GT-AC5300 mesh 2.4ghz shutting down

[turbosl2]

Some background:

I have 2 of these routers hardwired together. One in my basement the other on my main level. I have been fighting to get these to work and have a stable connection for over a year. I still cannot get my issue resolved.

The problem:

To start I have to run the 384 firmware. Any 386 firmware my iOS products cannot reach the internet yet they all show connected. Moving on because I like the 384 firmware becuase at least all my devices work.

My upstairs router is a mesh node(wired Ethernet backhaul) yet it constantly drops its 2.4ghz connections. All of them at once.

how do I know this, I can be sitting on my couch on main level and see my light switchs light up red vs green (indicating loss of internet, they do not work on 5ghz). I pull up my ASUS app and it shows both routers online yet my router only has 5ghz connections. Usually it’s about 30 connections each router but when the 2.4ghz goes down it drops to about 11 on the main level node. Yet it still transmits 5ghz perfectly.

I have yet to find a fix. I have to power cycle the main level router and all is good for sometimes 1 day, sometimes a week.

I don’t know if this helps but when this one router stops transmitting 2.4ghz the light switches do not move to the other router and pickup their signal. This is odd to me because as soon as I hit the power on the main level router amd turn it off all my switches turn green because they are now picking up the 2.4 signal from my basement. I am boggled on why if the main level router looses all its 2.4 connections they just don’t switch over to the other router. It’s almost like they are still connected but offline amd not showing up or transmitting internet. The app clearly shows no 2.4 connections on this one router…it happens over and over with no clear explanation. Not sure if I am explaining this clearly. Also, my basement router maintains its 2.4 and 5ghz seamlessly, it never drops any bad.

 

[L&LD]

Your network symptoms are a perfect example of not being in a good/known state.

First, you must give up the belief that only 384.xx works for you. 386.xx works for many, many more.

I would be doing a full reset with the routers as-is and then doing a minimal and manual configuration afterward. If the issues are still present, I would switch the routers and do another full reset to test if it is only one that is flakey.

If after doing all this the symptoms persist, I would begin to suspect possible hardware issues.

But first, let's get the routers, firmware, and the rest of the network fully updated and optimized and in a good/known state. The following links may help.

Remember, first flash the latest firmware, then do a full reset, then do a minimal and manual configuration (do not use a saved backup config file).

Fully Reset Router and Network

Best Practice Update/Setup Router/AiMesh Node(s) 2021

About L&LD

 

[turbosl2]

Your network symptoms are a perfect example of not being in a good/known state.

First, you must give up the belief that only 384.xx works for you. 386.xx works for many, many more.

I would be doing a full reset with the routers as-is and then doing a minimal and manual configuration afterward. If the issues are still present, I would switch the routers and do another full reset to test if it is only one that is flakey.

If after doing all this the symptoms persist, I would begin to suspect possible hardware issues.

But first, let's get the routers, firmware, and the rest of the network fully updated and optimized and in a good/known state. The following links may help.

Remember, first flash the latest firmware, then do a full reset, then do a minimal and manual configuration (do not use a saved backup config file).

Fully Reset Router and Network

Best Practice Update/Setup Router/AiMesh Node(s) 2021

About L&LD

I will give it a try again now that there is a newer 386 firmware. I tried numerous times the 386 firmware and many others reported the same issues with iOS devices. Connected but nothing loads.
It scares me because it takes hours to complete from scratch. Which I have done 2-3 times just as you described. I have every one of my devices named for what they are as well.
When you say good known state what do you mean in detail. My routers never go offline it’s just that one with the 2.4 issue. I guess I could swap them and see if the problem moves to the basement but I have a feeling it won’t be just that simple as that. I most likely have to go through the setup to make one the mesh router.

I did try the swap when I had them both on 386 firmware and it didn’t work. But the 386 firmware was a different issue that I could never pinpoint. Any device that was apple could never reach the internet and I couldn’t narrow it down to one router or the other.

