Brand new AX86U slow wired & wifi

[DaddyLace]

I finally decided to upgrade my 8-year-old Linksys (EA6700) router and grabbed an AX86U from BestBuy this past weekend specifically for the 2.5Gbps port. Upon setting it up, I immediately updated the firmware to 3.0.0.4.386_44130.

I have the 1.2 Gbps plan with Xfinity/Comcast and an Arris Surfboard S33. Running Cat7 from the modem (2.5g) to router (2.5g), and Cat7 from router to my somewhat dated PC.

My PC (Realtek GBE) has hit 909 Mbps down one time but usually ends up between 600-800. I realize my PC should max out around 940-960 (until I get a new 2.5 nic card installed), but we're not even close to that. While running a speed test, the speeds jump all over the place. My Samsung Galaxy S21+ hit 900 once as well but hovers around 500-600. My phone utilizes WiFi6, so shouldn't that be obtaining better speeds as well, especially when you're 5-10' from the router? Also tested on my laptop (Intel Wireless-AC9560 160Mhz) and getting 600-640 down. Wireless speed tests were done on the 5GHz SSID. My old router was reaching 750-800...if I remember correctly.

Running a speed test through the router GUI (Adative QoS > Internet Speed) has hit 1273, 1030 and 1141 Mbps down, so the router is receiving the correct speeds.

I have tried resetting the router back to stock settings once already in case I changed something I shouldn't have and it hasn't helped. I have QoS and AiProtection disabled. As of right now, the only thing I've changed on the router is enabling IPv6 today, which hasn't helped or hurt. It's still set to auto-select channels, which should not be a huge issue since I do not live around many people on about an acre of land and it's happening on both wired and wireless.

The last two nights, the router has also disconnected and I have had to reboot it to get internet access again.

On top of that, the port forwarding is not working for my older Foscam IP cams. Tried disabling the firewall with no luck. I am using the old assigned IP's, which are 192.168.1.*** as opposed to the Asus which is 192.168.50.***. Not sure if that's an issue or not.



Does anyone have any ideas on what I'm doing wrong here? Trying to figure out if it's a setting I've missed or I should return this router, for which I only have 12 or 13 days left to do so.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[dave14305]

Tried disabling the firewall with no luck.

Only bad luck is likely when going naked on the internet.

I am using the old assigned IP's, which are 192.168.1.*** as opposed to the Asus which is 192.168.50.***. Not sure if that's an issue or not.

The 192.168.1.x addresses aren’t valid unless you changed the router and its DHCP range to also be 192.168.1.x. So yes, it’s probably a problem.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I'm doing wrong here? Trying to figure out if it's a setting I've missed or I should return this router, for which I only have 12 or 13 days left to do so.

It’s a good router, and a newer firmware was just released today.

 

[SoCalReviews]

I am guessing that you are new to Asus routers. You want to set up this router with mostly default settings with a few exceptions. I would disable Smart Connect. Make sure you have to separate SSIDs for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz channels. Don't enable WPA3 (use WPA2). Don't enable IPV6 from it's default setting unless it's required from your ISP. Don't disable the firewall. Keep QoS disabled at this point. Don't enable AiProtection. You can change the default IP range from 192.168.50.x to 192.168.1.x but you need to be careful since your wireless clients can store connection information relating to your old router, it's previous IP addresses used and it's capabilities which can effect connectivity to your new router. There is also a DHCP query frequency setting that can be adjusted in the Asus settings which is used for improved compatibility with some ISPs but for now work with the mostly default settings and the previous suggestions.

There are other settings that can be adjusted for compatibility but again it's best to start with mostly default settings. You shouldn't be getting disconnects. Where are the disconnections happening and how? On the wireless clients or is it disconnecting from the ISP modem? These are really important details to determine what the problem is.

It's likely that these issues are related to problems with your settings. There can be hardware problems with new routers so replacing it is always an option but it's likely something with your setup. I also wouldn't recommend live swapping your old router and the new Asus back and forth since doing that can generate problems too.

