AC86U (Q for Merlin)

[Angry Sandwich]

Hi all (Merlin);

Long time reader, first time posting!

I bought a second hand AC86U, and am running the latest Firmware Version:384.8_2 after resetting the NVRAM from the original factory firmware. Around the same time I bought this router, I started having intermittent network drops while playing online games. I've run local network tests on my internal network and switches using iperf3, ping, etc looking for issues but all seems fine. When I run a continuous ping to the router's gateway, I sometimes see it not respond, amid the logs (by this I mean I ran a ping to a file from my PC). I've tested (I have a cable tester) all my CAT6a cables too, to make sure this wasn't a physical wiring issue.

I am seeking your advice, and others in this forum, on how best I can 'test' the hardware of my AC86U, i.e. what testing could I do with it to confirm if the hardware is working 100%? I'm trying to isolate the problems, i.e. whether it is my ISP or something on my end.

Welcome your thoughts and ideas!

Cheers.

 

[Lotta Cox]

https://www.pingplotter.com/products/free.html

Check for loss.

 

[Angry Sandwich]

I definitely ran extended ping tests, although not as fancy as this. I was hoping for a way to test the hardware itself somehow - maybe this isn't such an easier thing to do.

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Vexira]

try turning off spanning tree protocol

 

[Zonkd]

Hi all (Merlin);

Long time reader, first time posting!

I bought a second hand AC86U, and am running the latest Firmware Version:384.8_2 after resetting the NVRAM from the original factory firmware. Around the same time I bought this router, I started having intermittent network drops while playing online games. I've run local network tests on my internal network and switches using iperf3, ping, etc looking for issues but all seems fine. When I run a continuous ping to the router's gateway, I sometimes see it not respond, amid the logs (by this I mean I ran a ping to a file from my PC). I've tested (I have a cable tester) all my CAT6a cables too, to make sure this wasn't a physical wiring issue.

I am seeking your advice, and others in this forum, on how best I can 'test' the hardware of my AC86U, i.e. what testing could I do with it to confirm if the hardware is working 100%? I'm trying to isolate the problems, i.e. whether it is my ISP or something on my end.

Welcome your thoughts and ideas!

Cheers.

If you’ve tested every port is functional then the next thing I’d be doing is replacing the Ethernet cable (which you have). Next I would be analyisng the router logs. Set it to debug mode. When your game drops out make a note of the time and immediately save router logs to desktop from web ui. Post here for us to read.

Are you only getting dropouts via ethernet or is Wi-Fi a problem as well? Do any other devices connected via Ethernet dropout as well? When you purchased it second hand you say you did first reinitialise it before doing a clean firmware upgrade, then manually put in all settings... That’s always my first step before intensive troubleshooting. I make sure everything is clean with as many things set to default as possible. Then I gradually make customisations and see when problems start happening. I work by trial and error, process of elimination. But it sounds like you’ve done all that.

Are you using that gimmicky game fast proxy feature they built in? I can’t remember if Merlin reenableed support for it: i know it was broken for a long time.

 

[Angry Sandwich]

try turning off spanning tree protocol

I've tried it both ways, but didn't seem to make a difference - appreciate the thought!

 

[Angry Sandwich]

If you’ve tested every port is functional then the next thing I’d be doing is replacing the Ethernet cable (which you have). Next I would be analyisng the router logs. Set it to debug mode. When your game drops out make a note of the time and immediately save router logs to desktop from web ui. Post here for us to read.

Are you only getting dropouts via ethernet or is Wi-Fi a problem as well? Do any other devices connected via Ethernet dropout as well? When you purchased it second hand you say you did first reinitialise it before doing a clean firmware upgrade, then manually put in all settings... That’s always my first step before intensive troubleshooting. I make sure everything is clean with as many things set to default as possible. Then I gradually make customisations and see when problems start happening. I work by trial and error, process of elimination. But it sounds like you’ve done all that.

Are you using that gimmicky game fast proxy feature they built in? I can’t remember if Merlin reenableed support for it: i know it was broken for a long time.

* Cables - check, yep, I have a tester and checked them all, tried different ports
* When I first brought it home (second hand) I reset it to the latest Asus Factory firmware, then enabled SSH and issued the NVRAM reset command if memory serves me
* Wi-Fi is completely disabled, as I have a seperate Ubiquity for wireless
* Game Fast Proxy and Traffic Mgmt all turned off

I'll try the log route, but I only have a passing understanding of the log nomenclature so yes, if I can maybe post it, for some crowd sourced help that would be fantastic!

