Kevin_Z wrote

 

@MikeOxlong This is correct. You only need the main Wi-Fi AP support EasyMesh in AP Mode and work as the controller. Others are required to support EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul in your topo.

 

MikeOxlong wrote

 

The setup where the clients are not wired into the controller, but rather all 4 are wired into a common switch, in the same network, should not be an issue then?

 

This is also correct. All of the four can be wired into the switch.

  @Kevin_Z 

Thank you very much for the confirmation. This has helped my thinking.

  @Kevin_Z 

I realised I have more questions, sorry about that - 

1. Is there any plan to support 802.11r on EasyMesh in the future?
2. Can one control which wifi-channels the EasyMesh satellites use, or is that all automatic?
3. If it is all automatic, is it going to be different, ideally non-overlapping channels, or ....?

  @Kevin_Z Thank you for the information!

  @Kevin_Z 

Hello

Thank you for getting community feedback on this feature, this open-ness to input is very much appreciated!

I would like to report the same issue with EasyMesh implementation wrt hidden SSIDs as was reported by @CollateralDmg in his posts #118, #119, #121.

In that, when wired up via ethernet backhaul, my satellite router TP-Link AX53 doesn't replicate the main router hide ssid settings, which is also an identical (down to the h/w revision) AX53. 

In my case, the devices would connect to the satellite router's broadcasted SSID first even when in perfect proximity to the main router, and consequently get much lower link speeds and signal strength. This gives very poor internet speeds, completely defeating the purpose of a easy-"mesh"

It would be really helpful if tplink could fix up the easymesh implementation, so that the satellite routers honour the main router's SSID broadcast settings, be it hidden or shown, the current way is far from ideal and doesn't help the roaming devices at all.

I regrettably had to switch back to the older way of having the main and satellite routers connected to the ISP router, and each with it's own hidden SSID, this way I'd atleast get full link speeds when in close proximity to each, even if the roaming ends up suffering in the end.

Also, having the satellites broadcast a hidden ssid defeats the purpose from a privacy standpoint.

I really wish this could get taken up at the appropriate level, as a fix would be huge in getting my easymesh implementation finally underway.

Best Regards

  @Kevin_Z 

Thank you for replying !

The network map is quite simple actually, it consists of the Main Router (TP-Link AX53), and a Satellite Router (also a TP-Link AX53) connected to the Main Router via ethernet cable, configured in Wired Backhaul EasyMesh configuration. They are at a distance of about 8 feet from each other measured along the ethernet cable joining them both.

The problem is, the Satellite Router does not seem to honor the Main Router's SSID hidden setting when in an easymesh configuration, aka even with its Main Router's SSID hidden, the Satellite router's SSID (which is the same as that of the main router because easymesh) always broadcasts.

Hence even when the device is sitting right next (0 m away) to the Main Router (with non-broadcasted Hidden SSID) and also in range of the weaker signal from the Satellite Router(with broadcasted Visible SSID) , devices wanting in on the network ignore the Main Router and link to the weaker Satelite Router. 

As mentioned in my previous post, my issue is the exact same as that reported by @CollateralDmg in his posts #118, #119, #121.

> Are there specific devices that prefer to connect to the satellite SSID, or do most behave the same? 

No, every device in range of weaker satellite broadcasted SSID connects to it only, and that is my main issue with this in that I get worse (link and internet) speeds off the easymesh config.

If this could be fixed it would be monumental for me, as I could finally have seamless roaming as promised by EasyMesh, coupled with the privacy afforded by the hidden SSID were this feature to be working correctly. 

Thank you again, for taking notice of my post, hope this helps solve the issue!

  @Kevin_Z 

Thank you for getting back.

> I want to confirm again if those devices have ever connected to the hidden SSID of the main AX53 before

Yes, the devices are very much familiar with the hidden SSID of the main AX53 router. Since, before EasyMesh-ing them, I had both routers connected to the ISP, broadcasting an SSID with the same name so that I could extend coverage to the furthest corners of my house. So the devices already had the information regarding the hidden SSID from main router fed into them (when both the routers had hidden SSIDs with the same name configured).

Of course, after EasyMesh support dropped, I put the router further away in satellite mode, to make the roaming more seamless (wired backhaul to the main router via ethernet, satellite no longer connected to the ISP). Which would also replicate the wifi SSID settings between the two routers as per the premise of EasyMesh(name password etc).

This however, backfired as illustrated in my post # 136 -  ("Hence even when the device is sitting right next (0 m away) to the Main Router (with non-broadcasted Hidden SSID) and also in range of the weaker signal from the Satellite Router(with broadcasted Visible SSID) , devices wanting in on the network ignore the Main Router and link to the weaker Satelite Router."), the same as what CollateralDmg had also mentioned in his posts.

> If the SSID on the main AX53 is broadcasted, will roaming work properly when walking around?

Yes, however, you'd realise this makes the Hidden SSID option on the main router worthless, as the satellite router's SSID is broadcast regardless of the main router's settings.

This makes it a privacy concern for me since I don't want the SSIDs to be broadcast at all, hence prompting my fall back to the arrangement before EasyMesh, as mentioned in the 1st paragraph of this reply and also in my post #134 - (I regrettably had to switch back to the older way of having the main and satellite routers connected to the ISP, and each with it's own hidden SSID, this way I'd atleast get full link speeds when in close proximity to each, even if the roaming ends up suffering in the end.)

Basically, the advertised "EasyMesh" feature of "guides devices to roam to the best connection " does not work in TP-Link AX53, with the Hidden SSID option enabled, as the devices prioritise the weaker connection from the non-hidden SSID of the satellite whenever in range, completely ignoring the much better connection afforded by the Main Router (Hidden SSID) closer by.

Best Regards