 

[DaddyLace]

I am guessing that you are new to Asus routers. You want to set up this router with mostly default settings with a few exceptions. I would disable Smart Connect. Make sure you have to separate SSIDs for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz channels. Don't enable WPA3 (use WPA2). Don't enable IPV6 from it's default setting unless it's required from your ISP. Don't disable the firewall. Keep QoS disabled at this point. Don't enable AiProtection. You can change the default IP range from 192.168.50.x to 192.168.1.x but you need to be careful since your wireless clients can store connection information relating to your old router, it's previous IP addresses used and it's capabilities which can effect connectivity to your new router. There is also a DHCP query frequency setting that can be adjusted in the Asus settings which is used for improved compatibility with some ISPs but for now work with the mostly default settings and the previous suggestions.

There are other settings that can be adjusted for compatibility but again it's best to start with mostly default settings. You shouldn't be getting disconnects. Where are the disconnections happening and how? On the wireless clients or is it disconnecting from the ISP modem? These are really important details to determine what the problem is.

It's likely that these issues are related to problems with your settings. There can be hardware problems with new routers so replacing it is always an option but it's likely something with your setup. I also wouldn't recommend live swapping your old router and the new Asus back and forth since doing that can generate problems too.

You are correct. All I have used previously have been Linksys routers for as long as I can remember. Was recommended Asus routers from a coworker and this one had the 2.5 port I was looking for, so decided to give it a go.

Smart connect is disabled
Using separate SSIDs
Using WPA2
Can disable IPv6 again
Firewall is re-enabled
QoS and AiProtection are off
I'm going to leave the IP range for now. I will just have to update the cameras.

It happens on wireless as I'm streaming TV in bed. Not sure about wired, but I don't receive any notifications about my smartthings hub going offline, so wireless only.

It does sound like something on my end, but I did the reset too. I can try again one more time tomorrow to see if it helps at all.

 

[SoCalReviews]

It happens on wireless as I'm streaming TV in bed. Not sure about wired, but I don't receive any notifications about my smartthings hub going offline, so wireless only.

It does sound like something on my end, but I did the reset too. I can try again one more time tomorrow to see if it helps at all.

If wireless streaming is your only disconnection problem then that is specifically what needs to be focused on in your settings. What wireless device are you streaming to.... what model and what are it's capabilities N, AC, AX, etc.? What frequency is that device using... 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz? Post those specifics and any other details about the device and the disconnects... how often, is that the only device disconnecting, etc.. and forum users can maybe help you work through what the issue might be and how to adjust your settings.

 

[L&LD]

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

You may find some of the suggestions and concepts useful in the link above to get the most out of your Asus router.

Of course, I would suggest you flash RMerlin firmware on it too (and then do a full reset to defaults as outlined above).

About | Asuswrt-Merlin

You're not flashing the firmware suggested just for the additional features it offers. It's the meticulous bug fixing that merits its use.

If you do decide to try it, I would suggest the latest Alpha 1 firmware which has many fixes since the latest 'stable release' from the beginning of last month.

Download | Asuswrt-Merlin

Click on the 'Pre-Beta' test builds if you do want to go that route, now.

 

[1ceLaz0r]

Avoid Merlin unless yuu wanna be a Guinea pig tester

 

[bbunge]

Another opinion...
Upgrade to the new Asus firmware. For one it has encrypted DNS or DoT.
Use Dual Band Smart Connect. One good reason for this is if the 5 GHz gets RADAR bounced the 2.4 will pick up your clients.
2.4 GHz at 20 MHz on channel 1, 6 or 11
5 GHz at 160 MHz on channel 36
WPA2/WPA3-Personal
Disable UPNP
Use fixed DNS resolvers and DoT. Also enable DNS Filter to Router.
QOS is an option. AiProtect should be used and does not slow things down.
Enable DDOS protection.

 

[DaddyLace]

If wireless streaming is your only disconnection problem then that is specifically what needs to be focused on in your settings. What wireless device are you streaming to.... what model and what are it's capabilities N, AC, AX, etc.? What frequency is that device using... 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz? Post those specifics and any other details about the device and the disconnects... how often, is that the only device disconnecting, etc.. and forum users can maybe help you work through what the issue might be and how to adjust your settings.

