ASUS RT-AC87 Firmware - Official Releases

[home_lan]

This is probably a configuration problem, since from what you describe you are connecting at 802.11g speeds. Make sure you use WPA2-AES for security, and that the Wifi mode is left to "Auto".

Thanks, RMerlin. I wish it was that simple. I am using WPA2-AES, and "Auto." If I force the 5GHz radio to N-only, the link does climb to 450 Mbps. But the setting that enables AC speeds most definitely locks me down at 54 Mbps. I toggled every option one at a time in the main and Professional panels. Also, I ensured no other devices were connecting and bringing the speed down. I'm using OSX 10.9.4, the latest possible production OS and drivers. I'm tempted to try OSX 10.10 Developer Preview, but doubt that will make a difference given that the BCM4360 is a couple years old and drivers should be mature in any current OS. Again, this machine connects at the max AC speed my ASUS RT-AC68U allows.

DDarko, thanks for that link. Guess we'll wait and see.

 

[dfran1]

On 5GHz, my link speed is stuck at 54 Mbps on my late 2013 Macbook Pro Retina with Broadcom BCM43xx 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac adapter. I can't get the 5GHz link to connect any faster, though 2.4 GHz reaches 217 Mbps.

This is true of the stock firmware, and the latest 3.0.0.4.376_2061. I tried the devices at 5 feet apart, and then 20 ft. I toggled every relevant option in the router settings. For kicks, I tried resetting my MBP's SMC and PRAM, and even blew away my SystemConfiguration. I mention all this only because I didn't see any other posts about poor 5GHZ link speeds with this router and Macbook Pros explicitly.

It's not my machine, as I confirmed it can still reach my previous router (Asus RT-AC68U) at 1GHz. I was just hoping this newer router could help me extend my range and speed a bit, especially when connecting to my link aggregated NAS or Windows box.

Hoping it was just a bad unit, I exchanged the AC87R at Best Buy. Despite getting a new unit with a different production batch code, the same poor 54 Mbps connection persists. I wish I could wait and see if future updates help, but don't want to gamble with ~$300 bucks. This device is going back to the store. If someone chimes in later with a fix confirmation, I might be tempted to try again.

P.S. Gary Key, I know of you from Anandtech, and offer you my kindest regards.

Hi I have an older macbook pro than yours, how do you test for that speed and Ill see if I have the same problem? of course I need to find out what my top speed is also on it.

I have a macbook pro mid 2010 2.66 15" i7 , it has 802.11 a/b/g/n all seems good, let me know how you test?

edit I tried this test
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=18987

 

[Macros]

On 5GHz, my link speed is stuck at 54 Mbps on my late 2013 Macbook Pro Retina with Broadcom BCM43xx 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac adapter. I can't get the 5GHz link to connect any faster, though 2.4 GHz reaches 217 Mbps.

This is true of the stock firmware, and the latest 3.0.0.4.376_2061. I tried the devices at 5 feet apart, and then 20 ft. I toggled every relevant option in the router settings. For kicks, I tried resetting my MBP's SMC and PRAM, and even blew away my SystemConfiguration. I mention all this only because I didn't see any other posts about poor 5GHZ link speeds with this router and Macbook Pros explicitly.

It's not my machine, as I confirmed it can still reach my previous router (Asus RT-AC68U) at 1GHz. I was just hoping this newer router could help me extend my range and speed a bit, especially when connecting to my link aggregated NAS or Windows box.

Hoping it was just a bad unit, I exchanged the AC87R at Best Buy. Despite getting a new unit with a different production batch code, the same poor 54 Mbps connection persists. I wish I could wait and see if future updates help, but don't want to gamble with ~$300 bucks. This device is going back to the store. If someone chimes in later with a fix confirmation, I might be tempted to try again.

P.S. Gary Key, I know of you from Anandtech, and offer you my kindest regards.

Had the same issue with both a R7000 and the AC87 with my late 2013 MBPr. Called Apple support and they were less than helpful. But the issue looked to be a bug in "Network Utility". If I went into Wifi diagnostics, I would see the correct speed (800+). You can also hold the option key and click your WiFi icon to show the stats for the connection. Transmit speed should show the real speed.

 

[snbdora]

Enable MU-MIMO

My understanding is that MU-MIMO isn't enabled on this router yet. I wonder when it will be made available.

 

[DaveMishSr]

My understanding is that MU-MIMO isn't enabled on this router yet. I wonder when it will be made available.

That is correct. Asus is supposed to be bringing a MU-MIMO-enabled WiFi adapter to market any day now. Once it is about to ship Asus will issue a firmware update activating the MU-MIMO feature, IIRC.

 

[wouterv]

Updated to 3.0.0.4.376_2060 last weekend. I understand it's the sam as 2061 (as it doesn't detect an updated firmware when I have it automatically check).
...

Do not rely on the firmware checker of the router.
The Asus support site, and specially for the RT-AC87 this forum-topic, tells you what the latest version is (3.0.0.4.376.2061 at the moment of writing this).

 

[Gary Key]

Update -
I am hoping to have another public beta release based on the 2381 firmware next week. At this point I would expect the next supported public firmware release in early September, maybe earlier.

