I don't think the firmware plays well with iOS 16, probably Private Address feature

[TheAccountOfTeo997]

Hello,
so basically I own an RT-AX88U on the latest Merlin 386.8 and I am encountering some issues. It looks like they started since I upgraded my iPhone to iOS 16. I won't exclude though, that I might have some other kind of issue (hope not hardware!).
Basically what happens, sometimes at random moments, is that the 2.4GHz Network just disappear and I am unable to communicate with for example my IoT things, like lights and so on. Even if I look for networks on the phone, I can just find 5G.
What I discovered, is that sometimes this gets fixed if I disconnect my iPhone from the Wi-Fi for some time: after this the 2.4G Network pops out magically. I remember I've read on some Reddit that this might be for the MAC randomization feature, but I can't be sure.

Also I've found out that the RT-AX88U log gets spammed with some sort of warnings in the form:

wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(505): eth6:...

If needed, I can upload the whole log, just I didn't know if it contained personal infos.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Clark Griswald]

No issues to report using ios 16-16.1 and RMerlin fw.
Have you tried having your iphone "forget" your current network, then reestablish your connection? Sometimes that can "fix" the connection issue.

 

[TheAccountOfTeo997]

No issues to report using ios 16-16.1 and RMerlin fw.
Have you tried having your iphone "forget" your current network, then reestablish your connection? Sometimes that can "fix" the connection issue.

Thanks I will try this. Furthermore, I analyzed the Wi-Fi signal, it appeared there were interferences on 2.4G, it maybe unfortunately happened in the same time i updated iOS.
I still have to dig further into the log to understand why it's spamming

 

[XIII]

It looks like they started since I upgraded my iPhone to iOS 16.

this might be for the MAC randomization feature

MAC randomization is not a new iOS 16 feature, so you might want to explore other root causes.

 

[TheAccountOfTeo997]

MAC randomization is not a new iOS 16 feature, so you might want to explore other root causes.

I understand, thanks for the answer.
I've noted that in Site Survey, a very low 2.4GHz capacity is shown, maybe it disappears because of that.

 

[Tech9]

When 2.4GHz network disappears, look in Wireless, General GUI page. If you see Control Channel 0, it may be hardware issue. I had one AX88U with broken 2.4GHz and had to reflow the chip to restore it. It was cutting off intermittently when the PCB heats up. RoHS solder issue usually.

 

[TheAccountOfTeo997]

When 2.4GHz network disappears, look in Wireless, General GUI page. If you see Control Channel 0, it may be hardware issue. I had one AX88U with broken 2.4GHz and had to reflow the chip to restore it. It was cutting off intermittently when the PCB heats up. RoHS solder issue usually.

I don't remember having ever seen channel 0 luckily, it's often on channel 9u. What I've been seeing though, is an high column in interference graphic under Non-Wifi traffic. Maybe it's because of that, I'm wondering what's causing that at this point

 

[lindros2]

I've been running iOS 16 - on three devices - since July without any issues. Latest Merlin firmware.
Also relevant - running Ventura beta on two Macs.
(note that my iPads are all on iPadOS 15.7-Release, and my kids' iPhones are also iOS 15.7)

 

[Tech9]

I'm wondering what's causing that at this point

Try channel 4. Channel 9 is too close to most microwave oven frequencies (around channel 8). Leaky microwave kills Wi-Fi instantly.

 

[Frank Monroe]

I am watching this thread because this issue sounds very close to an issue I have been having since Merlin 386_4. I am not losing wifi networks. But, IPv6 router announcements stop working every few days. If I reboot my RT-AC5300, RA's start working again. In addition, if I revert Merlin back to version 386_3.2, the problem goes away. After troubleshooting several months ago, I found out that if I remove my Apple TV's from the network, the problem goes away. From this I speculated there is some conflict between tvOS's OpenThread Networking and recent Merlin versions. Now that all of the iPhones have been upgraded to iOS 16, it doesn't even take 24 hours for the problem to occur and I am rebooting my AC5300 at least once a day. OpenThread Networking was added with iOS 16. Its been in tvOS for a while. I don't know if this is the same issue as you are reporting. Its just interesting that your problem started with iOS 16 and my problem went into overdrive after iOS 16.

 

[SoFluffy]

Potentially totally unrelated, but my AppleTV updated today apparently, and an hour ago I just had my first ever random router reboot, although it was only the AImesh node that crashed, not the main router. (Both Merlin 386.7_2, AX86U.) Uptime was over 60 days before this reboot. I wouldn’t even think there was a correlation if I weren’t doing my weekly catching up in these forums and saw this, and there still might not be.. Was mentioned that tvOS has been running OpenThread Networking for a while, so I have nothing beyond this anecdotal happening. I have held off on updating phones to iOS16 because I am never an early adopter except for Merlin builds. Nothing interesting was captured in logs on the node or the main router.

 

[Frank Monroe]

Strange, I did not get an update on any of mine today. There is definitely a bug or change in behavior on the 4k 2nd gen model. It seems now even if you have ethernet connected, it still connects to WiFI. And it send out IPv6 RA's out both interfaces. Who knows why.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Try channel 4. Channel 9 is too close to most microwave oven frequencies (around channel 8). Leaky microwave kills Wi-Fi instantly.

Back when I use to care what channel my tv was on, I always chose the highest numbers. That was usually where the good stuff came on..... Wait we are talking about routers here. How do you feel about channel 2?

 

[Tech9]

How do you feel about channel 2?

I would leave the router on Auto for few days and monitor what channel it picks most of the time. This channel is the one with more bandwidth available as seen by the router. Modern routers don't follow 1-6-11 anymore and work well in high interference Wi-Fi environments.