ASUS RT-AC86U firmware release 3.0.0.4.384.45149 12/05/2018

[RMerlin]

The messages themselves are a known bug in wlceventd (incorrect handling of the nvram setting that controls those debug messages). What might be a hardware issue would be if devices are abnormally disconnecting/reconnecting all the time however.

 

[Latzz]

Moved to this version from 3.0.0.4.384.21140 about a month back, which was rock solid abiet minor cosmetic defects. Had purposely kept on 21140 longer than most people to establish a reference point to compare with.

With 45149, client list shown which affects a number of features which depended on it is not working as intended as its just incorrect all the time, even after a reboot.

In addition, WTFAST is problematic. Even after a client is deleted from WTFAST and logout from WTFAST, it is still attempting to route this particular client and the associated game. Problem fixed after a reboot. ASUS should reconsider marketing WTFAST as a feature given the issues with abnormally high CPU usage and two separate support tickets raised two months back remained unanswered (are they still operating as a service provider?).

 

[andyman]

The messages themselves are a known bug in wlceventd (incorrect handling of the nvram setting that controls those debug messages). What might be a hardware issue would be if devices are abnormally disconnecting/reconnecting all the time however.

Hi Merlin,

The messages themselves are a known bug in wlceventd (incorrect handling of the nvram setting that controls those debug messages). What might be a hardware issue would be if devices are abnormally disconnecting/reconnecting all the time however.

Hi Merlin

First a thousand thanks for your firmware builds for Asus, used them for years with no major problems at all and how I wish I could continue but I need the AIMesh feature.

The thing that makes me wonder about memory corruption is that some of the MAC addresses it shows don't actually belong to any devices on my network..either physical devices or those shown in the network map when it is working. As one common one seems to belong to Samsung it could of course be some device like a guest's mobile phone that connected a while ago and left a 'ghost' trace.
i.e.
Mar 8 17:46:06 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:....
Mar 8 17:46:06 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:46:17 WLCEVENTD: eth5: ReAssoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:46:22 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:46:22 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:51:02 WLCEVENTD: eth5: ReAssoc DC:66:72:78:....
Mar 8 17:56:06 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:56:06 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:....
Mar 8 17:56:28 WLCEVENTD: eth5: ReAssoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:56:47 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:.....
Mar 8 17:56:47 WLCEVENTD: eth5: Disassoc DC:66:72:78:....
Mar 8 17:57:13 WLCEVENTD: eth5: ReAssoc DC:66:72:78:....

Number of attached devices (wired and wireless) regularly jumps from 18 (the maximum actual number) to 3 to 9 to 12 back to 4 or 6 or even 1 etc etc.

What is 'eth:5' by the way, the WAN or a virtual port?

 

[RMerlin]

some of the MAC addresses it shows don't actually belong to any devices on my network

That MAC belongs to a Samsung device. Could be a mobile device trying to connect to your router without the proper WPA2 passphrases (associating means the radio is talking with the device, however it does not mean the device successfully authenticated with it). On the Wireless Log page these should show as Associated, but not Authenticated.

Some devices will also randomize part of their MAC, in a poorly-thought attempt at "security". Check for any Samsung device you might have on your network.

What is 'eth:5' by the way, the WAN or a virtual port?

eth5 is the 2.4 GHz radio. eth6 is 5 GHz.

 

[andyman]

Hi Merlin,

Sorry that should have been WLAN of course, many thanks for the info. Checked all the Samsung devices but no device has that MAC. I had no idea some devices randomized part of their MAC, seems like a crazy idea...especially if you are using a MAC address filter, which I'm not.

Does the device have to attempt connection before it's logged, or just be within radio range and perhaps scanning? The main problem is really of course that this isn't the only 'ghost' MAC address that appears and devices do connect and disconnect all the time according to the network status (wired and wireless) . As I said one moment it's 15 devices connected, then 3, then 9 etc etc.

 

[RMerlin]

Does the device have to attempt connection before it's logged, or just be within radio range and perhaps scanning?

There are multiple stages with a wifi client:

1) Association. This means the two radios are talking together
2) Authorization. This is the (typically) WPA2 key exchange between the two to confirm the device is allowed to connect to your network.
3) Network connection. Getting a DHCP lease if device is set to DHCP

In your case, it's quite possible the device is only achieving the first stage,. Just ignore it. A device can only talk to the rest of your network once it has gone through all these three stages. As I said, as long it doesn't show as both associated and authenticated on the Wireless Log page, then it's a non-issue.

 

[hookhook]

I bought an Asus ac86u router to connect to my neighbor shared wifi router with repeater mode. I tried both latest merlin and asus firmwares. Also tried both 2.4 and 5ghz to connect the wifi router. The asus ac86u can connect to the wifi router sucessfully, but my cell phones and computers cannot connect randomly. They randomly gets no ip. When no ip, it also shows 0 received package. Only has sent packages. Forced using static ip also does not work. My another cheap wifi repeater works 100%. Now the new ac86u is sitting and collecting dust. How to report this serious bug to Asus?

 

[L&LD]

I bought an Asus ac86u router to connect to my neighbor shared wifi router with repeater mode. I tried both latest merlin and asus firmwares. Also tried both 2.4 and 5ghz to connect the wifi router. The asus ac86u can connect to the wifi router sucessfully, but my cell phones and computers cannot connect randomly. They randomly gets no ip. When no ip, it also shows 0 received package. Only has sent packages. Forced using static ip also does not work. My another cheap wifi repeater works 100%. Now the new ac86u is sitting and collecting dust. How to report this serious bug to Asus?

So many things wrong with this post!

The obvious answer if you want to steal WiFi from your neighbor (whether they consent or not - they can't, legally) and bring his network to half or less of what is paid for, is to use your cheap WiFi repeater in Bridge mode and then connect the RT-AC86U to it in Router mode.

