RT-AX88U router in AiMesh with 1 RT-AX58U ethernet wired node disconnecting from Internet daily with red light indicator not lit up?

[Waterdowner]

I have an RT-AX88U on latest firmware, reset-clean config, etc. It's been working fine for 2 years with NO issues connected to 1GB ethernet to my cable modem. I had an old RT-AC68U connected wirelessly as an aiMesh node with no issues.
I swapped it out for an RT-AX58U and installed 1BG ethernet connection instead of wireless to the RT-AX88U router.

Since then my RT-AX88U has been almost daily basis disconnecting from the Internet. The Internet status light on the RT-AX88U does not go Red. WiFi is still working and all devices on the LAN see each other and the router.
Rebooting the RT-AX88U solves the problem.

My WAN DHCP is already set to Aggressive.

Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have an RT-AX88U on latest firmware, reset-clean config, etc. It's been working fine for 2 years with NO issues connected to 1GB ethernet to my cable modem. I had an old RT-AC68U connected wirelessly as an aiMesh node with no issues.
I swapped it out for an RT-AX58U and installed 1BG ethernet connection instead of wireless to the RT-AX88U router.

Since then my RT-AX88U has been almost daily basis disconnecting from the Internet. The Internet status light on the RT-AX88U does not go Red. WiFi is still working and all devices on the LAN see each other and the router.
Rebooting the RT-AX88U solves the problem.

My WAN DHCP is already set to Aggressive.

Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

I presume 'disconnecting from the Internet' means no Internet access from wired and wireless clients on all nodes.

Have you tried disconnecting the wired node? Using a different wire? Using wireless backhaul only? Disabling wireless backhaul now that you have it wired? Connecting the backhaul to a different root node LAN port, especially LAN1-4 and not LAN5-8? Searching the Log for clues at the time of disconnect?

OE

 

[Waterdowner]

Yes 'disconnecting from the Internet' means no clients (connected to either Asus router) can access the internet any longer.
How would the wired Ethernet connection between the routers interfere with the RT-AX88U's connection to the internet? That's separate 1GB ethernet cable and I've never had issues.
Also, the router does not light up the red LED indicating the internet connection is lost.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Yes 'disconnecting from the Internet' means no clients (connected to either Asus router) can access the internet any longer.
How would the wired Ethernet connection between the routers interfere with the RT-AX88U's connection to the internet? That's separate 1GB ethernet cable and I've never had issues.
Also, the router does not light up the red LED indicating the internet connection is lost.

When troubleshooting, you should avoid ruling things out prematurely or overlooking the obvious... or you may overlook the issue. You said the problem presented when you wired the new router... seems reasonable to unwire it to see what happens... hardware and cabling faults can have irrational behavoirs... they can't be readily explained. Also, routers with 8 LAN ports have a history of premature port/switch failure, often ports5-8... so switch some connections around to see what happens.

OE

 

[Waterdowner]

Yes very true. Event though when this problem occurs I still have connectivity between the two Asus routers I have moved the wired connection from PORT7 to PORT1 on the RT-AX88U.
Also, having noticed a theme in posts related to DHCP problems so I have given the router a static WAN IP address and registered it as such on my cable modem. I will update this thread if problem goes away.

 

[L&LD]

I believe you'll see your problem being persistent if you are still using ports 5-8 in any way.

If my guess is correct, buy a cheap 8-port switch. Connect it to Ports 1-4, only. Power off the router, and remove the power plug from both the router and the AC wall plug. Wait a couple of minutes before connecting power and then resume testing again.

(Removing the power seems to 'reset' the weird router/LAN port behavior, at least for a while, and it should be a permanent fix if you don't ever use Port 5-8 again).

 

[Waterdowner]

I am not using ports 5-8 on the RT-AX88U now but regardless the problem was not that the aimesh node loosing wired connectivity to the main aimesh router, the problem was that I was loosing access to the internet from all devices even though the aimesh admin page showed the connection between routers was 'great' and the main router connected to my cable modem was not shot indicating the WAN connection being down (no read led light).

 

[OzarkEdge]

I am not using ports 5-8 on the RT-AX88U now but regardless the problem was not that the aimesh node loosing wired connectivity to the main aimesh router, the problem was that I was loosing access to the internet from all devices even though the aimesh admin page showed the connection between routers was 'great' and the main router connected to my cable modem was not shot indicating the WAN connection being down (no read led light).

As I read it, you wired the node and all devices lost Internet access except the router. The new wired connection remains suspect.

Did you enable AiMesh Ethernet Backhaul Mode? If not, then wireless backhauls are still enabled.

OE

 

[Waterdowner]

No, the main RT-AX88U router itself lost connectivity to the Internet but what is strange is the RED led status light is not lit up indicating the connection was lost.
Since changing the WAN settings on it to use Static IP instead of DHCP to connect to the cable modem the problem has not re-occurred.

