So why can't I access the main XT-8 router node via a system connected through Ethernet to the satellite AI Mesh node?

P

philb2

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
May 26, 2021
Messages
1,844
So I ended up getting this ASUS XT8 mesh router, after She Who Must (always) Be Obeyed said that "at this stage of your life, you shouoldn't be crawling around under the house." That would have been necessary to replace the cable splitters so that a MoCA network could function. The ASUS XT8 wasn't that much more money than 2 (or 3) MoCA adapters.

Issue here is described in the thread title. I can ping the mesh router at 192.168.1.1 just fine. But a browser tab with this same IP appdress never connects, not even after 20 minutes. So what gives here? It's a pain in the butt to have to schlep downstairs with a laptop just to make any tweaks to the router settings, instead of being able to make them from my desktop in the upstairs home office.
 
Have you tried a differnet browser?

Is your system also on the 192.168.1.x subnet (probably is, but just making sure). I've run into some webui stuff like this when accessing the webui of something across an ipsec tunnel, but it's only been on some wd nas devices.
 
SamirD said:
Have you tried a differnet browser?

Is your system also on the 192.168.1.x subnet (probably is, but just making sure). I've run into some webui stuff like this when accessing the webui of something across an ipsec tunnel, but it's only been on some wd nas devices.
Click to expand...
My entire home LAN is on 192.168.1 subnet.

I just tried to access the router using EDGE instead of Firefox. No difference.
 
I don't know that router and can't be fussed to look up docs on it. Are you certain that is the IP the webUI runs on? Is it also behind a specific port? Have you tried https://? What do the docs say about access the webUI?
 
I thought of an experiment that might shed some light on the issue--hook up a laptop to the router and then go back upstairs and rdp into the laptop and see if that works. If it doesn't--it's not just getting to the router that isn't working.
 
MrGuvernment said:
https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/asus-zenwifi-ax-xt8

Or
https://manuals.plus/asus/xt8-zenwifi-ax6600-tri-band-wifi-router-manual
Click to expand...
Well, just call me old-fashioned. OK, and I am old enough that my very first "PC" was an IBM 7040 with only tape drives, no "DASD" disk drives (in university). An IBM 360/50 with actual disk drives was a big upgrade.

When I needed to re-init to factory settings, I first followed the cockamanie instructions from the ASUS website, then I used the iOS app to get started again. Once I could restart the init process, I switched back to a laptop connected to the main node via Ethernet. Much bigger screen than my iPhone.
 
MrGuvernment said:
"Like so many mesh kits, setting up the ZenWiFi AX starts with getting the Android or iOS(opens in new tab) Asus Router app. Asus makes it easy by printing a QR code for getting them on the Quick Start Guide. The app provides lots of illustrations to help newbie networkers."
Click to expand...
Jesus fucking Christ, kill it with fire!
 
philb2 said:
???????
Click to expand...
All of these home systems now, the makers want you to use a mobile app to set it up, and I am not sure, but I think less are even letting you do a direct wire / browser set up, you have to use the app the first time to get it going...
Bloody stupid crap.
 
MrGuvernment said:
All of these home systems now, the makers want you to use a mobile app to set it up, and I am not sure, but I think less are even letting you do a direct wire / browser set up, you have to use the app the first time to get it going...
Bloody stupid crap.
Click to expand...
You think that's bad--enphase's most current gateway device for a multi-thousand dollar solar energy system sets up using--you guessed it--an app. And if you read the instructions of all the button pressing, wifi connection conglugery (yes, I just made that word up), and steps to just connect to the interface--it's only at the end that it gives you the option to plug in an ethernet cable, set computer to the same subnet as 169.254.0.120 and then open a browser and go to 169.254.0.120 and get to work. But guess what probably 99% of the installers out there are using...:banghead:
 
SamirD said:
You think that's bad--enphase's most current gateway device for a multi-thousand dollar solar energy system sets up using--you guessed it--an app. And if you read the instructions of all the button pressing, wifi connection conglugery (yes, I just made that word up), and steps to just connect to the interface--it's only at the end that it gives you the option to plug in an ethernet cable, set computer to the same subnet as 169.254.0.120 and then open a browser and go to 169.254.0.120 and get to work. But guess what probably 99% of the installers out there are using...:banghead:
Click to expand...
OK. Just a wild-ass guess. A lot of these designers and engineers are "digital natives," and they think that everyone is just like them. A bad assumption, but I have worked with (edit) some engineers I have worked with in my career. Also a bit of techno-arrogance in a few cases.

