Solved Internet dropping out frequently (RT-AC87U)

[jim778362]

Hi

I've had a look at the forums and can't find anything quite the same as this. We've got Virgin Media on a hub connected to a RT-AC87U which I have set up and do use to keep the kids off instagram etc

For the last few weeks the internet (both cabled and wifi) has dropped out several times a day, today it must have happened thirty times. My gf and I both work from home, so this is a *&^#ing nightmare. The virgin website says it's not them, and I think that's probably true. I've had a poke around the ASUS UI, but wouldn't know what I'm looking for, however, the log looks wrong as the date keeps going from today (April 23) to May 05 and then back again after about 50-100 entries. I think, I'm not sure, that the internet drops out at the point where the May 05 entries start.

Firmware is 3.0.0.4.382_52545-ga0245cc

Here's a sample of the the log around the point of the change in date:

Apr 23 18:05:17 miniupnpd[1989]: Listening for NAT-PMP/PCP traffic on port 5351
Apr 23 18:05:19 crond[325]: time disparity of 3139920 minutes detected
Apr 23 18:06:37 hour monitor: ntp sync fail, will retry after 120 sec
Apr 23 18:06:38 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(5735)]periodic_check AM 3:20
May  5 06:05:00 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.17.4
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.17.4 (2021-05-01 03:52:38 CST)
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Linux version 2.6.36.4brcmarm (root@asus) (gcc version 4.5.3 (Buildroot 2012.02) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Sat May 1 03:57:40 CST 2021
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: CPU: ARMv7 Processor [413fc090] revision 0 (ARMv7), cr=10c53c7f
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: CPU: VIPT nonaliasing data cache, VIPT nonaliasing instruction cache
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Machine: Northstar Prototype
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Ignoring unrecognised tag 0x00000000
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Memory policy: ECC disabled, Data cache writealloc

It looks to me like there were some external login attempts, so I've disabled that functionality. I've attached the full downloaded log file.

Any ideas? Looks like BusyBox, whatever that is, is stuck in 2021?!

Thanks in advance.

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @jim778362

A well-known model with many bugs. Today, also EOL. Time for a new router.

End-of-life product list

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi

I've had a look at the forums and can't find anything quite the same as this. We've got Virgin Media on a hub connected to a RT-AC87U which I have set up and do use to keep the kids off instagram etc

For the last few weeks the internet (both cabled and wifi) has dropped out several times a day, today it must have happened thirty times. My gf and I both work from home, so this is a *&^#ing nightmare. The virgin website says it's not them, and I think that's probably true. I've had a poke around the ASUS UI, but wouldn't know what I'm looking for, however, the log looks wrong as the date keeps going from today (April 23) to May 05 and then back again after about 50-100 entries. I think, I'm not sure, that the internet drops out at the point where the May 05 entries start.

Firmware is 3.0.0.4.382_52545-ga0245cc

Here's a sample of the the log around the point of the change in date:

Apr 23 18:05:17 miniupnpd[1989]: Listening for NAT-PMP/PCP traffic on port 5351
Apr 23 18:05:19 crond[325]: time disparity of 3139920 minutes detected
Apr 23 18:06:37 hour monitor: ntp sync fail, will retry after 120 sec
Apr 23 18:06:38 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(5735)]periodic_check AM 3:20
May  5 06:05:00 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.17.4
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.17.4 (2021-05-01 03:52:38 CST)
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Linux version 2.6.36.4brcmarm (root@asus) (gcc version 4.5.3 (Buildroot 2012.02) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Sat May 1 03:57:40 CST 2021
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: CPU: ARMv7 Processor [413fc090] revision 0 (ARMv7), cr=10c53c7f
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: CPU: VIPT nonaliasing data cache, VIPT nonaliasing instruction cache
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Machine: Northstar Prototype
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Ignoring unrecognised tag 0x00000000
May  5 06:05:00 kernel: Memory policy: ECC disabled, Data cache writealloc

It looks to me like there were some external login attempts, so I've disabled that functionality. I've attached the full downloaded log file.

Any ideas? Looks like BusyBox, whatever that is, is stuck in 2021?!

Thanks in advance.

The date reset in the log is likely the router rebooting for some reason... once the WAN is up, the router retrieves the current time.

Given remote access was enabled, I'd Hard Reset and reconfigure the router from scratch (without remote access) and then troubleshoot from there.

OE

 

[sfx2000]

Others may have not mentioned this...

The 87U is getting along in years - so is the Power Adapter - they're well known for going soft over time - it's the whole volts and current and they tend to dim out under load...

 

[jim778362]

Thanks all for the above. You're right about the age of it and not really surprised that it's end of life... how the years pass without noticing. Will get a new router.

 

[CaseyPatel]

yes, I agree with you on that.

 

[Philip Rohrhuber]

I have the same issue with my AC87U. Updated the firmware a week ago. And now I get frequent dropoffs on both ethernet and wifi connection. Super annoying.
Signature: 2.400 Updated : 2023/10/19 02:06
Firmware: 3.0.0.4.382_52545-ga0245cc

Router is quite old now, but has worked perfectly over the years. Don't understand the recent instability.

Should I try to factory reset it or perhaps buy a new power adapter?

Or just go for a new router?

