How bad are the AC86U 2.4Ghz issues?

[CaptainSTX]

The radios on the AC 86 work or they don't. The firmware has little to do with that..

You ignore the fact that the same VPN clients and a VPN server worked with no problems on both a N66 or an AC1900P but constantly failed on the AC86.

The AC86 is supposed to be an advanced router and should be able to run multiple VPNs, scripts and other features. If an AC1900P can do this with with a lesser processor why can't the AC86? If all you need is a basic router with good WiFi and not much else then a better buy would be a AC68.

ASUS tarnished their reputation by not destroying the defective AC86s and instead selling them as refurbished or sending them out as exchange units on RMA.

If you think ASUS is god's gift to the networking world good for you. In my opinion every company has its winners and its losers and the ASUS AC86 wasn't a great product for some users.

I have been a dedicated ASUS user since 2013 and stick with them because of the enhanced features that Merlin brings to their OS. If I was stuck using using a stock ASUS firmware with no policy routing and without the capability of running scripts which increase the functionality of their hardware I would not be buying ASUS products.

 

[Val D.]

The radios on the AC 86 work or they don't. The firmware has little to do with that..

There is no question about it, no software can fix hardware. The issues you have though have nothing to do with non working radios. On last 2 routers at least, most likely perfectly fine working units. The previous one you send back with RMA for no reason, very high probability. ASUS support has been very good to you, actually. Nothing to complain about. They restore it for you to factory software and factory defaults for $20. Cheap service, if you ask me.

You ignore the fact that the same VPN clients and a VPN server worked with no problems on both a N66 or an AC1900P but constantly failed on the AC86.

Possibly. RT-AC86U uses different hardware and different software, some things change over time. As per my example above, ExpressVPN works well and SLOW with RT-AC66U, but doesn't re-connect or auto-connect with RT-AC86U. ExpressVPN has support for RT-AC66U, but it doesn't for RT-AC86U. Nothing strange or unusual. Cars from 2009 go from A to B just like the ones from 2019, but the experience is a bit different. You have to adapt to what is now, forget about how things used to be 10 years ago.

The AC86 is supposed to be an advanced router and should be able to run multiple VPNs, scripts and other features. If an AC1900P can do this with with a lesser processor why can't the AC86?

Both routers don't offer support for multiple VPN clients, nor scripts. You have to run 3rd party firmware to get this functionality, not supported by ASUS, use at your own risk. Whatever RT-AC68U can do, RT-AC86U can do 3-4 times faster. Tested, working. May require a bit different approach though, it's a different device. I have no idea why it is not working for you, but definitely ASUS has nothing to do with it.

If you think ASUS is god's gift to the networking world good for you.

Nothing even close. This specific RT-AC86U router has a lot of issues. I don't blame ASUS though all the time. They won't hear me anyway, nor will fix something faster. I just find a way to make things work, using whatever is available at the moment. And what I need works excellent, thanks to @RMerlin, of course. If Asuswrt-Merlin was not available for this router, I wouldn't buy it. Basically I stick to ASUS because of @RMerlin. Simple.

If I was stuck using using a stock ASUS firmware with no policy routing and without the capability of running scripts which increase the functionality of their hardware I would not be buying ASUS products.

Exactly. See above. So stop blaming ASUS for something they never offered and never supported. If you encounter some issues, post here and ask for help. It won't hurt your forum reputation in any way. Someone will know the solution or group of people will come to a solution, if the issue is very complicated. The purpose of this forum is to help each other, not to complain forever how something doesn't work.

 

[Val D.]

ASUS tarnished their reputation by not destroying the defective AC86s and instead selling them as refurbished or sending them out as exchange units on RMA.

This is just a theory. I don't comment on things I don't know. What I know is I have personally installed about 10 RT-AC86U units, including 2 re-manufactured units from Newegg and knock on wood everything is working as expected for now, including VPN connections. I use thouse routers where fast VPN connection is needed. For just WiFi network there are cheaper with similar performance options.

If all you need is a basic router with good WiFi and not much else then a better buy would be a AC68.

Nor really. RT-AC86U offers faster speed on same distances compared to RT-AC68U. Proof here on SNB.

 

[bitsbytes]

Nor really. RT-AC86U offers faster speed on same distances compared to RT-AC68U. Proof here on SNB.

i can vouch for that, same location on 5ghz i get 240Mbps on the ac68u vs 866 on the 86u.

 

[Grisu]

i can vouch for that, same location on 5ghz i get 240Mbps on the ac68u vs 866 on the 86u.

simply because they aren't set identically!
If you have fix 80MHz bandwith on both they will have same speed.
The one extra interal 5G antenna in 86U can't make any difference to one client.