 

[drabisan]

I do have few questions:
- why are your IOS devices connecting to 2.4? Most Apple devices can do 5GHz. Do you have any reasons to expect/want to connect to 2.4?
- for some stupid IOT/kindle devices that only can do 2.4, I found it much more stable to set the channel manually. Least busy one would serve the purpose.
- I have only one GT-AC5300 and I found it's "healthy" to automatically reboot it every week. In 384 and even in 386. At wee hours on a day of the week. That's the only good solution I could find. No matter if the node was an wired AC68U or now (for a couple of years) an wired AX88U. GT-AC5300 was never rock solid for more than few weeks - sooner than later will start "loosing" 2.4 or 1st 5GHz radio. A reboot a week works just fine for me!

And please detail "how do I know this, I can be sitting on my couch on main level and see my light switchs light up red vs green (indicating loss of internet, they do not work on 5ghz). I pull up my ASUS app and it shows both routers online yet my router only has 5ghz connections. Usually it’s about 30 connections each router but when the 2.4ghz goes down it drops to about 11 on the main level node. Yet it still transmits 5ghz perfectly." Red vs green part makes absolutely no sense to me - what LEDs are you talking about? Internet LEDs?

Your description is not easy to understand. I would +1 L&LD's advice: reset everything, configure just bare minimum and do your best to describe clearer what you're seeing. Logs from router and wireless logs especially will help.

 

[L&LD]

@turbosl2, see the links for the details.

Forget about your customization and the 'hours' to set up. This is a twenty to thirty minute journey.

 

[turbosl2]

Your network symptoms are a perfect example of not being in a good/known state.

First, you must give up the belief that only 384.xx works for you. 386.xx works for many, many more.

I would be doing a full reset with the routers as-is and then doing a minimal and manual configuration afterward. If the issues are still present, I would switch the routers and do another full reset to test if it is only one that is flakey.

If after doing all this the symptoms persist, I would begin to suspect possible hardware issues.

But first, let's get the routers, firmware, and the rest of the network fully updated and optimized and in a good/known state. The following links may help.

Remember, first flash the latest firmware, then do a full reset, then do a minimal and manual configuration (do not use a saved backup config file).

Fully Reset Router and Network

Best Practice Update/Setup Router/AiMesh Node(s) 2021

About L&LD

I have followed this process. I am now back to the same symptoms as before. My routers are up and running and every light switch and other device, camera,tv…etc in my house is rock solid. Routers never miss a beat.

EXCEPT: my iPhone 11 Pro Max as well as my wife’s and kids IPhone 11 and 8 is 100% connected and sometimes cannot reach the internet. The connection shows connected on the phone (does not say no internet connection) and router shows devices connected but can’t reach the internet. It’s like not being connected to wifi yet the devices are!
This happens once and a while we have to turn of Wi-Fi on the phones and right back on. Then I am back up and running for sometimes 30mins sometimes the day.
This is the problem with the 386 firmware! The 384 does not have this problem! Very frustrating and I am about to trash both of these routers and use a different brand!

 

[L&LD]

Sounds like a problem with the iPhones to me.

Have you searched for any solutions on that end?

 

[turbosl2]

Problem is right back to the usual with the 386 firmware. Been testing it for a few weeks. iPhones have to disconnect and reconnect Wi-Fi to access the internet (safari). Text messages and other VoIP no issues. Just hangs when trying to use any app or browse the internet.
Wi-Fi connection for all my devices is stable as can be. Something really Fd with this 386 firmware and Apple products.
No one knows how to fix this issue. Some say it’s NAT, Double NAT, lease time…etc

Asus says send them in for service…yet they are brand new. That’s not even possible since I work from home and my entire house relies on Wi-Fi (smart home)

When I login from my PC it even shows all the devices connected fine.


I think I am just going to have to sell both my GT5300 and cross ASUS off my list of manufacturers. $800 down the drain. I would be lucky to get half my money back for these junks