RT-AX88U(Router) + RT-AX58U(Node): DFS State "NOT Active" when 160Mhz clients are connected ONLY to AiMesh Node

[sivaprasath]

I have AiMesh configuration with AX88U (Main Router) -> AX58U (Node - Connected via Ethernet Backhaul).
Both Router/Node is updated to latest Firmware version 3.0.0.4.388_23748 and all "Settings" are default to Factory recomended.

Only, when 160Mhz client is connected to AX88U(Main), I am seeing the DFS State become active in the "System Log" -> "Wireless Log" page. If the 160Mhz client is connected to the AX58U(Node), the DFS state goes to "idle" and until any other client with 160Mhz capable connect to the Main router the DFS state remains in Idle state.

Scenario 1: (WORKING)

• All 160Mhz clients are connected to AiMesh Router (AX-RT88U)
• DFS State is "Active" and Clients are connected in 160Mhz

Scenario 2: (WORKING)

• One 160Mhz clients connected to AiMesh Router (AX-RT88U)
• One 160Mhz clients connected to AiMesh Node (AX-RT58U)
• DFS State is "Active" and Clients are connected in 160Mhz

Scenario 3: (FAILING)

• All 160Mhz clients are connected to AiMesh Node (AX-RT58U)
• DFS State is "Idle" and Clients are connected in 80Mhz

Is it not supposed to 160Mhz be in active, even when the 160Mhz client connected to AiMesh node also as in Scenario 3? Please advise in this scenario.

 

[bbunge]

Your signature says you are using Merlin firmware but the writeup says Asus. Which is it?

 

[sivaprasath]

Sorry for the confusion with my signature.
I was using Merlin Firmware and once I found this issue and as per the suggestion from the Merlin community, I reflashed the Stock Asus Firmware + Factory reset using both WPS & WebUI settings.
So the above scenarios are verified using the Stock Asus Firmware with all the default settings.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is it not supposed to 160Mhz be in active, even when the 160Mhz client connected to AiMesh node also as in Scenario 3?

No. The System Log > Wireless Log page only shows the wireless status of the main router, not the nodes.

 

[sivaprasath]

No. The System Log > Wireless Log page only shows the wireless status of the main router, not the nodes.

Hi,
I know that the "Wireless Log" page only shows the clients connected to the Main Router.
Let me make the "issue" short and clear.

• 160MHz Channel Bandwidth capability works ONLY when any Client (with 160MHz ability) is connected to the Main Router.
• If all the Clients with 160MHz ability is connected ONLY to the AiMesh Node, then 160Mhz Channel capability is NOT working in the AiMesh network.

Basically, In the AiMesh network, 160MHz is NOT working when NO Client (with 160MHz ability) is connected to the Main Router, even when this capable Client is connected ONLY to any of the AiMesh nodes.

 

[drinkingbird]

Hi,
I know that the "Wireless Log" page only shows the clients connected to the Main Router.
Let me make the "issue" short and clear.

• 160MHz Channel Bandwidth capability works ONLY when any Client (with 160MHz ability) is connected to the Main Router.
• If all the Clients with 160MHz ability is connected ONLY to the AiMesh Node, then 160Mhz Channel capability is NOT working in the AiMesh network.

Basically, In the AiMesh network, 160MHz is NOT working when NO Client (with 160MHz ability) is connected to the Main Router, even when this capable Client is connected ONLY to any of the AiMesh nodes.

As far as I've seen, the main router determines the settings for the whole network. Hardcode the main router to 160 and see if that fixes it. When set to 20/40/80/160 it will drop to 80 if no clients are requesting 160 on the main router.

Your nodes just mirror the settings of the main so when it drops to 80, so do they.

Of course if radar is detected it will still drop back to 80.

Another idea, perhaps if you set backhaul to auto it will keep the 160 backhaul open but unused, but that's just a shot in the dark.

 

[sivaprasath]

As far as I've seen, the main router determines the settings for the whole network. Hardcode the main router to 160 and see if that fixes it. When set to 20/40/80/160 it will drop to 80 if no clients are requesting 160 on the main router.

I don't want to fix my AiMesh network to 160MHz as I feel it will not be a stable/reliable connection.
I like to see if we can get 160MHz in Active state, even when these clients are connected to Mesh nodes.

Your nodes just mirror the settings of the main so when it drops to 80, so do they.

I agree that Node just mirror the settings from Main router. If this is the case, when 160MHz client is connected to Node then don't we expect the node to behave the same like Main Router by activating the 160Mhz bandwidth in the AiMesh network?

Of course if radar is detected it will still drop back to 80.

I confirm that there is NO radar interferene in my area. If I bind 160MHz client to the Main router then 160MHz is active all the time.

 

[drinkingbird]

I don't want to fix my AiMesh network to 160MHz as I feel it will not be a stable/reliable connection.
I like to see if we can get 160MHz in Active state, even when these clients are connected to Mesh nodes.

Why would it be unstable if 160 works fine for you? In reality, setting it to 160 still allows fallback to 80 if there is interference, so it isn't really all that different, other than staying at 160 when clients aren't asking for it (which is what you want).

I agree that Node just mirror the settings from Main router. If this is the case, when 160MHz client is connected to Node then don't we expect the node to behave the same like Main Router by activating the 160Mhz bandwidth in the AiMesh network?

The nodes mirror the master, not the other way around, so no.