Was streaming to an LG TV, unsure of the model offhand, on the 5GHz SSID. One floor up, directly above the router. It happened two nights in a row, but last night was good. (Knock on wood) Never had the issue with the previous router, but I was using 2.4GHz with that one (which was 3-5x as fast as the 2.4Ghz on this Asus router).

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

You may find some of the suggestions and concepts useful in the link above to get the most out of your Asus router.

Of course, I would suggest you flash RMerlin firmware on it too (and then do a full reset to defaults as outlined above).

About | Asuswrt-Merlin

You're not flashing the firmware suggested just for the additional features it offers. It's the meticulous bug fixing that merits its use.

If you do decide to try it, I would suggest the latest Alpha 1 firmware which has many fixes since the latest 'stable release' from the beginning of last month.

Download | Asuswrt-Merlin

Click on the 'Pre-Beta' test builds if you do want to go that route, now.

I'd rather not mess with flashing new firmware just yet. I really shouldn't have to do all of that IMO.

Another opinion...
Upgrade to the new Asus firmware. For one it has encrypted DNS or DoT.
Use Dual Band Smart Connect. One good reason for this is if the 5 GHz gets RADAR bounced the 2.4 will pick up your clients.
2.4 GHz at 20 MHz on channel 1, 6 or 11
5 GHz at 160 MHz on channel 36
WPA2/WPA3-Personal
Disable UPNP
Use fixed DNS resolvers and DoT. Also enable DNS Filter to Router.
QOS is an option. AiProtect should be used and does not slow things down.
Enable DDOS protection.

I just updated to the newest firmware 3.0.0.4.386_45375. No change in speed.

I just ran my modem straight to my desktop again and was only reaching 850Mbps. So, what I'm going to do for now is order a 2.5G PCIe card to try out and see if it's my mobo nic causing issues with wired. I can deal with the wireless speeds as that's almost expected but need my desktop running as well as possible. I work from home all day and night, and I'm constantly downloading and uploading.

I will try messing with the channels and other suggestions here this evening.

Thanks again for all of the help and suggestions! I greatly appreciate it!

 

[L&LD]

'Not messing with flashing new firmware' is not optional here. I can agree that you may not want to flash the RMerlin firmware, but the rest of the suggestions is how to get the most out of your router, whichever firmware you want to use today.

Don't chase wild geese needlessly. Smash the small gremlins first to troubleshoot with the best outcome.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Was streaming to an LG TV, unsure of the model offhand, on the 5GHz SSID. One floor up, directly above the router. It happened two nights in a row, but last night was good. (Knock on wood) Never had the issue with the previous router, but I was using 2.4GHz with that one (which was 3-5x as fast as the 2.4Ghz on this Asus router).

I just updated to the newest firmware 3.0.0.4.386_45375. No change in speed.

I just ran my modem straight to my desktop again and was only reaching 850Mbps. So, what I'm going to do for now is order a 2.5G PCIe card to try out and see if it's my mobo nic causing issues with wired. I can deal with the wireless speeds as that's almost expected but need my desktop running as well as possible. I work from home all day and night, and I'm constantly downloading and uploading.

I will try messing with the channels and other suggestions here this evening.

Thanks again for all of the help and suggestions! I greatly appreciate it!

You are moving in the right direction. Updating the firmware to the very latest version was a good idea. You said you are using CAT7 Ethernet cable going to the modem and your computer. That's always something to look at but it sounds like you have that covered. If the LG TV you are streaming to is directly above the router then you can try angling the Asus router's antennas at a 45 degree angle to help signal reception.

The 2.4Ghz 3 x 3 radio usually works very well on this router. I am curious as to why you had so much performance degradation using 2.4Ghz but keep using 5Ghz for streaming to the LG TV if the signal is strong enough. There can be many reasons for wireless signals dropping and there are numerous adjustments that can be made to optimize the adjustment of your channels and settings. You can narrow the bandwidth to 80Mhz (20Mhz for the 2.4Ghz band), use a fixed channel and there are radio settings that can be adjusted... such as disabling Universal Beamforming and Airtime fairness, etc.. Keep updating here with your progress and more suggestions will be available.

