OpenWrt mesh routers problems (Encryption, MAC address & Hostname)

wepee · April 12, 2022, 9:53am

Ok here is the output:

root@OpenWrtX5000R180:~# uci show wireless
wireless.radio0=wifi-device
wireless.radio0.type='mac80211'
wireless.radio0.path='1e140000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:02:00.0'
wireless.radio0.channel='1'
wireless.radio0.band='2g'
wireless.radio0.htmode='HE20'
wireless.radio0.cell_density='0'
wireless.radio1=wifi-device
wireless.radio1.type='mac80211'
wireless.radio1.path='1e140000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:02:00.0+1'
wireless.radio1.channel='36'
wireless.radio1.band='5g'
wireless.radio1.htmode='HE80'
wireless.radio1.cell_density='0'
wireless.default_radio1=wifi-iface
wireless.default_radio1.device='radio1'
wireless.default_radio1.network='lan'
wireless.default_radio1.mode='ap'
wireless.default_radio1.encryption='psk2'
wireless.default_radio1.key= redacted
wireless.default_radio1.ssid='OpenWrtX5000R5GHz'
wireless.default_radio1.ifname='Radio5GHz'
wireless.wifinet2=wifi-iface
wireless.wifinet2.device='radio0'
wireless.wifinet2.mode='mesh'
wireless.wifinet2.mesh_fwding='1'
wireless.wifinet2.mesh_rssi_threshold='0'
wireless.wifinet2.network='lan'
wireless.wifinet2.encryption='sae'
wireless.wifinet2.key= redacted
wireless.wifinet2.mesh_id='OpenWrtX5000Rmesh2.4GHz'
wireless.wifinet2.ifname='Mesh2.4GHz'

bluewavenet · April 12, 2022, 9:59am

Ah, I see. Do this instead:

uci set wireless.default_radio1.macaddr='5c:92:5e:37:e8:74'
uci commit wireless

McGiverGim · April 12, 2022, 10:15am

Very interested about the Encryption: None problem. I had a mesh 5G working with the same problem. I installed the mesh1sd packages that it was missing in my system but without luck. I continue with Encryption: None. I'm too in a 22.03 snapshot.

bluewavenet · April 12, 2022, 10:48am

Did you install wpad-mesh-wolfssl?

McGiverGim · April 12, 2022, 10:51am

Yes, I had this problem since the beginning, some weeks ago, so I tested several packages, including wpad-mesh-wolfssl, but now I have wpad-wolfssl installed.
I think the connection is encrypted, so only a cosmetic bug in luci, but it will be good to fix it.

EDIT: installed wpad-mesh-wolfssl again replacing the wpad-wolfssl. No luck, encryption none.

wepee · April 12, 2022, 11:25am

Ok done. Yea success!

I typed in the uci commands below, and it is using the correct MAC address.
My obsession paid off

root@OpenWrtX5000R180:~# uci set wireless.default_radio1.macaddr='5c:92:5e:37:e8:74'
root@OpenWrtX5000R180:~# uci commit wireless
root@OpenWrtX5000R180:~# wifi down
root@OpenWrtX5000R180:~# wifi up

See the picture below

wepee · April 12, 2022, 11:28am

FYI. I am using wpad-mesh-openssl. It is the same thing, encryption shows = NONE

wepee · April 12, 2022, 11:30am

Yes, I am obsessed. That is obsessed of doing the correct way, consistently.
Even though the result is same when I could have entered a random MAC address to solve the problem.

wepee · April 12, 2022, 11:41am

1) opkg update
2) opkg remove wpad-basic-wolfssl
3) opkg install wpad-mesh-wolfssl
4) opkg install mesh11sd

Referring to the command line 2)
I have already removed this package wpad-basic-wolfssl long before I came to the forum to seek help.

Referring to the command line 3)
Do I need to remove the existing wpad-mesh-openssl and install wpad-mesh-wolfssl?
I thought both are the same stuff, right?

Referring to the command line 4)
I am not sure what is this package for in simple terms.
I watched the youtube video from Marc, he did not teach me that this package is necessary to get
wireless mesh working. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVoZppb_FR0
I will installed it anyway.

bluewavenet · April 12, 2022, 3:10pm

This is very likely a problem with Luci. I'll suggest some tests to verify the encryption after you have completed my other instructions.

bluewavenet · April 12, 2022, 3:11pm

doing the correct way, consistently.

