AC86U sometimes powers completely off during reboot

[Val D.]

• Do not use the NVRAM Save/Restore Utility. That is now past its due date.
• Do not use a saved config file either. Manually and minimally configure the router, testing as you go.

It's very easy to recommend a full reset with no restore. In my case that means 1h work and long periods of service interruptions after every firmware upgrade. Did it once after major firmware version jump, not going to do it again with small updates and bug fixes. If the Save/Restore Utility was not working properly, then Merlin would have to remove it from his firmware version. For me Save/Restore is working very well. No issues to report.

The reboot issue we discuss here has nothing to do with Save/Restore Utility. I've seen RT-AC86U going blank after fresh start with stock ASUS firmware and after updating with the next stock ASUS firmware version. Reset, Restore, Wipe... doesn't help.

 

[dave14305]

It's very easy to recommend a full reset with no restore. In my case that means 1h work and long periods of service interruptions after every firmware upgrade. Did it once after major firmware version jump, not going to do it again with small updates and bug fixes. If the Save/Restore Utility was not working properly, then Merlin would have to remove it from his firmware version. For me Save/Restore is working very well. No issues to report.

NVRAM Save/Restore Utility is referring to this older script which has now fallen out of date with current firmware versions: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/user-nvram-save-restore-utility-r26-2.19521/

Save/Restore within the firmware GUI is intended to save/restore settings for the same firmware version on the same device.

 

[Val D.]

Save/Restore within the firmware GUI is intended to save/restore settings for the same firmware version on the same device.

It also works perfectly fine between minor updates and bug fixes of the same firmware version. On my RT-AC66U I had no issues whatsoever restoring settings on all 380.x firmware versions and now I have no issues restoring settings on RT-AC86U on all 384.x firmware versions. I just follow the rule to restore settings from an older version to a newer, not vice versa.

When a completely new base/drivers firmware comes up, then I do it manually using another router to hold the network temporary until I play with the settings of the main router. Avoiding issues with my wife, you know.

 

[RootCause]

Like it’s in it’s death throes. And just when it was starting to look promising.

L&LD recently posted some steps, which help decide whether the problem is hardware related or software related. I bookmarked it as his RMA Diagnostic: it helps decide if the router’s got to go back (if under warranty).

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/major-issues-w-rt-ac86u.56342/page-4#post-495710

The router is of little use in it’s current state so run the diagnostic and tell us what happens.

Like it’s in it’s death throes. And just when it was starting to look promising.

L&LD recently posted some steps, which help decide whether the problem is hardware related or software related. I bookmarked it as his RMA Diagnostic: it helps decide if the router’s got to go back (if under warranty).

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/major-issues-w-rt-ac86u.56342/page-4#post-495710

The router is of little use in it’s current state so run the diagnostic and tell us what happens.

Hello martin, yes i saw that topic and tried it miself before i posted but since it dosent let me to get into ssh to install the amtm i skipped that part.

I did however flashed reflashed restarted unplugged plugged everything i could find and im frankly getting crazy over here, its been over 12h battling with issues today

ps: newest issue wan ip is different than what https://www.whatsmyip.org/ is showing... port forwarding not working, sometimes i cant even connect to the games, sometimes i get disconnected, im gona do now 1 last time a clean flash of the firware with bare minimum and see if this fixes my ftp and everything else...

 

[martinr]

Hello martin, yes i saw that topic and tried it miself before i posted but since it dosent let me to get into ssh to install the amtm i skipped that part.

I did however flashed reflashed restarted unplugged plugged everything i could find and im frankly getting crazy over here, its been over 12h battling with issues today

ps: newest issue wan ip is different than what https://www.whatsmyip.org/ is showing... port forwarding not working, sometimes i cant even connect to the games, sometimes i get disconnected, im gona do now 1 last time a clean flash of the firware with bare minimum and see if this fixes my ftp and everything else...

And, assuming I’m not too late, flash again after the reflash as L&LD advocates when you get random unexplained glitches, and do so according to his guide taking note of the power-cycling and wait times etc. He’s had lots of experience of his customers’ crotchety Asus routers, so his guide is a practical one.

 

[shark]

Your problem now sounds like one of those occasions which L&LD refers to where there are “random, unexplained glitches” after flashing new firmware and where it’s necessary to reflash the same firmware in a carefully structured process. If your problem has not completely gone, it’s definitely worth trying. Here’s the steps taken from:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...10-is-now-available.55742/page-37#post-483854


“Your router needs to be fully reset, an overview of what I would do:

• Save your data from the USB drive and from the jffspartition.
• Format your USB drive on aPC with the NTFS file format. Do not put it back into therouter yet.
• Flash the firmware you want to use on it (latest isrecommended).
• Reset the router to factory defaults making sure to check the box that says 'Initialize all settings...' first.
• Perform a temporary wizard setup and then unplug the power cable from the router (not from the ac wall socket).
• Wait 2 minutes and then, holding down the WPS button, plug in the power and wait between 10 to 30 seconds and then release the WPS button. The router should boot up (maybe slow, be patient) to the setup wizard again if performed correctly. If it didn't, do this step until it does.
• Do another temporary wizard setup and reflash the same firmware you want to use.
• Complete one final temporary setup and reset the router to factory defaults making sure to select the 'Initialize all settings... ' box again.
• Do not use the NVRAM Save/Restore Utility. That is now past its due date.
• Do not use a saved config file either. Manually and minimally configure the router, testing as you go.

