ASUS RT-AC68U - New Firmware 3.0.0.4.385_20632 Released July 24, 2020

[wouterv]

I already have Wifi analyser and the 2.4 band has around another 3 routers. The AC68U is set to fixed channels, 11 and 44. Trouble is when I change the 2.4 channel there is a BT router that seems to follow it and maybe that is interfering as it is the strongest signal. I will try 5 ghz for a while and see if it is any better.

A bit of history, I had up until Feb a DSL-N55U and have had this years and no problems with speakers dropping out, only PPP session dropping which was repeated on the 1200G+ I replaced it in Feb with. The N55U is on Beta firmware and hasn't been updated since 2016 so thought its about time I replaced it. Hardware is fine. So here we are with different problems on the AC68U.

Some settings that helped to improve stability for me:

Advanced Settings - Wireless - Professional - 2.4 GHz

• Modulation Scheme: Up to MCS 7 (802.11n)
• Airtime Fairness: Disable
• Universal Beamforming: Disable

Advanced Settings - Wireless - Professional - 5 GHz

• Airtime Fairness: Disable
• Universal Beamforming: Disable

 

[AllanMotello]

Some settings that helped to improve stability for me:

Advanced Settings - Wireless - Professional - 2.4 GHz

• Modulation Scheme: Up to MCS 7 (802.11n)
• Airtime Fairness: Disable
• Universal Beamforming: Disable

Advanced Settings - Wireless - Professional - 5 GHz

• Airtime Fairness: Disable
• Universal Beamforming: Disable

The same with my RT-AC68U. I have disabled Airtime F. and Universal B. - my router became stable.

 

[wouterv]

The same with my RT-AC68U. I have disabled Airtime F. and Universal B. - my router became stable.

Those settings are the ones (maybe there are more) that can enable non standard WiFi features, they are assumed to only to work if the client device is of the same manufacturer and also support those non standard features. In my honest opinion all non standard features shall be disabled by default (and not enabled as Asus seems to do).

 

[banger]

Some settings that helped to improve stability for me:

Advanced Settings - Wireless - Professional - 2.4 GHz

• Modulation Scheme: Up to MCS 7 (802.11n)
• Airtime Fairness: Disable
• Universal Beamforming: Disable

Advanced Settings - Wireless - Professional - 5 GHz

• Airtime Fairness: Disable
• Universal Beamforming: Disable

Thanks for the tips I will change those settings. For now I only have 1 device on 2.4 ghz and that is a windows phone haha.

 

[wouterv]

Thanks for the tips I will change those settings. For now I only have 1 device on 2.4 ghz and that is a windows phone haha.

Windows phone, is that one with a dial

 

[OzarkEdge]

Here's a simple read on Universal (implicit) Beamforming:

What is beamforming and how does it make wireless better?

Beamforming uses the science of electromagnetic interference to make Wi-Fi and 5G connections more precise.

www.networkworld.com

OE

 

[banger]

Looking at Wifi Analyser, 2.4 ghz has an uptime of 1 hr 20 and 5 ghz 19 hrs 20 so 2.4 radio has restarted itself while up. No config changes made in this time.

 

[banger]

So far so good, Speakers on 5 ghz have been up 1 day 1 minute and remained connected. Interesting to note that on my AC68U according to wifi analyser the 5 ghz signal is about 5dbm stronger than the 2.4 ghz signal.

 

[L&LD]

@banger, that is interesting! What distance and what are the actual numbers for each band?

What client device are you using the analyzer on?

 

[banger]

5ghz a steady -34dbm and 2.4 -33dbm to -40dbm. That is on a Realtek 1200 USB adapter 2 foot from the router on a Win 10 PC Wifi Analyser.

Incidentally my Windows phone which only has 2.4 band has a connection time of 2 hours the rest are 24 in Network list.

 

[dave14305]

ASUS RT-AC68U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.385.20632
- Fixed multi language issues

 

[Objects in Space]

Direct link available for RT-AC68U.

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC68U/FW_RT_AC68U_300438520632.zip

 

[wouterv]

ASUS RT-AC68U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.385.20632
- Fixed multi language issues

Wow was there all the fuss for

 

[dave14305]

Wow was there all the fuss for

How many languages can you say that in?

 

[wouterv]

How many languages can you say that in?

Not as much as the router seems to speak.

[EDIT]
I suppose I also checked this in the past, but noticed today that the router does not speak Dutch.
Anyway I prefer the native language of such equipment and manuals, the translated versions often give lots of confusion or plain mistakes.

 

[wouterv]

I updated the router with the manual downloaded firmware file, simply over the previous version 3.0.0.4.385.20630, no additional reset, no factory defaults.
No issues yet.
I doubt this firmware release contains the fixed described here.

 

[netmann]

Asus RT-AC68U

 

[netmann]

Anyone knows if I skip updating to 20632, the next Asus new firmware notice will replace this one? Or, I have to update to 632 first in order to get the new firmware?

 

[wouterv]

Anyone knows if I skip updating to 20632, the next Asus new firmware notice will replace this one? Or, I have to update to 632 first in order to get the new firmware?

If your current router firmware is 3.0.0.4.385.20630 I assume it should work.
Why do you want to skip 3.0.0.4.385.20632?

 

[banger]

Interesting it has happened again but on a different speaker, after 2 days uptime on 2.4 ghz band. 5 ghz seems stable, nothing in logs about devices being kicked off, logs sent.

Now been up 97 hours without disconnection on 5 ghz. Transferred all my Amazon speakers to 5ghz instead of 2.4. Seems to have settled down, no inactivity disconnects.