ASUS RT-66U Merlin 380.70 Optimization

[Brian12345]

Hey guys,

I’ve recently installed the Merlin 380.70 for my rt-66u router. I typically enjoy pc online gaming, but the issue is that my ping fluctuates and its frustrating. I was hoping it had to do something with my router settings. Can you guys help me out?

 

[underdose]

Hey guys,

I’ve recently installed the Merlin 380.70 for my rt-66u router. I typically enjoy pc online gaming, but the issue is that my ping fluctuates and its frustrating. I was hoping it had to do something with my router settings. Can you guys help me out?

Your answer probably lies in QoS (Quality of Service/Traffic Manager) but I'd like to know what's your Bufferbloat on http://dslreports.com/speedtest first. I can share my QoS values (Optimized for PSN gaming btw) with you if your Bufferbloat is anything but A+.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is your PC connected to the router by an Ethernet cable rather than wireless? If so then it's probably an issue with your internet connection rather than the router. However, if you only experience the problem when other people in your home use the internet then you can use QOS to prioritise your traffic.

 

[Brian12345]

Your answer probably lies in QoS (Quality of Service/Traffic Manager) but I'd like to know what's your Bufferbloat on http://dslreports.com/speedtest first. I can share my QoS values (Optimized for PSN gaming btw) with you if your Bufferbloat is anything but A+.

Hey, here below the my attached dslreport. http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest/47340648

 

[Brian12345]

Is your PC connected to the router by an Ethernet cable rather than wireless? If so then it's probably an issue with your internet connection rather than the router. However, if you only experience the problem when other people in your home use the internet then you can use QOS to prioritise your traffic.

My PC isn't connected to the Ethernet cable and I'm using wireless, but even though no ones uses the WiFi at home (except for me) there the PING when I play online games still fluctuate. I've also tried to tamper with the QoS Setting on my router as well.

 

[L&LD]

My PC isn't connected to the Ethernet cable and I'm using wireless, but even though no ones uses the WiFi at home (except for me) there the PING when I play online games still fluctuate. I've also tried to tamper with the QoS Setting on my router as well.

There is the issue right there. Lag-free gaming requires an Ethernet connection. WiFi is a very poor substitute.

Can you test your gaming while being directly wired to your router?

Have you tried picking a more optimal Control Channel? Which band (2.4GHz or 5GHz) are you using to game?

I would recommend that you use the much more current john9527 LTS RMerlin fork for your router (I'm assuming it's the RT-N66U) rather than that year old firmware.

https://ftp.snbforums.com/threads/fork-asuswrt-merlin-374-43-lts-releases-v38e4.18914/

After flashing that firmware, follow the steps in the links in my signature below to get your router properly configured for maximum performance.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Try testing with your PC connected by Ethernet. Using a wireless connection introduces so many variables that it's very time consuming to diagnose problems.

BTW What is you router model? rt-66u is not a valid model number.

 

[Brian12345]

There is the issue right there. Lag-free gaming requires an Ethernet connection. WiFi is a very poor substitute.

Can you test your gaming while being directly wired to your router?

Have you tried picking a more optimal Control Channel? Which band (2.4GHz or 5GHz) are you using to game?

I would recommend that you use the much more current john9527 LTS RMerlin fork for your router (I'm assuming it's the RT-N66U) rather than that year old firmware.

https://ftp.snbforums.com/threads/fork-asuswrt-merlin-374-43-lts-releases-v38e4.18914/

After flashing that firmware, follow the steps in the links in my signature below to get your router properly configured for maximum performance.

Ive never test ethernet while gaming because my router is to far from my room. I always use 5Ghz to game.

 

[Brian12345]

Try testing with your PC connected by Ethernet. Using a wireless connection introduces so many variables that it's very time consuming to diagnose problems.

BTW What is you router model? rt-66u is not a valid model number.

The model number is RT-AC66U Dual Band

 

[L&LD]

The model number is RT-AC66U Dual Band

Ive never test ethernet while gaming because my router is to far from my room. I always use 5Ghz to game.

The suggested link I gave above is still applicable to your model. The RT-N66U and the RT-AC66U shared a common platform and are of the same generation. Use john9527's LTS firmware on it for better performance, today.

