RT-AC5300 & FW 20379

[GeoS]

I updated to the latest firmware after a factory restore. I'm noticing that my wifi network printer keeps getting disconnected? Is there a setting that needs to be disabled or is this a bug?

 

[OzarkEdge]

I updated to the latest firmware after a factory restore. I'm noticing that my wifi network printer keeps getting disconnected? Is there a setting that needs to be disabled or is this a bug?

So, you reset to factory defaults, upgraded to the current AiMesh firmware, configured the router from scratch, and then can't use the printer because it's not staying connected to WiFi? Or, is the printer only missing from the router's client list?

I'm not saying this is it... but does your printer have a WiFi Direct AP broadcasting on the same band/channel as its WiFi connection to the router?

You'll need a WiFi Analyzer app to assess the ambient WiFi signals:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en

OE

 

[GeoS]

So, you reset to factory defaults, upgraded to the current AiMesh firmware, configured the router from scratch, and then can't use the printer because it's not staying connected to WiFi? Or, is the printer only missing from the router's client list?

I'm not saying this is it... but does your printer have a WiFi Direct AP broadcasting on the same band/channel as its WiFi connection to the router?

You'll need a WiFi Analyzer app to assess the ambient WiFi signals:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en

OE

The printer is not staying connected to Wifi. Had similar issues with previous FW. Then got lucky with one that seemed to work, now problem returns

 

[OzarkEdge]

The printer is not staying connected to Wifi. Had similar issues with previous FW. Then got lucky with one that seemed to work, now problem returns

A printer should stay connected to WiFi... it's just another WiFi client. If it's not a dirty AiMesh firmware install, or WiFi interference, or a marginal/defective wireless adapter in the printer; then I'm out of ideas... except to wire it.

OE

 

[RMerlin]

Disable Airtime Fairness.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Disable Airtime Fairness.

Is this a firmware defect or is Airtime Fairness imperfect to the point of 'no airtime for you, slow printer!' or just an incompatibility with some/older wireless clients or ?

OE

 

[RMerlin]

Is this a firmware defect or is Airtime Fairness imperfect to the point of 'no airtime for you, slow printer!' or just an incompatibility with some/older wireless clients or ?

OE

Incompatibility. It seems more frequent with printers, probably because these tend to use low-end or obsolete wifi clients compared to computers and mobile devices.

 

[GeoS]

Incompatibility. It seems more frequent with printers, probably because these tend to use low-end or obsolete wifi clients compared to computers and mobile devices.

RMerlin - THANKS! Someone else mentioned that in addition to Airtime Fairness, I should also disable Universal Beamforming & Roaming Assistant? Any thoughts on these and what impact they may have?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Incompatibility. It seems more frequent with printers, probably because these tend to use low-end or obsolete wifi clients compared to computers and mobile devices.

Thanks! Good to know. I suspect a lot of home WiFi with light traffic does not need to be fair about airtime.

OE

 

[RMerlin]

RMerlin - THANKS! Someone else mentioned that in addition to Airtime Fairness, I should also disable Universal Beamforming & Roaming Assistant? Any thoughts on these and what impact they may have?

Disabling Universal Beamforming can also help in some situation, since it's standard (unlike Explicit Beamforming which is).

 

[arthurlien]

I updated to the latest firmware after a factory restore. I'm noticing that my wifi network printer keeps getting disconnected? Is there a setting that needs to be disabled or is this a bug?

Could you provide your printer model ?

 

[GeoS]

Could you provide your printer model ?

Brother MFC L8850CDW and Brother HL L2360D

 

[ggruszynski]

Brother MFC L8850CDW and Brother HL L2360D

Had similar issue with my Brother MFC 6910 (believe that's correct from memory). Airtime fairness and universal beamforming were disabled. Was connected, but couldn't find it. Reset all settings and printer, then re set up, but no luck. Reset the router, but no luck. Tried connected to node as well...but no luck. Finally power cycled and reset printer and was able to see after setting back up. Strange since I hadn't had that issue before even after FW updates.

 

[mikeone]

Dear @RMerlin I tried your last firmware 384.3 for the RT-AC5300 but aiMesh is absent, is this normal ? is it supported or not ?

 

[RMerlin]

Dear @RMerlin I tried your last firmware 384.3 for the RT-AC5300 but aiMesh is absent, is this normal ? is it supported or not ?

AiMesh is not supported, as noted in the changelog.

 

[Jim_Kirk]

Hello All,

New user to the forum and I just moved my post from the old FW thread to this current FW one.

