Unable to reach local clients after roaming

[arnerek]

Hi

I have a AiMesh setup:
Ac86: router 3.0.0.4.384_81351-gcb63868
Ac68u: node 3.0.0.4.385_20252-ga052d4c

I am running with wireless backhaul. I have disabled smart connect as this gave a lot of disconnects.

Everything works fine and stable except that if a client (e.g. iPhone) roams from router to node and back again to the router by moving around the house, this client is not able to reach any clients connected to the node. Other clients can reach routers clients and node clients.

Anyone that has experienced anything similar?

 

[Grisu]

You will find some more with these problems, you can try other (older) firmwares or Merlin's on master and node, last time I read it here with AX routers.
Or you hope they will fix it in coming 386 firmwares.

 

[Smokindog]

Do you have a wire you can use for backhaul? These problems don't exist if you use AP mode (or at least I've not experienced them). I use AC3100's and AC68's in the main house.

 

[arnerek]

Unfortunately not. I have tested with some old homeplug but they only give me 20 MBit throughput, but you are right. This problem goes away with wired backhaul.

 

[Smokindog]

Unfortunately not. I have tested with some old homeplug but they only give me 20 MBit throughput, but you are right. This problem goes away with wired backhaul.

Wired backhaul and ditching AiMess

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi

I have a AiMesh setup:
Ac86: router 3.0.0.4.384_81351-gcb63868
Ac68u: node 3.0.0.4.385_20252-ga052d4c

I am running with wireless backhaul. I have disabled smart connect as this gave a lot of disconnects.

Everything works fine and stable except that if a client (e.g. iPhone) roams from router to node and back again to the router by moving around the house, this client is not able to reach any clients connected to the node. Other clients can reach routers clients and node clients.

Anyone that has experienced anything similar?

Nope. My 2.4 Android softphone can call a wired VoIP phone on my wireless node while roaming from router to node and back to router again. And, it can call a 5.0 Android softphone on my wireless node while roaming the same. And, a 5.0 Android softphone can call another 5.0 Android softphone on my wireless node while roaming the same. For the last test, the Android tablet on the wireless node was also streaming OTA antenna TV from a TV tuner wired to the router... that only paused for the call and immediately resumed streaming after I hung up the call. I use separate SSIDs on a 2x86U AiMesh with fixed channels. I don't use any Apple products.

OE

 

[arnerek]

Ok. The weird behavior might be caused by my aging ac68 then since we have similar configuration except you have two ac86?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Ok. The weird behavior might be caused by my aging ac68 then since we have similar configuration except you have two ac86?

I have a 2x86U Aimesh installed as noted here.

OE

 

[arnerek]

I have now installed Merlin 384.15 on both router and node. Same issues here. After a trip around the house it is not possible to reach the clients connected to the node. Frustrating!

I am a bit reluctant to invest in another AC86u, as it may not help. Send bug report to ASUS, haven’t heard a word. Is this normal?

 

[jazzer]

Hi

I have a AiMesh setup:
Ac86: router 3.0.0.4.384_81351-gcb63868
Ac68u: node 3.0.0.4.385_20252-ga052d4c

I am running with wireless backhaul. I have disabled smart connect as this gave a lot of disconnects.

Everything works fine and stable except that if a client (e.g. iPhone) roams from router to node and back again to the router by moving around the house, this client is not able to reach any clients connected to the node. Other clients can reach routers clients and node clients.

Anyone that has experienced anything similar?

Yes! I have this exact problem and it's frustrating. Copying what i wrote on a diff post below.

... Aimesh routing issue I have, where devices that roam from one node to another become unreachable to devices on other nodes.

As an example, my NAS is connected to a aimesh node, when my iPhone roams from that node to the main router, I am no longer able to reach the NAS. Internet works fine & roaming back will immediately make it reachable again.

This seems to be a roaming issue, because if I disconnect my iPhone for ~ 10 mins, and reconnect it directly to the main router, it can reach the NAS connected on the node. But roaming to it and back, will make it unreachable again.

My current setup is AiMesh with wireless backhaul - AC5300 as a Router + 1x Ac5300 node + 1x Ac86 node.

 

[arnerek]

Is the NAS connected to the 86u? I am wondering whether it is a general aimesh problem or 86u specific...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jazzer]

Is the NAS connected to the 86u? I am wondering whether it is a general aimesh problem or 86u specific...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nope, the NAS is connected to the AC5300 node. And wireless clients connected to the Ac5300 are also unreachable.