 

[bbunge]

Was streaming to an LG TV, unsure of the model offhand, on the 5GHz SSID. One floor up, directly above the router. It happened two nights in a row, but last night was good. (Knock on wood) Never had the issue with the previous router, but I was using 2.4GHz with that one (which was 3-5x as fast as the 2.4Ghz on this Asus router).




I'd rather not mess with flashing new firmware just yet. I really shouldn't have to do all of that IMO.




I just updated to the newest firmware 3.0.0.4.386_45375. No change in speed.

I just ran my modem straight to my desktop again and was only reaching 850Mbps. So, what I'm going to do for now is order a 2.5G PCIe card to try out and see if it's my mobo nic causing issues with wired. I can deal with the wireless speeds as that's almost expected but need my desktop running as well as possible. I work from home all day and night, and I'm constantly downloading and uploading.

I will try messing with the channels and other suggestions here this evening.

Thanks again for all of the help and suggestions! I greatly appreciate it!

I looked at a review of your Surfboard cable modem. Looks like a good one and with CAT7 between the modem 2.5 GHz port and the router 2.5 GHz port it should be OK.
But, keep in mind that high bandwidth does not mean good quality. Yes, your uploads and downloads may go faster but you may be paying for more than you are getting. Many in my development are working from home with 100/100 FIOS. Several guys are network admins of sorts and have no issues. Others that pay a whole lot more for the GB service, and only get 900+ for their money complain about the service.
You have a great modem/router combo. Settle in and enjoy them!

 

[willyburz]

I am guessing that you are new to Asus routers. You want to set up this router with mostly default settings with a few exceptions. I would disable Smart Connect. Make sure you have to separate SSIDs for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz channels. Don't enable WPA3 (use WPA2). Don't enable IPV6 from it's default setting unless it's required from your ISP. Don't disable the firewall. Keep QoS disabled at this point. Don't enable AiProtection. You can change the default IP range from 192.168.50.x to 192.168.1.x but you need to be careful since your wireless clients can store connection information relating to your old router, it's previous IP addresses used and it's capabilities which can effect connectivity to your new router. There is also a DHCP query frequency setting that can be adjusted in the Asus settings which is used for improved compatibility with some ISPs but for now work with the mostly default settings and the previous suggestions.

There are other settings that can be adjusted for compatibility but again it's best to start with mostly default settings. You shouldn't be getting disconnects. Where are the disconnections happening and how? On the wireless clients or is it disconnecting from the ISP modem? These are really important details to determine what the problem is.

It's likely that these issues are related to problems with your settings. There can be hardware problems with new routers so replacing it is always an option but it's likely something with your setup. I also wouldn't recommend live swapping your old router and the new Asus back and forth since doing that can generate problems too.

I agree with this, for sure turn off smart connect. I do use the wpa2 and wpa3 combo and have no issues. I also lock in 160hz on my 5g channel, and have AI protection turned on. I get amazing speeds on my AC clients, and massive speed on my AX clients!!

 

[DaddyLace]

You are moving in the right direction. Updating the firmware to the very latest version was a good idea. You said you are using CAT7 Ethernet cable going to the modem and your computer. That's always something to look at but it sounds like you have that covered. If the LG TV you are streaming to is directly above the router then you can try angling the Asus router's antennas at a 45 degree angle to help signal reception.

The 2.4Ghz 3 x 3 radio usually works very well on this router. I am curious as to why you had so much performance degradation using 2.4Ghz but keep using 5Ghz for streaming to the LG TV if the signal is strong enough. There can be many reasons for wireless signals dropping and there are numerous adjustments that can be made to optimize the adjustment of your channels and settings. You can narrow the bandwidth to 80Mhz (20Mhz for the 2.4Ghz band), use a fixed channel and there are radio settings that can be adjusted... such as disabling Universal Beamforming and Airtime fairness, etc.. Keep updating here with your progress and more suggestions will be available.

I do have the antennas at a 45-degree angle. Reception is not bad and I have only had one issue with disconnects the last couple of days and that was a Chromecast on my living room TV yesterday. Happened twice within a couple of minutes, but worked fine today.

I tried a Trendnet 2.5Gbps PCI card in my desktop and at 1Gbps it was actually a little slower than the integrated nic. Hooked it directly up to the modem with the 2.5Gbps connection and reached 1100mbps+ down.

