ASUS RT-AC87 Firmware - Official Releases

[Who_Me]

A few weeks ago I got tired of getting flooded with the br0 vlan messages and the general flakiness of the AC87.
I ended up putting my RT-AC87 on the shelf until the firmware is fixed.
Then got a R7000 instead.
The R7000 does not have nearly the features of the 87R.
But for me it has been working ok.

Yesterday I built up a firewall box running Untangle.
Now the R7000 is set to AP mode and everything is working ok, so far.

After thinking about how the AC87 was done, hardware wise.
It is kinda convoluted having the 5G signal data go through the 2.4G chip first.
I understand why it was done, just makes for a mess IMHO.
Quadtenna- great idea but not ready for prime time yet.

 

[Stag1]

RT-AC87R Question

I have noticed something that I'm not sure if it matters and was curious as to why it doesn't report the right mode in the wireless log. I currently have an RT-AC87R running the current firmware 3754 in "Wireless Routing Mode" (Default) mode. I noticed in the system log, under the wireless tab it says I'm running in "AP" only mode for 2.4 and 5 GHz. Shouldn't it say "Routing" mode instead? Can somebody check theirs and verify what it says if they're running in routing mode also?

 

[jmantn]

Running latest firmware from this thread for my 87R and installed the day it came out and did two factory resets on New Year's Day and as of today experiencing intermittent issues all day for the first time.. I have charter (DHCP is normal not aggressive) and contacted charter twice where each time they confirmed no issues with Modem or neighborhood regarding speed. I have two iMac's hard wired one is used for work and seen in my logs an unholy amount of miniupnpd closed Unexpectantly (I shutdown my non work computer and cleared logs without thinking so don't have full transcript) issues. Most of the issue in the logs were resulting from the non work iMac but also a few from the work iMac.

Will edit post when I see the error again.

Issue just happened today for over three hours as of 325 est where on my 60download connection I've seening as high as 4,000MS and a DL speed of .029 it's progressively getting better after a restart of modem and router however still intermittent. Charter is convinced it's on my end and I disagreed until I seen my log firing off miniupnpd errors almost every two minutes or so.

This also affected two iPhone 6 Pluses, an iPad Air 2, and the two mentioned iMac's. I will also note about a week after latest beta came out I started experiencing the issue where 5ghz would stop and I'd have to throw my devices into airplane mode temporarily to fix but I've been dealing with that however the other issue is job impacting.

Here's the error that was spamming my logs like crazy:
Jan 11 15:16:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly

This is happening every 15 minutes on Work computer, non work computer is remaining offline until work shift is over.

Jan 11 15:16:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 15:31:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 15:46:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly


Router firmware: 378.3754


Edit at 1630-ish started noticeably going down again on wifi and hard wired devices:

Jan 11 15:16:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 15:31:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 15:46:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 15:49:37 miniupnpd[733]: Expired NAT-PMP mapping port 37370 UDP removed
Jan 11 15:49:37 miniupnpd[733]: Expired NAT-PMP mapping port 37370 TCP removed
Jan 11 15:56:14 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 11 15:59:57 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 16:01:27 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 16:18:28 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 11 16:59:59 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:00:11 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:00:41 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:00:45 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:00:48 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:00:52 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:00:59 ntp: start NTP update
Jan 11 17:01:28 miniupnpd[733]: HTTP Connection from 192.XXX.X.XXX closed unexpectedly
Jan 11 17:06:32 miniupnpd[733]: Expired NAT-PMP mapping port 16403 UDP removed
Jan 11 17:06:34 miniupnpd[733]: Expired NAT-PMP mapping port 5900 TCP removed
Jan 11 17:06:36 miniupnpd[733]: Expired NAT-PMP mapping port 4500 UDP removed

All 192.XXX.X.XXX reflects the same IP above

One final note I have three routers total, the 87R, 68U running the just released ASUS firmware and N66U with latest Merlin Release.

87R is directly connected to my Modem and the 87R connects a wired bridge to my N66U and another wired bridge to my 68U.

The work computer is connected via cat6e to my Wired N66U which is cat6e wired to my 87R.

My 87R and 68U both share the same SSID's and WPA2 pass keys but each band is on a separate channel (87R's 2.4 is on different channel then my 68U's 2.4 band and etc..)

The reasons for my layout shouldn't matter as much as how they are laid out so being detailed and also wanted to note all cabling in my setup is utilizing cat6e cable.

Just to follow up tonight I have done the following to try and fix this:

ASUS RT-AC87R:
Created a backup of my settings via:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=19521

Then flashed Merlin's RT-AC87U_3.0.0.4_376.49_6_newqtn and erased NVRAM via "mtd-erase2 nvram", did a Factory reset via the web and by the WPS button by holding the WPS button on back of router, while turning the router off, and back on, continue to hold the wps button till the power light starts blinking. Then restored previously backed up settings

ASUS RT-N66U:
Flashed Merlin's RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_376.49_5 however since I was on _4 no Factory reset was done.

ASUS RT-AC68U:
Flashed over to Merlin's RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_376.49_6_cfeupd

Updated CFE Bootloader from 1.0.2.0 to 1.0.2.1 using info here:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?p=159087#post159087
and
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=17793

erased NVRAM and did a factory restore.


Still seeing same logs and still having intermittent internet issues and dropouts and Charter is sending someone tomorrow and still telling me it's on my end.