 

[OzarkEdge]

No, the main RT-AX88U router itself lost connectivity to the Internet but what is strange is the RED led status light is not lit up indicating the connection was lost.
Since changing the WAN settings on it to use Static IP instead of DHCP to connect to the cable modem the problem has not re-occurred.

Worked for two years and suddenly needs an unusual WAN setting change after wiring a new node... seems odd. Well, it's working again.

Put the wired backhaul connection back on port7.

OE

 

[L&LD]

I am not using ports 5-8 on the RT-AX88U now but regardless the problem was not that the aimesh node loosing wired connectivity to the main aimesh router, the problem was that I was loosing access to the internet from all devices even though the aimesh admin page showed the connection between routers was 'great' and the main router connected to my cable modem was not shot indicating the WAN connection being down (no read led light).

And that may just be another example of how ports 5-8 make the router appear glitchy, at least in your environment. I would not use the last four ports at all.

And I would still do the power-off to reset the LAN/WAN ports too.

 

[Waterdowner]

Worked for two years and suddenly needs an unusual WAN setting change after wiring a new node... seems odd. Well, it's working again.

Put the wired backhaul connection back on port7.

OE

Nope, I am leaving it on Port1. I am sure the port 5-8 issue is real. That said when the problem I am seeing occurs, both aimesh nodes can still communicate with each other so the symptoms of the port 5-8 issue (lost connectivity between the two devices connected on the said port) is completely different from what I am encountering. Network admin is not my hobby, I just want this stuff to work. Clearly AiMesh has lots of problems from all the posts I've seen.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Nope, I am leaving it on Port1. I am sure the port 5-8 issue is real. That said when the problem I am seeing occurs, both aimesh nodes can still communicate with each other so the symptoms of the port 5-8 issue (lost connectivity between the two devices connected on the said port) is completely different from what I am encountering. Network admin is not my hobby, I just want this stuff to work. Clearly AiMesh has lots of problems from all the posts I've seen.

Beware generalizations and unfounded conclusions... they get in the way of effective troubleshooting.

OE

 

[Waterdowner]

No, the main RT-AX88U router itself lost connectivity to the Internet but what is strange is the RED led status light is not lit up indicating the connection was lost.
Since changing the WAN settings on it to use Static IP instead of DHCP to connect to the cable modem the problem has not re-occurred.

So Internet disconnect is still happening with the WAN settings of the main RT-AX88U set to STATIC IP and ethernet port1 being used for the backhaul.
Oddly it's happened twice around the same time of the day, 9-10pm. Log file attached. Crash at 31:37


