You don't have to go deep into dts fille or hotplug to override the MAC, just add an option macaddr to the wifi-iface, using the factory MAC address from the sticker.
If you've been copying configs between the two units you may have ended up with a duplicate option macaddr in /etc/config/network. This should also be fixed by using the sticker MAC or a close one by increasing the last number by one or two.
Let's simply work through the problems one by one.
Mac address problem. This looks like a firmware image issue as @anon69880279 suggested and does not effect the mesh, but causes problems with the 5GHz network.
We can work around this problem easily by setting the mac for the 5G radios on both routers.
On each mesh node (router) in turn, in a terminal session do the following -
On the one with the 5c:92:5e:37:e8:70 mac:
uci set wireless.wlan1.macaddr='5c:92:5e:37:e8:70'
uci commit wireless
On the one with the 5c:92:5e:b7:7a:d8 mac:
uci set wireless.wlan1.macaddr='5c:92:5e:b7:7a:d8'
uci commit wireless
For simplicity, reboot both then check if the mac problem is fixed.
The encryption problem.
802.11s mesh has an additional dependency and an addon to make it work properly.
To install these you need to make sure both routers in turn are connected to an Internet feed.
It looks like you have both configured as pure AP/Meshnodes so all you need to do is connect, each in turn to your isp router with an ethernet cable (lan port to lan port)
In a terminal session on each meshnode in turn do (making sure you do net get any errors):
Making sure you did both, then put the meshnodes back where you want them (only one connected to the isp router by ethernet) and power them both back up.
Hello, 1st of all, thank you for helping me troubleshoot the problem
Can you tell me on what basis, that you use to determine which router should have the
correct MAC address on the 5GHz radio?
Is it based on the ip link command or the iw dev wlan0 mpath dump output?
I am confused, as to why I am setting MAC address on the wlan1 (5GHz Radio) using MAC address from the 2.4GHz Radio?
Both 5c:92:5e:37:e8:70 & 5c:92:5e:b7:7a:d8 Both these MAC addresses are actually referring to the 2.4GHz Radios coming from the OpenWrtX5000R180 and OpenWrtX5000R182
Shouldn't I should be setting the ACTUAL(or REAL) MAC address for the 5GHz Radio?
Both routers need a proper mac address, different to each other. They do already ie 5c:92:5e:37:e8:70 and 5c:92:5e:b7:7a:d8. These are seen in the ip link output as well as in your screenshots from Luci.
It is a bug in the OpenWrt firmware that prevents OpenWrt determining a unique preset mac for the 5G wireless (perhaps there isn't one). As previously discussed it is possible to patch the basic image, one way or another but this is not essential and you also stated:
Next question:
These mac addresses are unique to each router. That is all we need.
The ip link output was to verify your interface configuration (the screenshots are of limited value)
The iw output was to get the current mesh status (which was showing a layer 2 mac-routing error).
Yes but it does not matter. It is a mac address that is unique to that router. That is all we need.
You could make up your own mac address if you wanted to, but there is no need.
How do I recover the original MAC address for 5GHz Radio (wlan1) in OpenWrt firmware?
If possible, I prefer that way. I like to see some consistency in my work.
Is there a command that I can use?
Or
I need to flash the stock firmware then only I can see the MAC address?
Ok, I am willing to try.
Can you guide me?
So I just follow what @anon69880279 shown below:
ssh to router
edit the file: /etc/hotplug.d/ieee80211/10_fix_wifi_mac
( Is there such a file called: 10_fix_wifi_mac? )
add the code below at the bottom of the txt file:
then run wifi down and wifi up and check the result?
I have 3 units of the X5000R, one is configured to the main mesh router which is
OpenWrtX5000R180 (hostname)
I took 1 unit and reflashed it with original stock OEM firmware and found out that
the 5GHz radio MAC address is always ending with X4 (the last digit is always a
hexadecimal number 4) instead of X3.
Well put a 4 on the end then. I do not see why you are obsessing about this. You can put in anything you like, it does not matter as long as all your routers are different to each other.