 

[Val D.]

If you have fix 80MHz bandwith on both they will have same speed.

Another wrong statement, but who cares.

RT-AC86U with identical settings to RT-AC68U has at least 30% better throughout due to better radios. Tested multiple times and proven from multiple members here on SNB. You don’t even own RT-AC86U, but you have on opinion on it. Thank you for sharing it anyway.

 

[bitsbytes]

simply because they aren't set identically!
If you have fix 80MHz bandwith on both they will have same speed.
The one extra interal 5G antenna in 86U can't make any difference to one client.

both on 80 and on the same channel. 5ghz range is better on the 86u. I own both and was running a mesh with 2 86u's and one 68u. and did a lot of experimenting for better wifi range. of course "was" is the key word cause I was having a lot of 2.4 problems on the 2nd 86u to the point where I thought it was a faulty unit. many firmwares later and settings it's working fine now as an access point and I don't know what the problem was. maybe I'll open a thread to ask for help cause I really want an aimesh network in the house not different ssid's running on different channels.

 

[L&LD]

Since I finally bought my own RT-AC86U earlier this year, I have installed dozens for customers.

Batches from both 2018 and 2019 manufacturers. No issues at all.

Amazon reviews are ignored by anyone with any experience with the product in question. Either it can be made to work in a specific environment or it can't. Doesn't merit a positive or negative 'random' review though.

When I was able to test it for myself and found the product good, I started suggesting them to customers too.

I have to agree about the increased throughput and (depending on the WiFi environment) range vs. not only the old RT-AC68U but also the RT-AC3100 which I hold in very high regard too.

One of the most important points of my M&M Config which I need to make more prominent is that settings used in previous routers mean little when setting up a new/different router with different capabilities.

Assuming you have problems that repeat ad-nauseam; Start from the defaults the firmware offers after a full reset, add the recommended changes to those defaults one-by-one (again; only after verifying their benefit for your network environment and usage) and then change any further settings one by one until you either have a working network to your expectations or you find which setting upsets the applecart.

With regards to the scripts used, are they being installed fresh each time? Or is a backup configuration used? This too is another variable that can break an otherwise perfectly running router.

Many examples of scripts that 'should' update properly for people but didn't. When a clean install was performed on an otherwise identical router setup, everything worked as advertised.

Starting with the amtm Step-by-Step guide takes all of 10 to 20 minutes to get each and every script re-installed 'clean' depending on which router model you do it on. Including formatting the JFFS partition and rebooting the router 3 times in the next 15 minutes or so.

 

[Grisu]

Another wrong statement, but who cares.

RT-AC86U with identical settings to RT-AC68U has at least 30% better throughout due to better radios. Tested multiple times and proven from multiple members here on SNB. You don’t even own RT-AC86U, but you have on opinion on it. Thank you for sharing it anyway.

Had them both 1.5 years to compare!
There is no difference in their radio, you are comparing apples with pears like so often!

You use ch. 149+ on 86U with 1W power and compare it with 68U on lower channels with only 200mW.
Here in EU there is no difference and both will have only 200mW on ch. 36-140 and same speed on all ranges.
86U with MSC11 may be little faster only on very short ranges and only if you have clients which support its - haha.

But its up to you to believe all those marketing tricks!

I just know what I have seen for 2 years on different 68Us and 86Us.

And as I used 68U with no region setting and so could set 316mW and it has been even BETTER than 86U and much better coverage. On the street I couldnt connect to 86U while I still got 5Mb/s with 68U, 86U ended in the middle of the garden.
So what is better in your honest opinion?
I know you will say the newer is better because it must be better and more expensive to excuse your own blue-eyedness. Or you work for Asus may be a reason too.

 

[Val D.]

There is no difference in their radio

I believe you have no issues reading in English. The radio modules e not the same and the newer one has better performance on the same channel, same frequency, same Tx power. What is so hard to understand? It was tested thousands of times and proven better.

 

[Val D.]

Or you work for Asus may be a reason too.

OK, too many false statements in one thread, enough. I wish I worked for ASUS, actually.

 

[Grisu]

What is so hard to understand? It was tested thousands of times and proven better.

Thats your problem! You let test and believe everything.
I tested it multiple times on my own on same and different locations and with different routers of same type and got the results which you completely ignore, because they arent what you like to hear or read here!
And those hase been real life test conditions, not laboratory conditions.