Oct 21 21:37:36 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): wl0.1: Disassoc 626:0F:8D:47:8B, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Oct 21 21:37:36 kernel: dhd_prot_ioctl: status ret value is -30
Oct 21 21:37:36 kernel: dhd_prot_ioctl: status ret value is -30
Oct 21 21:37:36 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): wl0.1: Disassoc 626:0F:8D:47:8B, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Oct 21 21:37:36 kernel: CONSOLE: 127429.933 wl0.1: wlc_ampdu_flush_scb_tid flushing 0 packets for 62:d6:0f:8d:47:8b AID 19 tid 5
Oct 21 21:37:36 kernel: CONSOLE: 127429.966 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:36 kernel: CONSOLE: 127429.966 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:37 kernel: CONSOLE: 127430.530 txrep:802.1x
Oct 21 21:37:37 kernel: dhd_flow_rings_delete_for_peer: ifindex 0
Oct 21 21:37:37 kernel: dhd_prot_flow_ring_delete: Send Flow Delete Req RING ID 197 for peer 00:07:a6:1e:87:b8 prio 5 ifindex 0
Oct 21 21:37:37 kernel: dhd_prot_flow_ring_delete_response_process: Flow Delete Response status = 0
Oct 21 21:37:37 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(494): eth6: Deauth_ind 00:07:A6:1E:87:B8, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3), rssi:-38
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: CONSOLE: 127431.525 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: CONSOLE: 127431.525 wl0.0: wlc_ampdu_flush_scb_tid flushing 0 packets for 00:07:a6:1e:87:b8 AID 17 tid 5
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: CONSOLE: 127431.546 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: CONSOLE: 127431.547 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: CONSOLE: 127431.547 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: CONSOLE: 127431.547 iov:SCB_DEAUTH
Oct 21 21:37:38 kernel: dhd_flow_rings_delete_for_peer: ifindex 0
Oct 21 21:37:38 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(494): eth6: Deauth_ind 00:07:A6:1E:87:B8, status: 0, reason: Previous authentication no longer valid (2), rssi:-38
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.24.1 (2022-09-19 14:26:47 CST)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Linux version 4.1.51 (gitserv_asus@bpza001bud) (gcc version 5.5.0 (Buildroot 2017.11.1) ) #4 SMP PREEMPT Mon Sep 19 16:02:30 CST 2022
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: CPU: AArch64 Processor [420f1000] revision 0
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Kernel command line: coherent_pool=4M cpuidle_sysfs_switch pci=pcie_bus_safe rootwait
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Virtual kernel memory layout:
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: vmalloc : 0xffffff8000000000 - 0xffffffbdffff0000 ( 247 GB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: vmemmap : 0xffffffbe00000000 - 0xffffffbfc0000000 ( 7 GB maximum)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0xffffffbe00000000 - 0xffffffbe00e00000 ( 14 MB actual)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: fixed : 0xffffffbffabfd000 - 0xffffffbffac00000 ( 12 KB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: PCI I/O : 0xffffffbffae00000 - 0xffffffbffbe00000 ( 16 MB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: modules : 0xffffffbffc000000 - 0xffffffc000000000 ( 64 MB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: memory : 0xffffffc000000000 - 0xffffffc040000000 ( 1024 MB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: .init : 0xffffffc0006be000 - 0xffffffc0006f7000 ( 228 KB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: .text : 0xffffffc000080000 - 0xffffffc0006bd204 ( 6389 KB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: .data : 0xffffffc0006f8000 - 0xffffffc0007c1f80 ( 808 KB)
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: init_timers: timer_function_timeout virt addr 0xffffffc000711388
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: creating mapping for reserved memory phys 0x0a600000 virt 0xffffffc00a600000 size 0x00e00000 for dhd0
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: creating mapping for reserved memory phys 0x09800000 virt 0xffffffc009800000 size 0x00e00000 for dhd1
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: creating mapping for reserved memory phys 0x08a00000 virt 0xffffffc008a00000 size 0x00e00000 for dhd2
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Do not need to create mapping for reserved memory phys 0x0e000000 size 0x02000000 for buffer
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: creating mapping for reserved memory phys 0x0b400000 virt 0xffffffc00b400000 size 0x02c00000 for flow
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: pmc_initMC using DQM mode
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Successfully retrieved NVRAM data from dtb
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: cfe-v^A: 1.0.38-163.181
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: CPU1: Booted secondary processor
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: CPU2: Booted secondary processor
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: CPU3: Booted secondary processor
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Broadcom Logger v0.1
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: skb_free_task created successfully with start budget 256
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: net_dev_init: process_backlog_timeout virt addr 0xffffffc0007b3f70
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: gbpm_do_work scheduled
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: ^[[0;34mBLOG v3.0 Initialized^[[0m
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: BLOG Rule v1.0 Initialized
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Broadcom IQoS v1.0 initialized
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Broadcom GBPM v0.1 initialized
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: >>>>> For primary mtd partition rootfs, cferam/vmlinux.lz mounted as JFFS2, vmlinux fs mounted as UBIFS <<<<<
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Secondary mtd partition rootfs_update detected as JFFS2 for cferam/vmlinux source and UBIFS for vmlinux filesystem
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: setup_mtd_parts: misc indx 2 name misc3 nvram configured size 1
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: setup_mtd_parts: name misc3 configured size 0x00100000 offset 0xF600000
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: setup_mtd_parts: misc indx 1 name misc2 nvram configured size 63
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: setup_mtd_parts: name misc2 configured size 0x03f00000 offset 0xB700000
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: setup_mtd_parts: misc indx 0 name misc1 nvram configured size 8
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: setup_mtd_parts: name misc1 configured size 0x00800000 offset 0xAF00000
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: Creating 11 MTD partitions on "brcmnand.0":
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000005d40000-0x00000af00000 : "rootfs"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000000640000-0x000005800000 : "rootfs_update"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x00000f700000-0x00000ff00000 : "data"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000000000000-0x000000100000 : "nvram"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000000100000-0x000005800000 : "image_update"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000005800000-0x00000af00000 : "image"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000005800000-0x000005d20000 : "bootfs"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x000000100000-0x000000620000 : "bootfs_update"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x00000f600000-0x00000f700000 : "misc3"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x00000b700000-0x00000f600000 : "misc2"
May 5 01:05:03 kernel: 0x00000af00000-0x00000b700000 : "misc1"

 

[OzarkEdge]

Run the router without the new node and cable and see how it behaves. If the problem persists, install the new node as your router. If the problem persists, investigate your WAN connection and service.

OE

 

[TeeDee]

OP did you resolve your issue? I am facing the exact same issue with AiMesh but with different routers. I've got an AX11000 as the main router with AC88U as an ethernet backhaul node. Without AiMesh, both routers work flawlessly with no disconnection even after 1 week. After setting up AiMesh, both routers loses internet connectivity several times a day, and there is no red light on both routers.