ZenWifi AX XT8 - cannot connect squeezebox radios (logitech)

[castalos]

I have just purchased a pack of 2 ZenWifi AX XT8.
Everything was quite fast to setup. Except for my 2 squeezebox radios.
I am unable to connect these radios to wifi (ethernet has been working but of course it is not what I need).
Radios can see SSID but both WPS or password connection fail. I have tried with a wifi guest network (even w/o password) but without success.

Anyone could help me to diagnose the issue?

Without that I will have to return these beauties.

There is an entry in system log:
Nov 22 16:09:58 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(497): wl0.2: Auth 00:04:20:2A:572, status: Successful (0)
Nov 22 16:09:58 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(461): wl0.2: Deauth_ind 00:04:20:2A:572, status: 0, reason: Unspecified reason (1)

 

[JagoUK]

Have you manually set the wifi channel?
Some devices are limited on what channels they can use. (Amazon firesticks being an example)

 

[castalos]

No others have tried without success but I am going to do it and report it.

 

[thiggins]

Are there a lot of those auth/deauth entries in the log? Does the MAC address match the squeezebox's?

It could be that the router is trying to band-steer the radio and it doesn't want to move.

If you can, try disabling the 5 GHz radios on the XT8 for a bit and see if the squeezebox connections. They try enabling 2.4 GHz only.

 

[castalos]

Unfortunately no success by disabling wifi6, nor setting fixed channel (tried 1, 6, 11).
I have not yet tried to disable 5GHz. I will do it.

 

[rajdude]

Were you able to solve this issue?

I have the absolutely exact same situation! I also have 2 ZenWifi AX XT8 + 2 squeezebox radios.

My problem is slightly different. After making these changes to 2.4 GHz wireless settings, the two squeezebox radios ARE able to connect...however they lose connection after a few minutes. Rebooting them makes the wifi connection come back for a few minutes.
Changes I did:
1. Control channel > from default auto to 1 (tried 6 and 11 also)
2. Channel bandwidth to 20 Mhz
(although now I think those changes did not really make them connect, a reboot of the squeezeboxes did)

PS: Now I am playing with the channel bandwidth...maybe set it to 20/40 or just 40...lets see....

 

[rajdude]

ok so here is some interesting information in the router's logs:

Dec 11 15:33:57 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(461): eth4: Deauth_ind 00:04:20:28:B8A, status: 0, reason: Class 3 frame received from nonassociated station (7)
Dec 11 15:35:07 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(497): eth4: Auth 00:04:20:28:B8A, status: Successful (0)
Dec 11 15:35:07 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(526): eth4: Assoc 00:04:20:28:B8A, status: Successful (0)
Dec 11 15:36:23 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(478): eth4: Disassoc 00:04:20:28:B8A, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)
Dec 11 15:36:23 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(478): eth4: Disassoc 00:04:20:28:B8A, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)
Dec 11 15:36:23 roamast: [EXAP]Deauth old sta in 0 0: 00:04:20:28:B8A
Dec 11 15:36:23 roamast: eth4: disconnect weak signal strength station [00:04:20:28:b8:da]
Dec 11 15:36:23 roamast: eth4: remove client [00:04:20:28:b8:da] from monitor list

At this point the SB has lost its connection. Googling these issues...

 

[tigertayl]

I have the exact same equipment and connection problem - I can connect to my squeezebox radio from my old asus wireless router but as soon as I activate the new xt8 router it kills the signal to my squeezebox. Factory resetting the squeezebox and re engaging the wireless connection allows connection for anywhere from 10 seconds to about 3 minutes and thats it. I have temporarily sidestepped the problem by sending a signal from my isp's combo modem / router to a wireless router near the radio and then ethernet connecting the squeezebox - works perfect but not ideal as the operation of the radio is now dependant on its own network connected by ethernet from a wirless repeater from an separate network. Have also contacted Logitech - they have sent me standard instruction to connect by assigned DHCP but that does not work - they have indicated it is probably a compatibility issue. Keep me posted to progress.

 

[rajdude]

I have tested all the options posted above and then some, nothing helps. Now I have a case open with Asus. The guys on their tech support chat said since I have already done everything they would normally suggest, they are escalating this case to higher level engineers. So far, they have asked for logs and system config file.


For reference I have tried changing these settings, with no improvement

* Change the Channel Bandwidth: 20 MHz (https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1030641/)
* Change the control Channel: 1, 6 or 11
* Change the Authentication Method: WPA/WPA2-Personal .
* Change the WPA Encryption to: TKIP+AES
* Disabling beamforming, both settings
* Setting up the problematic clients in the roaming block list
* Bluetooth Coexistence to enable or pre-emptive
* Modulation scheme to MCS 7 and 9
* Disabling WiFi 6 mode << This solves the problem, but I cannot do this.
The whole point of buying a new router system was to be able to use the new Wi-Fi 6. I have two gaming PCs in my home who can benefit from Wi-Fi 6 enhancements.


