Brand new RT-AX86U, slow wired ports (more accurately, slow speedtests)

[slvrscoobie]

No NAS

Whitey019 - I turned off "Spanning-Tree Protocol" and that seemed to have helped my speed test on LAN. my wifi is still 400/150 on my iPad Pro (wifi AX, 5 ft from the router) but tests on LAN seem better on upload now.

 

[DarkKnight75]

For AC clients - yes, both routers are AC Wave 2
For AX clients - no, common 2-stream AC client link speed is up to 866Mbps, AX up to 1201Mbps

160MHz requires DFS channels and is not guaranteed. Look at 160MHz on 5GHz as 40MHz on 2.4GHz. It's possible, but may not work for you.

For the short time the ax86u was working...160ghz only connected my laptop, not my note20u or s7 tablet.

 

[slvrscoobie]

For the short time the ax86u was working...160ghz only connected my laptop, not my note20u or s7 tablet.

a: its Mhz, not Ghz.
b: are you sure those devices support 160mhz bands? I know my apple devices all support wifi 6, but none support 160Mhz bands. all 80mhz, which is making me reconsider my purchase.
edit: it looks like at least the note 20u does NOT support 160mhz bands :

• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4G+5GHz, HE80, MIMO, 1024-QAM

Also - getting much better results on Speed test now that spanning tree is off. reliably getting 800/800 from various servers now, instead of just one.

 

[DarkKnight75]

Typo on my part.. the other reason I'm glad I returned it is because of all the marketing BS.

My Note 20u and s7 are wifi 6 capable...only supports 80mhz not 160mhz so pointless from my standpoint since speeds were no different when connected to my ac86u.

The only + was quad-core and 1gb of ram.

 

[Tech9]

For the short time the ax86u was working...

I wouldn't bother risking the stability of my Wi-Fi network because of few clients, especially if they are phones/tablets. You have to do some research before trying 160MHz channel - look how many networks around operate in DFS. If none - there is perhaps a problem. My house is aligned with runways 15L/15R on Pearson International airport. They have >1200 flights a day (well, pre-COVID). Guess how many networks around use DFS channels.

 

[DarkKnight75]

I wouldn't bother risking the stability of my Wi-Fi network because of few clients, especially if they are phones/tablets. You have to do some research before trying 160MHz channel - look how many networks around operate in DFS. If none - there is perhaps a problem. My house is aligned with runways 15L/15R on Pearson International airport. They have >1200 flights a day (well, pre-COVID). Guess how many networks around use DFS channels.

I also tested without operating in 160mhz channel and no change as far as stable ax86u.

 

[Tech9]

@DarkKnight75, testing 3 out of 3 new devices and having the same issue for me is external factor involved. This is what I know from my experience.

 

[slvrscoobie]

but on all of my devices, latest iPad, and 2 MacBooks with AX, I get ~600mbps down, but less than 150 up - why?

 

[DarkKnight75]

@DarkKnight75, testing 3 out of 3 new devices and having the same issue for me is external factor involved. This is what I know from my experience.

I disagree...3 new ax86u setup with stock firmware..factory reset..and configured with stock settings similar to my ac86u. How do you know asus didn't produce a batch batch of units?

 

[SoCalReviews]

Typo on my part.. the other reason I'm glad I returned it is because of all the marketing BS.

My Note 20u and s7 are wifi 6 capable...only supports 80mhz not 160mhz so pointless from my standpoint since speeds were no different when connected to my ac86u.

The only + was quad-core and 1gb of ram.

Asus hasn't had to do much marketing for the AX86U. It's one of the best selling Wifi 6/AX wireless routers in the world. Stores and online retailers can't keep them in stock.

If you read the upgrade suggestions posts in this forum most users will tell you that the upgrade jump from the AC86U to the AX86U is not as much of a noticeable improvement as other lower tier models. The AC86U is already a top performing router in it's class.

The biggest reasons I have read that AC86U users upgrade is for Wifi 6/AX capability, to replace their faulty AC86U which has been reported as having overheating problems and hardware failures as it ages or users simply want the latest greatest hardware for their network. It seems most users that upgrade are very satisfied with their purchase.

