ASUS RT AC86U Stability issue

[ATLga]

Yes [emoji1751]. Guess I shouldn't have

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Disconnect the 68. Write down any settings from it before you do that. Then unplug it.
Then do as post #2 says for the 86; nuke it and setup from scratch. Leave the 68 off to the side and don’t attempt to add it.

 

[Vonplatz]

Reestablished 68U as main router, took photos of (what I considered) all relevant pages.

Nuked 86U, set it from 0 using settings from 68U. Internet working great, I then used WiFi analyser to set the control channel at 13 (the app recommended 14, but 14 wasn't an option).

Set up another 86u as a node and the 68u as another node further away from root.

Everything worked perfectly until 12:30, my wife's pc lost the internet (connected, no internet connection). I tried to access the GUI using WiFi from another pc and I could not even access the router.

Another pc connected via ethernet had no connectivity issues at all.

This is consistent with previous experiences, all works well for about 12 hours and then the WiFi connections go to sh*t.

No idea how/why this is happening.

I want to throw the things in the bin.



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[OzarkEdge]

Reestablished 68U as main router, took photos of (what I considered) all relevant pages.

Nuked 86U, set it from 0 using settings from 68U. Internet working great, I then used WiFi analyser to set the control channel at 13 (the app recommended 14, but 14 wasn't an option).

Set up another 86u as a node and the 68u as another node further away from root.

Everything worked perfectly until 12:30, my wife's pc lost the internet (connected, no internet connection). I tried to access the GUI using WiFi from another pc and I could not even access the router.

Another pc connected via ethernet had no connectivity issues at all.

This is consistent with previous experiences, all works well for about 12 hours and then the WiFi connections go to sh*t.

No idea how/why this is happening.

I want to throw the things in the bin.



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I wonder if the IP addressing is not right across your network?

OE

 

[Vonplatz]

What would you recommend to test/fix this?

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[OzarkEdge]

What would you recommend to test/fix this?

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Think about it, IP addressing should be ok. I'm just concerned that you copied 68U settings by other to your 86U... something might not be right. The default router should work out of the box with minimal configuration.

OE

 

[Vonplatz]

This is the config I used from the 68U (see image).

I didn't change any DHCP settings on the 86U.

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[OzarkEdge]

This is the config I used from the 68U (see image).

I didn't change any DHCP settings on the 86U.

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The 86Us I've seen default to 192.168.50.1 on the LAN IP tab. So, the 86U DHCP server would use 192.168.50.2-254, by default.

Just make sure you are consistently using only one range of IP addresses (192.168.1.*) for both the router static IP (192.168.1.1) and the router DHCP server IP Pool (192.168.1.2-254).

OE

 

[L&LD]

@Vonplatz I suggest to not 'blindly' use the same settings across routers.

Old settings migrated like that (even manually) don't usually work when stability and reliability are important.

Set up a new network instead, after fully resetting it to factory defaults with 'Initialize all settings...' checked too.

I would recommend using new SSID's too.

See the M&M Config and the Nuclear Reset guides in the link in my signature below to get your router and network back to a good/known state.

 

[OzarkEdge]

@Vonplatz I suggest to not 'blindly' use the same settings across routers.

Old settings migrated like that (even manually) don't usually work when stability and reliability are important.

Set up a new network instead, after fully resetting it to factory defaults with 'Initialize all settings...' checked too.

I would recommend using new SSID's too.

See the M&M Config and the Nuclear Reset guides in the link in my signature below to get your router and network back to a good/known state.

Something is not right... he said earlier he goes through the first stage of setup, presumably Quick Setup, says it's connected, and can't ping sites... over multiple 86Us. Perhaps it's not his routers but the cables/equipment upstream. It really should not be this hard to use the router with default settings. Maybe he's connecting faulty cables or equipment to the LAN ports. He should set up just the router and get that working before adding anything else.

OE

 

[L&LD]

@OzarkEdge, yes, I agree to get the router working first. That is what I am suggesting in my post too.

If following only those steps gives the same issues, then it is time to look elsewhere too.

 

[rmassung]

Hi,

Searching for answers led me to this thread. Same exact problems with 86U coming from a 68U (T-mobile hack).

I think I finally have it working good from these changes:

1. Did a few factory resets first (running ASUS stock 81792), I do like the Open NAT feature.
2. Left it to 1 SSID (SmartConnect)
3. Enabled IPv6 (Xbox and PS4 on LAN would not work without it)
4. Did not change any DNS yet. IPv4 was 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1 , now I just have it as auto (Comcast).
5. Disabled under Wireless > Professional: Roaming Assistant, Airtime Fairness, Universal Beamforming.

Have it set for Nitro/QAM and every device, seems to work. Wired: XBOX One, PS4, Apple TV's (1080p+4k). Wireless (Amazon Show, Macbook Pro 2017, MBP 2018, MBP 2013, MBP 2011 MBP 2007 (Plex only), 1 smart plug, Nest E, MyCircle, iPhone 7, iPhone XR(2), Samsung TAB A, Canon Printer.