As for what Paul suggested in the other thread:
Go to [Wireless] > [General] page. Turn off [Enable Smart Connect] and select the [Band] for your network devices.
Ummm, I do not want to do that since that is the whole point of this mesh router system. I do not want to deal with two SSIDs

Disable [802.11ax / WiFi 6 mode]
Tried

Disable [Wi-Fi Agile Multiband]
The default setting is already disabled

Disable [Target Wake Time]
Testing now

Disable [Protected Management Frames]
Testing now

Will report back here soon


BTW, there is a similar thread here:

Wi-Fi 6 - Squeezebox : Community : Forums

Small Package, Big Sound

forums.slimdevices.com

 

[rajdude]

These both did NOT help

Disable [Target Wake Time]

Disable [Protected Management Frames]

 

[castalos]

Hello @rajdude

I have the same configuration and issue.
On my side I don't see effect of wifi6.

Here are my experiments: https://github.com/castorfou/squeez...ange router settings and monitor effect.ipynb

Just to read the plot: I have started to monitor failures on my devices (one in kitchen, one in bathroom).
I have an average of 8 failures per hour per device.
I stopped wifi6 2 days ago, no real impact on # of failures.

I will conduct other experiments to track effect of this router settings.

 

[rajdude]

Do they re-connect to Wi-Fi automatically?
I mean like when you say it happens 6 times an hour....so after they disconnect, do you manually connect them or reboot them to make them connect?

In my setup, they won't reconnect on their own. I have to reboot them to be able to connect again....only to disconnect in approximately 5 minutes

Well, disabling Wi-Fi 6 definitely solves the problem. For what it's worth, it's only these two squeezebox radios units, who are having problem on 2.4 GHz band... I have many devices which cannot do 5 GHz, but they seem to be stable.

By the way, looking at the router's logs, it appears to me it's a Wi-Fi authentication problem...but I could be wrong.

 

[castalos]

Do they re-connect to Wi-Fi automatically?

No I have deployed some scripts on radios to auto-reconnect to wifi.
Developped by POMDev at https://forums.slimdevices.com/show...nnection-and-won-t-reconnect-any-ideas/page10

 

[castalos]

There is a real effect when no wifi is active.

I scheduled a full (on 3 bands 2.4GHz, 5GHz-1, 5GHz-2) wifi stop (with wifi scheduler) from 0-6 AM. And reducing by 25% wifi time has reduced by 25% failures.

It is even more visible when I look at hourly based failures. No failure from 0-4AM (I don't exactly why I see something before 6AM though)

Next step is to see each band (2.4, 5-1, 5-2) effect.

 

[rajdude]

There is a real effect when no wifi is active.
View attachment 28640

I scheduled a full (on 3 bands 2.4GHz, 5GHz-1, 5GHz-2) wifi stop (with wifi scheduler) from 0-6 AM. And reducing by 25% wifi time has reduced by 25% failures.
View attachment 28641
It is even more visible when I look at hourly based failures. No failure from 0-4AM (I don't exactly why I see something before 6AM though)

Next step is to see each band (2.4, 5-1, 5-2) effect.

Hmmm... I'm curious what your XT8's logs say at the times of disconnecting?


Mine's mention authentication issues.

And just to understand better about what you are suspecting....are you feeling that other routers in the vicinity affects reliability?

 

[castalos]

are you feeling that other routers in the vicinity affects reliability?

yes exactly. My radios are not connected to XT8 but to my legacy router.
When XT8 wifi is off, then radios don't suffer disconnections from this legacy router.
When XT8 wifi is on, they disconnect each 8 times an hour.

I should try to reconnect them to XT8 directly and look at logs.

 

[rajdude]

yes exactly. My radios are not connected to XT8 but to my legacy router.
When XT8 wifi is off, then radios don't suffer disconnections from this legacy router.
When XT8 wifi is on, they disconnect each 8 times an hour.

I should try to reconnect them to XT8 directly and look at logs.

Hmmm... have you ever connected them directly to the XT8's?

Scratch that, I see you did earlier,............

I wonder what is the reason for using a legacy router just for the sb radios.

 

[thiggins]

Unfortunately, situations like this require packet capture and analysis to really find out what is going on. I know that's not helpful, but you've tried most everything else.

 

[rajdude]

right. I could do packet capture........but the XT8's logs show the problem...Wi-Fi re-authentication issues. Asus should fix it...but they are dragging their feet. Asus tech support sent me a bunch of "canned tips"... basically, repositioning the mesh nodes, factory reset, and swapping the master to slave in the mesh.....Tried all of them, nothing helps.

Then I tried one more thing ...shut down (powered off) the mesh node....hoping that maybe the existence of a mesh system messes up the SB radios....nope...same behaviour!

 

[thiggins]

Disabling WiFi 6 mode << This solves the problem, but I cannot do this.

So you know how to fix it. Does the XT8 let you disable WiFi6 on 2.4 GHz? That would be a reasonable compromise.

Asus should fix it...but they are dragging their feet.

Have they said they can fix it? Compatibility issues with new WiFi standards are not uncommon for some legacy devices.