Does not look to be 86u specific. I had this problem when it was just 2x AC5300 running AiMesh - the Ac86u was a recent addition.
(Now I feel I've spent too much on these devices even though I'm so tempted to replace everything, given all the issues I've been facing)

 

[arnerek]

Me too. I am strongly considering Amplifi HD or Orbi now.

What’s really frustrating is that after several new firmware versions nothing seems to be fixed, mainly security patches.

 

[jazzer]

Me too. I am strongly considering Amplifi HD or Orbi now.

What’s really frustrating is that after several new firmware versions nothing seems to be fixed, mainly security patches.

The last 2 AC5300 firmware updates (feb/mar) have been abysmal - it caused the router to have 100% CPU utilisation. (There are a couple of threads I posted on about this issue)

So now I'm running Merlin on all 3 units. I must say the main router is WAY more stable - been getting uptime of >10 days (something I've never ever been able to get)

The nodes, even though I flashed with merlin fw, I read that the aimesh code is still closed sourced Asus. Both the Ac5300 & Ac86 nodes will drop all 2.4 clients after an uptime of 4~5 days (without fail as though it's on a schedule). Rebooting them resolves the issue for another 4~5 days before the cycle repeats.

However the main issue about local devices being unreachable after roaming still remains (even with roaming assist turned off).

 

[OzarkEdge]

The last 2 AC5300 firmware updates (feb/mar) have been abysmal - it caused the router to have 100% CPU utilisation. (There are a couple of threads I posted on about this issue)

So now I'm running Merlin on all 3 units. I must say the main router is WAY more stable - been getting uptime of >10 days (something I've never ever been able to get)

The nodes, even though I flashed with merlin fw, I read that the aimesh code is still closed sourced Asus. Both the Ac5300 & Ac86 nodes will drop all 2.4 clients after an uptime of 4~5 days (without fail as though it's on a schedule). Rebooting them resolves the issue for another 4~5 days before the cycle repeats.

However the main issue about local devices being unreachable after roaming still remains (even with roaming assist turned off).

Have you tried the 86U as the AiMesh router?

OE

 

[L&LD]

@arnerek @jazzer with routers running different levels of firmware in AiMesh, I would almost expect them to be unstable.

After flashing the latest stable RMerlin firmware v384.16_0, was a reset to factory defaults w/Initialize all settings performed on all routers and nodes? Followed by a minimal and manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP? Without 'blindly' inputting the old settings either?

If not, an M&M Config and ideally, a Nuclear Reset should both be performed to get your routers/networks back to a good/known state.

Please find the link to the guides above in my signature below.

HTH.

 

[arnerek]

I am back to official firmware, but I was not fast enough to install the version that does not exist [emoji3]

I have now disabled roaming Assistant on both bands. This has improved things slightly. The clients are now possible to reach most of the times, but once in a while they get unreachable.

This is the only issue I have now with my Aimesh.

 

[jazzer]

@arnerek @jazzer with routers running different levels of firmware in AiMesh, I would almost expect them to be unstable.

After flashing the latest stable RMerlin firmware v384.16_0, was a reset to factory defaults w/Initialize all settings performed on all routers and nodes? Followed by a minimal and manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP? Without 'blindly' inputting the old settings either?

If not, an M&M Config and ideally, a Nuclear Reset should both be performed to get your routers/networks back to a good/known state.

Please find the link to the guides above in my signature below.

HTH.

Thanks L&LD, I always run the same level of firmware ..
Either the latest from Asus or all on the same Merlin build. This routing issue is always there, nodes drops all 2.4 after a while.

And as repeated many times on this forum, I've done countless factory resets / manual config / turning almost all 'additional features' off. Which to me says alot about the product - that is just not prime time. I'm happy to tinker, but there comes a point where it's just ridiculous that I can't go more than a couple of days with reliable connectivity. When it works, the throughput is great.

Separate SSIDs, smart connect disabled
Fixed channels
Roam Assist off on all 3 bands

 

[arnerek]

Just purchased two pack of XT8. I thought it was due to differences between ac86 and ac68. I can confirm that the same bug is still present. It is identical to this: https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthre...e-after-roaming-away-from-wireless-AiMesh-nod

Anyone with a solution to this?

 

[arnerek]

I sent this as a support case through the router web ui. I actually done this twice, but no receipt on mail for that the issue is raised. No response from ASUS. Is this normal?