How to Configure Smart Mesh in Nebula – Setup, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting

This article shows how to configure the Smart Mesh in Nebula, how to bridge WiFi to LAN using Wireless Bridge, and what enhancements have been made to the Nebula mesh system. It also shows supported models, mesh downlink, specify mesh AP, Mesh Failover, how to check signal strength on your mesh system, unstable mesh, and if the mesh won't connect.

Please note: This article covers the Smart Mesh feature and not Wireless Bridge. While both technologies serve similar purposes, they are based on different principles. If you are looking for information about Wireless Bridge, please refer to the links below. You can also explore our virtual labs to see both technologies in action and better understand the differences between them.

• How to Set Up a Wireless Bridge in Nebula – Root and Repeater AP Configuration
• SMB Office Nebula-Based Network Topology with WAN Backup and Wireless Bridge
• SMB/Home Office Setup with Firewall, Switch and Smart Mesh

Smart Mesh and Wireless Bridge are fundamentally different technologies:

• Smart Mesh is a self-organising wireless network where one access point (the root AP) is wired to the network, and other APs (repeaters) connect to it via WiFi. The network can automatically adjust if conditions change.

• Wireless Bridge is a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint connection between two or more APs used to link separate network segments without cables. It typically relies on a static configuration.

Smart Mesh Technology – Simple Overview

Smart Mesh works by setting one main access point (called the “root AP”) with a wired connection to your network. Other access points (called “repeaters”) connect to the root AP using WiFi.

You can build a mesh with several wireless hops, but for the best speed and stability, we suggest placing all APs close enough to the root AP to avoid too many hops. Each extra hop can reduce the speed by up to 50%.

Repeater APs create a wireless bridge to the root AP and share the same WiFi name (SSID). You can also have more than one root AP, depending on your setup. In most cases, one WiFi band (like 5 GHz) is used for the mesh link, and the other (like 2.4 GHz) is used for connected devices.

Things to consider

• Establish mesh across multiple wireless hops (no limit)
• Recommended wireless hops: less than 2 hops from wired network
• Rule of thumb: throughout is halved across each wireless hop

Building up a mesh network, the smart mesh will usually build up via 5G first and if the signal is not good enough, it will change to 2.4G connection.

Forget the limits of cables - start your Smart Mesh setup today!

Configure Smart Mesh

To set up Smart Mesh, you need to have two Smart Mesh-compatible access points connected to the same site. 

• First, set up the SSID profiles according to your preferences using:

Site-wide > Configure > SSID Settings

• Then, make sure to turn on the “Smart Mesh” slider:

Site-wide > Configure > Access Point > AP & port settings

• Then, make sure that Smart Mesh is enabled on every device.

Site-wide > Device -> Access Points > "Select Access point"

Setting Up Smart Mesh

• Make sure they both come online—this allows them to receive the configuration from Nebula.

Note: After making "any changes" to the settings, please wait approximately 7-10 minutes for the access point to receive the full configuration from the Nebula Control Centre (NCC).

After enabling Smart Mesh and confirming that both APs are connected and online, disconnect the Repeater AP from power and network cables. Then move it to the desired location and connect it only to power.

Important: If the Repeater AP is placed too far from the Root AP, it may not be able to connect.
To avoid this, we recommend first placing the Repeater AP within visible range of the Root AP to confirm that it can establish a wireless link. Once the mesh connection is working, you can try moving it to your final location.

Wait for Mesh Link to Establish
The mesh connection will be created automatically.
Please wait up to 15 minutes for the Repeater AP to come back online through the mesh link.

Verification - Successfully connected

  The units should show online and by different symbols:

The hollow-green symbol indicates that the respective AP is working as a repeater AP, while the colour-filled icon indicates that the AP is running as a root AP.
 

Smart-Mesh Enhancements

Disable Mesh Downlink

Since Firmware 6.30 we can now disable the Smart-Mesh Downlink on Repeater APs to avoid other Mesh APs siphoning away Bandwidth. 

Enabling Downlink on AP-2 means that AP-4 cannot mesh with AP-2.

To deactivate the Downlink, go to:

Site-wide > Devices > Access Point > "Specific AP"

Then edit the Smart-Mesh and disable the Downlink.

Please note that the AP will still be functioning as a Mesh AP.

Specify Uplink AP

We can now specify which AP should be used as the main Uplink.

To do so, go to:

Site-wide > Devices > Access Point > "Specific AP"

Then edit the Smart-Mesh and choose the main root AP for this repeater AP.

Failover in Smart-Mesh

This function depends on having chosen a specific root AP for this repeater AP (see point 8 above).

When the repeater AP fails to connect to the specified root AP, it will then connect to other available APs to keep the Internet connection up.
The Error status will be displayed on the AP List:

Site-wide > Devices > Access Point > "Specific AP"

The Administrator can manually trigger a reconnect from the AP status list.