Smart Connect & AiMesh?

[JohnD5000]

I just bought a RT-AC86U and made it my main router. I made my old RT-AC68U a AiMesh node.

I noticed that the 86U has a feature called Smart Connect under Wireless. It is defaulted to OFF Is this something I would want to turn on? Is it compatible with AiMesh?

Thanks

 

[Grisu]

Think both questions can be answered with yes, but 68U (at least at the moment) isnt capable of it, maybe with future firmwares.

 

[JohnD5000]

So if I turn Smart Connect ON in the 86U, how would the 68U (which is a node of the 86) connect with a device?

Does anyone else have a AiMesh network with a 86U and a 68U setup with Smart Connect on?

 

[Grisu]

Why dont you try it and tell us how it works?
If all ok for you than fine, roaming may be a problem.
I have both and tested AiMesh, but without guest on the node not usable for me.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I just bought a RT-AC86U and made it my main router. I made my old RT-AC68U a AiMesh node.

I noticed that the 86U has a feature called Smart Connect under Wireless. It is defaulted to OFF Is this something I would want to turn on? Is it compatible with AiMesh?

Thanks

My 86Us default to Smart Connect ON when Quick Setup to not use separate SSIDs. Maybe you Quick Setup to use separate SSIDs... which is advisable if not using Smart Connect... which may have turned Smart Connect OFF. Hence, your initial setup preference for separate SSIDs may have defaulted Smart Connect OFF?

ASUS claims that AiMesh root node functionality extends to the extending nodes. So, configure your AiMesh 86U router/root node for Dual-Band Smart Connect ON and same SSIDs... and then observe how well wireless clients connect to the preferred band on your 68U node.

OE

 

[JohnD5000]

My 86Us default to Smart Connect ON when Quick Setup to not use separate SSIDs. Maybe you Quick Setup to use separate SSIDs... which is advisable if not using Smart Connect... which may have turned Smart Connect OFF. Hence, your initial setup preference for separate SSIDs may have defaulted Smart Connect OFF?

ASUS claims that AiMesh root node functionality extends to the extending nodes. So, configure your AiMesh 86U router/root node for Dual-Band Smart Connect ON and same SSIDs... and then observe how well wireless clients connect to the preferred band on your 68U node.

OE

Thanks OzarkEdge, I probably had it OFF because when the smart wizard started up, I put in 2 SSIDs. I tried turning SC ON yesterday on 86U. It seemed to work on 86U but 68U had two SSIDs still. I rebooted node, but still had 2 SSIDs. So I switched it OFF on 86U.

Since you say 68U should have been controlled by 86U with smart connect, then should I have flashed and searched for node on 68U again like setting up node completely new? Would this create 1 SSID on 68U and it would smart select 2.4 or 5 Ghz?

Thanks

 

[Grisu]

Thanks OzarkEdge, I probably had it OFF because when the smart wizard started up, I put in 2 SSIDs. I tried turning SC ON yesterday on 86U. It seemed to work on 86U but 68U had two SSIDs still. I rebooted node, but still had 2 SSIDs. So I switched it OFF on 86U.

Since you say 68U should have been controlled by 86U with smart connect, then should I have flashed and searched for node on 68U again like setting up node completely new? Would this create 1 SSID on 68U and it would smart select 2.4 or 5 Ghz?

Thanks

thats not really much work to do, only delete it from AiMesh-node list, factory reset node and search for it again on parent router, done in 5 min.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks OzarkEdge, I probably had it OFF because when the smart wizard started up, I put in 2 SSIDs. I tried turning SC ON yesterday on 86U. It seemed to work on 86U but 68U had two SSIDs still. I rebooted node, but still had 2 SSIDs. So I switched it OFF on 86U.

Since you say 68U should have been controlled by 86U with smart connect, then should I have flashed and searched for node on 68U again like setting up node completely new? Would this create 1 SSID on 68U and it would smart select 2.4 or 5 Ghz?

Thanks

Yes, it's worth a try and you have to try it to prove it... remove the node, reset the node, and add the node to the now one-SSID system.

OE

 

[JohnD5000]

Yes, it's worth a try and you have to try it to prove it... remove the node, reset the node, and add the node to the now one-SSID system.

OE

Thanks OE. So, I tried what you suggested. The Smart Connections appeared to work on the 68U. However, I noticed the Mesh Network had issues. It was buggy, I had 1 tablet that would not connect to the netork and stay connected. A smart TV (that was 5 feet from the 68U node was connecting to the 86U on other side of house). Plus, the node didn't seem stable. I only tried it out for 30 minutes, but since the non-Smart Connect mesh seemed to be working, I switched back to that. Maybe with a few more firmware releases, I'll try again.

