Release ASUS RT AC86u Firmware - 3.0.0.4.384_81992-gdc7a780

[KevTech]

I bought a refurb over a year ago and it has been solid.
Even had a 30 warranty by Asus.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RT-AC86U-A...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[bbunge]

Looks like Asus pulled this release. The US Asus site is back to Version 3.0.0.4.384.81930
Meanwhile the Current Version : 3.0.0.4.384_81992 is working well for me. I must admit it was a replace Merlin 384.18, factory reset and manual set up...again.

 

[bitsbytes]

Looks like Asus pulled this release. The US Asus site is back to Version 3.0.0.4.384.81930
Meanwhile the Current Version : 3.0.0.4.384_81992 is working well for me. I must admit it was a replace Merlin 384.18, factory reset and manual set up...again.

the update is still up
https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...78.2076232967.1594563894-998975934.1583758629

 

[OzarkEdge]

Looks like Asus pulled this release. The US Asus site is back to Version 3.0.0.4.384.81930
Meanwhile the Current Version : 3.0.0.4.384_81992 is working well for me. I must admit it was a replace Merlin 384.18, factory reset and manual set up...again.

Nope, 81992 not pulled.

OE

 

[tallytr]

For me 81992 is fine, and to be truthful, just like all the other ones before...

 

[bbunge]

Nope, 81992 not pulled.

OE

Last night when I checked the US and AU Asus sites the 81992 was not there. I know I'm old and my vision not up to par from recent cataract surgery but I was not dreaming. Oh well, it was news at one point in time....

 

[SeriousFamily]

No problem with this update

I did not loose any icons

updated through the phone app

 

[128bit]

Last night when I checked the US and AU Asus sites the 81992 was not there. I know I'm old and my vision not up to par from recent cataract surgery but I was not dreaming. Oh well, it was news at one point in time....

i just so happened to squint at the asus ws last night, and yes, 992 was poof. i believe 930 was showing. course, it was late and i certainly should've been dreamin'; i'm gonna go with our cataract surgery!

 

[MarkyPancake]

It wasn't on the UK site when I last checked a few days ago, but just had a look via Android and it's on there now.

 

[RMerlin]

It often takes a few days for new firmware to show up on all their regional websites, as it needs to propagate through their server cluster.

 

[gfondeur]

I was thinking to upgrade my 68u to this model 86u so I can enjoy faster VPN but after reading in here I'm not sure if this will be considered an upgrade?
Are the new ones for sale in Amazon still unreliable?

As long it's a 2019 model you going to be fine, don't believe all the "issues" that just one or two members are "having"

 

[gfondeur]

Recycle them... the hardware is failing... there is no fixing that.

OE

 

[K-2SO]

I was thinking to upgrade my 68u to this model 86u so I can enjoy faster VPN but after reading in here I'm not sure if this will be considered an upgrade?
Are the new ones for sale in Amazon still unreliable?

Go to Amazon USA, find the router, filter reviews by "1 star" and "newest". Repeat with "2-star" and "newest". Ignore configuration issues, count only "lasted only X weeks/months", "died in X months/years", "2.4GHz quit working", "unreliable", etc. Look at 2019-2020 reviews, there are many. Some people believe 2019-2020 production year is better. No one from the future 2021-2022 stopped by SNB to confirm. Do you like gambling? Better go for RT-AX88U. More expensive, but less quality related complaints.

 

[kannanni]

Go to Amazon USA, find the router, filter reviews by "1 star" and "newest". Repeat with "2-star" and "newest". Ignore configuration issues, count only "lasted only X weeks/months", "died in X months/years", "2.4GHz quit working", "unreliable", etc. Look at 2019-2020 reviews, there are many. Some people believe 2019-2020 production year is better. No one from the future 2021-2022 stopped by SNB to confirm. Do you like gambling? Better go for RT-AX88U. More expensive, but less quality related complaints.

I bought mine 2 days ago from Amazon UK, made in china 2020, loaded merlin latest, 2.4 fixed on channel 1 20 mhz, 5 fixed on channel 100 with 40 mhz, very fast vpn client with policy rules, so far very stable with around 25 clients over the air, not a single drop or errors in over 48 hrs with 280 mb ram usage. did factory reset after loaded merlin.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Mine is not the best test for AiMesh since my one node is in the garage (low use). That said, I've experienced some 2.4 disconnects out in the yard on that side of the AiMesh. And this weekend while working in the garage, my 2.4 client saw a variable 2.4 signal, and even when it looked good and connected, it didn't work well. Then my 2.4 backhaul dropped. And at one point the node dropped offline... more than once.

I completely rebuilt the AiMesh from scratch after first refreshing just the node. Same issues persisted. I began to think my second 2018 China 86U was failing and did some shopping around before pausing to rethink the problem. The earlier yard disconnects on the garage node suggested a possible firmware issue I did not suffer enough earlier.

I reviewed previous firmware discussions and found similar WiFi issues reported for build 81918... I started looking there and stopped looking there.

So, I have downgraded from 81992 to 81858 and appear to have stable WiFi again on my node... I can feel it!

So, heads up!

Footnote: After downgrading the firmware, the webUI login could not be satisfied and invoked the Captcha and never could be satisfied no matter the login credentials used. So, you must reset at that point and then you can proceed. I proceeded through the Quick Setup to use the webUI reset with Initialize to reset again before configuring the router... the belt and suspenders approach. (Explained here.)

