ASUS RT-N66U Dark Knight Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router Reviewed

[TC777]

Updated to .102 from .100, both have been stable so far but, i'm having weird issue with both firmwares that wasn't that before. In the Connected Clients list, its seems always refreshing but only finds the clients present at the time the router rebooted. I wanted to add another client to static HDCP and never see it on that list. i remember before would have 16-18 sometimes 20 clients, now no matter how many clients i have, always shows only the ones connected when router restarted. Also, the clients would have names listed, right now all i see refresh icon going and going. Doesnt seem to affect anything, all the clients not listed work..Anyone seem this?

I had this problem with my RT-N56U router. It had been that way ever since I bought it a year ago. It constantly refreshes, and I would get random appearing and disappearing client devices in the list.

The Russian made custom firmware for the RT-N56U totally fixed that problem. It was very annoying.

 

[12darline]

I had this problem with my RT-N56U router. It had been that way ever since I bought it a year ago. It constantly refreshes, and I would get random appearing and disappearing client devices in the list.

The Russian made custom firmware for the RT-N56U totally fixed that problem. It was very annoying.

Maybe Asus will fix it. If they can't, maybe The Russian made custom will get it done...

Thanks...

 

[TonyH]

The link is one post above but here you go again the .102:
http://www.4shared.com/folder/h9J1MTAx/_online.html
Best regards Mrcom

Hi,
Thanks. .102 running on mine too. I am not doing any thing heavy just LOTS of media streaming for the family.

 

[RogerSC]

When I used tomato firmware for a little while, I found that the client list was really good with that firmware. You could even find out which devices were which by a search of manufacturers MAC addresses ranges if you didn't recognize a particular client MAC address that was on your list. And it would give you the transfer speed for wireless devices that were active.

Very nice. It was a lot better than the one that I see in my rt-n56u, and I assume that the client list for the rt-n66u is similar.

 

[tonytoronto]

Hi i tested with a computer that hasn`t been on for a week but connected by cat.6 wire. I have flashed the router several times and that computer was never turned on. I turned it on then after it booted up i hit the refresh button in the network map. It was found instantly then i checked the dhcp and portforwarding it was in the droplist with the computername. So i can`t confirm your problem! Mayby its wifi computers thats affected??

It doesn't happen all the time, i rebooted the router few minutes after i posted and started working correctly, it listed a Playbook that never been connected before. But, few hours later its no longer adding 2 connected clients, 1 wired (ps3), 1 wireless (laptop), Its not big deal really, just annoying if needed to add static clients.

edit-- just checked router page, i posted a pic of it. its been like this for a few hours, the little spinning icons just keep sniping. Before would also list what some of the clients were, now nothing.

 

[mrcom]

It doesn't happen all the time, i rebooted the router few minutes after i posted and started working correctly, it listed a Playbook that never been connected before. But, few hours later its no longer adding 2 connected clients, 1 wired (ps3), 1 wireless (laptop), Its not big deal really, just annoying if needed to add static clients.

edit-- just checked router page, i posted a pic of it. its been like this for a few hours, the little spinning icons just keep sniping. Before would also list what some of the clients were, now nothing.

I just checked and my doesn`t spin all the time only if i hit refresh or when i reboot the router. I just noticed that the computer that i tested to start and detect eirlier and turned off several hours ago still is present in the list. And now after i hit refresh it is gone as it should be. So i can`t confirm your problem in my setup.

 

[randomName]

Hello all Just bought this router a week or 2 ago and it's fantastic! Looking forward to firmware updates for improved stability and performance!

Any particular way to set this up for gaming? Specifically Unreal Tournament III ?

Thank you!

 

[bigmag]

ASUS RT-N66U B1 Firmware Version 3.0.0.3.102
Fixed
1. httpd abnormal after adding more than 24 IP/MAC entries
2. RF power decrease issue reported in 3.0.0.3.96
3. Download master:The HTTP and FTP task cannot continue when WAN reconnect to Internet.
4. Download master: some multi-language strings issue.
5. Download master: Bit torrent association tool compatibility issue.

Modified
1. allow user to modify scanning directory of media server
2. allow user to select attached clients into static dhcp ip list
3. CTF ability automatically adjustment
4. change the WPA key rotation interval default value from 0 to 3600

 

[njweb]

ASUS RT-N66U B1 Firmware Version 3.0.0.3.102
Fixed
1. httpd abnormal after adding more than 24 IP/MAC entries
2. RF power decrease issue reported in 3.0.0.3.96
3. Download master:The HTTP and FTP task cannot continue when WAN reconnect to Internet.
4. Download master: some multi-language strings issue.
5. Download master: Bit torrent association tool compatibility issue.

Modified
1. allow user to modify scanning directory of media server
2. allow user to select attached clients into static dhcp ip list
3. CTF ability automatically adjustment
4. change the WPA key rotation interval default value from 0 to 3600

Great!

