How to Troubleshoot the Mesh Networking Failure for Two Mesh APs?

Key Words:
mesh failure of the child node, invalid role setting, long time lag for searching
1.  Issue Description
The mesh networking of two Mesh Access Points (APs) fails. The MESH indicator (④) of the AP is not steady on.

2. Topology

3.  Device Model and Version
1. The roles of the master and child nodes are incorrect.

Device  Type	Device  Model	Device  Version
MAP	RG-MA2610-AC	MA_1.0(1)B3P1, Release(09161616)
MAP	RG-MA2610-AC	MA_1.0(1)B3P1,  Release(09161616)

2.  A longtime lag exists for the master node and the child node to search for each other.
3. The two APs are far away from each other. Therefore, they cannot search for the signals of each other in mesh networking.
Note:
1. Master and child nodes: the roles used to manage the devices in the mesh network.
2. Selection of the master and child nodes: The AP with an uplink port connected to the external network is automatically recognized as the master node, and the AP without an uplink port connected to the external network is automatically recognized as the child node.
3. Function of the master and child nodes: The master node is used to synchronize the service set identifier (SSID) information to the child node to ensure SSID information consistency.
4. Solutions:
Cause 1: The roles of the master and child nodes are incorrect.
View the roles of the APs on EWeb. Ensure that one device is the master node, and the other is the child node. If the role of the AP is incorrect, restore the AP to the factory settings and login to EWeb to reset the role for the AP.

Alternatively, after you restore the settings of the two APs, press and hold the WPS buttons on the back of the APs at the same time for more than 2 seconds (⑧). The AP with the wired uplink port connected to the external network is automatically recognized as the master node, and the AP without an uplink port connected to the external network is automatically recognized as the child node. The MESH indicators on the front of the two APs blink and then remain steady on. In this case, the mesh network is established.

C

Cause 2: Long time lag for the master node and the child node to search for each other
After you set the correct roles for the APs on EWeb, click Start networking for an AP on EWeb within 2 minutes or press and hold the WPS button on the AP for more than 2 seconds. Wait until the MESH indicator stops blinking. This indicates that the mesh network is established.
Cause 3: The two APs are far away from each other. Therefore, they cannot search for the signals of each other in mesh networking.
Put the two APs as close as possible and ensure that the AP s can detect the signals of each other. The recommended signal strength is higher than –70 dBm. You can move the devices after the mesh network is established.
If the preceding solutions cannot resolve the issue, you can collect the device information, such as the version and configurations of the device, and contact the after-sales technicians by visiting www.ruijienetworks.com/rita.