 

[nagle3092]

Update -
I am hoping to have another public beta release based on the 2381 firmware next week. At this point I would expect the next supported public firmware release in early September, maybe earlier.

Thanks for the update!

 

[hackintoshsr]

Sooner the better. My 5ghz band on 2061 with 100mbit connection is all over the place

 

[FiveOhFour]

My understanding is that MU-MIMO isn't enabled on this router yet. I wonder when it will be made available.

I am wondering if the Late 2013 Retina Macbook Pro, or the new minor revision 2014 rMBP for that matter, has an AC chip with MU-MIMO support, or any Wave 2 features supported for that matter, I assume not since it came out so much earlier than the first router to support such features, but i am fairly new to learning about AC spec & wave 2. Assuming the macbook's 3x3 AC1300 chip is not MU-Mimo Or wave 2 capable, is there any benefit to using this router over say the R8000 or any other non wave 2 router, or is it one of those things that you still see benefits even if the client devices don't directly support all the new wave 2 specs yet? Thanks in advance, this is my first post so i look forward to and appreciate any and all input.

 

[Richard1864]

I am wondering if the Late 2013 Retina Macbook Pro, or the new minor revision 2014 rMBP for that matter, has an AC chip with MU-MIMO support, or any Wave 2 features supported for that matter, I assume not since it came out so much earlier than the first router to support such features, but i am fairly new to learning about AC spec & wave 2. Assuming the macbook's 3x3 AC1300 chip is not MU-Mimo Or wave 2 capable, is there any benefit to using this router over say the R8000 or any other non wave 2 router, or is it one of those things that you still see benefits even if the client devices don't directly support all the new wave 2 specs yet? Thanks in advance, this is my first post so i look forward to and appreciate any and all input.

There aren't any Wave 2 wifi adapters out yet, so no MU-MIMO support. You will still see improvements in speed and connectivity stability with your current wifi adapter tho.

 

[sfx2000]

I am wondering if the Late 2013 Retina Macbook Pro, or the new minor revision 2014 rMBP for that matter, has an AC chip with MU-MIMO support, or any Wave 2 features supported for that matter, I assume not since it came out so much earlier than the first router to support such features, but i am fairly new to learning about AC spec & wave 2. Assuming the macbook's 3x3 AC1300 chip is not MU-Mimo Or wave 2 capable, is there any benefit to using this router over say the R8000 or any other non wave 2 router, or is it one of those things that you still see benefits even if the client devices don't directly support all the new wave 2 specs yet? Thanks in advance, this is my first post so i look forward to and appreciate any and all input.

Broadcom BCM4360 - 802.11ac Wave 1 only - no MU-MIMO there...

On the late 2013/mid 2014 rMPB - you'll have 3-stream 11ac, which ain't bad...

 

[snbdora]

160MHz channel operation

It seems this router is currently limited to 80MHz channel operation. I wonder once ASUS enable MU-MIMO, will they enable 160MHz channel operation? I assume this router is designed to support 160Mhz.

Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

It seems this router is currently limited to 80MHz channel operation. I wonder once ASUS enable MU-MIMO, will they enable 160MHz channel operation? I assume this router is designed to support 160Mhz.

Thanks

No, the Quantenna chip used on this router is only designed for 80 MHz.

 

[madhatter01]

No, the Quantenna chip used on this router is only designed for 80 MHz.

RMerlin

Asus site says it has a dual core cpu just for the 5ghz. So its a Dual Core 500mhz Quantenna chip? I thought it was stated that is was just a single core 500Mhz plus the main Broadcom Dual core 1Ghz cpu.

http://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTAC87U/overview/

 

[RMerlin]

RMerlin

Asus site says it has a dual core cpu just for the 5ghz. So its a Dual Core 500mhz Quantenna chip? I thought it was stated that is was just a single core 500Mhz plus the main Broadcom Dual core 1Ghz cpu.

http://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTAC87U/overview/

Dual core processor doesn't equal dual core CPU The same chip contains one CPU core and one 5 GHz radio core.

Marketing double speak, I know...

 

[madhatter01]

Thank you Rmerlin for clearing that. Got to love marketing.

 

[dfran1]

Dual core processor doesn't equal dual core CPU The same chip contains one CPU core and one 5 GHz radio core.

Marketing double speak, I know...

Just to understand
does the RT-AC87R (U) have

one dual core chip for the 5GHz (running at 600?)

and

one dual core chip for the 2.4GHz and this one also handles the USB ext..???
(running at 1,000?)

 

[RMerlin]

Just to understand
does the RT-AC87R (U) have

one dual core chip for the 5GHz (running at 600?)

and

one dual core chip for the 2.4GHz and this one also handles the USB ext..???
(running at 1,000?)

There are three main chips on the router:

One dual core processor that includes a 500 MHz ARC CPU and a 5 GHz CPU
One single core processor (BCM6230) that includes a 2.4 GHz radio
One dual core CPU (BCM4709) that includes two CPU cores @ 1 GHz and handles USB, main switch, etc...

 

[bodean]

Is Adaptive QoS working properly with the latest firmware update to this router?