 

[VANT]

SC will work on 68U as a node only when You use new beta FW with this functionality.
Now not work.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...r-rt-ac68u-and-first-beta-for-bluecave.46802/

 

[JohnD5000]

SC will work on 68U as a node only when You use new beta FW with this functionality.
Now not work.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...r-rt-ac68u-and-first-beta-for-bluecave.46802/

Hi Vant, it was mentioned here that if have the 86U as main, it would control the node 68u smart connect. Anyhow, this was buggy for me. I think I'm going to pass on the beta since reading the thread seems only 1 person had it work and most others went back to a release version. Maybe I'll try on beta phase 3 .

 

[JohnD5000]

SC will work on 68U as a node only when You use new beta FW with this functionality.
Now not work.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...r-rt-ac68u-and-first-beta-for-bluecave.46802/

Hi Vant, Just reread the beta Phase 2 post:

Release note:

- Support smart-connect rules on nodes. (both dual-band and tri-band) (RT-AC68U series have no smart connect)
​

Looks like Smart Connect is NOT supported?
​

 

[arthurlien]

SC will work on 68U as a node only when You use new beta FW with this functionality.
Now not work.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...r-rt-ac68u-and-first-beta-for-bluecave.46802/

RT-AC68U don't support SC.

 

[Grisu]

RT-AC68U don't support SC.

is it planed sometimes in the future?
Otherwise they are not really usable as mesh-nodes.

 

[VANT]

RT-AC68U don't support SC.

yes i saw this....my bad.

 

[OzarkEdge]

RT-AC68U don't support SC.

In this ASUS AiMesh tutorial video starting at 1:05, ASUS claims that the extra features in the 86U root node will extend to the 68U remote node. The customer understands this to mean that 86U Smart Connect will extend system-wide... does it?

If the 68U does not support Smart Connect (no single SSID WiFI system choice), not as root node, not as extending node for a router that does support Smart Connect... then ASUS should take the 68U off their AiMesh Supported-router list and quit misleading their customers with false marketing.

OE

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks OE. So, I tried what you suggested. The Smart Connections appeared to work on the 68U. However, I noticed the Mesh Network had issues. It was buggy, I had 1 tablet that would not connect to the netork and stay connected. A smart TV (that was 5 feet from the 68U node was connecting to the 86U on other side of house). Plus, the node didn't seem stable. I only tried it out for 30 minutes, but since the non-Smart Connect mesh seemed to be working, I switched back to that. Maybe with a few more firmware releases, I'll try again.

I can only suggest a solid install with resets all around and then give it some time to settle down. If flaky behavior persists beyond a day or two, revert to separate SSIDs or replace the 68U with an 86U.

If you only have a few misbehaving wireless clients, perhaps investigate them first before abandoning the single SSID. Router wireless settings for airtime fairness and beamforming can trouble some clients, so you could try disabling those.

The ASUS rep is here to collect debug information. He doesn't volunteer information and doesn't seem to have many answers, so when he does leave broken/incomplete comments, it's difficult to be sure what to make of it.

OE

 

[JohnD5000]

I can only suggest a solid install with resets all around and then give it some time to settle down. If flaky behavior persists beyond a day or two, revert to separate SSIDs or replace the 68U with an 86U.

If you only have a few misbehaving wireless clients, perhaps investigate them first before abandoning the single SSID. Router wireless settings for airtime fairness and beamforming can trouble some clients, so you could try disabling those.

The ASUS rep is here to collect debug information. He doesn't volunteer information and doesn't seem to have many answers, so when he does leave broken/incomplete comments, it's difficult to be sure what to make of it.

OE

Thanks OE, so, I decided to live on wild side and try installing beta phase 2 (BP2). I installed it on 68 as a node, then thought a refresh and reintialization of the node would be a good thing. But this didn't work, no way to make a node with BP2. So, I reinstalled 21045. Then created the node. Then installed Bp2 as a node (and left it at that). I've rebooted it a few times and the node info seems to stick, plus, in my limited testing, it seems a little more stable. Also, the Smart connect appears to be working (1 SSID and my devices that have 2.4 & 5 are connecting to the node at 5 and devices that only have 2.4 are connecting at 2.4).
The signal is flashing telling me that there is a firmware upgrade so apparently it doesn't recognize that beta with a 9.0.0 is higher that a 3.0.0.

 

[arthurlien]

In this ASUS AiMesh tutorial video starting at 1:05, ASUS claims that the extra features in the 86U root node will extend to the 68U remote node. The customer understands this to mean that 86U Smart Connect will extend system-wide... does it?

If the 68U does not support Smart Connect (no single SSID WiFI system choice), not as root node, not as extending node for a router that does support Smart Connect... then ASUS should take the 68U off their AiMesh Supported-router list and quit misleading their customers with false marketing.

OE

Different model has different capability. if you are using some model with SC supported as node, SC shall work in Node. If no, it's impossible to support SC by configuration only.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Different model has different capability. if you are using some model with SC supported as node, SC shall work in Node. If no, it's impossible to support SC by configuration only.

Which models support ALL AiMesh feature? The 68U should not be on the list.

OE