OpenWRT router + Mesh setup

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Guys,
I am reaching out for community help as I am unable to setup mesh with 2 openwrt routers.
Gl iNet Flint 2 router <-- Main router
TPlink Archer AX23 < -- The only node I am using

Both are using the latest openWRT firmware. All config done as per the below.

I followed all the steps from this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVoZppb_FR0
however after setting up the node, I won't see the associated station (12:56 from the YT timeline to be precise) of my main router on the node and when I ping the main router, its 100% loss.

Any help ?

2

With two wifi routers running OpenWrt, WDS/ 4addr is usually a much easier and faster approach to add (essentially) a wireless repeater.

If you have a wired ethernet connection between them (always the best option), the solution would be https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/wifiextenders/bridgedap.

--
Sorry, I can't/ won't look into any video guides, so maybe you're already doing this - maybe not.

3

If you want to further pursue your mesh approach:

  • Have you setup the mesh interface on the 2.4GHz band or the 5GHz band?
  • Have you made sure to pick the same channel for the mesh interfaces on both routers?
  • If operating the mesh on the 5GHz band, have you picked one of the lower non-DFS channels?
  • Have you selected "WPA3-SAE" for encryption (for the mesh interface)?
  • Have you rechecked your configs on both routers for typos (in the mesh ID, the mesh encryption key etc.)?

Might be helpful to post your wireless config files from both routers here.