Batman-adv - batctl n - no output of command

Ralf · January 5, 2025, 11:56pm

I have configured two TP-Link-Archer-AX23 with batman-adv in the same way as shown here:

or here:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/mesh/80211s
is described.
It feels like the whole thing works. However, it seems as if batman-adv is not active.
batctl -v outputs: batctl 2023.1-openwrt-3 [batman-adv: 2023.1-openwrt-7]
However, batctl -n does not output.
I have tested everything possible but nothing works.
Does anyone have an idea and what information should I send so that I can be helped.
Thanks a lot!

PS: alternatively you can also answer me in German. However, the translators are now quite good, so English is also OK.

_bernd · January 6, 2025, 8:35am

You need the batman client. Install and use batctl, and next time read more carefully

Edit: Or use batctl-full, depending on what you want to do...

Ralf · January 6, 2025, 9:58am

I have the problem with batctl-full installed.

I installed the same image on both devices.
The image built via https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org/ for TP-Link Archer AX23 v1:
There the default was changed:
added:

kmod-batman-adv
luci-proto-batman-adv
luci-i18n-base-de
wpad-mesh-openssl
batctl-full

removed:

wpad-basic-mbedtls

_bernd · January 6, 2025, 10:21am

It's batctl neighbors or batctl n for short, but not batctl -n (hyphen n).

Ralf · January 6, 2025, 1:56pm

sorry, "batctl neighbors" or "batlctl n" has no output:

root@archer-ax23-1:~# batctl -v
batctl 2023.1-openwrt-3 [batman-adv: 2023.1-openwrt-7]
root@archer-ax23-1:~#

root@archer-ax23-1:~# batctl n
root@archer-ax23-1:~#

Yusuf6411 · January 6, 2025, 2:03pm

It seems that no neighbors are detected because batman-adv might not be properly linked to your mesh interface. Ensure mesh0 is added to bat0 using:

batctl if add mesh0

Check that mesh0 is up and configured in 802.11s mode with the same SSID, channel, and encryption settings on both routers. Also, assign unique static IPs to bat0 on each node and review dmesg | grep batman for errors.

_bernd · January 6, 2025, 2:11pm

My really-poor-mens check how the current mesh looks like:

    echo "# iwinfo mesh0 info"
    iwinfo mesh0 info | grep -Ee 'ESSID:|Access Point:|Mode:|Tx-Power:|Signal:|Bit Rate:'
    echo

    echo "# iw mesh0 station dump"
    iw mesh0 station dump | grep -Ee "^Station |inactive time:|signal:|tx bitrate:|rx bitrate:"
    echo; echo

    echo "# iwinfo mesh1 info"
    iwinfo mesh1 info | grep -Ee 'ESSID:|Access Point:|Mode:|Tx-Power:|Signal:|Bit Rate:'
    echo

    echo "# iw mesh1 station dump"
    iw mesh1 station dump | grep -Ee "^Station |inactive time:|signal:|tx bitrate:|rx bitrate:"
    echo; echo

@Ralf how does your network and wireless config looks like?

Ralf · January 6, 2025, 3:15pm

yes!

root@archer-ax23-1:~# iwinfo mesh0 info
mesh0     ESSID: "r-mesh0"
          Access Point: F2:A7:31:38:EB:2C
          Mode: Mesh Point  Channel: 3 (2.422 GHz)  HT Mode: HT40
          Center Channel 1: 5 2: unknown
          Tx-Power: 24 dBm  Link Quality: 30/70
          Signal: -80 dBm  Noise: -91 dBm
          Bit Rate: 1.0 MBit/s
          Encryption: WPA3 SAE (CCMP)
          Type: nl80211  HW Mode(s): 802.11ax/b/g/n
          Hardware: 14C3:7915 14C3:7915 [MediaTek MT7915E]
          TX power offset: none
          Frequency offset: none
          Supports VAPs: yes  PHY name: phy0
root@archer-ax23-1:~#

root@archer-ax23-1:~# iw mesh0 station dump
Station f2:09:0d:e6:38:52 (on mesh0)
        inactive time:  70 ms
        rx bytes:       57123012
        rx packets:     607692
        tx bytes:       748
        tx packets:     5
        tx retries:     0
        tx failed:      0
        rx drop misc:   1
        signal:         -80 [-82, -84] dBm
        signal avg:     -79 [-81, -83] dBm
        Toffset:        55867241864 us
        tx bitrate:     1.0 MBit/s
        tx duration:    11130 us
        rx bitrate:     1.0 MBit/s
        rx duration:    5897 us
        last ack signal:-80 dBm
        avg ack signal: -79 dBm
        airtime weight: 256
        mesh llid:      0
        mesh plid:      0
        mesh plink:     ESTAB
        mesh airtime link metric: 8193
        mesh connected to gate: no
        mesh connected to auth server:  no
        mesh local PS mode:     ACTIVE
        mesh peer PS mode:      UNKNOWN
        mesh non-peer PS mode:  ACTIVE
        authorized:     yes
        authenticated:  yes
        associated:     yes
        preamble:       long
        WMM/WME:        yes
        MFP:            yes
        TDLS peer:      no
        DTIM period:    2
        beacon interval:100
        connected time: 31635 seconds
        associated at [boottime]:       27004.924s
        associated at:  1736145320760 ms
        current time:   1736176955537 ms
root@archer-ax23-1:~#

Ralf · January 6, 2025, 3:39pm

Thanks!:

after:

batctl if add mesh0

on both devices
it works:

root@archer-ax23-1:~# batctl n
[B.A.T.M.A.N. adv 2023.1-openwrt-7, MainIF/MAC: mesh0/f2:a7:31:38:eb:2c (bat0/6a:39:28:70:70:63 BATMAN_V)]
         Neighbor   last-seen      speed           IF
f2:09:0d:e6:38:52    0.320s (        6.5) [     mesh0]
root@archer-ax23-1:~#

root@archer-ax23-2:~# batctl n
[B.A.T.M.A.N. adv 2023.1-openwrt-7, MainIF/MAC: mesh0/f2:09:0d:e6:38:52 (bat0/8e:e6:0e:3d:5e:89 BATMAN_V)]
         Neighbor   last-seen      speed           IF
f2:a7:31:38:eb:2c    0.200s (       30.0) [     mesh0]
root@archer-ax23-2:~#

A big thank you

_bernd · January 6, 2025, 3:57pm

Next time please post the config files... Is your setup reboot save?

Yusuf6411 · January 6, 2025, 6:58pm

you are welcome