AiMesh 2.0 nodes dropping 2.4GHz SSID

[mustangtom]

I have AiMesh 2.0 with firmware 3.0.0.4_386_45934 on a pair of ZenWiFi AC (model CT8) router and node. I have the 2.4GHz and 5GHz-1 both broadcasting the same SSID, and the 5GHz-2 band is used for the backhaul. My node is routinely not broadcasting my 2.4GHz SSID, neither for my primary or guest SSIDs. I see the router broadcasting my SSIDs on channels 11 (2.4GHz) and 40 (5GHz), but the node is only broadcasting the channel 40 GHz signal. I have rebooted the node multiple times and it does not help. Rebooting both the router and the node will sometimes fix the issue for a while.

This is causing my 2.4GHz devices to only be able to connect to the router, making their signal very weak. They should connect to the closer node, but since it is not broadcasting the 2.4GHz channel, they do not see it. All radios are enabled on the router and node.

Is anyone else seeing this issue? This bug needs to be fixed.

[jzchen]

Thank you for the explanation. I noticed if I bind a device then the node drops off, then the IoT is no longer connected to anything at all. I no longer have any bindings for fear I won't be able to get them to connect again.

I did have a question/puzzle that I was curious if anyone knows the answer: Most wireless backhaul is 5 GHz or even 6 GHz. BUT as I am now aware the 2.4 GHz signal range is longer than those. To my understanding in order of increasing signal range 6 GHz < 5 GHz < 2.4 GHz. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)? Anyways would that not mean you would have to place nodes close enough to the router that the 2.4 GHz spread is now within interference range of each other, vs enhancing the range? Is this what is causing the trouble?

In my case I see zero 2.4 GHz IoT devices connected to my Lyra Voice, but it is the closest node to two of them: one FEIT smart light dimmer, the other a Deltran WiFi automotive battery charger. I'm not even sure it is transmitting a 2.4 GHz signal as is your concern. Is there a way to tell using NetSpot with Smart connect enabled? I barely used it once and was worried it did something to my network because we had to hard reset the Lyra Voice....

[ahfoo]

jzchen wrote:
Thank you for the explanation. I noticed if I bind a device then the node drops off, then the IoT is no longer connected to anything at all. I no longer have any bindings for fear I won't be able to get them to connect again.

I did have a question/puzzle that I was curious if anyone knows the answer: Most wireless backhaul is 5 GHz or even 6 GHz. BUT as I am now aware the 2.4 GHz signal range is longer than those. To my understanding in order of increasing signal range 6 GHz < 5 GHz < 2.4 GHz. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)? Anyways would that not mean you would have to place nodes close enough to the router that the 2.4 GHz spread is now within interference range of each other, vs enhancing the range? Is this what is causing the trouble?

In my case I see zero 2.4 GHz IoT devices connected to my Lyra Voice, but it is the closest node to two of them: one FEIT smart light dimmer, the other a Deltran WiFi automotive battery charger. I'm not even sure it is transmitting a 2.4 GHz signal as is your concern. Is there a way to tell using NetSpot with Smart connect enabled? I barely used it once and was worried it did something to my network because we had to hard reset the Lyra Voice....

It may appear to me the nearest node may not connected to main router with some signal problems, hence IoT within your house chosen the best comfortable route to connect to other node. But that may not prove the node causing any issue. In my scenario, my mobile, laptop and other IoT in my dinning hall will connect to my RT5300. But my Sansung TV always refused to use it and chosen the route to my main router regardless whatever effort. Till now I am still puzzles what going on. Haha, I comfort myself, if you cannot beat it, let it be.

[jzchen]

ahfoo wrote:
It may appear to me the nearest node may not connected to main router with some signal problems, hence IoT within your house chosen the best comfortable route to connect to other node. But that may not prove the node causing any issue. In my scenario, my mobile, laptop and other IoT in my dinning hall will connect to my RT5300. But my Sansung TV always refused to use it and chosen the route to my main router regardless whatever effort. Till now I am still puzzles what going on. Haha, I comfort myself, if you cannot beat it, let it be.

I am lucky my backhaul is all Ethernet. So I know something is up with Firmware, settings, hardware, or all. It makes absolutely no logical sense to connect anywhere else than the Lyra node. I even moved the Lyra node within 2 ft of the FEIT switch AND in between the path of the FEIT switch and AXE11000 router, I hit optimize in the ASUS ap and it still connect to the AXE11000 on the far side through a thick double wall of the house! I suspect no 2.4 GHz radio from the Lyra, but I don't know why. As long as I can access the two IoTs I am happy so I just let it go just like you....

[mustangtom]

jzchen wrote:
I did have a question/puzzle that I was curious if anyone knows the answer: Most wireless backhaul is 5 GHz or even 6 GHz. BUT as I am now aware the 2.4 GHz signal range is longer than those. To my understanding in order of increasing signal range 6 GHz < 5 GHz < 2.4 GHz. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)? Anyways would that not mean you would have to place nodes close enough to the router that the 2.4 GHz spread is now within interference range of each other, vs enhancing the range? Is this what is causing the trouble?

In my case I see zero 2.4 GHz IoT devices connected to my Lyra Voice, but it is the closest node to two of them: one FEIT smart light dimmer, the other a Deltran WiFi automotive battery charger. I'm not even sure it is transmitting a 2.4 GHz signal as is your concern. Is there a way to tell using NetSpot with Smart connect enabled? I barely used it once and was worried it did something to my network because we had to hard reset the Lyra Voice....

As you stated, 2.4GHz has a further range than 5GHz (and 6GHz), but has a much lower data transfer rate, which is why the backhaul (third radio) prefers to use the 5GHz-2 or 6GHz radio of the tri-band AiMesh router.

I would use NetSpot to look for the SSIDs from your Lyra Voice. Perhaps its 2.4GHz radio is off, similar to what I have encountered on my CT8 nodes. NetSpot is available for Windows, Android and IOS, so put it on a portable device and move close to your Lyra Voice and look for the MAC address of the 2.4GHz radio from it. The MAC address should be written on the label of the Lyra Voice, and its multiple radios should only change the last octet of the MAC address. Having SmartConnect enabled only simplifies the configuration on the router by setting the SSID the same for both the 2.4 GHz and 5GHz-1 radios, and automatically selecting the best radio channel to use. The backhaul SSID typically will some random name, or your primary SSID with the "_dwb" extension for dedicated wireless backhaul. Using NetSpot will not change anything on your network, it will only monitor what SSIDs it sees.

[jzchen]

Thank you for explaining how WiFi works. My main experience has been running RJ45 Ethernet so I am not as familiar with all of this. I have tried walking around the house watching NetSpot. Yes, the Lyra Voice has no 2.4 GHz radio/signal, all three others do show a 2.4 GHz signal...