Best Buy AC2917 and Merlin

[gdp416]

On Amazon, the 86U had pretty good overall ratings. But on NewEgg, there were a lot higher percentage of dissatisfied users with either router failure, or 2.4 GHz band issues after a period of time. There are also lots of complaints about how hot the router gets. But most of the negative reviews I read were from 2018 so I don't know if there have been any changes/fixes in the manufacturing since that time, or what...

 

[RAJ]

On Amazon, the 86U had pretty good overall ratings. But on NewEgg, there were a lot higher percentage of dissatisfied users with either router failure, or 2.4 GHz band issues after a period of time. There are also lots of complaints about how hot the router gets. But most of the negative reviews I read were from 2018 so I don't know if there have been any changes/fixes in the manufacturing since that time, or what...

Yea thanks for the info. I am slowly learning of issues (after I order) But I have hope that some fixes were made at the manufacturer level. Maybe ones they don't go public with. Like maybe Jerry that worked on Fridays was stoned out of mind making all kinds of mistakes on the assembly line.
Then Jerry got his act together. Now Jerrys quality has soared to the point of promotion! Ok maybe not. But one can hope.

 

[Darcy]

I always buy my ASUS routers from Best Buy because I like to use my points saved to put towards the purchase. Plus if you have any old routers sitting around they give you an extra 15% off for recycling with them. I had an old wireless n router I recycled last time. Never had an issue price matching at Best Buy with Amazon but don’t know if they would price match with micro center. With Amazon it has to be sold by Amazon for Best Buy to price match. Only issue is they have been out of the AX86U forever so I’m still using my AC86U patiently waiting to upgrade. They do have the GT-AX11000 in stock which I might get because with 15% off then my $125 in certificates the price would be good.

 

[dr_peppsi]

In theory it should, but I can't be 100% certain since I've never heard from anyone with that actual SKU.

I have an RT-AC1750_B1 and it works on 386.1_2. I installed the version for RT-AC68U.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Are you saying last year Best buy only had a 2900 then sometime in 2020 then changed the packaging to 2917?

I said there is no AC2917... it's all the same router. Never mind the packaging.

OE

 

[ntb-2k5]

This one I know. What about the one marketed as RT-AC1750 B1? It's the same router.

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ASUS has a range of wireless routers suitable for every purpose. Whether it's for your home, for business trips, or for any other need or environment, there's an ASUS router for you.

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I remember RT-AC66U MIPS version was also marketed as RT-AC1750. Both used to run your firmware just fine.

Same thing, it's running on Merlin firmware for AC68U

 

[RMerlin]

The bottom line to me is how it is manufactured. Are they all made at the same plant?

Why wouldn't they be? A Best Buy RT-AC86U is the same as a Newegg RT-AC86U. What is important here is the actual model number, not whatever random description they put on it.

 

[RAJ]

I said there is no AC2917... it's all the same router. Never mind the packaging.

OE

There is a AC2917 at Best buy that is confusing is all. Why they decided to label a 2900 2917 (really hardware 86u)

But yes hardware is really a 86u. Most are marked 2900 = 86u.

What I don't know is has the 86u been been improved at the factory in any way since 2018. Those type of updates are not so obvuous and don't warrant a press release. Ie. Take a router sold in 2018 open it up look at the construction and then open a best buy 2021 (2917) open it up look at the PBC capacitors.
Sometimes one might say "Oh look they used a diff heat sink, oh this one has diff capacitors or better heatsink past etc. Or it might be "NOPE" 100 percent the same down to the last capacitor.

Its ok if you don't know. Most don't, I don't know but would like to.

 

[OzarkEdge]

There is a AC2917 at Best buy that is confusing is all. Why they decided to label a 2900 2917 (really hardware 86u)

View attachment 32507
But yes hardware is really a 86u. Most are marked 2900 = 86u.