 

[RMerlin]

I have noticed something that I'm not sure if it matters and was curious as to why it doesn't report the right mode in the wireless log. I currently have an RT-AC87R running the current firmware 3754 in "Wireless Routing Mode" (Default) mode. I noticed in the system log, under the wireless tab it says I'm running in "AP" only mode for 2.4 and 5 GHz. Shouldn't it say "Routing" mode instead? Can somebody check theirs and verify what it says if they're running in routing mode also?

This is wifi terminology. AP means that the radio itself works as an AP, as it accepts multiple inbound connections, while STA means it's a client that connects to someone else. This is unrelated to the router's operation mode.

 

[RMerlin]

It is kinda convoluted having the 5G signal data go through the 2.4G chip first.

That is not the case.

 

[Stag1]

This is wifi terminology. AP means that the radio itself works as an AP, as it accepts multiple inbound connections, while STA means it's a client that connects to someone else. This is unrelated to the router's operation mode.

Thanks for clearing this up for me.

 

[valerima]

new stock build

Version 3.0.0.4.378.3885
Description ASUS RT-AC87U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.378.3885
- Fixed infosvr security issue.
- Fixed media server related issues
- Fixed 3G/4G USB dongle related issues.
- Fixed dual wan related issues.
- Improved UDP throughput between LAN and WAN.

Just general description about updates. Is it here only security updates or smth else?

 

[raphaelogy]

Version 3.0.0.4.378.3885
Description ASUS RT-AC87U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.378.3885
- Fixed infosvr security issue.
- Fixed media server related issues
- Fixed 3G/4G USB dongle related issues.
- Fixed dual wan related issues.
- Improved UDP throughput between LAN and WAN.

Just general description about updates. Is it here only security updates or smth else?

I dont aee any new update from my regional asus support website.. where is this from?

 

[doc octopus]

I dont aee any new update from my regional asus support website.. where is this from?

in the asus support site, search the firmware in the rt-ac87R page

 

[valerima]

stock fw

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

 

[xyaes]

I dont aee any new update from my regional asus support website.. where is this from?

Under other in mine for firmware updates it also does not show. You have to go to Win 8 for instance. I guess they are in the process of updating.

Does it actually matter if you get the update from Win 8 under the drop down menu or any other operating system? Its an update for the router and should not depend on the computer or am I missing something here.

 

[Gitsum]

This post has missed a couple releases... Where is Gary Key??

 

[Gitsum]

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC87U/FW_RT_AC87U_30043783885.zip

 

[raphaelogy]

Under other in mine for firmware updates it also does not show. You have to go to Win 8 for instance. I guess they are in the process of updating.

Does it actually matter if you get the update from Win 8 under the drop down menu or any other operating system? Its an update for the router and should not depend on the computer or am I missing something here.

as far as the firmware is concerned, it doesn't matter which section you download the firmware from (e.g. windows 8 or windows 7).

 

[renderking]

Has anyone with 2 of these devices on the same network that was receiving a flood of 'kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address', ever try to manually configure the 2nd router, to act as an AP, instead of flipping it into Asus's pre-configured AP mode? Essentially, leave it in it's default mode of 'Wireless Router Mode', and disable all the redundant services?

If so, did you experience the same broadcast storm?

Right now, I have my 2nd one unplugged, which has caused the network to stabilize immensely. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to test since where I have these devices is at a remote site.

 

[Kallagtunet]

Updated to the new firmware released today, still dropouts on Ipad. Still lots of this in the log file:

Jan 13 00:07:49 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:07:49 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:07:50 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:07:52 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:07:54 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:07:56 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:07:58 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address
Jan 13 00:08:00 kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address

 

[scavenger]

I get those too. But they still aren't affecting my network.

I have solid 5GHz to 2 always-on MBPs, an MBA (running against Minecraft servers pretty much constantly, when she should be doing homework), and an iPhone 5C, four Android tablets including one that constantly streams Spotify on 5GHz, as well as 5GHz to my HP EliteBook work VPN (which would be VERY sensitive to any dropouts-- I've seen none in either this firmware or the last).

I live in the woods. I'm beginning to wonder if these reported dropouts are related to channel density.

I'll add that Ars just posted an article about how borked Yosemite and iOS 8's new discoveryd daemon is. It may be part of the problem.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/01/why-dns-in-os-x-10-10-is-broken-and-what-you-can-do-to-fix-it/

The advice in the article is extraordinarily bad however. I wouldn't recommend bringing mDNSResponder forward into 10.10, as you might hose any future OS updates.

 

[texashoser]

This post has missed a couple releases... Where is Gary Key??

Been MIA for quite some time.

 

[richdbenson]

Has anyone with 2 of these devices on the same network that was receiving a flood of 'kernel: br0: received packet on vlan1 with own address as source address', ever try to manually configure the 2nd router, to act as an AP, instead of flipping it into Asus's pre-configured AP mode? Essentially, leave it in it's default mode of 'Wireless Router Mode', and disable all the redundant services?

If so, did you experience the same broadcast storm?

Right now, I have my 2nd one unplugged, which has caused the network to stabilize immensely. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to test since where I have these devices is at a remote site.

Yes, absolutely, exact same problem. I'm on the line with ASUS right now demanding that they prove to me that this will work. Asking them to take a main and access point unit and set them up to prove they can work. Their initial answer was "we only have one here". My answer, order another one!

 

[richdbenson]

Yes, absolutely, exact same problem. I'm on the line with ASUS right now demanding that they prove to me that this will work. Asking them to take a main and access point unit and set them up to prove they can work. Their initial answer was "we only have one here". My answer, order another one!

Any also, yes, I did try and set it up in default router mode and it has the same problem.