ASUS headache - Help!

[pmcn]

Thanks. I don't think the 86U can be resetting properly. I don't see how any attached devices (like tablets, phones, PS4, Alexa, printer, network switch, Sonos etc.) can "remember" previously attached devices and feed those back to the router as L&LD suggests could be happening. To my understanding, a full reset is just that, with a complete wipe of everything, and the suggestion that there must be a hardware issue makes more sense to me. Not sure what to do about that though, given that it is a £200+ router and is now over a year old.

I am up and running at the moment with the 86U as the main router, I just can't use parental control settings and have to keep re-entering the printer IP. I will see (as someone else suggested) if I can enter the IP into the printer so that it remembers it if the router forgets it.

Is there any other way to hard reset that might be more effective (like the reset button) or does it just do the same thing?

Anyone have an opinion on whether Merlin firmware might help? or how to get Asus to tell me if they think it is a hardware issue?

thanks again to all

 

[Grisu]

I am quite sure its not a hw problem.
What does it exactly remember after a reset?
Clients got their DHCP lease, so they may reuse it after a reset again (but not sure about this).
Soft (with initialize) or hard (button) reset should work the same.
But this router has 2 firmwares (one in reserve if working one wont boot) and there are sometimes going on strange things.
Thats why L&LD recommends his nuclear reset (with uploading firmware twice and reset after each step).

After reset use a different SSID for testing, does it still remember anything?

Did you set fix IP in DHCP reservation list for the printer, then it will get this predefined one and keep it.

 

[pmcn]

Well I have followed the initial instructions from L&LD as best I can. I flashed with an old firmware that I had on the PC then flashed again with the latest firmware from the website. Then reset via the GUI (with the initialize box checked) and hard re-boot (unplugged for a few minutes). It came back up with the configuration wizard and I picked a new radio name. It then told me that I had picked a new name, so existing clients would need to re-connect. If I go to the DCHP settings, I can still see under the "offline clients" section all of the previous devices that have connected in the past.

Clearly the router is not actually returning to factory settings and forgetting everything. Does anyone know how to completely reset it? I think that either there is a hardware problem (less likely) or something in it's memory has got corrupted and I seem to be unable to reset it.

Unless I can somehow clear its memory I am not really sure how I can stop it suddenly doing unpredictable things. Any further suggestions as to how I might achieve this will be gratefully received - and thanks for all of the comments so far.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Try this:

nvram set force_erase_jffs2=1
nvram commit
reboot

 

[pmcn]

Try this:

nvram set force_erase_jffs2=1
nvram commit
reboot

Err, sorry to seem daft, but where exactly do I put that?

 

[ColinTaylor]

SSH into the router and enter them on the command line.

 

[pmcn]

SSH into the router and enter them on the command line.

SSH?

 

[ColinTaylor]

OK Let's start at the beginning.

What firmware version are you using?

 

[pmcn]

Current Version : 3.0.0.4.384_81351-gcb63868

 

[ColinTaylor]

What OS does your PC use? MacOS or Windows?

 

[pmcn]

What OS does your PC use? MacOS or Windows?

Windows 10, 64 bit

 

[ColinTaylor]

Log into the router's web interface and go to Administration - System and set Enable SSH to LAN only.

 

[pmcn]

Log into the router's web interface and go to Administration - System and set Enable SSH to LAN only.

OK. I set port 1025 - not sure if that is important or not

 

[ColinTaylor]

OK. I set port 1025 - not sure if that is important or not

Personally I would have left it at the default. The important part is that it should be "LAN only".

Go to the Windows command prompt and connect to the router with:

ssh admin@192.168.1.1 -p 1025

Change "admin" to whatever your router user name is. Change 192.168.1.1 to your router's IP address.

Then enter the commands above and the router should reboot itself twice.

 

[pmcn]

Personally I would have left it at the default. The important part is that it should be "LAN only".

Go to the Windows command prompt and connect to the router with:

ssh admin@192.168.1.1 -p 1025

Change "admin" to whatever your router user name is. Change 192.168.1.1 to your router's IP address.

Then enter the commands above and the router should reboot itself twice.

Do I need to put that other code in the "authorised keys" box? or should that stay blank?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Do I need to put that other code in the "authorised keys" box? or should that stay blank?

I can't remember what it says exactly. Can you just press return to continue?

EDIT: I think you're talking about the router's SSH config. Just leave that box empty.

 

[pmcn]

I can't remember what it says exactly. Can you just press return to continue?

EDIT: I think you're talking about the router's SSH config. Just leave that box empty.

Tried that... Connection refused

 

[ColinTaylor]

After you enabled SSH on the router did you press the Apply button? Try rebooting the router just to make sure it's enabled properly.

Are you sure you're using the correct port number?

 

[pmcn]

After you enabled SSH on the router did you press the Apply button? Try rebooting the router just to make sure it's enabled properly.

Are you sure you're using the correct port number?

Re-boot has let me in. it has my router id then:/tmp/home/root#

 

[ColinTaylor]

Re-boot has let me in. it has my router id then:/tmp/home/root#

Now just type in those 3 commands from post #24.