What I don't know is has the 86u been been improved at the factory in any way since 2018. Those type of updates are not so obvuous and don't warrant a press release. Ie. Take a router sold in 2018 open it up look at the construction and then open a best buy 2021 (2917) open it up look at the PBC capacitors.
Sometimes one might say "Oh look they used a diff heat sink, oh this one has diff capacitors or better heatsink past etc. Or it might be "NOPE" 100 percent the same down to the last capacitor.

Its ok if you don't know. Most don't, I don't know but would like to.

It's a retailer's web page with a purposely mistitled product... I would not get too worked up about it. The router is an Asus RT-AC86U sold everywhere.

OE

 

[RAJ]

It's a retailer's web page with a purposely mistitled product... I would not get too worked up about it. The router is an Asus RT-AC86U sold everywhere.

OE

Worked up? I think there must be a misunderstanding there. I don't care if its 2900 or 2917 was more concerned if the 86u issues had been addressed at all in newer releases.

I order a 86u new one. Afterwords I have people telling me "if you want a stable router that is not the router to buy" I bought it because its current and Merlin supported. My older asus router all working but by two n66u no longer supported.

Most of the over heating crashing and dead wifi of the 86us were in 2018. Maybe the new ones are just as bad or maybe they have fixed the issues in the newer builds at the factory. I might just send it back at get a known solid performer (68u). I care more about stability and uptime although I do like the 86u vnp hardware encryption assists it takes all the load of the cpus and is like 4x faster than 68u and 20x faster than the 66u.

 

[Tech9]

Take a router sold in 2018 open it up look at the construction and then open a best buy 2021

This will tell you nothing. There are happy folks with 2017 initial production routers and there are folks with 2020 routers with complaints. I expect most AC86U run okay with perhaps higher % failure rate compared to other popular models. Many Asus routers are in fact not made by Asus. A company called Arcadyan manufactured Asus, Belkin, Linksys, Buffalo, 3Com, T-Com etc. branded products. Arcadyan WG9117B AC44-ASU model is what we know as Asus RT-AC86U. Hardware changes in wireless products require FCC re-certification. Since I can't find any information in regards of different hardware revisions of AC86U Asus perhaps only made manufacturing process adjustment recommendations to Arcadyan. How successful they are only time will tell. I don't expect Asus to re-design and re-certify an AC router from 2017. What I expect is this router to be phased out and replaced by AX variant. The replacement is called RT-AX86U, also manufactured by Arcadyan. I would return the AC86U and purchase AX86U instead.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Worked up? I think there must be a misunderstanding there. I don't care if its 2900 or 2917 was more concerned if the 86u issues had been addressed at all in newer releases.

I order a 86u new one. Afterwords I have people telling me "if you want a stable router that is not the router to buy" I bought it because its current and Merlin supported. My older asus router all working but by two n66u no longer supported.

Most of the over heating crashing and dead wifi of the 86us were in 2018. Maybe the new ones are just as bad or maybe they have fixed the issues in the newer builds at the factory. I might just send it back at get a known solid performer (66u). I care more about stability and uptime although I do like the 86u vnp hardware encryption assists it takes all the load of the cpus and is like 4x faster than 68u and 20x faster than the 66u.

You are trying to source the perfect router that will never reboot and last 8 years. At one point, you suggested the Best Buy 2917 could be it because it is seemingly beyond the suspect 2900. You want to believe that a product description by a retailer's web marketing team means Asus is now building your perfect router. I was only pointing out that this is nonsense because the term 2917 is not legitimate, never mind the rest of your hopes and dreams for Asus product design and manufacturing and some stoner on their assembly line named Jerry. Then you bother to post a picture of the web page product information, like we haven't seen it already earlier in this thread. I'd say you're working a bit too much to prove your perfect router theory.

Receive the AC86U you ordered and use it... it will be fine unless you enclose it and let it overheat.

