AX86U Pro (Region : India)

[vanity]

I recently upgraded to AX86U Pro. I installed Merlin (3004.388.7) on it since I saw many posts supporting the stability of it. My question is how can I get channel 13 for 2.4Ghz, the list only shows till channel 11 and why is it monitoring and clearing channels 52 to 64, and 100 for DFS. According to List of WLAN channels, 52 to 68, 96 and 100 are allowed for indoor usage and also nearest airport is 18kms away and we don't have any military division as well. I ssh'd and got the following values from nvram. Can anybody provide me some clarifications?

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep ccode
0:ccode=US
1:ccode=US

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep location
location_code=AA

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
size: 76754 bytes (119854 left)
wl0_country_code=US
wl0_country_rev=614
wl1_country_code=US
wl1_country_rev=614
wl_country_code=US
wl_country_rev=614

Edit: Stock firmware is also same in this sense.

 

[Tech9]

the list only shows till channel 11

Because the router is US region model for some unknown reason.

52 to 68, 96 and 100 are allowed for indoor usage

Allowed and available are two different things. The router will always monitor DFS range and eventually use it, if available. Airport 18km away doesn't mean much if your house is located on the landing path. Airplanes use radars as well and may be at low altitude right above your head.

 

[vanity]

Allowed and available are two different things. The router will always monitor DFS range and eventually use it, if available. Airport 18km away doesn't mean much if your house is located on the landing path. Airplanes use radars as well and may be at low altitude right above your head.

Let me rephrase my statement. These channels are allowed for indoor usage and router uses it after monitoring and clearing these channels. But idk why it is monitoring it when my country does have these channels under DFS range. I live in the middle of the city. Here we also have tall buildings (20 to 25 floors) so I don't think landing path is an issue cause planes are routed outside the city's boundaries.

Because the router is US region model for some unknown reason.

Any idea how can I fix this issue?

I also tried to completely re-flash the firmware using Asus Firmware Restore Utility. Still shows as US.

 

[Tech9]

Any idea how can I fix this issue?

You can't. It's hard coded in bootloader. This router wasn't intended for sale in India.

But idk why it is monitoring it

Because this is how DFS works. It has to be monitored in order to be eventually used.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Any idea how can I fix this issue?

Send it back to the seller and tell them not to sell imported routers not intended for India.
In fact, that should be illegal in India, as the country has very strict regulations on importing devices with radio transmitters.
When I worked for a router manufacturer, we had major issues with customs sending development boards to our software team in Hyderabad from Taiwan and often had to submit extra paperwork to please Indian customs.

 

[vanity]

Send it back to the seller and tell them not to sell imported routers not intended for India.
In fact, that should be illegal in India, as the country has very strict regulations on importing devices with radio transmitters.
When I worked for a router manufacturer, we had major issues with customs sending development boards to our software team in Hyderabad from Taiwan and often had to submit extra paperwork to please Indian customs.

I cannot return this back to seller cause the product is working without any issues and it has been more than 7 days. Also, I bought it from mdcomputers who is listed on Asus India's website. So, I don't think they are illegally selling it in India. They have a very good reputation here. RT-AX86U Pro | Where to Buy

 

[vanity]

I did a complete reset. Then I changed region's from wifi professional page to check nvram for values.

ccode values are as follows:
Asia (Default): US
China: CN
Europe: E0
Korea: KR
Singapore: US
The United States : US
Australia: CN

location_code values are as follows:
Asia (Default) : AA
China: CN
Europe: E0
Korea: KR
Singapore: SG
The United States : US
Australia: XX

wl_country values are as follows:
Asia:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=US
wl0_country_rev=614
wl1_country_code=US
wl1_country_rev=614
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=896

China:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=CN
wl0_country_rev=896
wl1_country_code=CN
wl1_country_rev=896
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=717

Europe:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=E0
wl0_country_rev=717
wl1_country_code=E0
wl1_country_rev=717
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=936

Korea:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=KR
wl0_country_rev=936
wl1_country_code=KR
wl1_country_rev=936
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=614

Singapore:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=US
wl0_country_rev=614
wl1_country_code=US
wl1_country_rev=614
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=615

The United States:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=US
wl0_country_rev=615
wl1_country_code=US
wl1_country_rev=615
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=895

Australia:

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep country
modem_country=
wl0_country_code=CN
wl0_country_rev=895
wl1_country_code=CN
wl1_country_rev=895
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=614

Still I cannot see channel 13 for 2.4 Ghz.

 

[Tech9]

This router is proper version then, Asian models do have region change in settings. Nothing you can do about DFS though, it works as designed. For 1-13 on 2.4GHz you can try region Europe, but check if the rest of the channels match.

 

[Treadler]

“Australia” when set, has 12 & 13.

 

[Tech9]

This router also may not follow exactly the regional regulations especially if there were recent changes.

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

“Australia” when set, has 12 & 13.

Yes, but then losing access to 5GHz channels 100-116 and 132-140 (leaving 36-48, DFS 52-64, 149-165).

 

[vanity]

Is this a firmware issue? cause

wl_country_code=IN

but

wl0_country_code=US

and

wl0_country_code=US

So, maybe it can be fixed.

 

[Tech9]

Ask around what region settings are commonly used in India. Nothing else you can fix.

