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

[blue166]

Who forced updates on you that it hurt your psyche so much?

OE

It's just the thought of no control and if the update turned out to have an issue (I know this can happen if you apply it but at least it's your own doing).

Not only that if it done the update and reboot mid session and not at an idle time that would also not be good.

Just too many issues for it to be a good idea from a vendor.

 

[AX-Router]

Recently got my AC-86U and updated with this latest firmware.
One main issue is loosing the device list very often. Either I use web interface or mobile app, the situation is same.
Most of the time it doesn't show the actual connected devices, and if I refresh, it will show partial numbers (it's not stable at all)
Please fix this.

 

[maxbraketorque]

The device list has been inaccurate forever. Maybe one of these days ASUS will make it work like as its intended.

 

[Going_Strong]

Recently got my AC-86U and updated with this latest firmware.
One main issue is loosing the device list very often. Either I use web interface or mobile app, the situation is same.
Most of the time it doesn't show the actual connected devices, and if I refresh, it will show partial numbers (it's not stable at all)
Please fix this.

I now use the TP-Link Archer C4000, and I can tell you this - the client (device) list is much better, much more stable, but again not ideal. For example, my older daughter's Galaxy S8 never (!) shows up (and it never showed up on the RT-AC86U, either), however other devices do, whereas on the RT-AC86U I would get one device connected, thirteen, then forty, then five or six, etc., all within the space of a dozen or so seconds.
Please keep in mind - although irritating, these client list "twitches" do not effect the router's performance.

 

[k9lef09]

I recently replaced my 66 with an 86 and upgraded stock firmware with the latest from Merlin, which I have been using for years. I started having the same issue described above with wireless clients disconnecting randomly and even wireless adapters uninstalling on windows machines. When investigating, I noticed the Associate/Dissociate activity in the logs and issues in the Windows Event Manager (WHEA-Logger errors). I've tried updating adapter drivers and going between stock and Merlin firmware on the wireless router without an improvement. I recently returned and replaced the 86 with another 86, upgraded stock FW to 45149 as requested, and continue to have the issues.

I also followed the suggestions in this thread on the wireless settings (beamforming, mimo, etc), forgetting networks, and using different names for my networks on the 86 than I did on the 66. I have seen improvements with apple devices , chromebooks, and Kindles, but not with windows devices. Windows devices still regularly disconnect from wifi and if left unused for a time, the adapters uninstall altogether (power mgmt is disabled). Assume the adapter uninstall is coincidental with the router change but none of this occurred before I swapped out the wireless APs from 66 for 86.

My setup is: fiber modem >> ac66 wired router (merlin 384.9) with wireless disabled and 4 wired clients with no issues >> ac86 wireless router (asus 45149) with no wired clients but wireless clients have issues.

I've spent two weeks trying to figure out what the deal is and I am at the end of my ability to resolve technical and mechanically. Would appreciate any help this board can provide.

 

[Uffe]

I've spent two weeks trying to figure out what the deal is and I am at the end of my ability to resolve technical and mechanically. Would appreciate any help this board can provide.

Try downgrading your stock firmware to 32799. I've been running it stable for over 2 months now with default settings and smart connect enabled. I have had no issues with client disconnects. I had similar issues with 45149. Why we are on 5 months now without an update to an extremely buggy firmware from a brand like ASUS is beyond me.

 

[Centrifuge]

Try downgrading your stock firmware to 32799.

Merlin 384_2 is the fw version that merged 32799 in, which has been solid for me on the 86U.

 

[GuruGuy]

I recently replaced my 66 with an 86 and upgraded stock firmware with the latest from Merlin, which I have been using for years. I started having the same issue described above with wireless clients disconnecting randomly and even wireless adapters uninstalling on windows machines. When investigating, I noticed the Associate/Dissociate activity in the logs and issues in the Windows Event Manager (WHEA-Logger errors). I've tried updating adapter drivers and going between stock and Merlin firmware on the wireless router without an improvement. I recently returned and replaced the 86 with another 86, upgraded stock FW to 45149 as requested, and continue to have the issues.

I also followed the suggestions in this thread on the wireless settings (beamforming, mimo, etc), forgetting networks, and using different names for my networks on the 86 than I did on the 66. I have seen improvements with apple devices , chromebooks, and Kindles, but not with windows devices. Windows devices still regularly disconnect from wifi and if left unused for a time, the adapters uninstall altogether (power mgmt is disabled). Assume the adapter uninstall is coincidental with the router change but none of this occurred before I swapped out the wireless APs from 66 for 86.