 

[dosborne]

Not sure that "solved" is appropriate for the title of the thread. There is no actual solution, other then possibly replacing the router.

The past 2 weeks I've been running into a somewhat similar issue where my AX88U was dropping WiFi. I then found that it was actually rebooting. I then further found that every time my laptop came out of sleep, the router would reboot. It is only caused by my Win11 laptop. One of my next steps is a manual reconfig of the router just to rule that out and perhaps a complete rebuild on my laptop. In my case, this is my only Win11 device, so I'm wondering if perhaps it was something in a recent update.

So, as there was no actual answer for the original issue in this thread, it is possible that there are other causes for your router to reboot, other than the router itself.

@Philip Rohrhuber - of course you should try a factory reset before buying anything. Reconfiguration is free.

​

 

[zeavurte]

After having the exact same problem (RT-AC87U randomly restarting multiple times a day since mid-late April, always reverting to May 5 06:05:00 before it gets the correct time), I was on the hunt for a new router (stuck with BT's hub as the primary router to support their proprietary VOIP landline for at least another year), but thought I would give a quick search of the issue here just in case.

Mine doesn't have remote access enabled, and I hadn't updated the firmware recently (still on 3.0.0.4.382_52545-ga0245cc). A full reset hasn't resolved it.

I was thinking it was a hardware age + heat issue, but considering the sudden onset for multiple people in the same window of time, and the same fixed time on restart, this seems more like a software bug, not a hardware failure.

 

[sfx2000]

It is only caused by my Win11 laptop. One of my next steps is a manual reconfig of the router just to rule that out and perhaps a complete rebuild on my laptop. In my case, this is my only Win11 device, so I'm wondering if perhaps it was something in a recent update.

that's definitely in the Weird Stuff bucket, but I'll try to stay on thread here...

The RT-AC87U, along with it's siblings based on the same SDK - the AC68U, AC3200, and similar - they're at a point where one should be considering a replacement.

I would even suggest not using them as AiMesh nodes as the WiFi drivers/firmware is pretty old, and with the newer client chipsets that support WiFi6 and later, one is leaving a lot of performance on the table...

 

[Philip Rohrhuber]

Yes it would seem that this issue might be software/firmware related somehow. Perhaps due to a Windows update, I don't know.

BUT, it seems that my internet is fully stable again!
I did the command promts in windows:
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset

After that everything is good. Try it out, and let me know if it helps you guys too.

EDIT: Problems returned. It didn't change for me anyway.

 

[djeedjee]

Here also suddenly problems with my Asus RT-AC87U router.

Problems with the connection -> dropout -> router restarts. Several times a day.

This behavior started +/- a week ago.

Firmware: 3.0.0.4.382_52545-ga0245cc

Windows 11 & Android

 

[djeedjee]

I’m not sure it’s the only issue. But it looks like losing connection on my wired Windows 11 (Surface dock 2) is triggering the reboots.

 

[Philip Rohrhuber]

I’m not sure it’s the only issue. But it looks like losing connection on my wired Windows 11 (Surface dock 2) is triggering the reboots.

I can also adress the issue is related to my wired win 11 PC. But also my laptop (win 10) with wireless connection can make the internet drop.
But ipads, TV, apple TV, phones do not trigger the connection drop.

 

[MyRouterDoesntWork]

Same issue here - Since maybe 1-2 weeks ago, router goes to May 5th and basically crashes the internet.

I have read already several posts in this forum so it seems like it’s a software issue.

 

[Philip Rohrhuber]

Yes may 5th also for me. Some kind of reboot issue. But I don't know what triggers it.

I'm in dialogue with ASUS technical service, who are helping out on resolving the issue. Will report back, if and when I hear news.
Yet the problem is, that the AC87U is end of life, so as we know, nothing new will come to the router.

 

[zeavurte]

I managed to confirm mine also only occurs when my wired Windows 10 device is connected and on: 23 hours up time without it, and then a restart shortly after I turned it on.

Looking at the time frame, I suspect updates KB5036892 for Windows 10, and KB5036893 for Windows 11 may be the cause. They both have known networking related issues (notably breaking VPNs), so with the timing, it's not a leap to think they've changed some networking behaviour that this router ends up crashing on.

I've uninstalled the former, and very shortly after logging in following the reboot, the router also rebooted, so I'm not hopeful that is a solution, but will update in a day or 2 with better observations.

I've also been sending information and a link to this thread to Asus via the router feedback form, but probably not as far along with it (I'm still at the "check these basic unrelated things that won't fix it, just in case" stage).

 

[Philip Rohrhuber]

According to asus technical service, they said to me that all asus routers don't like when the WAN IP address you get from your internet service provider, starts with 10 or 100.
Mine starts with 100.
Asus says that this makes the router overflow and as a result constantly rebootsvand disconnects.
I have a hard time accepting that this is true, since i believe my WAN ip has been the same for a long time. So why the sudden issue?!
Sounds more plausible with the windows updates causing the issue.

I have now for 2 days run with a different router instead to test. And have had no issues

 

[zeavurte]

Well mine is currently behind an ISP provided router I wish I didn't have to use that forces me to be in a double NAT config, with its WAN IP field is set to a local address, so I can confidently say that is not the cause for me.

No luck on the uninstalled Windows update solution: 1 reboot while I left the PC idle, and another 2 much later while I was actively using it.