ZenWifi XT8 mesh disconnecting nodes

[LoPro]

I bought a set of two ZenWifi XT8s and bought a further XT8 later. I use the dedicated wireless backhaul, have turned off beam forming and Smart Connect. However I have trouble with the nodes about 1-2 times a day losing all wireless connections and losing connection for a while with the XT8 working as the router, before coming back. The 5ghz backhaul connection is always strong before and after this happens. Strangely, this happens especially between the two XT8s sold as a pair. All on latest firmware as of March 2021. I also factory reset the system after updating.

But I don’t understand the syslogs. Can anyone help me with what happens here between my nodes?

EDIT: And why cant I actually turn off DFS-channels on the wireless backhaul? The check mark always returns after saving.

 

[RogerSC]

I was also on the latest firmware, 42095, but found it to be unstable for me. The previous firmware, 41793, was also unstable for me. Have reverted to 26044 from January, which is perfectly stable here. Working great now. Reverting to 26044 firmware may help with the node disconnects, don't know for sure since I only have two nodes here.

I don't have the problem with 160MHz. channel width coming back. Have you picked channels for the 5GHz-1 and 5GHz-2 radios instead of going with "Auto"? I've picked channels 44 and 157 respectively, with the 160MHz. channel checkbox unchecked, and the checkbox stays unchecked. Went to 80MHz. max channel width for the 5GHz.-2 (dedicated backhaul) radio when the DFS channels didn't work well for me for backhaul.

Again, everything working fine here at the moment...I'd like to have AiMesh 2.0, but have to wait for a stable firmware release that supports it. Haven't seen that yet.

 

[LoPro]

I was also on the latest firmware, 42095, but found it to be unstable for me. The previous firmware, 41793, was also unstable for me. Have reverted to 26044 from January, which is perfectly stable here. Working great now. Reverting to 26044 firmware may help with the node disconnects, don't know for sure since I only have two nodes here.

I don't have the problem with 160MHz. channel width coming back. Have you picked channels for the 5GHz-1 and 5GHz-2 radios instead of going with "Auto"? I've picked channels 44 and 157 respectively, with the 160MHz. channel checkbox unchecked, and the checkbox stays unchecked. Went to 80MHz. max channel width for the 5GHz.-2 (dedicated backhaul) radio when the DFS channels didn't work well for me for backhaul.

Again, everything working fine here at the moment...I'd like to have AiMesh 2.0, but have to wait for a stable firmware release that supports it. Haven't seen that yet.

Thank you so much for your reply and thoughts.

I reverted to 26044 to from 41793, but the latest 42095 promised stability improvements and didn’t seem that bad initially. And that’s what I am on currently.

I didn’t quite equate 160Mhz with DFS, that isn’t obvious in the UI, will try with 80Mhz backhaul as well. I’ve also chosen channel 112 which seems good, but it’s still not possible to keep the channel on automatic while also unchecking to use DFS channels. The UI seems to revert to automatic channel too although I see my set channel is in use. My max manual channel is 140 in the UI (for Europe) but that’s maybe a regional thing?

So tired of waking up to only the router node accepting connections until I “Optimize” or restart the system.

 

[RogerSC]

Yes, the available channels are definitely regional. I'm really not on top of which channels are available in Europe, so I apologize if I mislead you on that one. In the US, we can't get 160MHz. channel width without using DFS channels. Sounds like you're in the same boat, but your channel width selection seems to act differently than mine in the US.

Hope that you do get your problems sorted out, the ZenWiFi works really well for me. Best wireless I've had without wired backhaul. At least if I'm using the right firmware *smile*.

 

[LoPro]

Yes, the available channels are definitely regional. I'm really not on top of which channels are available in Europe, so I apologize if I mislead you on that one. In the US, we can't get 160MHz. channel width without using DFS channels. Sounds like you're in the same boat, but your channel width selection seems to act differently than mine in the US.

Hope that you do get your problems sorted out, the ZenWiFi works really well for me. Best wireless I've had without wired backhaul. At least if I'm using the right firmware *smile*.

No, your experience is very helpful regardless. Exactly which channel works best is very down to local circumstances anyway.

The backhaul has stayed stable for a little while now on 80Mhz and a set channel. It’s good to hear of positive experiences too because there are a lot of negative ones expressed online which made me be about to give up on it altogether.

Any further tips and experiences regarding the wireless backhaul between nodes from anyone very much appreciated.

 

[Tucu]

The DFS situation in the EU is worse than in the US.
There is only one non-DFS 80Mhz channel (covering 36-48). The 52-64 80Mhz channel needs DFS with a 1 minute CAC time. A combined 160Mhz channel would require a 1 minute CAC

It gets even worse on the higher channels. The 100-112 80Mhz channel only has a 1 minute CAC, but the 116-128 channel occupies sections of the spectrum that requires 10 minutes CAC waits. Above that you can't get 80Mhz without hitting spectrum that is limited to 25mW SRDs (short-range device).

 

[LoPro]

The DFS situation in the EU is worse than in the US.
There is only one non-DFS 80Mhz channel (covering 36-48). The 52-64 80Mhz channel needs DFS with a 1 minute CAC time. A combined 160Mhz channel would require a 1 minute CAC

It gets even worse on the higher channels. The 100-112 80Mhz channel only has a 1 minute CAC, but the 116-128 channel occupies sections of the spectrum that requires 10 minutes CAC waits. Above that you can't get 80Mhz without hitting spectrum that is limited to 25mW SRDs (short-range device).

That’s very interesting. It doesn’t help that I live close to a regional airport, but I seem to have calmed down and stabilized the wireless backhaul on channel 112 with 80Mhz (so far today...)

If I understand the UI correctly the lower channels 36-48 aren’t available on the wireless backhaul (only on the front facing 5Ghz)?

 

[Tucu]

Channel 52-64 works for me over here. No forced channel switch due to DFS so far. I have my router and one access point set to 36-48 and one AP set to 52-64.

Back to the XT8s (and AIMesh), don't the 36-48 channel becomes available for backhaul if you set the client radio to one of the upper channels?

 

[LoPro]

Channel 52-64 works for me over here. No forced channel switch due to DFS so far. I have my router and one access point set to 36-48 and one AP set to 52-64.

Back to the XT8s (and AIMesh), don't the 36-48 channel becomes available for backhaul if you set the client radio to one of the upper channels?

From my dabbling with it I have yet to see that I can choose lower channels than 100 on the backhaul. But haven’t had a reason to change the front haul so that may be it. But as a mesh I can’t see how I can have the backhaul operating on different channels per node. And don’t see the need.

The wireless backhaul has suddenly been rock solid between all three XT8s for the last two days since moving from 160Mhz to 80Mhz bandwidth on set channel 112, so I am afraid to touch anything. I don’t see a performance hit either (unscientifically).