Have you ever tried to optimize the Control Channel being used? Have you tried optimizing the position, location and orientation of the Router and its antennae for best (most responsive, not highest throughput) performance?

Control Channel Set up https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...details-in-the-description.55582/#post-472051

Are you able to run a cable, even temporarily, to see how your gaming improves with a wired connection? If not, can you force yourself to game even for a few minutes, directly wired to the router to see that this is a WiFi issue and not something else?

At this point, this is all pointing to a WiFi issue (which is usually not fixable, for a real hard-core gamer looking for the most competitive advantage).

After flashing to john9527's firmware, you may want to try the FreshJR QOS script and maybe even amtm and it's supported scripts too (FreshJR's script will be included in amtm soon). Additional benefits are the ability to create a swap file that the router can use (possibly helping everything it does) and the blocking of Ads (Diversion) and bad domains (Skynet), for example.

All you need is a few minutes and a spare USB drive (4GB or more) that you will leave attached to the router.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...ements-custom-rules-and-inner-workings.36836/

https://diversion.ch/

https://diversion.ch/amtm.html

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/release-skynet-router-firewall-security-enhancements.16798/


Don't be overwhelmed by the above. First, let's see if your ISP is giving you the wired experience you need.

 

[john9527]

After flashing to john9527's firmware, you may want to try the FreshJR QOS script

The MIPS based routers don't support Adaptive QoS....(either my fork or Merlin)

 

[L&LD]

The MIPS based routers don't support Adaptive QoS....(either my fork or Merlin)

Thank you for that! Noted and logged.

But the script itself will work, although not optimally, correct?

 

[john9527]

But the script itself will work, although not optimally, correct?

I wouldn't think so....none of the underlying architecture is there.

But I redid the traditional QoS a while back such that it works with the appropriate rules.

 

[L&LD]

I wouldn't think so....none of the underlying architecture is there.

But I redid the traditional QoS a while back such that it works with the appropriate rules.

Thanks, I must be misremembering what I've read in the past then (I thought it worked on your fork).

 

[Brian12345]

The MIPS based routers don't support Adaptive QoS....(either my fork or Merlin)

I'm still confused on how to do the things above. I also tried downloading the firmware and trying to upload it on my wireless network, but it said its not compatible.

 

[L&LD]

I'm still confused on how to do the things above. I also tried downloading the firmware and trying to upload it on my wireless network, but it said its not compatible.

Quote from post 1 in the LTS thread (link given above):
Installation Notes

• Firmware is now packaged as a zip file (consistent with Merlin firmware releases). Remember to extract the .trx file prior to updating the firmware. An sha256sum file is included in the zip file to validate the firmware.
• For supported routers currently running ASUS firmware 380.3000 or above, or Merlin 380.60 or above, you cannot load this fork using the built in firmware update web interface. You must use the ASUS Firmware Restoration Tool from the ASUS support website or the built in CFE Mini-Web Server to install this fork firmware. You must always perform a factory default reset following the firmware update when moving from ASUS OEM or Merlin firmware above level 374 regardless if you updated via the web interface or Restoration Tool.
• When using the ASUS Firmware Restoration Tool or CFE Mini-Web Server to install this fork firmware on MIPS based routers (N16, N66 or AC66 non_B1) the upgrade process can take from 40 minutes to 1 hour. Please be patient and do not interrupt the process.

 

[A.D.]

I’ve recently installed the Merlin 380.70 for my rt-66u router. I typically enjoy pc online gaming, but the issue is that my ping fluctuates and its frustrating. I was hoping it had to do something with my router settings. Can you guys help me out?

How did you measure the ping? Is it an ICMP echo ping, or is it the game reporting the real latency of game relevant (non-ICMP) packets? And which OS did you run before?

I have the same configuration and with asuswrt-Merlin, in my experience, ICMP echo ping times don't have much relevance under load. As far as my observations go, it looks like traffic which relates to an established connection / stream gets heavily priorised, while everything that relates to new connections / streams jitters, and at least in the case of ICMP echo aka ping, the jitter can be extreme. Still, I do not notice lags for connections which matter.