I know people who think computing is limited to phones and tablets, and that's how they manage their lives. Unless they are also "creatives" they just don't "need" a PC or Mac. Fortunately my kids are not like that, or I would have failed as a parent. :ROFLMAO:
 
Last edited:
SamirD said:
You think that's bad--enphase's most current gateway device for a multi-thousand dollar solar energy system sets up using--you guessed it--an app. And if you read the instructions of all the button pressing, wifi connection conglugery (yes, I just made that word up), and steps to just connect to the interface--it's only at the end that it gives you the option to plug in an ethernet cable, set computer to the same subnet as 169.254.0.120 and then open a browser and go to 169.254.0.120 and get to work. But guess what probably 99% of the installers out there are using...:banghead:
Click to expand...
So efficient...
 
Randall Stephens said:
A router that requires an app is a router nobody with any tech savvy should buy. Just one more vulnerability waiting to be exploited.
Click to expand...
I agree. I have a complex password for my router login page and a very non-standard UserID. Of course, any software-only security could be cracked eventually, with enough computing resources and time.

When I was having a problem remembering my UserID, after five attempts the router made me wait five minutes. I can only hope that more failed attempts would result in a much longer timeout.
 
philb2 said:
OK. Just a wild-ass guess. A lot of these designers and engineers are "digital natives," and they think that everyone is just like them. A bad assumption, but I have worked with (edit) some engineers I have worked with in my career. Also a bit of techno-arrogance in a few cases.

I know people who think computing is limited to phones and tablets, and that's how they manage their lives. Unless they are also "creatives" they just don't "need" a PC or Mac. Fortunately my kids are not like that, or I would have failed as a parent. :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
I think it's mainly because the installers of these systems can't even speak english and pretty much only use a phone for everything. :rolleyes: Yeah, it's always bad to assume or push tech on your userbase, especially when it's actually harder, but whaadddaaagoonnnaaaadooo???
 
Randall Stephens said:
A router that requires an app is a router nobody with any tech savvy should buy. Just one more vulnerability waiting to be exploited.
Click to expand...
Yep, pretty much sums up anything that 'needs' a phone to set up/configure/operate. Just say no to apps, lol.
 
TheSlySyl said:
The ASUS router app is actually pretty decent, but you really need the webui to get anything worthwhile done. I also haven't used an ASUS router with stock firmware in years, upgrading all of mine to MERLIN-WRT ASAP.
https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/about
looks like there is a merlin fork that works with the XT-8. I'd give that a try.
https://gnuton.github.io/asuswrt-merlin.ng/
Click to expand...
@slysyl Great info in your post. For now, I'm going to stick with the standard firmware, so I get all my network tweaks right. (mostly manual IP address assignment at this moment). Right now, my "tech to do" list is way too long. :nailbiting: If/when I do upgrade to MERLIN-WRT, will the interface be the same as the original ASUS firmware, allowing for changes in MERLIN-WRT?

For many years, I've owned Netgeat routers, but I finally decided to try a mesh system after my expensive Nighthawk router started to fail after just three years. For Netgear, WRT firmware was a forklift changeover. I really like the idea of adding to the vendor firmware, not replacing it completely.
 
Yep. Merlin-WRT uses mostly the same interface as the default firmware, but it has a lot more options. It's been so long since I used stock firmware that I don't know which options are merlin exclusive anymore, but it makes doing slightly more complicated network setup things a cinch and its also been far, far more stable for me. With Router Uptime and devices staying connected, etc.
 
TheSlySyl said:
Yep. Merlin-WRT uses mostly the same interface as the default firmware, but it has a lot more options. It's been so long since I used stock firmware that I don't know which options are merlin exclusive anymore, but it makes doing slightly more complicated network setup things a cinch and its also been far, far more stable for me. With Router Uptime and devices staying connected, etc.
Click to expand...
Ok. You just clinched the deal. (y)
 
TheSlySyl said:
The ASUS router app is actually pretty decent, but you really need the webui to get anything worthwhile done. I also haven't used an ASUS router with stock firmware in years, upgrading all of mine to MERLIN-WRT ASAP.
https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/about
looks like there is a merlin fork that works with the XT-8. I'd give that a try.
https://gnuton.github.io/asuswrt-merlin.ng/
Click to expand...
One final, maybe-noob question. Is there just one ASUS-MERLIN build for all supported models?
 
From the tiny bit of research I did, it looks like the XT-8 are on their own fork. Which was the second link in that post. I've never personally used that fork as my Asus routers are supported under the main Merlin build, and that has 20+ different downloads for different router variants.

Upgrading to Merlin is as simple as using the default Router UI, hitting "upgrade firmware" and then selecting the Merlin firmware (usually .trx) that you downloaded off the site as your selection.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top