So why are you using a so far unofficial snapshot intended for developer testing?

mjs · April 12, 2022, 3:24pm

I'm sure mine is just misreporting, as does iwinfo. There was the same, or similar issue in 18.06.1

The wireless scan option is broken in luci when a mesh is enabled, but I've noticed wireless scan still works via a terminal using iwinfo scan, which could be use to detect the encryption used on your other routers' mesh.


root@router:~# iwinfo phy0 scan

...
Cell 04 - Address: 
          ESSID: ""
          Mode: Mesh Point  Channel: 48
          Signal: -65 dBm  Quality: 45/70
          Encryption: WPA3 SAE (CCMP)
          HT Operation:
                    Primary Channel: 48
                    Secondary Channel Offset: below
                    Channel Width: unknown
          VHT Operation:
                    Channel Width: unknown
                    Center Frequency 1: 42
                    Center Frequency 2: 0
...


root@router:~# iwinfo phy1 scan

Cell 04 - Address: 00:0E:
          ESSID: ""
          Mode: Mesh Point  Channel: 9
          Signal: -57 dBm  Quality: 53/70
          Encryption: WPA3 SAE (CCMP)
          HT Operation:
                    Primary Channel: 9
                    Secondary Channel Offset: below
                    Channel Width: unknown
...

bluewavenet · April 12, 2022, 3:27pm

No, any of the "mesh" or "full" versions will do.

Who is Marc?

Mesh11sd:

From the documentation:

Mesh11sd allows all mesh parameters that are supported by the wireless driver to be set in either the wireless or the mesh11sd uci config file.
Settings take effect immediately without having to restart the wireless network and the default settings give rapid and reliable layer 2 mesh convergence.
.....
Without mesh11sd, many mesh parameters cannot be set in the uci wireless config file as the mesh interface must be up before the parameters can be set.
Some of those that are supported, would fail to be implemented when the network is (re)started resulting in errors or dropped nodes.

If you have just 2 mesh nodes, you might be able to do without mesh11sd. Any more you will very likely have problems as the mesh will not converge into a valid and consistent layer 2 mac routed network.

mk24 · April 12, 2022, 3:41pm

It seems there's no simple way to confirm whether a mesh is running encrypted or not. If the scan shows the peers are encrypted and you're connected to them, it could be assumed that encryption is working OK.
The derived native wpad config file (/var/run/wpa_supplicant-ifname.conf) should have a key_mgmt=SAE line. Also I think that during connection, "mesh plink established" in the log means a successful negotiation of encryption, but I don't have an unencrypted mesh to check against.

bluewavenet · April 12, 2022, 3:51pm

Yes, that one

wepee · April 12, 2022, 3:56pm

I completed all commands using Luci GUI.
Except no.2. Since I did this step before I wrote the post in the forum.

I have completed already, however the encryption for 2.4GHz radio still showing the same = None
I can accept it is NONE.

But how to solve the hostname problem not showing up?

mk24 · April 12, 2022, 4:01pm

Further, you could intentionally change the password to be wrong, and confirm it does not connect.

wepee · April 12, 2022, 4:04pm

As I mentioned early, I need to use 22.02 firmware, because 21.02.2 the official one, its LUCI cannot configure 5GHz radio, it is broken. If you do, it will crash Luci. I crashed so much, that the entire
Wireless sub-menu was gone.

I can configure the 5GHz radio by editing the wireless: /etc/config/wireless
but It is really troublesome.

wepee · April 12, 2022, 4:16pm

I have read this a few times, someone PM me on this, but don't really understand it fully.

In simple terms...........
You mean the MAC table cannot sync. across all mesh nodes, when the mesh size increases? Is it ?

BTW, can 802.11s standard be used in TREE network topology instead of a STAR topology?

wepee · April 12, 2022, 4:41pm

A German youtube guy, if got spare go an watch the link given.
O..btw...I just realized, Marc did mentioned the encryption = NONE is a Luci software bug.
so I guess I just have to live with it for the time being.