OE

 

[Neil62]

Mine is not the best test for AiMesh since my one node is in the garage (low use). That said, I've experienced some 2.4 disconnects out in the yard on that side of the AiMesh. And this weekend while working in the garage, my 2.4 client saw a variable 2.4 signal, and even when it looked good and connected, it didn't work well. Then my 2.4 backhaul dropped. And at one point the node dropped offline... more than once.

I completely rebuilt the AiMesh from scratch after first refreshing just the node. Same issues persisted. I began to think my second 2018 China 86U was failing and did some shopping around before pausing to rethink the problem. The earlier yard disconnects on the garage node suggested a possible firmware issue I did not suffer enough earlier.

I reviewed previous firmware discussions and found similar WiFi issues reported for build 81918... I started looking there and stopped looking there.

So, I have downgraded from 81992 to 81858 and appear to have stable WiFi again on my node... I can feel it!

So, heads up!

Footnote: After downgrading the firmware, the webUI login could not be satisfied and invoked the Captcha and never could be satisfied no matter the login credentials used. So, you must reset at that point and then you can proceed. I proceeded through the Quick Setup to use the webUI reset with Initialize to reset again before configuring the router... the belt and suspenders approach. (Explained here.)

OE

Where you able to try firmware 81930? If so, any thoughts on it?

 

[ATLga]

Mine is not the best test for AiMesh since my one node is in the garage (low use). That said, I've experienced some 2.4 disconnects out in the yard on that side of the AiMesh. And this weekend while working in the garage, my 2.4 client saw a variable 2.4 signal, and even when it looked good and connected, it didn't work well. Then my 2.4 backhaul dropped. And at one point the node dropped offline... more than once.

I completely rebuilt the AiMesh from scratch after first refreshing just the node. Same issues persisted. I began to think my second 2018 China 86U was failing and did some shopping around before pausing to rethink the problem. The earlier yard disconnects on the garage node suggested a possible firmware issue I did not suffer enough earlier.

I reviewed previous firmware discussions and found similar WiFi issues reported for build 81918... I started looking there and stopped looking there.

So, I have downgraded from 81992 to 81858 and appear to have stable WiFi again on my node... I can feel it!

So, heads up!

Footnote: After downgrading the firmware, the webUI login could not be satisfied and invoked the Captcha and never could be satisfied no matter the login credentials used. So, you must reset at that point and then you can proceed. I proceeded through the Quick Setup to use the webUI reset with Initialize to reset again before configuring the router... the belt and suspenders approach. (Explained here.)

OE

I warned about the rollback here in post 13

Release - ASUS RT AC86u Firmware - 3.0.0.4.384_81992-gdc7a780

New update via router GUI. I haven't seen release notes. Anyone download yet?

www.snbforums.com

 

[OzarkEdge]

Where you able to try firmware 81930? If so, any thoughts on it?

Yes, I've tried them all. I did not notice any issues at first, but after my definite experience with 81992, and reviewing similar issues posted for 81918, and noticing the three in short succession... 81918, 81930, and 81992... I'm inclined to suspect all three including 81930.

After struggling with rebuilding 81992 and getting nowhere, I was certain I wanted to go back beyond 81918. So far, 81858 is feeling reliable... no weird WiFi issues on the node that I've noticed.

I realize this is not a very definitive assessment, but we know that nearly every release can introduce new issues. It should not be this way but it is, so we have to roll with.

The trick is to 'know broken' when you experience it and take action to get rid of it... it's generally not about changing settings! @K-2SO made a similar point recently.

OE

 

[OzarkEdge]

I warned about the rollback here in post 13

Release - ASUS RT AC86u Firmware - 3.0.0.4.384_81992-gdc7a780

New update via router GUI. I haven't seen release notes. Anyone download yet?

www.snbforums.com

Yes, you did warn us:

"The new encryption stuff doesn't play well when you roll back, be advised if you install the new firmware, you'll face the same issue when rolling back."

Reminds me of how my wife screams in a panic in the passenger seat when she sees something sudden happen on the road. Her warning scares the living daylights out of me but it doesn't include any useful information for the driver.

OE

 

[ATLga]

Yes, you did warn us:

"The new encryption stuff doesn't play well when you roll back, be advised if you install the new firmware, you'll face the same issue when rolling back."

Reminds me of how my wife screams in a panic in the passenger seat when she sees something sudden happen on the road. Her warning scares the living daylights out of me but it doesn't include any useful information for the driver.

OE

It included very useful info, reading is fundamental.

Here's the whole quote, not the selected portion you chose:

"Thanks, I took the plunge and reset worked fine. The new encryption stuff doesn't play well when you roll back, be advised if you install the new firmware, you'll face the same issue when rolling back.

These are specific ac86u reset steps I took:
Product GT-AC5300, GT-AX11000, GT-AX11000 (Call of duty 4), RT-AC2900, RT-AC86U, RT-AX88U

ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2

1. Turn the router off.
2. Press and hold the "WPS" button and turn the router on.
3. Power light is on (keep holding the WPS button).
4. Release the WPS button after the power light is off.
5. Reboot your router by manually pressing the power button.

Afterwards set up router as new again, then loaded latest firmware again. All is well..."