Setting up Vigor 2865ax with Vigor AP805

I have been using Draytek routers for 25+ years, trouble free. Regrettably I recently purchased a new 2865ax to replace my 2860 router and 4 Vigor AP805s to replace my aging (non-Draytek) WiFi access points. Ostensibly the AP805s fitted the bill perfectly to create secure in-office WIFI with VLANs separating office and guest use - and the online videos of setting them up looked super easy.

It is proving impossible to set them up to create a functioning WiFi mesh system at all. I have a dedicated small server room in which, in addition to our business servers, I run (pro-bono) internet servers for some international aid agencies. Security is a key issue, and I need a mesh system with SSIDs for local LAN and internet access, and guest SSIDs with only internet access. On the router I am using bind IP to MAC for all servers and other necessary equipment where fixed IPs are required.

I had this stupid idea that sticking to one manufacturer for my routers and mesh system would be a beneficial change.

The firmwares on the Vigor router and the APs all have been updated to the latest versions.

I installed and set the Vigor 2865ax up with two VLANs (office and guest) and it was working perfectly as such. However, as soon as I set up the AP805s as a mesh system, with the router as the ROOT mesh device, and get the mesh nodes synced (the synchronisation for the 4 APs takes an outrageously long time 20+ minutes) the WiFi system ceases to function. Over WiFi we then have no LAN or internet access at all when I connect to any of the SSIDs. I have spent 4 days now trying all sorts of "fixes" found on the internet (none make any difference). Draytek technical support so far have been unable to give me any help despite supplying configuration files.

If I turn off mesh, the WiFi access comes back (when connecting directly to the router by WiFi in the server room to any of the SSIDs).

Regarding the bind IP to MAC service, I am not using strict bind, and I have specified an IP address pool for DHCP outside the range of addresses used by the bind IP to MAC service, I have checked that the AP805s are configured for DHCP..

The only other sophistication in my system is that I use a VPN tunnel to my office (identical Vigor 2865ax router) functioning perfectly. In my semi-retirement, the server room is no longer at the office but is now at my home, with backup servers in my garden office. I use BT FTTC broadband service and the router firmware I believe is correct version for this.(4.5.3.1_BT).

At the moment the AP805s are just super expensive paperweights. I would love to know if anyone else has experienced similar issues and managed to resolve them.

David.

Maybe clutching at straws here but is it possible that you've somehow created a network loop with the AP's active? Also, are all of the 805's wirelessly meshed or is/are one or more cable connected?

All wireless, all showing as configured correctly, and with appropriate "hops".

So when you connect, say, a phone to one of your SSID's what IP address does it receive? Is it, as hoped, on one of your LANS but you can't connect to anything else on that LAN?

(a) I'd probably try this with the router and one AP and get that working before adding others - that might help work out what interactions could be causing problems;
(b) Obvious question, but you do have the VLANs spanned to the APs?
(c) Are you trying to share user and link WiFi bandwidth, or are you dedicating on WiFi band for links and one for users?
Dedicating the 5GHz WiFi to links might be worth a try.

I'm running a 2865ac with AP912c APs (so essentially one step back in tech level) but my APs are wired and it works okay, but I can spot no advantage to using Mesh mode over AP mode.