Connection issues with RT-AX86U

[srudin]

I am using 2 AX86U routers as AiMesh (connected by Ethernet-Backhaul cable) and I have around 30 clients (notebooks, mobiles, smart home devices).

I have disabled Smart Connect and set 2 different SSIDs. I use 20MHz/CH11 for 2.4GHz and 80MHz/CH161 for 5GHz. There are no other Wifi networks within 250m of our house and internet connection is fast and stable. I also disabled Agile Multiband, Roaming Assistant, Beanforming. Palette Snooping and most other fancy features that are reported to cause problems sometimes. (Of course this was only done to eliminate possible causes of the problem, I don't intend to keep the settings like this.)

Then I connected my notebook (Windows 11, Wifi 6) to either 2.4 or 5GHz. Everything works fine and I can see my notebook is connected to AiMesh #1. After some random time (let's say something between 1min and 5h) the connection drops for a few seconds, then reconnects. I can now see my notebook connected to AiMesh #2. The switching goes on like that forth and back even my notebook does not move an inch.

Here are some log entries from the system log that I believe are related. My log is FULL of stuff like this for all my devices:

Nov 3 17:46:02 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(530): eth7: Auth XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:0
Nov 3 17:46:02 kernel: br0: received packet on eth7 with own address as source address
Nov 3 17:46:02 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(540): eth7: ReAssoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:-88
Nov 3 17:48:04 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth7: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Nov 3 17:48:04 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth7: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Nov 3 17:51:41 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(530): eth7: Auth XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:0
Nov 3 17:51:41 kernel: br0: received packet on eth7 with own address as source address
Nov 3 17:51:41 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(540): eth7: ReAssoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:-83
Nov 3 17:51:56 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth7: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Nov 3 17:51:56 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth7: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0

(Note: All log entries have the same real mac.)

Question 1: Is it normal that switching from one mesh node to the other causes an interruption? This is causing issues whenever a constant connection is required, say when having a meeting call or using a remote desktop connection. I would assume that the interruption is a few milliseconds only and not a few seconds.

Question 2: Why is the switching happening at all? I don't move my notebook so no need to switch I think? This also happens with most other devices even they are plugged into an outlet and never move. Can I configure this somehow similar to the smart connection rules? I know I can lock a device to a specific mesh node but I do move my notebook sometimes and then I want it to switch so a permanent binding is not really the solution I'm looking for; I rather like to reduce sensitivity of the switching trigger.

AiMesh is not really helpful that way. Does it work better when I use one router as a repeater instead of an AiMesh node? Any other suggestions?

[jzchen]

RSSI -80s is a weak signal. *By default I believe AiMesh is set to handoff at -70. *I would try to move the two closer to each other or maybe add a node in the middle…

[srudin]

Ok, I understand. However, this was just one sample device and this one was located a bit far away. Here's another one that is located right behind the wall of the router:

Nov 5 15:58:49 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(530): eth6: Auth XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:0
Nov 5 15:58:49 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(559): eth6: Assoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:-46
Nov 5 15:58:49 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth6: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Nov 5 15:58:49 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth6: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Nov 5 15:58:54 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(530): eth6: Auth XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:0
Nov 5 15:58:54 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(559): eth6: Assoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: Successful (0), rssi:-45
Nov 5 15:59:45 kernel: wl0: random key value: EDBA80A86123D9F600E20035C941E0C5F8AF09791D0509DB81CE87B6AC85BC73
Nov 5 15:59:45 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth6: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Nov 5 15:59:45 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(511): eth6: Disassoc XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0

(Note: All log entries have the same real mac.)

As you can see the RSSI is way better here and still the Disassoc happens.

And anyway I'd still like to know how long the interruption is supposed to be when a node switch happens.

[jzchen]

There should be no interruption, (it should be transparent like driving with your cell phone on a call), when transferring between nodes, as I understand. My router and nodes are not very far apart, and sometimes the system is reluctant to do a transfer, worse than -70 but still doesn’t transfer….

[srudin]

Exactly what I expected. So what could be the problem with my installation?

[jzchen]

Try turning on Roaming Assistant. It’s supposed to define when a signal strength drops below a threshold (default -70 dBm) to handoff to another node.

[srudin]

That's not helping. I already have constant switches between bands as well as nodes. I don't need more disconnects, I need less.

[jzchen]

There’s a new firmware update that is available. Hopefully it helps you. (Took 4 minutes on our 1 gig asymmetric service using the ASUS Router app). I hope it helps. My setup is different than yours but I do have one RT-AX86U. So far I am happy with SmartConnect and leaving almost everything else at default. I did add a USB HDD and tethered the other port to my REVVL V+ 5G as dual WAN failover mode so I changed settings to add those…

[jzchen]

Did you try the latest firmware, version 3.0.0.4.388.22068? Hopefully it helps!

[srudin]

I did. It doesn't.