We assume you activated central control through the Luci interface of a device that has the MESHdesk firmware.

The device can be subsequently managed as a standard Access Point (using APdesk) or as a member of a mesh network (using MESHdesk)

A mesh network with one node is perfectly fine and allows you to add additional nodes whenever there might be a need to do so.

Not to overwhelm you we will first cover the most simple way for the device to reach the controller.

Simply plug the WAN port of the device into a network that has a working DHCPv4 service running.

When the device starts up the one LED should alternate flash as it tries to reach the controller trough the WAN port.

You can now decide where you want to use the device.

Under MESHdesk you can make it a member of a mesh network.

Under APdesk you can manage it as an Access Point belonging to an Access Point Profile.

Simply select the device as it is listed and click the Attach button.

A new tab will open allowing you to supply a few details and save it.

Reboot the device after you are finished.

The device should now contact the controller and start to function in the role that was assigned to it.

If you have an existing mesh network up and running, new devices can reach the controller using the WiFi network of the mesh network.

This is for instance if you have a mesh with one node and want to add additional nodes to the network.

Simply start the new device up where it is able to reach the WiFi network of the existing mesh network. (No WAN cable plugged in)

The LED should first alternate flash for a while and then start to flash twice and even three times.

This is an indication that it tries to reach the controller using the WiFi network.

Again if the device has not yet been onboarded it will be listed in a similar manner to the first one but the Gateway column will be shown as No meaning the device managed to reach the controller through a mesh network.

You can now again decide (like in the first case) where the device needs to go and what it should function as.