OE

 

[RAJ]

You are trying to source the perfect router that will never reboot and last 8 years. At one point, you suggested the Best Buy 2917 could be it because it is seemingly beyond the suspect 2900. You want to believe that a product description by a retailer's web marketing team means Asus is now building your perfect router. I was only pointing out that this is nonsense because the term 2917 is not legitimate, never mind the rest of your hopes and dreams for Asus product design and manufacturing and some stoner on their assembly line named Jerry. Then you bother to post a picture of the web page product information, like we haven't seen it already earlier in this thread. I'd say you're working a bit too much to prove your perfect router theory.

Receive the AC86U you ordered and use it... it will be fine unless you enclose it and let it overheat.

OE

I am only wanting as good as the previous router I had. Not asking for perfect. Perfect is just ones opinion. Reliable is something that should be expected.

The overheating is not something I brought up but is a concern because my current router than has give ZERO issues (its not PERFECT) just reliable. And its in a enclosed area, it does not have a fan. No other component in that area (its not alone) has over had any over heating issues. So a simple swap old router for new one set it up and done was the hope. Why would it not be none of my previous 4 routers have required any special cooling.

The Jerry thing was a Joke but the point was things do change in manufacturing for incremental improvements. The issues with the 86u seem to be with heat and just trying to understand if this is a hardware issue (heatsinks poorly attached) or just a firmware issue where the cpus are doing working they should not be and can be fixed via firmware patches.

And I pointed it out because you said there is no such thing. And I am not the only one that was wondering if the internals of that particular 2021 model has had any changes. I still do not know. Its only nonsense to you not others that is your prerogative.

"Unless you enclose it and let it overheat"
It will be in a enclosure just like the old one. enclosed is a fuzzy term. Everything is enclosed depending on what your definition is. Mine is enclose and not in a shoe box but not as large as a 12x12 room. It does have central air so its not going to be in a 100F room in the summer ever.

Its more of a 4 foot tall x 3 feet wide x 18" deep wall mounted cabinet that contains a switch, power, Arris fiber modem, NEC phone box. Passive air in via hole in bottom and out from top of cabinet. Nothing runs hot, crashes, freezes over heats. None of the components are PERFECT but they all seem to be reliable. Reliable does not mean perfect maybe it does to you.

After a someone posted to me that this was not a good good choice if I want a reliable router I start to read and ask questions. The over heating issues do not seem be related to cabinets some are firmware related. Meaning they did put it in an enclosure and it overheated but it ran hot in open room.

So if I put it in the same cabinet I do not expect it to overheat and do not expect someone to say "oh its your fault you put it in a cabinet and let it over heat"

I would like to know which firmware is the most stable. So far it seems 384.18 .

 

[L&LD]

Almost all my customers are using the latest RMerlin 386.1_2 firmware as that is not only stable but also the most secure too (for now).

A few, including myself, are also using the 386.2 Beta 2 (and latest 'test' alpha) firmware that is also stable with even more functionality, reliability, and bug fixes.

Wanting to buy a new router today and putting obsolete firmware on it is mindboggling to me. Even if it's in the name of stability.

Having a stable router with insecure firmware only helps the hackers out there, not the router's owner.

 

[RAJ]

Almost all my customers are using the latest RMerlin 386.1_2 firmware as that is not only stable but also the most secure too (for now).

A few, including myself, are also using the 386.2 Beta 2 (and latest 'test' alpha) firmware that is also stable with even more functionality, reliability, and bug fixes.

Wanting to buy a new router today and putting obsolete firmware on it is mindboggling to me. Even if it's in the name of stability.

Having a stable router with insecure firmware only helps the hackers out there, not the router's owner.

Yes I agree.

That is why I am changing security reasons but not at the cost of reliability its a double edge sword.