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Is this a firmware issue? cause

wl_country_code=IN

but

wl0_country_code=US

and

wl0_country_code=US

In post #1 "wl_country_code" was shown as "US" with regulatory revision "614".
In post #7 they went through various different values -
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=896

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=717

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=936

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=614

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=615

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=895

Where did "wl_country_code=IN" come from since India isn't in the region drop-down?

 

[vanity]

Ask around what region settings are commonly used in India. Nothing else you can fix.

We do not have very strict RF rules, so basically everything is allowed. So, it is very complicated to determine what is commonly used. I have seen other routers following FCC Regulations in India as well.

In post #1 "wl_country_code" was shown as "US" with regulatory revision "614".
In post #7 they went through various different values -
wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=896

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=717

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=936

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=614

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=615

wl_country_code=IN
wl_country_rev=895

Where did "wl_country_code=IN" come from since India isn't in the region drop-down?

Yeah, that made me wonder as well. The difference between post#1 and post#7 is literally factory default reset.

 

[vanity]

Where did "wl_country_code=IN" come from since India isn't in the region drop-down?

Got this,

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# wl country list
Supported countries: country code and long name
#a
#h
#r
#u
AE      UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
AM      ARMENIA
AR      ARGENTINA
AS      AMERICAN SAMOA
AT      AUSTRIA
AU      AUSTRALIA
BD      BANGLADESH
BG      BULGARIA
BH      BAHRAIN
BN      BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
BO      BOLIVIA
BR      BRAZIL
BT      BHUTAN
BW      BOTSWANA
BY      BELARUS
BZ      BELIZE
CA      CANADA
CH      SWITZERLAND
CI      COTE D'IVOIRE
CL      CHILE
CM      CAMEROON
CN      CHINA
CO      COLOMBIA
CR      COSTA RICA
CW      CURACAO
CZ      CZECH REPUBLIC
DE      GERMANY
DK      DENMARK
DO      DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
DZ      ALGERIA
E0
EC      ECUADOR
EG      EGYPT
ES      SPAIN
EU
FI      FINLAND
FK      FALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS)
FR      FRANCE
GB      UNITED KINGDOM
GE      GEORGIA
GH      GHANA
GI      GIBRALTAR
GL      GREENLAND
GR      GREECE
GT      GUATEMALA
HK      HONG KONG
HN      HONDURAS
HR      CROATIA
HU      HUNGARY
ID      INDONESIA
IE      IRELAND
IL      ISRAEL
IN      INDIA
IQ      IRAQ
IS      ICELAND
IT      ITALY
JM      JAMAICA
JO      JORDAN
JP      JAPAN
KE      KENYA
KH      CAMBODIA
KR      KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
KW      KUWAIT
KZ      KAZAKHSTAN
LA      LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
LK      SRI LANKA
LR      LIBERIA
LY      LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA
MA      MOROCCO
ME      MONTENEGRO
MF      SAINT MARTIN
MK      MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF
MM      MYANMAR
MT      MALTA
MX      MEXICO
MY      MALAYSIA
MZ      MOZAMBIQUE
NI      NICARAGUA
NL      NETHERLANDS
NO      NORWAY
NP      NEPAL
NZ      NEW ZEALAND
OM      OMAN
PA      PANAMA
PE      PERU
PG      PAPUA NEW GUINEA
PH      PHILIPPINES
PK      PAKISTAN
PL      POLAND
PR      PUERTO RICO
PT      PORTUGAL
PY      PARAGUAY
Q1      Q1
Q2
QA      QATAR
RO      ROMANIA
RS      SERBIA
RU      RUSSIAN FEDERATION
SA      SAUDI ARABIA
SE      SWEDEN
SG      SINGAPORE
SK      SLOVAKIA
SR      SURINAME
SV      EL SALVADOR
TH      THAILAND
TN      TUNISIA
TR      TURKEY
TT      TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
TW      TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA
UA      UKRAINE
US      UNITED STATES
UY      URUGUAY
UZ      UZBEKISTAN
VE      VENEZUELA
VN      VIET NAM
WS      SAMOA
XT
XX
XZ
YE      YEMEN
ZA      SOUTH AFRICA
ZM      ZAMBIA
ZW      ZIMBABWE

and also this,

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# wl country_rev IN
count: 27
36 223 224 241 277 284 285 286 288 289 293 975 976 977 978 979 980 981 982 983 984 985 987 988 990 991 997

 

[vanity]

Now the question is why is

wl_country_rev=896

when IN does not have 896 in rev

admin@RT-AX86U_Pro:/tmp/home/root# wl country
IN (IN/36) INDIA

PS. message waiting for approval

 

[vanity]

Oddly enough, when 80MHz is forced the channel list shows "36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 149 153 157 161", but when it is set to 40Mhz then it adds "132 136" to the list and when set to 20Mhz it adds "116 140 165" to list. AFAIK India has channels 100 to 161 fully available for 80MHz usage. I have a AC59U_V2 running stock firmware and it shows channels 120-128 along with all other channels under 80MHz.

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I have a AC59U_V2 running stock firmware and it shows channels 120-128 along with all other channels under 80MHz.

The 120-128 channels aren't permitted everywhere, so if you're on the Asia region likely that'd be why.