Keep in mind that many old configuration options you may have used previously may no longer be needed. Updates to the features and its defaults change constantly. See what the results of the new default are and only change if thereis an actual need.

At this point, do not introduce any customisations in a batch. Do one by one and test for everything you've set before adding/moving to the next one. When the router proves stable, continue with adding the USB drive (see below) and Diversion.

I would also suggest using the amtm Step-by-Step link in my signature to get your USB drive and amtm and Diversion properly installed.

With the above information, youshould be able to get your router to a good/known state.”



You might want to bookmark L&LD’s resources for future reference
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac86u-factory-reset.56972/#post-496275

I'll try doing this once 384.12 stable is released/

 

[sdmf74]

Just stumbled upon this thread searching for a different topic but I had to stop in and report my 86U suffers from this defect as well unfortunately. I almost started a thread about it a couple weeks ago!
I cant say for sure if it happened on stock firmware or not, sorry but it definately fails to reboot on occasion. Lights go dark and an unplug is required to get it back up and running, very frustrating. I hope someone gets to the bottom of it.
Its probably just a matter of time before merlin encounters this defect if he hasnt already.

 

[shark]

Just stumbled upon this thread searching for a different topic but I had to stop in and report my 86U suffers from this defect as well unfortunately. I almost started a thread about it a couple weeks ago!
I cant say for sure if it happened on stock firmware or not, sorry but it definately fails to reboot on occasion. Lights go dark and an unplug is required to get it back up and running, very frustrating. I hope someone gets to the bottom of it.
Its probably just a matter of time before merlin encounters this defect if he hasnt already.

Don't get your hopes up about merlin finding this problem! He has a RT-AC86U on his hands and he is not able to reproduce the issue with his 86u, so no debugging it and no fix for it.

 

[madfusker]

Mine still does it too. I try to avoid any reboots without me being there to hard power cycle it.

 

[joe scian]

what a pain in the a#$ the RT-AC86U is - more issues with it on this forum than its worth. Im so glad I have the RT-AC5300. Would never upgrade to the RT-AC86U - ever.

 

[madfusker]

I love the 86U. It's a beast, and it cranks my VPN speed up to 100M with its powerful processors! I hardly ever reboot it, and when I do I just pull the plug. Yeah, it would suck to have to manage it remote due to this issue, but the power and performance is incredible!

 

[joe scian]

Yes and if I needed faster VPN speeds I would get a faster NBN plan. No issues on a 50/20 plan dialing in watching my 4 HD cameras on 3G or 4G or streaming movies from the RT-AC5300 either. AND it survives a remote reboot!!

 

[st3v3n]

Ditto on #112 and 113. Must be just 'this' Saturday....

 

[L&LD]

Yes and if I needed faster VPN speeds I would get a faster NBN plan. No issues on a 50/20 plan dialing in watching my 4 HD cameras on 3G or 4G or streaming movies from the RT-AC5300 either. AND it survives a remote reboot!!

Faster ISP speeds won't help if you're using a VPN on the router.

 

[madfusker]

Correct. You need a router with some horsepower to encrypt and decrypt on the fly. 86U is a machine when it comes to that.

 

[joe scian]

Faster ISP speeds won't help if you're using a VPN on the router.

What if if I got a 100/40 plan with double upload speed from 20 to 40 my VPN speed remains same and my cameras would not load just a tiny bit faster especially when I have not maxed out performance on my RT-AC 5300 ? I doubt it

 

[madfusker]

You could have 1000/400, but if your router can't process the VPN fast enough you may get 10/4 on your line (if using a VPN). If it works as-is for your application now then keep it. No sense in buying a $200 router if you don't need the horsepower for VPN.

 

[joe scian]

You could have 1000/400, but if your router can't process the VPN fast enough you may get 10/4 on your line (if using a VPN). If it works as-is for your application now then keep it. No sense in buying a $200 router if you don't need the horsepower for VPN.

yes I do understand that - I was just making a point that the RT-AC5300 isnt maxed out on a 50/20 plan and if I did indeed go to a 100/40 plan with extra upload BW I would indeed see my cameras load just that little bit faster using OPENVPN Server

 

[Val D.]

This no boot after reboot issue may be power supply related. The standard RT-AC86U power supply is rated 19V 1.75A and I start to believe in some cases it may not provide enough power during the boot process. I'm testing now with a different power supply rated 19V 4A.

After 15 reboots in a row the router starts every time with no issues.
Interesting find, but the issue is very intermittent and I still can't be sure this is the solution.

 

[visortgw]

This no boot after reboot issue may be power supply related. The standard RT-AC86U power supply is rated 19V 1.75A and I start to believe in some cases it may not provide enough power during the boot process. I'm testing now with a different power supply rated 19V 4A.

After 15 reboots in a row the router starts every time with no issues.
Interesting find, but the issue is very intermittent and I still can't be sure this is the solution.

What exact power supply are you testing?