AND you completely ignore the fact, that 68U with older firmwares had much better coverage and had been extremely limited in 2015/16 to help them push upcoming Aimesh and newer routers.
For 86U they adopted newer power limits again and raised them, but let them low on 68U.
There is no better radio, only different limits set in firmware.
And you can easily get it back, if you search somewhere else.

And one more point: What may be true for you does not need to be the same for others living outside US.

I believe you may see better speeds, but you dont believe me that it is different for me!
You assume what is true for you must be valid all around the world.
And there I have different opinion and observations you deny.

 

[Val D.]

Thats your problem!

My only problem here on SNB is seeing people with limited technical knowledge and experience, who generated somehow thousands of posts, giving often misleading and inaccurate information to people searching help. And that fact brings down the quality of the entire forum. This is probably one of the reasons the activity over years gets lower and lower. Sort of hijacking the forum by members with free time as their best asset and dividing it on fan clubs and hater clubs. This is a real problem.

All routers using the newer Broadcom BCM4366E 4x4 radio have improved range and throughput compared to older Broadcom products. Tested not only in labs, but in real life too. Not by one person only, but by many. It's not router manufacturer's achievement, it's Broadcom's newer technology used by router manufacturers. ASUS uses the chip in RT-AC86U, RT-AC88U, GT-AC5300, GT-AC2900; Linksys in EA 9400 V2, EA 9500 V2; TP-Link in C5400X, etc. Those devices definitely have very similar performance. There is a 3x3 version of the chip called BCM4365E, and the list of manufacturers using it is very long. The wireless performance of those devices is not equal to RT-AC68U router from 2013, no matter what your limited experience tells you. Upgrading to newer router hardware is worth it, RT-AC68U is not the golden standard in AC WiFi technology anymore. Good router, but for its time. If what you say it true, whoever already has RT-AC68U or Netgear R7000 is on the top performance level, nothing new will bring any improvements. Well, newer routers are indeed faster - on the same channel, with the same standard AC specifications, with the same transmitting power, with the same clients. Even a member here on SNB did some extensive real life tests, but looks like you like to write more, than read. You prefer to like quickly posts with ASUS issues and complaints, I prefer to like and appreciate work and research efforts, the real help for the community.

And you are completely wrong about Tx power on different channels. The information is available, you just need to read it. I mean, before posting, not after.

For 86U they adopted newer power limits again and raised them, but let them low on 68U.

Yet another false statement.

There is no better radio

And another false statement. See above. Time to stop and read a bit more, perhaps?
BTW, is there some kind of award for number of posts on SNB that I don't know about?

 

[L&LD]

@Val D. I think you meant to say the RT-AX88U, not the RT-AC88U, above.

 

[Val D.]

@Val D. I think you meant to say the RT-AX88U, not the RT-AC88U, above.

No, can't be. RT-AX88U is using AX capable radio, BCM43684... an excellent performer too, on AC at least.
The correct information is RT-AC88U (2015) is using BCM4366, but a version of it DSL-AC88U (2017) is using BCM4366E version.

 

[sl4fko]

So...

My ac86u randomly reboots every 4-5 days... Does this mean it is also faulty... Otherwise wifi works...

Ac86u HW Ver. 1.5 year 2018, Asus merlin 384.13, EU unit, bought in Austria (no kangaroos...), can only choose channels up to 140 on ac signal.

 

[OzarkEdge]

So...

My ac86u randomly reboots every 4-5 days... Does this mean it is also faulty... Otherwise wifi works...

Ac86u HW Ver. 1.5 year 2018, Asus merlin 384.13, EU unit, bought in Austria (no kangaroos...), can only choose channels up to 140 on ac signal.

Maybe try it with stock firmware, fully reset, nothing fancy enabled, and on a UPS to see if the hardware still reboots by itself.

OE

 

[Val D.]

My ac86u randomly reboots every 4-5 days...

And to add to @OzarkEdge suggestion above:
Make sure the router is in a place with enough air circulation and doesn't overheat.

can only choose channels up to 140 on ac

List of available WLAN channels per region is here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels

 

[CaptainSTX]

The most recent 2019 AC86 I have occasionally reboots maybe after 2 -3 days. It quickly recovers and the only reason I notice it has restarted is when I sign into the router and see the uptime has reset. The router seems to recover fine with all services including VPNs running so I haven't been to concerned about this quirk as this is minor issue compared to some of the dud AC86s I have had.

I am running Merlin 14 Alpha 2. The router is plugged into a UPS and cooled with a fan. When using my AC1900P in the same location it will run for many days so I don't think it is a power or cooling issue.

 

[cifroes]

Digging this up to ask if 2020 builds have any better feedback in terms of the problems being solved?