I have just set up my AiMesh with 3 devices:

1. AC5300, FW: 3.0.0.4.384_20379, Router
2. AC5300, FW: 3.0.0.4.384_20379, Node 1, wired to Router
3. AC5300, FW: 3.0.0.4.384_20379, Node 2, wired to Router

The AC5300 FW has two smart connect options. Tri-band smart connect or 5G smart connect. I am using the 5G Smart Connect and this gives me a 2.4G band(one SSID) and smart connect 5G having 2 5G bands(with one SSID). I choose this setup because I have several WEMO clients that only connect on 2.4G and I also have a few other devices that seem to only connect on 2.4G. I could set up 3 SSID's but it seems so much simpler to have only two SSID's as I move around the house since my wireless moving devices all connect on 5G.

Prior to the AiMesh setup, I had a router and two AC5300's set up as wired AP's. Lot's of SSID's to look at as I moved around.

My ISP is Comcast and the connection to the house is both Fiber and Cable. I use the Fiber connection into the house for my home network (cable for TV and phone with cable ethernet as a backup if needed).

Fiber provides a static IP and gives me a 1 G ethernet connection(1G up and down) to the Comcast provided Juniper Switch which is in the house not on an outside wall. Setup is: Fiber to the house into Juniper>Juniper 1 gig ethernet port wired to AC5300 Router. Juniper also gives me a 2G fiber port with a dedicated static IP but I'm not networking that port and I only use it with an optical cable for 1 computer.

About 16 wireless and 25 wired clients which I can see in the IOS ASUS Router APP. As I roam around the house (with my iPad or iPhone) I can see in the IOS APP that there is handoff between router and nodes and it seems to be working. Not as good as when I was doing it myself by switching manually but not too bad this early in the FW release cycle.

So far, and that's a very limited time, I've seen that some wireless clients don't show and with only 1 device moving around for testing I see some clients move.

So, two questions at this point.

1. Just curious if there is anything, in particular, I might want to be looking for which might help?
   
   
2. Also, I see ASUS recently updated (March 5, 2018) this FAQ "[AiMesh] How many AiMesh nodes can be added to an AiMesh system?" https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1035085
   
   This confuses me. If I use wired connections to the AiMesh router is 2 the maximum number of nodes I can have? Might be nice to add a third wired to the router.

Jim

 

[OzarkEdge]

Also, I see ASUS recently updated (March 5, 2018) this FAQ "[AiMesh] How many AiMesh nodes can be added to an AiMesh system?" https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1035085

This confuses me. If I use wired connections to the AiMesh router is 2 the maximum number of nodes I can have? Might be nice to add a third wired to the router.
Jim

It is not immediately clear, but my conclusion is:

o AiMesh (WiFi system) = router (parent/root node) + nodes (child/remote nodes; 4 max)

o Mixing/Matching AiMesh-enabled routers, wired/wireless backhauls, and star/daisy-chain backhaul topologies (i.e. 4 star nodes, or 3 star nodes plus 1 daisy-chain node) is permitted.

The grey area is simulating the permissible wired connections with wireless connections by careful placement of the nodes.

Another grey area is how fast will the lowest spec router fall over when the system has max nodes and a boatload of busy clients.

OE

 

[scjr]

Disabling Universal Beamforming can also help in some situation, since it's standard (unlike Explicit Beamforming which is).

I disabled Universal Beamforming on 5ghz. Was having an issue with my Apple devices on 5ghz and it seemed to clear it up. Could be Apple issue.

Is it recommended to do the same on 2.4ghz? Thanks.

 

[RMerlin]

I disabled Universal Beamforming on 5ghz. Was having an issue with my Apple devices on 5ghz and it seemed to clear it up. Could be Apple issue.

Is it recommended to do the same on 2.4ghz? Thanks.

Yes.

 

[Jim_Kirk]

I previously wrote this question:

Also, I see ASUS recently updated (March 5, 2018) this FAQ "[AiMesh] How many AiMesh nodes can be added to an AiMesh system?" https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1035085

This confuses me. If I use wired connections to the AiMesh router is 2 the maximum number of nodes I can have? Might be nice to add a third wired to the router.
Jim

OE,

Looks like the only way to tell for sure is to give a third wired node a try . Must admit I'm still confused but if I find a need for a third note I'll try it.

Just wondering if anyone else reading this is using AiMesh with 3 wired nodes and can share their experience.

Jim

It is not immediately clear, but my conclusion is:

o AiMesh (WiFi system) = router (parent/root node) + nodes (child/remote nodes; 4 max)

o Mixing/Matching AiMesh-enabled routers, wired/wireless backhauls, and star/daisy-chain backhaul topologies (i.e. 4 star nodes, or 3 star nodes plus 1 daisy-chain node) is permitted.

The grey area is simulating the permissible wired connections with wireless connections by careful placement of the nodes.

Another grey area is how fast will the lowest spec router fall over when the system has max nodes and a boatload of busy clients.

OE