GT-AXE11000 6e on Router, no 6e on Aimesh Node

[TrickMasterPC]

Calling all AXE11000 and AXE16000 owners.

Has anyone managed to solve the 6e Aimesh issue where 6e connectivity is only available on the router, but not over the Aimesh node?

I've had two GT-AXE11000 in an aimesh configuration for almost 2 years. I'm using a dedicated 2.5gbps ethernet backhaul, and I've tried every firmware version up to the Aug 2022 release (most current). I just can't get 6e to work over the aimesh access point node. ASUS tech support said it should work, but they can't figure out why it doesn't. I've tried swapping the two units and that makes no difference. I recently received a replacement unit in the node position and still no difference.

It has to be a firmware problem... normally when you setup a node it will by default try to dedicate the 6GHz band as the wireless backhaul, in which case 6e would not be available on the node. However, when using dedicated ethernet the 6e connection should be there, but it just isn't... so I suspect they have a firmware bug for sure.

There are so many posts about this issue going back to the initial product release and still no one has a solution and ASUS has no answers.... in fact I believe this could be grounds for a class action lawsuit under the Federal Consumer Protection Act for deceptive trade practices, false and misleading advertising. Since ASUS advertises 6e Aimesh and goes on about the speed and benefits when in reality 6e doesn't work on any node in the topology. So many customers are buying multiple 6e devices to create their aimesh networks and will never realize what is promised to them via the advertised features and specifications.

ASUS please address the issue... I'll likely file suit myself if a solution isn't released within the next 6 months. A $1,200 investment that doesn't live up to expectations set forth isn't something I'm willing to forgo.

[TrickMasterPC]

I found a solution for this and have notified ASUS via my current case that they have a firmware bug.

The Asuswrt-Merlin GT-AXE11000 v386.7_2 (July 2022) firmware WORKS! 6e connectivity on the node is possible with this firmware. Also, this firmware is way more stable, and it switches devices from node to node way faster, more efficiently.



After thorough testing I switched over to Smart Connect with custom rules and it's all working very well. These rules are designed for an environment with lots of Wifi devices, most of which are static IoT devices with some tablets, phones and laptops. I have tested AC/AX device roaming and it works very well. IoT devices never drop, never trigger steering condition.. If you walk around your house with your phone, including outside etc then you'll want to leverage Smart Connect. If all of your devices are static and they don't move around, then use separate bands/SSIDs.

• 2.4GHz connected devices with strong signal, and transfer rates above what typical IoT devices support (>110Mbps) will kick to 6GHz if supported, otherwise 5GHz if supported (most IoT devices won't trigger the rule unless they support high PHY rates)..
  
• 5GHz connected devices with strong signal that support AC wireless will kick to 6GHz if supported, otherwise they will stay on 5GHz
  
• 6GHz connected AC devices with weak signal will kick to 5GHz first or 2.4GHz
  
• Any device with a weak signal on 5 or 6 bands will fall back to 2.4GHz
  
• Since I move around a lot with my phone I decreased the window time from 60 to 30 seconds and the connection switching counts to 3. For example, if I move from my office 6E to the kitchen, it will kick to 5GHz, then to bedroom, it will roam to aimesh node and kick back-up to 6E (3 switches, 1 roam in under one minute).
  

So far these settings have performed very well; however, if you find slightly more optimized rules please share.

[jzchen]

Optimization rules depend on the spacing of the router and nodes, especially since we, (both you and I,) have wired backhaul. I'm still on ASUSwrt (non-Merlin) and left the defaults as is. Sometimes in all honesty an IoT may connect to a further node than the nearest. I probably should adjust the RSSI at which it will switch but I'm too afraid to, left it at -70.

Glad you got it sorted out at least. Sorry you had to switch to Merlin firmware to do so...

[TrickMasterPC]

jzchen wrote:
Sometimes in all honesty an IoT may connect to a further node than the nearest.

Bind the devices you don't want to roam, or setup roaming Mac rules. Binding works well enough for me, plus has the added benefit of allowing roaming if your mesh node goes offline... sometimes my kids unplug it LOL.

[jzchen]

TrickMasterPC wrote:
Bind the devices you don't want to roam, or setup roaming Mac rules. Binding works well enough for me, plus has the added benefit of allowing roaming if your mesh node goes offline... sometimes my kids unplug it LOL.

Thank you for that advice. I did try binding before. MAYBE it was an older firmware issue but sometimes an IoT would completely lose connection, because it would not roam.

This one in particular is a Deltran WiFi vehicle battery charger. It is under the hood of a vehicle in the front driveway and the vehicle is covered. So I have to open the cover and pop the hood to tinker with it to get it reconnected, (not fun). Never dared try binding... (It wasn't the only sensitive/moody IoT in the household)....

[jzchen]

Saltgrass wrote:
The instructions from ASUS show going from and Ethernet port on the Primary router to the WAN port on the AiMesh node. If you use the WAN/LAN port on the Node, are you certain it will know it is supposed to behave as a WAN port when normal Ethernet is plugged in?

I had an issue trying to get 2.5 G backhaul to work. Eventually I realized I was accidentally plugging into the AXE11000 WAN (1 G blue color) port. I then proceeded to connect the cable to the 2.5 G port and it went back to indicating 2.5 G. BUT I did not have anything plugged into the other Ethernet ports except maybe a printer.

I do have Ethernet Backhaul Mode OFF, so it is technically able to switch on it's own to the next best thing...

[jzchen]

When the WAN port was used, the system connected normally and a 6 GHz system connected to the node. When I switched to the 2.5 Gbps port the AiMesh disconnected from the node. This may be partially because I had some setting in the AXE11000 not set correctly.

This proves your original suspicion, that the 2.5 G port does not work automatically as a WAN port. What if you change the connection to 2.5 G (AXE11000) to available Multi-gig on the AXE16000? Does 6E still work?

EDIT- You would probably need to remove/delete the node, connect via 2.5 G to Multi-gig port or preferably 2.5 G port, then use AiMesh to search for the AXE11000 as a new node.

[TrickMasterPC]

Here are my settings. In order to set-up your backhaul using the 2.5gbps ports you need to factory reset your aimesh node then connect the router to the node using the 2.5gbps ports on both devices (do not use the WAN port). Then "Add new mesh node" and it will pick it up and add it perfectly. Of course ASUS has no documentation for this configuration, so I just used common sense.. You need a 2.5gbps unmanaged switch or a straight run. I bought a decent 2.5gbps switch on Amazon. Everything is set-up correctly, there's just no 6e on the node. If I swap the node and router and config 6e works, so the devices are both working properly. I'm pretty sure it' a firmware problem, BUT if anyone is able to get 6e to work on their aimesh node please share how you managed to do this.