I confirm that there is NO radar interferene in my area. If I bind 160MHz client to the Main router then 160MHz is active all the time.

So set the main router to 160 and you're good. If it is stable at 160 what is the concern?

I've offered a possible solution to your concern. Either try it or live with the behavior you're seeing, up to you.

 

[bbunge]

Hi,
I know that the "Wireless Log" page only shows the clients connected to the Main Router.
Let me make the "issue" short and clear.

• 160MHz Channel Bandwidth capability works ONLY when any Client (with 160MHz ability) is connected to the Main Router.
• If all the Clients with 160MHz ability is connected ONLY to the AiMesh Node, then 160Mhz Channel capability is NOT working in the AiMesh network.

Basically, In the AiMesh network, 160MHz is NOT working when NO Client (with 160MHz ability) is connected to the Main Router, even when this capable Client is connected ONLY to any of the AiMesh nodes.

What you are telling us makes sense, sort of. I had a couple of AX58U's for a while (Amazon refurbished) that I ran as nodes to my AX86U. With the 5 GHz set to 20-40-80-160 MHz on the AX86U it would run at 80 MHz until a 160 MHz client connected then it would go to 160 MHz. Your AX88U, while different hardware, may be programmed to operate the same way. I never noticed the behavior you write about but it sure seems possible. In an AiMesh setup the router controls the node(s) WIFI and not the other way around. Setting a fixed bandwidth on the router may be your only solution.
By the way, the AX86U Pro favors 160 MHz all the time when set to 20-40-80-160 MHz.

With all that said, I have found that I get a more stable WIFI with the 5 GHz set to 80 MHz. I do enable DFS and the WIFI sits at channel 140. I seldom have RADAR interference although we do get low flying C130's, C17's and A10's from time to time.

 

[sivaprasath]

So set the main router to 160 and you're good. If it is stable at 160 what is the concern?

Thanks for your suggestion. And I tried your suggestion by forcing the Main Router to 160MHz Channel Bandwidth.
But the Router behaves the same way as I described. ONLY when a 160MHz capable client is connected to Main Router it stays in 160MHz, otherwise it falls back to 80MHz.

 

[bbunge]

Thanks for your suggestion. And I tried your suggestion by forcing the Main Router to 160MHz Channel Bandwidth.
But the Router behaves the same way as I described. ONLY when a 160MHz capable client is connected to Main Router it stays in 160MHz, otherwise it falls back to 80MHz.

Did you do system reboot after the settings change?

FWIW... My AX86U ran fine until a week after the warranty expired. Then it started to act flaky. I was able to convince Asus to give me an RMA and I sent it in. Another router was returned (refurbished?) which is working well as an AiMesh node. Never discovered what really was wrong. The Asus report said broken power switch...right...

 

[sivaprasath]

Did you do system reboot after the settings change?

YES, I did the AiMesh System Reboot as well as completely "Power Down" both Router & Nodes by removing the power adapters.

FWIW... My AX86U ran fine until a week after the warranty expired. Then it started to act flaky. I was able to convince Asus to give me an RMA and I sent it in. Another router was returned (refurbished?) which is working well as an AiMesh node. Never discovered what really was wrong. The Asus report said broken power switch...right...

Since the 160MHz functionality is working fine when client is connected to Router, I am not sure, if I can raise this issue to Asus for RMA.

 

[bbunge]

YES, I did the AiMesh System Reboot as well as completely "Power Down" both Router & Nodes by removing the power adapters.

Since the 160MHz functionality is working fine when client is connected to Router, I am not sure, if I can raise this issue to Asus for RMA.

Then I would use the router feedback to Asus and report what you are experiencing as a bug. Still, it seems that your system is working to extend the range and that is what it is supposed to do. 160 MHz is known to be problematic for some. Works fine here when I turn it on.

BTW, do you have WPS enabled and is the Ethernet cable plugged into the WAN port of the AX58U?

 

[sivaprasath]

BTW, do you have WPS enabled and is the Ethernet cable plugged into the WAN port of the AX58U?

I have WPS disabled and Ethernet cable is plugged into WAN Port of the AX58U (Node).

 

[drinkingbird]

Thanks for your suggestion. And I tried your suggestion by forcing the Main Router to 160MHz Channel Bandwidth.
But the Router behaves the same way as I described. ONLY when a 160MHz capable client is connected to Main Router it stays in 160MHz, otherwise it falls back to 80MHz.

Guess it is related to the wifi driver on the main router, if it doesn't see a 160mhz client it drops down, regardless of what is on other nodes or what you've set it to. In reality though do you really use >1G frequently on wireless? Guess the only workaround would be to have something 160 capable bound to the main router.

Or you can break aimesh and just run the node as an AP and then it is totally independent, it will go up to 160 when a 160 client connects. Will also allow you to use different channels on the two which Aimesh doesn't.

 

[bbunge]

I have WPS disabled and Ethernet cable is plugged into WAN Port of the AX58U (Node).

Try with WPS enabled. For some reason I had issues with AiMesh with WPS disabled even with Ethernet backhaul. With WPS enabled I have had no issues. It should not matter if it is disabled but...

 

[sivaprasath]

Try with WPS enabled.

No luck.. I tried Enbaling WPS and Power cycled both Router & Nodes.. still seeing the same behaviour. Falls back to 80Mhz when NO 160Mhz client is connected to Main router.