2. RF power decrease issue reported in 3.0.0.3.96

Nice! They really seem to be listening to everything. Some of us reported the lower power here - I wonder if Asus read the forums or someone also contacted them about the TX power seeming lower in version xxxxxx96 despite selecting the same value (e.g. 40mW).


Re. the following, I wonder exactly what it means:

CTF ability automatically adjustment

I know it has to do with addressing the NAT loopback as G37x posted when they made a temporary workaround fix, but am curious what the permanent fix does. Does it disable CTF if the user enables NAT loopback or...?
I will see if the settings explain the change. Otherwise

 

[G37x]

Great!

2. RF power decrease issue reported in 3.0.0.3.96

Nice! They really seem to be listening to everything. Some of us reported the lower power here - I wonder if Asus read the forums or someone also contacted them about the TX power seeming lower in version xxxxxx96 despite selecting the same value (e.g. 40mW).


Re. the following, I wonder exactly what it means:

CTF ability automatically adjustment

I know it has to do with addressing the NAT loopback as G37x posted when they made a temporary workaround fix, but am curious what the permanent fix does. Does it disable CTF if the user enables NAT loopback or...?
I will see if the settings explain the change. Otherwise

That sums it up..I'd love to have NAT L and CTF both. However I'm afraid that once you use NAT L somehow the CTF is automatically disabled.

 

[patrickgerry]

As stated previously, all routers will have bugs. However, the ability to address the bugs in a timely manner just sets ASUS apart from the rest of the vendors. Well done.

 

[RogerSC]

I've noticed that the "DHCP Leases" (under "System Logs") provides a more accurate client list, for dhcp clients, of course. The "Host name" column in this log in particular is right on, which allows better matching of MAC addresses with clients on the network based on their host names.

The client list provided on the Network Map page for some reason doesn't pick up all the host names that the DHCP Leases log provides. If they could just pick up the host names from the DCHP log list, and use them in the client list, that would be really nice.

 

[jerry6]

so far 102 is working well , just wondering about power level , now set at 80mw where 90 was set at 40 mw . Is 80 mw in 102 the same as 40mw was in 90 ?
Signal at laptop is atill good , will have to check trasfer rate , seemed a bit slower than 90 , more tests needed

 

[RogerSC]

I was surprised by the pronounced directional sensitivity of this router. I have it in the family room (at the back of our house), and use my laptop and Roku player in the living room (at the front of our house). When I had the router positioned to "point" at the living room at the other end of the house the signal strength was 10+db more in the living room than when I had it just pointed across the family room, which is what I usually do. This was according to inSSIDer. And the strongest wireless signal I've ever been able to get from a router in my living room. Very impressive.

Definitely worth playing with.

 

[KevTech]

There seems to be issues with IPv6 specifically 6in4 with the stock firmware. I have a tunnel broker and when I input all setting from the broker on stock firmware I get no IPv6 address and fail all IPv6 tests.

When I do the same when running tomatousb I get an IPv6 address and pass all IPv6 tests.

I have opened a tech inquiry with Asus on this issue.

Do not know yet if the other IPv6 options work other than 6to4 and it does not work either with stock firmware. Will have to try 6to4 with tomato when I get a chance but need to keep router on stock for now while working with Asus on this issue.

 

[mrcom]

There seems to be issues with IPv6 specifically 6in4 with the stock firmware. I have a tunnel broker and when I input all setting from the broker on stock firmware I get no IPv6 address and fail all IPv6 tests.

When I do the same when running tomatousb I get an IPv6 address and pass all IPv6 tests.

I have opened a tech inquiry with Asus on this issue.

Do not know yet if the other IPv6 options work other than 6to4 and it does not work either with stock firmware. Will have to try 6to4 with tomato when I get a chance but need to keep router on stock for now while working with Asus on this issue.

Hi please use Networking_Support@asus.com to report issues, This is the direkt route to the techs much faster!!

 

[G37x]

Asus FW downlaods

Funny how Asus still has posted its crappy 96 fw, but neither 100 nor 102 made it yet.

 

[KevTech]

I think I found another issue with this router in the traffic monitor.

To test I started a download of a large file and then watched the monitor. The download was being recorded under the transmission section.

Unless I am mistaken, transmission should be upload and reception should be download.

 

[mrcom]

Funny how Asus still has posted its crappy 96 fw, but neither 100 nor 102 made it yet.

I checked eirlier today and just now and they have released the source of .102 but not the firmware on the asus website. A little wierd.

 

[RogerSC]

Using the 102 firmware, I'm seeing occasional work VPN disconnects. The VPN is Cisco, so I have IPSec Passthrough enabled. Every so often the VPN connection is lost, like about every 15-30 minutes, and then the software on the work end of things spends about 30 seconds re-establishing the connection. So this is kind of annoying, as you might imagine.

I'm wondering if anyone else is seeing this? My rt-n56u doesn't have this problem, it just stays connected to the VPN. Otherwise, the 102 firmware is doing very well for me.