Did you use different SSID's when you switched routers? Did you 'forget' and then re-associate all the network devices?

Did you try using one band (2.4GHz) for backhaul and the other band for WiFi clients? Or, vice versa?

 

[hookhook]

So many things wrong with this post!

The obvious answer if you want to steal WiFi from your neighbor (whether they consent or not - they can't, legally) and bring his network to half or less of what is paid for, is to use your cheap WiFi repeater in Bridge mode and then connect the RT-AC86U to it in Router mode.

Did you use different SSID's when you switched routers? Did you 'forget' and then re-associate all the network devices?

Did you try using one band (2.4GHz) for backhaul and the other band for WiFi clients? Or, vice versa?

Did you use different SSID's when you switched routers? Did you 'forget' and then re-associate all the network devices?
Yes, I used different SSID name. Connected and Re-entered wifi password on all cells and computers.

Did you try using one band (2.4GHz) for backhaul and the other band for WiFi clients? Or, vice versa?
Yes, I tried 2.4ghz for connecting router, use 5ghz for cells and PCs, not work. Use 2.4ghz for cells and pcs, not work.

Tried 5ghz for connecting router, 2.4ghz / 5ghz for cells and pcs. Also, not work.

I have about 6 devices. Some Cells and PCs work for 2-3hours. Suddenly stop working (no ip, no any received packages). 1-2 devices just cannot connect at the very beginning (same symptoms).

 

[hookhook]

BTW

The cheap wifi extender uses a different stategy to connect. It uses a different subnet 192.168.10.x for local devices and uses its own dhcp server to assign ip to local devices. It routes all traffic to router ip 192.168.1.254.

Asus repeater mode uses router dhcp and subnet. No routing.

I really need to make asus working, since the cheap extender has slower speed, and weaker signal, the ethernet port is 100mbps only. I need to connect my NAS to 1000mbps.

 

[L&LD]

When you're bouncing between Asus stock and RMerlin firmware, did you perform a full reset to factory defaults followed by a minimal and manual configuration after flashing the firmware you wanted to use?

 

[hookhook]

When you're bouncing between Asus stock and RMerlin firmware, did you perform a full reset to factory defaults followed by a minimal and manual configuration after flashing the firmware you wanted to use?

Yes, I holded the reset button for 30secs. I also check re-init settings to restore in the web interface. I also tried three different versions of merlin and two older versions of asus firmwares, same problem.

The modem router is Telus T3200M. I have tried split 2.4g and 5g ssid on it. Both split and combination ssid do not help.

I also tried 20m and 40m 2.4g on router settings. Auto and fixed channel, no help either.

 

[L&LD]

The Telus T3200M is the router you're connecting to? Which channels have you tried 'fixed'? How is Telus feeding that T3200M? With ADSL/VDSL or Fibre? What ISP speeds are achieved on a wired computer connected to that router?

Are you rebooting both your neighbors' network equipment and yours with each change you're testing?

 

[hookhook]

The Telus T3200M is the router you're connecting to? Which channels have you tried 'fixed'? How is Telus feeding that T3200M? With ADSL/VDSL or Fibre? What ISP speeds are achieved on a wired computer connected to that router?

Are you rebooting both your neighbors' network equipment and yours with each change you're testing?

It is t3200m ADSL modem router. 25M download 4M upload. I tried fixed channel 6 and auto on 2.4G. 5G auto only. I tried reboot router twice and asus every time.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Yes, I holded the reset button for 30secs. I also check re-init settings to restore in the web interface. I also tried three different versions of merlin and two older versions of asus firmwares, same problem.

The modem router is Telus T3200M. I have tried split 2.4g and 5g ssid on it. Both split and combination ssid do not help.

I also tried 20m and 40m 2.4g on router settings. Auto and fixed channel, no help either.

Have you tried using the new 86U as a standalone router? Maybe it's defective.

OE

 

[L&LD]

It is t3200m ADSL modem router. 25M download 4M upload. I tried fixed channel 6 and auto on 2.4G. 5G auto only. I tried reboot router twice and asus every time.

That is not a lot of bandwidth to share between two households. This will be slow for everyone connected no matter what router you eventually get to work.

 

[hookhook]

I set the router 5g to fixed 153 band. Seems to work ok now. Lower bands 36-48 doesn't work for Canadian version Ac86u. Looks like a bug?

 

[L&LD]

I set the router 5g to fixed 153 band. Seems to work ok now. Lower bands 36-48 doesn't work for Canadian version Ac86u. Looks like a bug?

How are they not working? Like, not at all?

Choosing the proper control channel (like 153 instead of 36-48, for example) is part of the setup process. Not a bug, IMO.

 

[hookhook]

I tried again. Band 36 also works. The issue looks like the negotiation band between devices, ac86u repeater and router. For example, ac86u negotiates with device first and connects on band 36. Then, it uses band 36 to talk to the router which is on band 153. In this case, the connection fails. This happens all randomly. The right strategy should be considered the router band is master. When ever there is a change on router band, the repeater should follow immediately and forces the devices to change their band to the same as router. I hope merlin and asus can fix this issue.

 

[L&LD]

I tried again. Band 36 also works. The issue looks like the negotiation band between devices, ac86u repeater and router. For example, ac86u negotiates with device first and connects on band 36. Then, it uses band 36 to talk to the router which is on band 153. In this case, the connection fails. This happens all randomly. The right strategy should be considered the router band is master. When ever there is a change on router band, the repeater should follow immediately and forces the devices to change their band to the same as router. I hope merlin and asus can fix this issue.

I believe that you're not setting up your equipment properly. If you're using it as a repeater, it cannot connect to Channel 36 to negotiate with a router that is on Channel 153. Impossible.