At this point, I'm at a loss and not sure if I want to return it or not. I'm having a hard time justifying spending that much for something that isn't much of an upgrade over an 8-year-old router, especially after spending hours upon hours tinkering with it. The whole reason behind purchasing this router was to speed things up and increase my productivity.

 

[SoCalReviews]

I do have the antennas at a 45-degree angle. Reception is not bad and I have only had one issue with disconnects the last couple of days and that was a Chromecast on my living room TV yesterday. Happened twice within a couple of minutes, but worked fine today.

I tried a Trendnet 2.5Gbps PCI card in my desktop and at 1Gbps it was actually a little slower than the integrated nic. Hooked it directly up to the modem with the 2.5Gbps connection and reached 1100mbps+ down.

At this point, I'm at a loss and not sure if I want to return it or not. I'm having a hard time justifying spending that much for something that isn't much of an upgrade over an 8-year-old router, especially after spending hours upon hours tinkering with it. The whole reason behind purchasing this router was to speed things up and increase my productivity.

You have a 1.2Gb plan from your ISP. I'm not sure what you are looking for from the Asus router. If you have other clients connected to your router that are accessing the internet connection then you would expect your throughput to be less than if you have one device that you are testing connected directly to the ISP modem. How many other devices and how many other people are connecting to the router when you are doing your testing? Also important is what testing apps or programs you are using and what devices are doing the testing. Most internet througput tests are not very consistent since they rely on fluctuating internet speeds going to the test servers they use.

The newer routers like the AX86U should have much better performance when connecting to more devices. Usually the reason the performance sometimes isn't up to par on a newer router is if there is a compatibility issue with your wireless settings but most people are able to find the right adjustments in their router settings. Remember that performance isn't just on the router side. It also depends on the capabilities of your clients and you won't see the most significant improvements unless your clients all use Wifi 6/AX. The good news is that many new devices are now supporting AX and that will only increase in the future.

Most AX86U owners I read about still notice performance and range improvements even with older devices. I own seven AX86Us and use them in different physical locations for personal, family and business. Many people are using these routers all the time 24/7 for online gaming, streaming, video conferencing, browsing, downloading, etc.. No one ever complains of drops or performance issues. They are the most reliable routers I have ever purchased. They all are working perfectly and they are a big improvement over my Asus AC routers they replaced.

If you feel you don't want to spend the money now or future proof your network then by all means returning the router is an option you have. Otherwise take some more suggestions at adjusting your wireless settings on the AX86U. Either way you are going to have to be the one satisfied with your decisions.

 

[bbunge]

I do have the antennas at a 45-degree angle. Reception is not bad and I have only had one issue with disconnects the last couple of days and that was a Chromecast on my living room TV yesterday. Happened twice within a couple of minutes, but worked fine today.

I tried a Trendnet 2.5Gbps PCI card in my desktop and at 1Gbps it was actually a little slower than the integrated nic. Hooked it directly up to the modem with the 2.5Gbps connection and reached 1100mbps+ down.

At this point, I'm at a loss and not sure if I want to return it or not. I'm having a hard time justifying spending that much for something that isn't much of an upgrade over an 8-year-old router, especially after spending hours upon hours tinkering with it. The whole reason behind purchasing this router was to speed things up and increase my productivity.

Am pretty sure Asus recommended all the antenna be straight up for the AX86U. That is the way I have run mine since I got it.
Have you upgraded to firmware 3.0.0.4.386_45375-ge5f218b?
Have you tried the settings I recommended?

 

[SoCalReviews]

Am pretty sure Asus recommended all the antenna be straight up for the AX86U. That is the way I have run mine since I got it.

Generally straight up is good but not necessarily when the clients are directly above or below the router. These are meant to be adjusted to optimize the signal. A thirty degree angle is often recommended. Note: I said forty five degrees previously which can also be used for testing client reception for floors directly above or below the router but twenty to thirty degrees is usually recommended. I have a friend who just set up the Asus AC68P router with straight up antennas in the floor directly below his streaming client and reception signal was not good. When he angles the antennas it works fine.