2,4Ghz Problem with AC87U

[Zion12]

Hello,

first of all sorry for my bad english.

I bought an AC-87U Router last week. I´ve two wlan-Clients: One with an Intel 7260AC wireless Card an the other one has a 5300er Intelcard inside.

With the 5Ghz band, i´ve no Problems. The connections are very fast (45MB/s) and allways stable. But i have big Problems with the 2,4ghz band. The speed is very good (25MB/s), but the problem is, that the connection seems to be unstable in the following way:

Sometimes, when i connect with my Windows phone or my Notebook, some Websites have extrem long loading times, but i get always good ping-times back from these sides. So some websites are loading and loading (2 oder 3 minutes) until they are full and correct displayed, but in the meantime, i get perfect ping times via cmd in Windows from the same pages.

I tried different wlan Settings in the router menue, but it seems, that this isn´t a settingsproblem, more a Firmware-Problem. The Ram and CPU load during the websites are loading is as low during "normal times", when all is ok.

I changed to the actual merlin-Firmware, but the Problem is more or less the same. Only with the ddwrt Firmware, i do not have these Problems, but current, ddwrt is too unstable and the speed over wlan is very slow (~ 15MB/s). Also, ddwrt is for me a Little bit overloaded with Features and Settings, so i can not find the trees in the wood.

I don´t know, what i can try now....send the router back to Amazon and try another AC87u?

Thanks a lot and once again sorry for the broken english!

 

[Jong]

You don't say what firmware you are using, but Asus have been improving it rapidly in recent weeks. Before doing anything else you should update to the latest official version 378.4950 here:

https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC87U/HelpDesk_Download/

 

[Zion12]

Sorry, i had this Firmware installed...

ASUS RT-AC87U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.378.4608

and after the problems, i switched to the merlin RT-AC87U_3.0.0.4_378.51_0.trx

But i can try the newest Asus-Firmware this weekend....but the last update is only für fixing the 5ghz web as i read in the changelog....

 

[Jong]

Yeah, it's true. I had no problem with 2.4Ghz and 4608. I thought you could be on something much older. But still, worth upgrading. There are nearly always little tweaks that don't make it into the release notes. 4950 is a really good update.

 

[Zion12]

Thanks.....i will try the new one...if there is no improvement, i will return it to Amazon and order a new one.

It´s strange...a few days after installing the merin-Firmware, all went perfekt - no Errors....but yesterday afternoon and today morning, the Problem with the Long side-loading is back......

 

[Jong]

One obvious thing with 2.4Ghz is interference, from other APs, as well as non WiFi sources. Have you tried changing channels? Using 20Mhz channel width, if currently using 40Mhz? Using a tool like http://www.inssider.com/inssider4/ to see what other APs are in range?

 

[Zion12]

We´re in the lucky Position, that around of us, we have only 2 other wlans but enough far away, so until now, we never had any problems (old router was an Dlink DIR-855).

But i think, other Wlan´s are not the problem, because for example...when i have these site-load-problems, it isn´t a problem to copy in the meantime files from the Notebook to my homeserver or send pings to the Internet.

I also tried 20Mhz, Auto-Mode, n only, legacy....Overall, i have always the same problem .

That´s so strange....many people have problems with the 5ghz, and i have only problems with the 2,4ghz....it´s troublesome

Thank´s for your Input!

 

[Jong]

Of course there is other non-wifi interference on the 2.4Ghz band. It is just the intermittent nature of your problem does sound like it could be interference. I would definitely try all 3 "main" channels - 1, 6, 11 - even 13 can be good sometimes.

 

[Zion12]

I will try this today and give a response- thank you very much!

 

[Zion12]

So....after hours of trying different things, Settings and firmwares....the router goes back to Amazon - but i´ll give asus another chance and order a new ac87. I hope, i will get a better one.....

It was not possible to persuade the 2,4ghz band to work correct and stable....

 

[Zion12]

Hello,

just a short update:

I´ve sent the Asus back to Amazon and got a new one....but the same problem.....after a few hours and connections, i´ve no Internet access (but can ping out). I´ve the last Firmware on board (.4950) and tried all options enabled/disabled - no chance to get this work.

I´ve tried also a netgear 7500 x4 router, and have no problems with that router, but the asus has the better performance at 5ghz (48MB/s with the asus, 36MB/s with the netgear)....

Now, the options for me are swiming away.....i´ve changed my wifi-card in my notebook from an Intel 5300 agn to an Intel 7260 AC - but the problem is still the same....

And what is really crazy - when i have these internet troubles at 2,4ghz, in the same time i can connect to my home server without a problem with a fantastic throughput (27MB/s)....so this can not be a "normal" connection-problem or interruptions from other wifis....

My first "workaround" is to connect with all clients to the 5ghz band (i have fortunately only ac-Clients) and will disable the 2,4ghz band....but for me, it´s really mysterious....

Only with dd-wrt, i´ve no problem, but the Speed at 5ghz with dd-wrt is so slow.....


Edit: As i can rean here, many people have exact the same problem...some in the 5ghz band, some with the 2,4ghz as i....

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/i...aylyns-review]-asus-rt-ac87u-4781419-199.html

 

[Jong]

I'd try this test from a PC affected by this problem: http://netalyzr.icsi.berkeley.edu/ It's interesting you can ping out. Sounds like some protocol or other is getting blocked, DNS being the most obvious.

 

[Zion12]

I will try it at home - thank you . I also tried google´s dns server in the Asus-options, but also no improvement. This router drives me really crazy...

I never ever had a problem with my old Dlink 855....but it´s wlan-speed is so slow....

 

[MasterBash]

I have the same problem. I made a topic about it.

When I go to wireless log, I can devices that are connected for X time, so I can tell if they disconnected or something. Its very random. No idea why.

 

[Jong]

I have the same problem. I made a topic about it.

When I go to wireless log, I can devices that are connected for X time, so I can tell if they disconnected or something. Its very random. No idea why.

I believe your issue is different. Zion's problem is that 2.4Ghz devices stay connected to wifi, but become unable to access the WAN (Internet). Your issue is disconnection of devices from wifi (I think! Please correct me if I am wrong).

 

[MasterBash]

You are right, I was confused about the use of "sides", I thought he meant he could ping from the internet to his router.

Oddly enough, the problem seems strangely similar. Works for a bit after reset, then it becomes unstable.

 

[Zion12]

sorry, i fixed the misspelling....my auto correction changes permanent words and letters and i´m also always a little bit confused...^^

I can ping from my notebook to, for example www.google.com, but during successfully pinging or copying something from my homeserver, i´m not able to access a webpage.