The only thing I can't get to work is 2 eweLink light switches that need 2.4GHz. Even using a guest network at 2.4 they will just not connect, they show offline. They will not get an IP.

As I was typing this my MBP disconnected. No idea why so I guess I still have some work. No complaints from the wife lately so I guess her's is

 

[L&LD]

Change 2. SmartConnect to disabled.

Also, use the safe defaults indicated in post 28 above in the M&M Config guide.

 

[Vonplatz]

Thanks for the input to everyone who had posted. I'm currently using the 68U as root and an 86U as node.

Even this is unstable sometimes, but rarely and for less extended periods.

The IT guy at my school (I'm a teacher) will connect with me tomorrow and have a look via remote connection, though I'm not hopeful about any solution as the problems seen to manifest themselves hours after initial setup.

The reason I'm on this forum is purely to engage a community with a higher knowledge base and try to fix the issues I have with the ASUS routers. I am not a hobbyist or interested in the advanced features that the hardware may provide. I just want decent WiFi in all the rooms of my house. If the products worked out of the box I wouldn't know this community even existed.

The fact I'm on here (probably annoying some of you with dumb questions) is an indictment of the product itself. These products are not sold or marketed as sandboxes for network engineers, I had falsely assumed they were plug and play.

If I could hire someone to come to my home and fix it I would, but this impossible under current circumstances in Madrid. If I could sell the whole lot and invest in another system I would, yet this also impossible due to the lockdown.

The frustrating thing is that being under lockdown and working from home means the only way I can try stuff out is staying up after everyone who wants to use the network has gone to bed. I'm literally losing sleep over this problem

I can safely say I wont purchase or recommend ASUS products in the future.

My main message is say thanks for all the advice even though my lack of understanding of terminology or concepts has limited how many and/or to what effect I've been able to use it, and to have a little rant!

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[OzarkEdge]

My 86U install notes may help.

OE

Bump me.

OE

 

[L&LD]

Networking and WiFi, in particular, is not an exact science. Plug and play is luck, not superior equipment. Some level of learning is required, always. Not setting up a brand new network to ensure that none of your previous assumptions are causing interfering are causing you grief too.

Don't lose sleep over this. Tell the household that the internet will be off for the next hour or so and do a full M&M Config/Nuclear Reset as suggested above. This isn't anything to get frustrated over. Just something that needs to be done deliberately and in order.

Unless the IT guy from your school knows consumer and in particular, Asus routers (please, point him to my guides before he accesses your network equipment ), I will assume he will make things worse, not better.

Flash RMerlin firmware on the RT-AC86U and perform a full M&M Config with new SSID's and minimal customizations except as outlined in the guide. Make this your main router.

Flash the same (v384.16_0) firmware level to the RT-AC68U (make sure you are flashing the correct firmware to the right model) and after doing so, perform a reset to the factory defaults along with 'Initialize all settings...' checked too. Don't touch this router further!

From the RT-AC86U, point to it and connect it via AiMesh. Once connected, power down both routers and then power them up again (this is not a reboot) after a couple of minutes.

This will give you the stable network you need.

HTH.

 

[Vonplatz]

Ok, I have followed the guide to the letter. All working fine, I reboot the router and NO INTERNET ACCESS.

I did notice something strange during set up however, after nuking the router I accessed via 192.168.1.1. after initial set up it did it had an internet connection but I couldn't open any pages.

As part of the guide I powdered it if and in again but when using 192.168.1.1 I arrived at my modem's GUI, not the AC86U.

After manually changing the Asus IP to 192.168.1.1, I could open websites.

I powered off both the router and node as per last posts advice and then for the "connected no internet" message on phone.

I changed ip to 192.168.50.1 but made no difference. I have connection via ethernet but not WiFi.

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[L&LD]

I can't see with the limited details you are providing where, why or if you might be going wrong during the setup. Sorry.

There must be crucial information missing here that is not presented yet.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Maybe there is a conflict with the ISP box. Make sure it is in bridge mode and that you are connecting the router WAN to the correct ISP box LAN port.

OE

 

[Vonplatz]

I didn't want to post prematurely and then have issues but...

I changed the ip of my modem to 192.168.50.1 then followed OE's set up instructions and...

Working internet since Tuesday!!!

Thanks to all who posted to help, sorry for being a noob.

I attach a picture I drew as an example to my daughter who had to write a sentence accompanied by a drawing about her weekend.

I owe you all a round of virtual beers.

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[OzarkEdge]

I didn't want to post prematurely and then have issues but...

I changed the ip of my modem to 192.168.50.1 then followed OE's set up instructions and...

Working internet since Tuesday!!!

Thanks to all who posted to help, sorry for being a noob.

I attach a picture I drew as an example to my daughter who had to write a sentence accompanied by a drawing about her weekend.

I owe you all a round of virtual beers.

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Nice drawing... she can title it, "IT Pro".

Asus' new default IP address of 192.168.50.1 might be good thing in bridge mode situations like yours.

OE