AC68P WAN speeds about 10% of what they should be - since moving away from John's 374

[Livin]

Ive recently moved my AC68P from John's build to Merlin v382 then 384... in both cases my WAN speeds have been anywhere from 4Mbit to 9.5Mbit... usually round 7 or 8. Sometimes I can reboot the ASUS 4 or 5 times nd speed will be 55-60 for about half a day. Sometimes. Today, I cant get anything above 9Mbit after 4 reboots.

connecting directly to the cable modem I get 40-60Mbit today.

I dont run ANY 3rd part apps, vpns, AV, scripts, nada...

Any help is appreciated!

 

[john9527]

I'm assuming you did a factory default reset and reconfigure from scratch after loading the new firmware (don't load a backup saved from the gui). If not, do that first.

If you already did that, your ISP may be detecting the router as a 'new' piece of equipment. Power down the modem and router for at least 15 minutes (30 if you want to be safe), then power up the modem, after it syncs, power up the router.

 

[Livin]

I'm assuming you did a factory default reset and reconfigure from scratch after loading the new firmware (don't load a backup saved from the gui). If not, do that first.

If you already did that, your ISP may be detecting the router as a 'new' piece of equipment. Power down the modem and router for at least 15 minutes (30 if you want to be safe), then power up the modem, after it syncs, power up the router.

I did factory reset before applying new version but I did use restore the old settings. I have many NAT & DHCP reservations, which will take a long time to restore by hand. Any way to automate export and import so I can do a factory reset?

 

[Livin]

Here's the tests and results

Factory reset Merlin 384, no settings ... 8mbit

Installed John's latest, no settings... 70mbit

Restored settings using John's nvram backup tool, clean config ... 8mbit

Installed HGG 380... 70mbit even after restoring settings using nvram tool and using GUI restore.

I can only conclude that there is something (a bug) in Merlin 380 & 384 and John's causing the problem... Since even with factory clean configuration the problem occurs.

Also, there seems to be a bug in the nvram tool with restore... After several attempts on all three firmware, it never restored any virtual server / NAT settings.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[john9527]

Also, there seems to be a bug in the nvram tool with restore... After several attempts on all three firmware, it never restored any virtual server / NAT settings.

The save restore tool doesn't yet support 382 or 384 code....too many changes to nvram, It's on my list of todo's to take a look at it.....but only so many hours in a day.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Factory reset Merlin 384, no settings ... 8mbit

You could try installing Merlin 380.69_2 to confirm it's an issue with the 382/384 builds. What WAN connection type do you have, PPPoE?

 

[Livin]

You could try installing Merlin 380.69_2 to confirm it's an issue with the 382/384 builds. What WAN connection type do you have, PPPoE?

WAN type is whatever the default is. I've never changed it. Had the router for 5 years with two different Motorola cable modems with Cox and now Comcast services.

In the past I used Merlin then switched to John's build to maintain the transmit power control.

I did not install updates often but maybe twice a year. So the bug is fairly recent, within last year worth of whatever updates John has made.

I should also mention... was running John build from about a year ago, moved to ASUS 384 to try Aimesh, then to Merlin 382 & 384... Didn't have the problem with ASUS 384, but started after installing Merlin.

I'm just going to leave it with what's work, 380 HGG because I tired of messing with it... Two week of slow speed thinking it was Comcast and ten resets and firmware updates.

Just an FYI incase anyone else see this issue. Maybe it's just a fluke.


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Livin]

Update: I've done a lot of testing with Merlin & John's & HGG... they all act the same so I now think this is not a firmware issue

I did a complete factory reset before installing the FWs and rebuilt the setting manually.

I get my 70mbit throughput for a day or 2 then the router slows massively - maxing at 10mbit, usually 7 to 9. All apps are always off... I don't run QOS or bandwidth/app monitoring or VPN, or anything.

The NVRAM is holds at ~60k and not showing a 'low' warning. Seems line

This is a P version, is there a problem with the hardware that could cause this?

thx for the help

 

[bilboSNB]

Factory reset after putting the new firmware on.

 

[Livin]

Factory reset after putting the new firmware on.

Yup, did that too.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[dlandiss]

I wonder if the AC68 series is beginning to suffer from the same kind of power supply ills that affect older N66 units? The degradation being time-related suggests something along those lines.

 

[Livin]

I wonder if the AC68 series is beginning to suffer from the same kind of power supply ills that affect older N66 units? The degradation being time-related suggests something along those lines.

When you say Power-Supply, do you mean the Wall wart AC adapter? I just tried a different AC68P router and it has the same problem -- but I didnt change the wall wart.

I'll try that now since now I know is is not a hardware problem with the router.

 

[dlandiss]

When you say Power-Supply, do you mean the Wall wart AC adapter?

Yes. The reports of failing power supplies so far have been the N66 model, but as the AC68 approaches that same age we cannot ignore the possibility.

 

[Livin]

Yes. The reports of failing power supplies so far have been the N66 model, but as the AC68 approaches that same age we cannot ignore the possibility.

When you say failing... they completely die OR still work but start causing issues with the router, like slow WAN speeds?

I replaced the power adapter and the slowdown happened again in under 24hrs.

ideas?

 

[dlandiss]

Could be either, depending on the failure mode. The reason I suggested it is because your issue seems to appear after the router has been on for a while, suggesting a heat issue. If it is not the router itself (which you tested), the power supply is all that is left.

Unless your ISP is messing with you...............

 

[Livin]

At this point ... two different AC68P units (3 different FWs - Merlin, stock, Johns) and swapping power adapters result in the same issue after 12 to 24 hours. DL Speeds start at 60mbps-70mbps and drops to 5-9mbps


ideas?

 

[dlandiss]

Your ISP is messing with you...............

Remind me--is this affecting wired speed also, or just WiFi?

 

[Livin]

Remind me--is this affecting wired speed also, or just WiFi?

affecting Wired ... my daily-use PC is wired. I've speed tested 2 wired PCs and my android phone, same speed results.

I'm wondering if the modem is the problem? ... Comcast has reset the modem in the system + "checked" things twice remotely and say the modem is communicating properly

If I reboot just the ASUS or just the Motorola Cable modem it never fixes the slowness... I must power-down/up (unplug) BOTH at the same time and still usually usually takes a few power cycles ... then my speeds go back to 60-70mbit for 12 to 24 hours.

thx for continuing to help me isolate this... its driving me crazy

Model Name: SB6120
Vendor Name: Motorola
Firmware Name: SB_KOMODO-1.0.6.16-SCM00-NOSH
Boot Version: PSPU-Boot 1.0.0.4m1
Hardware Version: 3.0

 

[dlandiss]

OK, I have this crazy idea. Unplug both the modem and the router from their power sources. Undo the coax cable from Comcast to the modem, and undo the Ethernet from the modem to the router.

1) Wait 30 minutes in hope that Comcast will drop the current association of your modem with any particular IP address and upstream data port.

2) Power up the modem and wait the LEDs to stabilize in whatever pattern they assume. Obviously there will not be any kind of data connection yet.

3) Connect the Comcast coaxial cable to the modem. Wait for the Data and Internet LEDs to stabilize.

4) Connect the Ethernet cable from the modem to the router.

5) Power up the router.

The whole point of the exercise is to try to get connected to a different data port at Comcast.

 

[john9527]

1) Wait 30 minutes in hope that Comcast will drop the current association of your modem with any particular IP address and upstream data port.

Great idea....see post #2