 

[DarkKnight75]

Asus hasn't had to do much marketing for the AX86U. It's one of the best selling Wifi 6/AX wireless routers in the world. Stores and online retailers can't keep them in stock.

If you read the upgrade suggestions posts in this forum most users will tell you that the upgrade jump from the AC86U to the AX86U is not as much of a noticeable improvement as other lower tier models. The AC86U is already a top performing router in it's class.

The biggest reasons I have read that AC86U users upgrade is for Wifi 6/AX capability, to replace their faulty AC86U which has been reported as having overheating problems and hardware failures as it ages or users simply want the latest greatest hardware for their network. It seems most users that upgrade are very satisfied with their purchase.

Well..I'm in the minority cause my ac86u never exhibited any of those issues since I purchased in 2019.

 

[Tech9]

Well..I'm in the minority cause my ac86u never exhibited any of those issues since I purchased in 2019.

It may die instantly due to VRM failure. No warning signs. Just saying.

 

[TexasFlood]

I actually returned 3 ax86u due to kernel cpu crash within 2 to 3 days of using stock asus firmware. Speeds were the same as my ac86u and also my two ax devices were connecting at 80ghz instaed of 160ghz.

All 3 were rev 1.0 and think it's either my baduck or a bad run of serial numbers.

My AX86U is HW Rev 1.0. Uptime now 9 days 9 hours. Guessing something different in the settings and/or environment between here and there but don't know what. Only 3 Microcenters have 10 AX86Us in stock. Every other store has less, or none like mine.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Well..I'm in the minority cause my ac86u never exhibited any of those issues since I purchased in 2019.

The AC86U overheating issues and hardware failures have been well documented in the Asus AC forum including posts with photos of the burnt and damaged internal components. I have also read about these issues many times before in other online reviews such as Amazon. Of course most of those problems reportedly occur in the second year of ownership. Since you purchased it in 2019 you still have a ways to go but in this case you might end up being one of the lucky ones.

 

[DarkKnight75]

It may die instantly due to VRM failure. No warning signs. Just saying.

Well..the crappy n66u i got rid of ran 7 years without issues...ill take my chances.

 

[DarkKnight75]

It may die instantly due to VRM failure. No warning signs. Just saying.

Well..the crappy n66u i got rid ran 7 years without issues...ill take my chances.

My AX86U is HW Rev 1.0. Uptime now 9 days 9 hours. Guessing something different in the settings and/or environment between here and there but don't know what. Only 3 Microcenters have 10 AX86Us in stock. Every other store has less, or none like mine.

Yep and one of those microcenters is in Michigan..lol

 

[BreakingDad]

For AC clients - yes, both routers are AC Wave 2
For AX clients - no, common 2-stream AC client link speed is up to 866Mbps, AX up to 1201Mbps

160MHz requires DFS channels and is not guaranteed. Look at 160MHz on 5GHz as 40MHz on 2.4GHz. It's possible, but may not work for you.

My 2 pennies (cents for those viewing from over the pond) 160mhz channel 64 works like a dream for me.

SSID: kick_that_ball_in_my_garden_again_and_lose_it
Protocol: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Security type: WPA2-Personal
Network band: 5 GHz
Network channel: 64
Link speed (Receive/Transmit): 2162/1729 (Mbps)
IPv4 address:
IPv4 DNS servers: 9.9.9.9
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Description: Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160MHz
Driver version: 22.70.0.6
Physical address (MAC)

 

[Tech9]

160mhz channel 64 works like a dream for me

Is the house next to yours for sale?

 

[BreakingDad]

Is the house next to yours for sale?

Very strangely it is, subject to contract I believe. As long as you don't play football (soccer for those viewing over the pond) you are welcome to buy it.

 

[Tech9]

As long as you don't play football

No. I only plan running my Wi-Fi on ch64 @160MHz. I'm nice to my neighbors. Wi-Fi ball only with all 22 players.