PC2 goes to sleep. PC1 loses network connectivity for a few minutes. During this timeframe, if I press the power button on PC2, then PC1 resumes network connectivity. Strange thing. I was thinking that maybe the router was dropping the ethernet connection for PC1 by mistake.

BTW..the above scenerio is something I do all the time. The issue never happened with my RT-AC1900p. I guess I'll have to swap back the RT-AC1600p as main to see if it router related.

The above is still happening to me with the node firmware updated to 20287.

Its really strange. It seems to cause the AIMesh to fail when this is happening (Aimesh does reconnect eventually). I'm going to try turning off AiMesh and see if that fixes it. If that fails, then I'll try going back to the 1900p as my main.

 

[Ken Atkinson]

Guess I'll find out at some point

One final question, if I may. I use the Wifi Analyzer app on my Android phone to see all the various signals in my area. This app also shows the security associated with each signal. I'm noticing that the WPS is turned off on my router (whereas it was definitely on before), but I still see WPS listed under the 2.4 GHz signal for the node. Is there a way to access the node directly so I can switch it off from there, too, or is this just a side effect because of how mesh works? I've tried going to the IP address assigned to the node (while on WiFi), but as I'm sure you're aware, it just kicks over to the main router setup. I don't know if it's possible or even necessary to access the node directly at this point, and I haven't seen any documentation either way (other than noticing I can manually update the firmware of the node from the main router settings web GUI).

I'm not even sure if it matters. I would think the router settings would override the node's, if they are somehow different. That is, as long as the router has it disabled, so too does the node, but not sure how to double check/force it so the analyzer app won't report WPS as active on the node.

I haven't seen anyone post re accessing node directly , think since the idea is central management and the setting are propogated from main node it's ok. Personally i would like to set node with a static ip for starters, but AIMESH is a work in progress , Cheers Ken

 

[mogulman]

The above is still happening to me with the node firmware updated to 20287.

Its really strange. It seems to cause the AIMesh to fail when this is happening (Aimesh does reconnect eventually). I'm going to try turning off AiMesh and see if that fixes it. If that fails, then I'll try going back to the 1900p as my main.

Turning off AIMesh fixed this. I tried the scenario multiple times with AiMesh turned off and didn't have the issue.
Added AiMesh RT-AC1900p back to the RT-AC86U and started happening again. I didn't see anything unusual in the syslog but here is the chain of events. Also, this only seems to be happening when "sleeping PC2" via RDP, rather than the power button. It only seems to happen when AiMesh is on and it seems to make the AiMesh node offline when it happens.

*** Resume from Sleep PC2 by pressing power button
Jan 29 09:41:41 kernel: eth4 (Ext switch port: 3) (Logical Port: 11) Link UP 1000 mbps full duplex
*** Connected to PC2 from PC1 over RDP.
Jan 29 09:41:49 kernel: net_ratelimit: 6187 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:41:54 kernel: net_ratelimit: 14881 callbacks suppressed
*** Sleep PC2 from PC1 over RDP
Jan 29 09:42:27 kernel: eth4 (Ext switch port: 3) (Logical Port: 11) Link DOWN.
*** No network access on PC1 (Lan or WAN)
Jan 29 09:42:27 kernel: net_ratelimit: 885 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:42:32 kernel: net_ratelimit: 20287 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:42:37 kernel: net_ratelimit: 11681 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:42:42 kernel: net_ratelimit: 8476 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:42:47 kernel: net_ratelimit: 7898 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:42:52 kernel: net_ratelimit: 6483 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:42:57 kernel: net_ratelimit: 6433 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:43:02 kernel: net_ratelimit: 4979 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:43:07 kernel: net_ratelimit: 5137 callbacks suppressed
*** Resume from Sleep PC2 by pressing Power button
Jan 29 09:43:10 kernel: eth4 (Ext switch port: 3) (Logical Port: 11) Link UP 1000 mbps full duplex
*** PC1 now has network access
Jan 29 09:43:12 kernel: net_ratelimit: 6162 callbacks suppressed
*** Sleep PC2 using power button
Jan 29 09:43:38 kernel: eth4 (Ext switch port: 3) (Logical Port: 11) Link DOWN.
*** PC1 continues to have network access.
Jan 29 09:43:38 kernel: net_ratelimit: 499 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:43:43 kernel: net_ratelimit: 14365 callbacks suppressed
Jan 29 09:43:48 kernel: net_ratelimit: 10137 callbacks suppressed

 

[gculley01]