Thanks again for all the ideas!

 

[Zonkd]

* Cables - check, yep, I have a tester and checked them all, tried different ports
* When I first brought it home (second hand) I reset it to the latest Asus Factory firmware, then enabled SSH and issued the NVRAM reset command if memory serves me
* Wi-Fi is completely disabled, as I have a seperate Ubiquity for wireless
* Game Fast Proxy and Traffic Mgmt all turned off

I'll try the log route, but I only have a passing understanding of the log nomenclature so yes, if I can maybe post it, for some crowd sourced help that would be fantastic!

Thanks again for all the ideas!

384.7_0 fixed all the wireless dropouts and packet loss I was getting on my 86U with older firmwares and now it’s rock solid performance 24/7 for months. Can’t hurt to roll back to 384.7 for a while and see if problems disappear. I always do clean updates and suggest you do the same. Embrace your OCD while flushing old stuff from router before and after updating the firmware. Some people hold the WPS key to clear Nvram. I like reintialising 2 times from web UI. Some people suggest pressing power button to turn router off, then unplug power cable and press power button and let it rest for 20 seconds, press power button, plug back in power cable and finally press power button to turn it back on. You’d need to read more on that. I don’t know how effective it is.

 

[Angry Sandwich]

384.7_0 fixed all the wireless dropouts and packet loss I was getting on my 86U with older firmwares and now it’s rock solid performance 24/7 for months. Can’t hurt to roll back to 384.7 for a while and see if problems disappear. I always do clean updates and suggest you do the same. Embrace your OCD while flushing old stuff from router before and after updating the firmware. Some people hold the WPS key to clear Nvram. I like reintialising 2 times from web UI. Some people suggest pressing power button to turn router off, then unplug power cable and press power button and let it rest for 20 seconds, press power button, plug back in power cable and finally press power button to turn it back on. You’d need to read more on that. I don’t know how effective it is.

Solid advice Zonkd, I think I'll try that - revert the firmware, embrace my OCD (lol, I'm the same), I used the NVRAM command over SSH, but maybe I should ask the community here - what is the definitive best way to reset say an 86U back to absolute factory, is there a 'best' practice procedure?!

 

[Angry Sandwich]

PS: is 384.7_0 a 'known' stable version I can trust?

 

[Zonkd]

PS: is 384.7_0 a 'known' stable version I can trust?

I’m not aware of anyone claiming it’s unstable. For me it’s been perfect. I recall reading a person complain of wireless dropouts on 384.8 which is why I’m sticking with 384.7 for the time being. I do having the latest version for security and bug fixes, but unless it’s urgent I think I’ll stick with reliability for now.

You’d have to read up on the methods of factory resetting. Most people upgrade so frequently they prefer to do dirty updates. I upgrade less frequently so i don’t mind the slow way of resetting a few times (before and after updating the firmware. Break it up into steps and be sure to disable wifi after factory reset because by default it comes on as an open network your neighbors could join.

 

[Angry Sandwich]

I’m not aware of anyone claiming it’s unstable. For me it’s been perfect. I recall reading a person complain of wireless dropouts on 384.8 which is why I’m sticking with 384.7 for the time being. I do having the latest version for security and bug fixes, but unless it’s urgent I think I’ll stick with reliability for now.

You’d have to read up on the methods of factory resetting. Most people upgrade so frequently they prefer to do dirty updates. I upgrade less frequently so i don’t mind the slow way of resetting a few times (before and after updating the firmware. Break it up into steps and be sure to disable wifi after factory reset because by default it comes on as an open network your neighbors could join.

Gotcha, I'll research it to make sure. I prefer the 'more stable, less updates' path as well. I recognize you choose 384.x for wireless dropouts, but as that isn't a factor for me at all (I have it turned off...) s'why I asked. I'll probably just try it as well, knowing you overall had good luck. Thanks.

 

[Zonkd]

Gotcha, I'll research it to make sure. I prefer the 'more stable, less updates' path as well. I recognize you choose 384.x for wireless dropouts, but as that isn't a factor for me at all (I have it turned off...) s'why I asked. I'll probably just try it as well, knowing you overall had good luck. Thanks.

Let me clarify, I did have packet loss via Ethernet when I tested for five minutes. Since we only use wifi I never had the opportunity to notice if dropouts would have occurred via Ethernet. Maybe they would have...

 

[Angry Sandwich]

Ah ok, gotcha.