Optimum Settings?

[Authority]

Hello all - I was wondering if anyone had a list of recommended setting for stability vs. performance? Specifically...

NAT Acceleration / "Cut through"?

QoS?

AIProtection?

Assuming the more features turned on the less stable?

Just wondering if any of these have a significant impact on performance or stability. I have a an RT-AC68U at work and at home, with the goal being stability at work, and performance at home.

 

[L&LD]

What I have found is that the features that are enabled should offset any negatives that may bring. This is what makes this a personal decision (each person's expectations differ).

All you can do is only enable (or keep enabled) the services that bring some benefit with minimal downside to your network environment. A once size fits all doesn't work, hence the option to test different configurations.

 

[Therion87]

http://www.rickygao.com/tuning-the-asus-wireless-router-to-best-performance/

That link there goes over what he considers to be the best settings. It also links to descriptions and discussions on the varies settings so you can make an informed decision on what you feel is the best for you. Based on trades offs or needs.

 

[L&LD]

That link is a starting point. But without the date (and more importantly the firmware versions it compares) it quickly becomes irrelevant.

 

[Authority]

What I have found is that the features that are enabled should offset any negatives that may bring.

Well that's really the question isn't it... DOES really AIProtection do much? QoS?

NAT Acceleration seems more clear cut, does bypassing the CPU make it more stable? Seems like it would? It's a default after all. But then you lose some accuracy in bandwidth measurement?

 

[Therion87]

Well that's really the question isn't it... DOES really AIProtection do much? QoS?

NAT Acceleration seems more clear cut, does bypassing the CPU make it more stable? Seems like it would? It's a default after all. But then you lose some accuracy in bandwidth measurement?

QoS can substantially reduce bufferfloat, which decreases lag time. Set the up/down manually to 90% of you maxes.

Don't use AiProtection myself. Can't speak to it.

 

[Authority]

Maybe a better question would be "are there any particular features or settings known to cause hangs or other issues?"

 

[Nullity]

Maybe a better question would be "are there any particular features or settings known to cause hangs or other issues?"

I like to think those who created the firmware, drivers, software, etc, actually knew what they were doing.

Unless you *know* better, stick with the defaults. I... very often have assumed that "default" meant "please change me, the developer is lazy and does not care". I think it's a psychological condition to assume we can do better than someone else, but it is very likely untrue, for the majority.

 

[Authority]

Lol sort of an odd reply for a third party firmware site. If you have such confidence in the OEM then why are you here?

Sorry, but in MY experience the OEM will often add stuff that is neither needed nor that effective just to check off a box on a spec sheet. That's why I ask people with actual experience for their opinions.

 

[Nullity]

Lol sort of an odd reply for a third party firmware site. If you have such confidence in the OEM then why are you here?

Sorry, but in MY experience the OEM will often add stuff that is neither needed nor that effective just to check off a box on a spec sheet. That's why I ask people with actual experience for their opinions.

You asked... I answered.

Assuming this is a third part firmware site (merlin's firmware), his firmware differs from most by being as similar as possible to the OEM Asus firmware, for (among other things) performance reasons.

My primary point is "unless you know better, leave it be". There is no universal "best", there is only what is best for a certain situation. Trial & error is very important with WiFi performance though.

My opinion: prefer minimalism. As few services & extraneous config changes as possible.

 

[Authority]

You asked... I answered.

Assuming this is a third part firmware site (merlin's firmware), his firmware differs from most by being as similar as possible to the OEM Asus firmware, for (among other things) performance reasons.

My primary point is "unless you know better, leave it be". There is no universal "best", there is only what is best for a certain situation. Trial & error is very important with WiFi performance though.

My opinion: prefer minimalism. As few services & extraneous config changes as possible.

Respectfully, you have not answered my question or contributed anything of value.

I am sure there are people here who can say "I've found enabling ____ causes more crashes". You're just not one of them.

Perhaps you should follow your own advice? If you dont KNOW the answer, don't try and answer the question?

 

[Nullity]

Respectfully, you have not answered my question or contributed anything of value.

I am sure there are people here who can say "I've found enabling ____ causes more crashes". You're just not one of them.