My setup is: fiber modem >> ac66 wired router (merlin 384.9) with wireless disabled and 4 wired clients with no issues >> ac86 wireless router (asus 45149) with no wired clients but wireless clients have issues.

I've spent two weeks trying to figure out what the deal is and I am at the end of my ability to resolve technical and mechanically. Would appreciate any help this board can provide.

The event logging with Assoc/disasoc has been going on since the Dec firmware update. You'll see it in many threads here. Been four months, but hopefully an update is coming and that issue will go away.
Regarding the windows uninstalling adapters...I'd guess you are running windows 10. With all the buggy updates lately, it wouldn't surprise me to see adapters removed.

 

[k9lef09]

Try downgrading your stock firmware to 32799. I've been running it stable for over 2 months now with default settings and smart connect enabled. I have had no issues with client disconnects. I had similar issues with 45149. Why we are on 5 months now without an update to an extremely buggy firmware from a brand like ASUS is beyond me.

Roll back to older firmware worked for me. Things are stable now with the wireless router.

Also, I no longer have the associate/disassociate items in the router system log. Instead i have repeated messages about a client being added to the list.

Apr 17 13:22:17 roamast: eth5: add client [MAC Address] to monitor list

I am still having difficulty with the Asus Repeater staying connected to the wireless router. Not sure what's going on there.

Apr 17 13:34:16 kernel: NO Limit Value, NO limit TX POWER !!!
Apr 17 13:34:16 kernel:  limit for cck=0, ofdm=0, ht1s=0, ht2s=0, vht1s=0, vht2s=0
Apr 17 13:34:17 kernel: wl1-vxd: WPA-none PSK authentication in progress...

I am going to hang tight with the stock fw for a while to monitor it then will switch back to 32799-based Merlin if later versions are still unstable.

I am still having issues with Windows-PC wireless adapters disabling and uninstalling themselves. Working that with the PC vendor.

 

[Lotta Cox]

When TF is Asus going to update this router? The 68 was updated.

 

[L&LD]

When TF is Asus going to update this router? The 68 was updated.

What do you need so desperately updated in this model?

RMerlin's 384.11 Alpha 3 is working a treat.

 

[Lotta Cox]

What do you need so desperately updated in this model?

RMerlin's 384.11 Alpha 3 is working a treat.

The current state of this firmware is severely broken. So much closed source, so Merlin can't fix it.

 

[L&LD]

The current state of this firmware is severely broken. So much closed source, so Merlin can't fix it.

Severely broken? Surely, you exaggerate a little?

Many more happy users on the RMerlin side, even with some of it being closed source.

 

[jsbeddow]

Yes, but it would be nice to at least see Asus push the Network Map fixes out into a release for the 86U, like they have for most other routers. It is just a bit worrisome to see this model not getting any updates for 4+ months.

 

[L&LD]

Yes, but it would be nice to at least see Asus push the Network Map fixes out into a release for the 86U, like they have for most other routers. It is just a bit worrisome to see this model not getting any updates for 4+ months.

Not worrisome to me. But the expectations keep growing all the time for when it is released.

 

[Gingernut]

An update would be nice to address the various network map bugs, wireless disconnects, kernel panics with it's associated reboot and the infamous dcd tainted kernel bug.

4 months is quite long for a release, maybe Asus are struggling fixing these bugs.

 

[VANT]

Severely broken? Surely, you exaggerate a little?

Many more happy users on the RMerlin side, even with some of it being closed source.

some people needs aimesh, rmerlin not include this funcionality in his fw.

Severely broken? Surely, you exaggerate a little?

Many more happy users on the RMerlin side, even with some of it being closed source.

i test fw from 20308 to 45149 and all have bugs, serious gugs.

 

[VANT]

to delete

 

[RMerlin]

Yes, but it would be nice to at least see Asus push the Network Map fixes out into a release for the 86U, like they have for most other routers. It is just a bit worrisome to see this model not getting any updates for 4+ months.

Patience. Issues were found right after the first couple of releases for 45709, which forced them to go back, and re-start testing + release with 45713, delaying things for everyone.

Keep in mind that in that four months period there were two weeks of Eastern holidays, and also two weeks of Asian holidays.

Asus still releases 2-3 times as many firmware releases a year than the majority of their competitor, so it's not as if you were only getting 1-2 release a year for your model.

Keep in mind Asus has to handle close to 30+ different models. That's the price to pay for not dropping support after 18 months like many competitors do.

 

[jsbeddow]

Nice, thanks Eric @RMerlin, looks like Asus just released 45713 for the 86U today.