Problem when reconnecting a XT12 node after removing it

[TOlvl]

I have 4 ZenWiFi Pro XT12. I was originally using 3 of them. The WiFi signal was strong and stable. The bandwidth was as expected. All my devices remained connected to their closest node.

I then faced a first problem: my wireless devices were frequently (every 5 minutes) disconnected from their closest node, associated to the router and then re-associated to their closest node a few seconds later. That behaviour was leading to frequent connection drops that caused me to freeze repeatedly during conference calls. I eventually figured out that the problem was somehow caused by the use of private MAC addresses for some devices, typically Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, MacBook). Disabling that option for all devices solved the problem.

Unfortunately, the exact same behaviour re-appeared a few weeks later. I started looking for a device that was wrongly configured but I could not find any. I then decided to disconnect all my devices from the WiFi network one by one until my laptop was the only device left: the problem was still unresolved! So I decided to re-install the entire network from scratch (new SSID, wireless backhaul, SmartConnect disabled, all other options left to default).

I am now at the stage where everything works smoothly with the router and one additional node. However, as soon as I try to add a 2nd node, things start going wrong. First of all, the 2nd node cannot be found by the installation procedure in the Asus router mobile app. After a couple of minutes, the node is anyway added "automatically" to my topology, as if the router would somehow "remember" it. If I keep the new node in the topology, then my devices start again being disconnected frequently from their closest node. Turning off the new node is not enough to get back to a stable situation: even with the new node turned off, the devices keep on being disconnected from their closest node. The only solution at that point is to completely remove the new node from the topology. Only then is the WiFi connection stable again.

I tried different actions to solve the problem. None of them worked.

- I tried using 2 different ZenWiFi Pro XT12 (since I have 4 of them).
- I tried using 2 different AC adapters.
- I tried different topologies: connecting the 2nd node to the master node directly or through the 1st node.
- I tried downgrading the firmware and ended up re-upgrading it to the latest version.
- I tried resetting the nodes.
- I tried hard resetting the nodes (with the WPS button).
- I tried power cycling the nodes.

Can you please help me solve this problem? Thank you!

[jzchen]

If I had to guess it is a 3.0.0.6_xxxxx issue.  I'm guessing they worked fine when on 3.0.0.4_xxxxx .

[Aureliannn_ASUS]

Hi @TOlvl ,

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the issue with your ASUS ZenWiFi Pro XT12 Mesh system. 

We understand that after adding a second node, you are experiencing frequent disconnections and are unable to add a new node. 

We would like to suggest the following:

1. Regarding your mention of private MAC addresses causing frequent disconnections on some devices, we recommend disabling the random MAC address setting on these devices and manually setting a fixed MAC address to see if it improves connection stability.
2. The distance between the node and the main router, or interference (such as walls, furniture, or other devices), may affect the stability of the Mesh system and lead to connection issues. Please ensure the distance between the devices is appropriate and minimize physical obstacles.
3. You may also try manually setting the channels for 2.4GHz and 5GHz to the least interfered channels to improve system stability.

If the issue persists, please follow the steps below to report the problem via the Web management interface:

1. Connect your device (PC, NB, etc.) to the router and open the Web management interface (http://router.asus.com/) to log in.
2. Go to "System Administration" and select "Problem Report."
3. Fill in your region, email address (required), ASUS service/case number, problem type, and problem description.
4. Read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.
5. Click "Submit" to send the form.

Additionally, please message us with the following details so we can assist you more accurately:

• Product serial number
• Time of problem report submission
• The email used for the report
• Time when the issue occurred
• Device MAC address
• Network architecture diagram

If the network is down, the system will provide an offline data download link. Please download the data, compress it into a zip file, and upload it to any cloud storage platform, providing the link for us to analyze.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

[joeroot40]

I’m also encountering this issue right now with my ZenWiFi Pro XT12 setup! Initially, everything was running smoothly with just two nodes, but as soon as I try to add a third or fourth node, the network becomes unstable. Like you, I’ve experienced frequent disconnections and devices bouncing between nodes, even with a strong WiFi signal. I’ve also gone through similar troubleshooting steps: resetting nodes, downgrading/upgrading firmware, and trying different configurations—all to no avail. I’m especially puzzled by how removing the additional node is the only way to restore stability, even if that node is powered off. I’d really appreciate any insights or solutions from others in the community who’ve managed to resolve this!

[Aureliannn_ASUS]

Hi @joeroot40 ,

We are sorry to hear that you are also experiencing network instability after adding multiple nodes. 

Could you please confirm if both your nodes and router are ZenWiFi Pro XT12 models? 

Have you restored both the nodes and router to factory settings for testing? Additionally, could you share the current firmware versions of all your devices?

If the issue persists after these checks, please submit an issue report via the system (steps can be found in my earlier message) and provide the following details via private message for further investigation:

1. Product Serial Number
2. Issue Report Submission Time
3. Email Address Used in the Report
4. Time When the Issue Occurred
5. Device MAC Address
6. Current Network Architecture Diagram

Thank you for your cooperation.