The people in offices only care if something works not whats going on behind the scenes. Losing thousands of dollars in productivity is something to be avoided. Ideally you want good security and reliability. Not a perfect world. I never get a call about security but get tons of calls when hardware goes down and money lost. I have a great record in terms of downtime. Nothing over 1 hour in past 15 years that includes all the hardware servers etc. Now there has been longer down times out of my control due to other companies issues. No hacks or intrusions either (knock on wood)

And thanks for the infomation it is appreciated. Good to know 386.1_2 is working for you customers.

 

[Tech9]

Losing thousands of dollars in productivity is something to be avoided.

It was your own decision to purchase $160 home router for your business. The fact you got lucky in the past with consumer product doesn't guarantee you success all the time. All new consumer products are made to last few years and then be replaced with what is current technology on the market. The folks on this forum are technology enthusiasts and no one cares if their router will work or get updates in 2030. Do you still use a cellphone from 2010 just because you find it very reliable and with easily replaceable battery?

 

[RAJ]

It was your own decision to purchase $160 home router for your business. The fact you got lucky in the past with consumer product doesn't guarantee you success all the time. All new consumer products are made to last few years and then be replaced with what is current technology on the market. The folks on this forum are technology enthusiasts and no one cares if their router will work or get updates in 2030. Do you still use a cellphone from 2010 just because you find it very reliable and with easily replaceable battery?

No it was not my own decision alone but thanks for assuming that.

Did you realize buying 80k hardware every 5 years for medical equipment does not guarantee it will work either? They do not magically work better they have the same issue consumer grade stuff have. People think cause they toss more money at something it magically is more powerful and wont break. All hardware can break no guarantees. What you get is phone support the high prices is due to vertical marketing.

It was recommended by a engineer that runs hospitals, schools etc this is what he does for a living not a kids working out of basement playing games. . His recommendation and for the size office he was correct. He had tested them all and actually used them in some situations. Not saying that is the best use for large commercial for for many small. I would do the same again. You do not always have to throw the max amount of money into a project to have it work. I think there are not many people using these, and talking to them is futile because they are 14 yos playing video games on them.

Maybe Asus has changed and the hardware is not reliable but to say it was lucky no. I have more than one older asus router and none of them have failed they have a good track record, the best of consumer class and many feature not found on even commercial models.

I would use a cellphone from 2010 if it did what I needed. That is a different topic. Companies have conned people into thinking they need a new color, screen etc every year all companies do that. They are in the business to make money. I am on a Dell graphics workstation with IVY xeon hex core 32 gig ECC I feel no need to buy a 2021 model as it does what I need works fine.

I could have spent 2k on commercial equipment and had more issues. In this case the issue could only equal my experience not exceed it. So no regrets there.

I try to do my due diligence in servers etc my track records over 15+ years has no blemishes in terms of up time and networks doing what they are expected to do in a office just run and not get in the way of productivity while at the same time keep costs down.

Costs are always a factor. Many smaller offices are running off non commercial grade routers. At&t puts arris hardware in all the offices in a building I know and they are not the best but good enough that they continue to use them.

Its not luck when its been tested in the field and working in many other offices. Not an isolated case there is good history to back it up.

The 86u might be a different case. The 66u and 68us I have had experience with have been rock solid.

Are you saying the they have engineered them to fail hardware wise? Make a product that fails just outside of warranty. Its a slippery slope to pull that off and still keep up a reputation.

 

[Tech9]

It was recommended by a engineer that runs hospitals, schools etc

Contact this same engineer if you encounter issues. Send him an invoice for downtime business loss.

 

[Tech9]

I could have spent 2k on commercial equipment and had more issues.

You never asked for SMB equipment. I run 4 office locations and my hardware choices are different. Just ask.

 

[RAJ]

Contact this same engineer if you encounter issues. Send him an invoice for downtime business loss.

Now don't be snarky .
You dont' have to tell me that. I talk to him all the time. I don't think he has much input on the 86u in terms of issues in the field.

Na I owe him more than he owes me I might get a bigger invoice back.