Best setup for the Asus RT-AC68U (ACTUALIZED to 2019)

[Tech9]

giving better speed with the latest ASWRT firmware

Before someone replies I know nothing about Asus routers, here is one tip for you for 386_46065 firmware:

In Wireless, General, 5GHz try changing Protected Management Frames from Disabled to Capable. I don't have technical explanation why it happens, but with Disabled my transfer speeds to 2-stream client are just below 50MB/sec, with Capable they jump to just below 60MB/sec. It was unexpected effect and I did test multiple times with very consistent speed improvement. It is client dependent, but you may test if it works for you too.

My test router is RT-AC1900P, as the picture above shows. It's an AC68U variant with the same hardware radios and wireless drivers.

 

[jontalk]

Before someone replies I know nothing about Asus routers, here is one tip for you for 386_46065 firmware:

In Wireless, General, 5GHz try changing Protected Management Frames from Disabled to Capable. I don't have technical explanation why it happens, but with Disabled my transfer speeds to 2-stream client are just below 50MB/sec, with Capable they jump to just below 60MB/sec. It was unexpected effect and I did test multiple times with very consistent speed improvement. It is client dependent, but you may test if it works for you too.

My test router is RT-AC1900P, as the picture above shows. It's an AC68U variant with the same hardware radios and wireless drivers.

Thanks..after changing the setting, the speed increase is minimal..any idea what Protected Management Frames is about? Very familiar with the AC1900P but got a great deal on the 68P instead!

 

[Tech9]

any idea what Protected Management Frames is about?

Google?

 

[jontalk]

dlandiss is correct, there is no one ultimate setup. However, there is still a 'best practices' method that is a good starting point for all further configurations.

Look at the links in my signature for more in-depth information, but for an overview, the following is what will get you going in the right direction.

1. Whether you will use RMerlin's firmware or not, flash the version of the firmware you will use and then proceed to do a full reset of the router, even if you haven't previously used it at all (i.e it is 'brand new, out of the box').
2. When resetting to factory defaults with the GUI, make sure to tick the box that says 'initialize settings...' that is right beside it.
3. If that checkbox is not available in your firmware version, then after doing a factory reset via the GUI;
4. Also, perform the 'format jffs partition on next boot' and proceed to reboot the router 3 times in the next 15 minutes or so (with 5 to 10 minutes between reboots to allow the router to configure itself as needed).
5. Now, we can manually and minimally configure the router to secure it and connect to our ISP. This means that we do not use a saved configuration file to 'restore' any previous settings.
6. This also means that we accept the defaults for most settings too, especially if using an RMerlin firmware, or we have any doubt as to what the consequences might be.

With the above completed (it is less than 1/2 hour of 'work'), we will change the following defaults:

1. Disable Universal/Implicit Beamforming on both bands in the Wireless/Professional pages.
2. Disable Airtime Fairness on both bands in the Wireless/Professional pages.
3. Disable MU-MIMO on both bands in the Wireless/Professional pages.
4. Set Preamble type to Short on the 2.4GHz band in the Wireless/Professional pages.
5. Set the Time Zone and DST Time Zone changes settings for our locale.
6. Change the Memory Management: Regularly flush caches (default: Yes), to No (RMerlin Tools/Other Settings page).
7. Change the Control Channels for both bands away from 'Auto' after testing which Control channel works best (2.4GHz use 1, 6 or 11 'only').
8. With a new router or a fully reset one such as the above steps outline, I recommend a new SSID for each band too.
9. Or, alternately, 'forget' the network on each client device that will be used in this network and then re-associate them. Some clients may need to have a 'reset networks' command and reboot too with this method. It is much easier to just use a new SSID.

With the above completed, you will have the fastest, most stable and most reliable network possible.

Of course, we can do much more with our Asus + RMerlin powered routers. Once the above is proven to be stable in your network, the additional features such as AiProtection, Parental Controls, etc. can be added as needed.

Don't forget the most powerful features of these routers: the excellent scripts available for them. My signature below contains some of the most popular ones I am currently using. For the additional 'cost' of a spare USB drive.

Hope this is enough to get you started.

I realize this may sound silly, but I'm attempting to get a better understanding of beam forming and why its best to disable. Any chance you can explain in lay terms who it works and in what situations it would be ENABLED? I believe factory default enables it, correct? Thanks so much.

 

[L&LD]

No, not silly to want to learn.

Implicit (or Universal) Beamforming is what is recommended to be disabled. It is a form of an 'Auto' setting where the router simply guesses at the best settings for the client(s) connected.

Explicit Beamforming is what I suggest be left enabled. This is where both the router and the client both support (at a hardware/driver level) identical beamforming options and can actually negotiate to the best available for that moment/environment.

Universal/Implicit Beamforming almost always has caused issues in my customer's networks.

Explicit Beamforming has never been an issue (when everything else has been properly set up) and more than likely less performance is seen with it off.

 

[heysoundude]

What other router models might this be useful for?
(For the AC86u, in Wireless - Professional - 5GHz - 802.11ac Beamforming can be ENABLED to activate Explicit Beamforming; in the 2.4GHz section, it's called more plainly labelled as Explicit Beamforming [Should I point that out to Asus, unless there's some specific reason for the differentiation?])

 

[alchemy]

I've actually found all beamforming may cause lag or packet loss from misdirected signals. Let me explain.

Beamforming basically alters each antenna's power to focus the wifi signal in a direction towards a client, and may work well for stationary clients.

I find sending wifi in all directions (without beamforming) to be more reliable for people's phones that like to walk and wander around. So I personally disable them all on all bands now.

Beamforming doesn't increase wifi range, so the only reason to use it is to possibly get a little more speed at medium range: Source

 

[Tech9]

Beamforming basically alters each antenna's power to focus the wifi signal in a direction towards a client

Not the power, but the timing. Beamforming creates so called constructive interference. Depending on client's position, it may have positive or negative effect. It does not work well with clients changing often the position or distance relative to the transmitter.

What other router models might this be useful for?

For your AC86U keep 802.11ac Beamforming Enabled, disable all the rest on both bands. This router has Wi-Fi processing modules and the overall performance is not affected. AC68U relies on main CPU for Wi-Fi traffic processing and Beamforming Enabled may have negative effect on performance.

 

[jontalk]

I wanted to chime in since I'd changed to the RT-AC68P and live in a very congested apartment complex. I'd disabled Universal Beamforming and my phone was having difficulty connecting. After changing channels several times, I changed the setting to ENABLE and it connected immediately. So it appears the setting depends on the amount of congestion and whether the device supports beamforming.

 

[Tech9]

So called Universal Beamforming doesn't require any device support. It's an attempt on router's side to improve the connection. It's pure marketing and it basically does nothing in most cases. No relation with channel bandwidth utilization and interference. Your phone had a different issue. It perhaps connected because the router's radio restarted, not because you enabled Universal Beamforming.

 

[Helder Santos]

About: Disable Universal/Implicit Beamforming on both bands in the Wireless/Professional pages

On an AC68U if Universal Beamforming is Disabled... Samsung S20 and Apple 12 cells are
connecting to 5Ghz for a few seconds then disconnected! Connection to 2.4Ghz works fine.

Would like to understand why Universal Beamforming is needed. Thanks

 

[L&LD]

Universal Beamforming is not needed. It is obsolete tech that was never fully developed.

Be sure you reboot the router and your testing devices after major changes. And then wait for at least 10 minutes before testing again.