I would also like to turn off the 2.4 Ghz radio on the mesh node only as it's in the basement and I don't need it there (only for outdoor access while working in the yard). Oddly, if I I try to turn off the 2.4 Ghz radio completely, only the main router has its radio turned off. Wifi Analyzer still shows the node's radio is still going. This appears to be a bug.
Others have discussed roaming on this thread. For what it's worth, I found that Aimesh itself does absolutely nothing to improve roaming, you still have to use Roaming Assistant, which comes with its own problems when your client is smart (ex. a cell phone). To handle my laptop, the only way I found to do roaming (when there is considerable overlap between my mesh nodes) was to change the wifi adapter settings to set "Roaming Aggressiveness" to "Highest" (I have an Intel 7260 card in my laptop). Then I had to make sure that my mesh node's signal was less than -60 db in the area that I wanted to roam so that my wifi card would then do the switch. This required a bit of well-placed tin foil by the router to try to keep most of its signal in the basement and not upstairs. Doing this allows me to have a high-performance setup where my signals are quite strong on each floor and my laptop can still switch nodes as I move between floors.

 

[gculley01]

As an addendum, for those considering AiMesh, I'd say the primary benefit is centralized config of all your nodes as well as only using a single channel for all your nodes (which is great if you are in a congested environment such as an apartment building).

 

[qxl0]

I think I can help, I have setup my AiMesh system with 3 devices: 88U as AP and 88U + 68U nodes.
It is a bit tricky to add AiMesh nodes, I have some experiences:

1. Need to make sure router and nodes need to be factory reset (press WPS button -> power on -> wait for power led to flash -> release WPS button)
2. place router and node close to one another, but not too close
3. node should be standalone without anything plug in any ethernet ports
4. do minimal settings in the router and start binding the node, I have tried to fail in adding the node when I did too much settings. The actual case is to setup MAC address filtering and load in a list of MAC addresses, after that I always failed to bind the node.
5. You need to have WPS on for the binding to work.

Hope this helps.

2 x 88U should be able to work properly, most of the problem I found is I have another 68U.

I checked my router' s configuration. The WPS is already ON.
So the step 1 you said that both router and nodes have to be reset, right? I thought you only need to reset the node you want to add.

 

[Volfi]

I have upgraded my main AC88U router to .20284 release. That went well, so I thought.

But I have also AC86U as AiMesh node, which did not get the upgrade. Now when I click on firmware version on top of the page, AC88U will try to self-update again and again and again, but AC86U will stay at 10007 version.

// edit: after restart, this no longer happens, but AC86U is connected only via 2.4GHz band to main router.
// edit 2: re-adding AiMesh node made it work again on 5GHz, despite still having 10007 version

 

[Flying Dutchman]

Manual update of the firmware went smoothly.
Step 1: Download file to pc
Step 2: Update Node
Step 3: Update Router
No reset or whatsoever: still working ok

 

[Volfi]

There's no .20284 FW for AC86U: https://www.asus.com/Networking/RT-AC86U/HelpDesk_BIOS/

 

[TonyRI]

There's no .20284 FW for AC86U: https://www.asus.com/Networking/RT-AC86U/HelpDesk_BIOS/

Hopefully rolling out soon...

 

[DummyPLUG]

all AC68U , after update to 20287 roaming don't work most of the time, already clear nvram and setup everything again. Anyone have similar problem?

 

[Ken Atkinson]

If anyone has "smart plugs " or such if having intermittent issues reset plug and re-setup after going AIMESH as i had problems with my WEMO plug in my kitchen , my TP-link plug was fine but it was in in same room as node . WEMO fine after reconnecting to AIMESH n.b. Wireless ID not changed.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

Just noticed another phantom Node. Had one appear on 10007 also. It has the same IP as my real Node, but the MAC is zeroed. Last time I made more work for myself by deleting it. But that also crippled my real node. I'll just leave it alone and see if it goes away. Note that the real node still shows up and works.

 

[Ken Atkinson]

Just noticed another phantom Node. Had one appear on 10007 also. It has the same IP as my real Node, but the MAC is zeroed. Last time I made more work for myself by deleting it. But that also crippled my real node. I'll just leave it alone ans see it it goes away.
View attachment 11790

I'm seeing multiple entries for some devices on app , and devices that are connected showing as offline , but working okay.

 

[y2jdmbfan]

Can I use the LAN ports on an 86U AiMesh Node as a switch to hook up other devices like you can on say the Google OnHub / WiFi or do I need to place another switch in front of the AiMesh Node?

 

[glugglug]

As an addendum, for those considering AiMesh, I'd say the primary benefit is centralized config of all your nodes as well as only using a single channel for all your nodes (which is great if you are in a congested environment such as an apartment building).

I don't consider using a single channel to be a "benefit". Does this yield quicker switching between nodes? Otherwise I'll definitely be sticking with normal access points.

 

[alixvincent]

Can I use the LAN ports on an 86U AiMesh Node as a switch to hook up other devices like you can on say the Google OnHub / WiFi or do I need to place another switch in front of the AiMesh Node?

Most definitely. I have a PC and printer connected to a node. Works fine.