Perhaps you should follow your own advice? If you dont KNOW the answer, don't try and answer the question?

If you want to discover other people's experiences, search.

If you have a particular problem that needs solving, ask.


Generic questions are practically impossible to answer.

Which is better; Chevy or Ford? We need tons more details about your situation, your preferred results, and what you have tried before.

 

[wh7qq]

Generic questions are practically impossible to answer.

Many of the options offered in AsusWRT, whether Merlin's or the factory or other variants, are for special case situations that probably don't apply or help the average user. Getting oneself tied up in knots over their "optimization" is just so much self abuse.

If your network has special requirements that need specific settings, go for it and experiment to your heart's content. Even ask for others to comment on the specifics you seem to need. That said, factory defaults for security settings that are, of their nature, private and individual, are simply there to provide a convenient starting point for getting the router set up and by all means, need to be changed. For everything else, if you don't need it, you will likely as not create more problems by messing with it. It is entirely possible to set up conflicting configurations that degrade performance.

AiProtection is an interesting case, as it involves an agreement between Asus and Trend Micro for use of TM's database. As your router must interrogate this cloud database every time it requests something, it may degrade your performance to a greater or lesser extent depending on your internet connection. It could have a serious impact on performance on satellite links that normally have very long latencies (+-700 msec) anyhow. Asus' page on this feature is, however, very informative: https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1008719/...especially the table of features checked by AiProtection. Most can and should be done manually if not the default state.

 

[Therion87]

If you want to discover other people's experiences, search.

If you have a particular problem that needs solving, ask.


Generic questions are practically impossible to answer.

Which is better; Chevy or Ford? We need tons more details about your situation, your preferred results, and what you have tried before.

The correct answer is Toyota

 

[dlandiss]

Hello all - I was wondering if anyone had a list of recommended setting for stability vs. performance?

Routerguide.net offers some ideas, often with explanations about the pros and cons of various settings.

 

[Nullity]

Routerguide.net offers some ideas, often with explanations about the pros and cons of various settings.

Definitely. That site is surprisingly accurate about a ton of topics.

It didn't help me any, but I researched every setting in the Advanced part of the AsusWRT GUI. Trial & error mixed with pure luck seemed to work best for me. My max WiFi speed went from ~120Mbit to ~200Mbit but I have no idea why... (I suspect that I was changing too many settings or not defaulting properly.)

 

[ColinTaylor]

Definitely. That site is surprisingly accurate about a ton of topics.

But the guy still doesn't understand what Preamble Type is. And his grasp of the English language leaves something to be desired.

IMHO He'd be better off if he did some proper independent research rather than just cutting and pasting other people's blogs, forum posts, etc.

 

[Nullity]

But the guy still doesn't understand what Preamble Type is. And his grasp of the English language leaves something to be desired.

IMHO He'd be better off if he did some proper independent research rather than just cutting and pasting other people's blogs, forum posts, etc.

Eh, I can't fault someone for speaking poor English, especially when it implies that the author is biligual, which the majority of my country (USA) is not.

Copy&paste it may be, but I never saw a "this info is all mine" statement, and I see nothing wrong with aggregating data.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Eh, I can't fault someone for speaking poor English

Yes, that was rather unfair of me. Sorry. It's just that it makes some of what he says ambiguous or difficult to follow.

Copy&paste it may be, but I never saw a "this info is all mine" statement, and I see nothing wrong with aggregating data.

Absolutely nothing wrong with aggregating data providing it's accurate. My objection is the "Someone said it on the internet therefore it must be true".

To be fair, his recommendations (those that I've read) appear correct. It's just his explanations of how things work are sometimes flawed (and thereby perpetuates the inaccuracy).

 

[bodean]

http://www.rickygao.com/tuning-the-asus-wireless-router-to-best-performance/

That link there goes over what he considers to be the best settings. It also links to descriptions and discussions on the varies settings so you can make an informed decision on what you feel is the best for you. Based on trades offs or needs.

That link basically says NOT to use beam forming if you use any Apple/IOS device. Yet Ive read on here that you can/should use beam forming. Besides that, guide is pretty legit. Just confusion on the beam forming