Asus AC86 Dropping 5GHz

[billyk]

I purchased an AC86U router in late December 2019. In the first few days, the 5GHz signal dropped and a reset immediately fixed it. To make it less likely to happen again, I manually set the 5GHz to Channel 149 and it's been perfectly stable for the last 3 weeks.

Today, the 5GHz signal dropped again - for all devices, and a reset worked again.

My question is: knowing the issues that the AC86U has had with the 5GHz radio in the past, is it recommended that I go for a return within this 30 day period and purchase another router? My N66U needed to be reset maybe twice a year. The AC86U is not displaying the same reliability thus far. Am I being too quick to pull the trigger on getting another router?

Advice and recommendations welcomed!
-bk

 

[billyk]

I might try turning off the Trend Micro AI protection and possibly dropping to a lower channel.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I purchased an AC86U router in late December 2019. In the first few days, the 5GHz signal dropped and a reset immediately fixed it. To make it less likely to happen again, I manually set the 5GHz to Channel 149 and it's been perfectly stable for the last 3 weeks.

Today, the 5GHz signal dropped again - for all devices, and a reset worked again.

My question is: knowing the issues that the AC86U has had with the 5GHz radio in the past, is it recommended that I go for a return within this 30 day period and purchase another router? My N66U needed to be reset maybe twice a year. The AC86U is not displaying the same reliability thus far. Am I being too quick to pull the trigger on getting another router?

Advice and recommendations welcomed!
-bk

I would flash/re-flash the latest firmware, reset, configure from scratch, disable Smart Connect, used fixed channels and separate SSIDs, and skip the Trend Micro features.

If it is then not reliable, return it.

OE

 

[billyk]

Thanks OE!

 

[billyk]

Just set my 86U to Channel 40, using 20/40/80 bandwidth. Trend Micro and Smart Connect were already off. What used to be a 550mbps down connection on my laptop is now 32ombps down tops. I guess that's the price of moving to a lower channel. But maybe it will be more reliable?

I made this setting without wiping/reinstalling firmware. I just wanted to see what would happen. Might stay here for a few days to see how it goes.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Just set my 86U to Channel 40, using 20/40/80 bandwidth. Trend Micro and Smart Connect were already off. What used to be a 550mbps down connection on my laptop is now 32ombps down tops. I guess that's the price of moving to a lower channel. But maybe it will be more reliable?

I made this setting without wiping/reinstalling firmware. I just wanted to see what would happen. Might stay here for a few days to see how it goes.

My 86U install notes.

OE

 

[GuruGuy]

Just set my 86U to Channel 40, using 20/40/80 bandwidth. Trend Micro and Smart Connect were already off. What used to be a 550mbps down connection on my laptop is now 32ombps down tops. I guess that's the price of moving to a lower channel. But maybe it will be more reliable?

I made this setting without wiping/reinstalling firmware. I just wanted to see what would happen. Might stay here for a few days to see how it goes.

that's a pretty big drop with all else being equal with the laptop being in the same place, etc. Channel 157 has always worked very well for me and others I know. Quick experiment will tell for you too.

 

[billyk]

I set the 5GHz radio to Channel 157 (up from 149) and bandwidth to 20/40/80 (was 80). Speeds are back to what I had with the previous settings - so that's a good thing.

Overall, as I think about it, it's probably unlikely that the 5GHz radio became unavailable for all devices in my home because of a channel and/or bandwidth setting. It's not like just one client had an issue - availability went to zero. Interestingly, the Wifi Analyzer app indicated that the Channel 149 was still there, even though the client indicated that the channel could not be found, or in the case of my Samsung S10+, that the channel was there but could not connect. Weird!

I guess for now I'll just keep these settings and see how it goes. If 5GHz drops out of sight again, I'll try OE's suggestion and take things back to baseline.

 

[a5m]

My RT-AC86U did this about a month back. Devices on 5GHz disconnected and then reconnected, but they were connecting 'through' the 5GHz SSID to the 2.4GHz radio. Meaning the 5GHz SSID was being broadcast and was able to connect to it but it was actually connecting to the 2.4GHz radio. At least this was the case according to the Wireless Log. The green WiFi logo on top right was only half lit (indicating 5GHz is off).

Was studying at the time so didn't bother diagnosing and just restarted and everything went back to normal. Still don't know what that was all about. 5GHz Channel always left at Auto.

 

[telUK]

I purchased an AC86U router in late December 2019. In the first few days, the 5GHz signal dropped and a reset immediately fixed it. To make it less likely to happen again, I manually set the 5GHz to Channel 149 and it's been perfectly stable for the last 3 weeks.

Today, the 5GHz signal dropped again - for all devices, and a reset worked again.

My question is: knowing the issues that the AC86U has had with the 5GHz radio in the past, is it recommended that I go for a return within this 30 day period and purchase another router? My N66U needed to be reset maybe twice a year. The AC86U is not displaying the same reliability thus far. Am I being too quick to pull the trigger on getting another router?

Advice and recommendations welcomed!
-bk

Hi

I had an issue a while back now with my AC86u occasionally dropping 5ghz, I would be watching a movie or playing online and it would just lose internet, its been fine for ages now (touch wood), I changed the following settings and its been fine ever since...

manual channel , I use 100
channel bandwidth instead of the auto 20/40/80 setting, I switched to 80mhz, for me this change seemed to solve the issue.
I also disabled airtime fairness, multi-user mimo and universal beam forming under the 5ghz professional tab, left 802.11 ac beam forming enabled though.

Weather this helps, I can't say, but it's solved my 5ghz issues to date.

 

[billyk]

Thanks telUK.
I'll try your settings if/when my router craps out again.