Devices:
Linksys Mesh WIFI Hydra Pro 6E Tri-Band Router High-Speed Axe Router – MR7500 (MR75MS)
Details:
For years now I have used an older Cisco Highspeed wireless bridge, and a fairly beefy prosumer model router. However for last few months both seemed to be acting a bit flakey. First the AP seemed to lose connection a few times a week, and I’d have to manually reboot it. And my kiddo’s snapped an antenna off the main router. It was a 2.4ghz one so we limped along, but we had a lot of older devices and smart switches on that band and they started to have connection issues.
After a little research I settled on the MR7500. Two were ordered as they were mesh capable and one should be able to be used as a child node as a wireless AP for my back office.
I setup the main router without real issue via the web interface. They push you to use the mobile app pretty heavily at every turn. However I couldn’t find a way in any settings for the second modem for it to connect to the primary over wifi. I tried the obvious of setting passwords and ssids the same, but that didn’t do anything.
I tried different settings, turning on and off different features, everything. I’m a software developer and I did IT support for over twelve years in my youth. I had setup and configured my own home labs for years, but after reading the user guide twice, useless discussion with ChatGPT, and doom scrolling reddit looking for clues, a few said that there were features that were only available in the phone app. I can confirm this.
I surrendered and downloaded the phone app and factory reset both modems. I’d start with a clean plate. Once again after being forced to give my GPS location…. WHY? the first router was configured and working once again. There were even promising sections in the admin section of the app for adding nodes, apparently other routers are not the kind of nodes meant here but other mesh enabled devices. No matter what when I went to add a node, I couldn’t.
Finally I swallowed my pride, and called tech support. They were fast and friendly. I let the rep know what I was trying to do, and she immediately provided instructions that worked.
“With child node router booted and at the solid purple light state (setup mode) and the main node router in the solid blue light state (normal connected operation) press the firmware reset button on the main node router 5 times, waiting exactly 1 second in between each push.”
I was like magic, 5 little presses later, both routers lights started flashing. The child node eventually cycled to a solid red light, and then a flashing red light. This apparently means there was communication between them, but in the end the child node didn’t make a full connection. She asked me to power off the child node for 30 seconds, and then power it on again. And just like that after a little more flashing red lights, the child node went solid blue as well (eureka!) and my phone app showed two connected nodes. What a pain…
I really question why the choice was made not to include these steps in the instructions. I’m also a little annoyed that the phone app was pushed so heavily, when in the end I don’t believe it was technically needed. And of course, there is the discomfort of knowing I willing surrendered my GPS location to Linksys. Not that it would be hard to locate me with other public information… but still… WHY?!
I’ve only had the router for a day, but so far, it has been solid. I’ll come back later if that changes.
I hope this helps someone out there like me who wants to connect 2x Linksys MR7500 (MR75MS) together.