NextDNS CLI Reboot DoR issues

[ToonTonic]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased the GT-AXE11000, and immediately added the Merlin OS as that is what I have been using for years on my RT-AC88U. An issue I have come across is when either router on this OS reboots, I lose internet connection to my devices. Devices like Philips Hue hub lose outside connection, mobile phones are “connected but without internet” etc.

No amount of reboots, power flushing etc works. About the only thing that does work is factory resetting either of the routers and then starting again.

This has actually been a long ongoing issue with the RT-AC88U, and when it most recently happened I gave up with it and bought the AXE11000. As a test on this new router I did nothing but install MerlinOS on the new router, install the NextDNS CLI, leave it running for a few hours and then reboot. The exact same issue occurred.

Now, upon conducting this albeit unscientific test, I have come to the as yet unconfirmed, but probable, conclusion that NextDNS CLI may be the issue. Though this doesn't seem to be a super common issue on good ol google, certainly not on NextDNS boards, so I can't be sure.

I should also throw into the mix that I have the last Merlin update installed on an RT-AC86U, with NextDNS CLI installed, and that does not show the same behaviour.

I am hopeful somebody will be able to guide me, though I must say in advance that upon reading some posts in here, I am not proficient at long lines of code, as simple as I know it may be to many of you in here.

Any questions, feel free to ask away, and I will respond as good as I can, I would really like to resolve this issue, especially if it means I could return this £500 router and save some money. Gas bills aren't getting any cheaper, apparently!!

Cheers

 

[L&LD]

If all you did was flash RMerlin firmware over stock, without doing a full reset to factory defaults, then these 'ghost' issues are almost expected.

Flash the firmware you want to use. Use the WPS Button reset method for your particular router from the link below.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

Minimally and manually configure the router to secure it and connect it to the internet (do not use a saved backup config file).

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

HTH

 

[ToonTonic]

If all you did was flash RMerlin firmware over stock, without doing a full reset to factory defaults, then these 'ghost' issues are almost expected.

Flash the firmware you want to use. Use the WPS Button reset method for your particular router from the link below.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

Minimally and manually configure the router to secure it and connect it to the internet (do not use a saved backup config file).

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

HTH

Thank you for your reply,

Since this issue occurred so quickly, I have already completed a “factory reset” on this new router, but I have never used the “WPS method” before. I guess I missed an important step.

I shall give this a go in the morning and report back with my findings, or hopefully, the lack of!

Thanks again

 

[L&LD]

You're welcome.

Not clear though if you performed the 'factory reset' before flashing the router or afterward? Afterward is when it is effective to get the router to a good/known state.

 

[ToonTonic]

You're welcome.

Not clear though if you performed the 'factory reset' before flashing the router or afterward? Afterward is when it is effective to get the router to a good/known state.

Well, the only way to get the router working again once this issue appears, is to do a factory reset from the routers GUI. I just haven't ever used the WPS button method, nor heard of it, to be honest, till now.

So I would have done the factory reset AFTER flashing the MerlinFW, and after I have configured the router to work in our home, including adding the NextDNS CLI.

Clean stock build > Flash Merlin > configure > lose connection hours/days later > factory reset (not WPS) > reconfigure > post here

Hope that clears up any confusion.

 

[L&LD]

The router may not be fully resetting.

If that is the case still after having used the WPS Button reset method, the following link may help.

Fully Reset Router and Network

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased the GT-AXE11000, and immediately added the Merlin OS as that is what I have been using for years on my RT-AC88U. An issue I have come across is when either router on this OS reboots, I lose internet connection to my devices. Devices like Philips Hue hub lose outside connection, mobile phones are “connected but without internet” etc.

No amount of reboots, power flushing etc works. About the only thing that does work is factory resetting either of the routers and then starting again.

This has actually been a long ongoing issue with the RT-AC88U, and when it most recently happened I gave up with it and bought the AXE11000. As a test on this new router I did nothing but install MerlinOS on the new router, install the NextDNS CLI, leave it running for a few hours and then reboot. The exact same issue occurred.

Now, upon conducting this albeit unscientific test, I have come to the as yet unconfirmed, but probable, conclusion that NextDNS CLI may be the issue. Though this doesn't seem to be a super common issue on good ol google, certainly not on NextDNS boards, so I can't be sure.

I should also throw into the mix that I have the last Merlin update installed on an RT-AC86U, with NextDNS CLI installed, and that does not show the same behaviour.

I am hopeful somebody will be able to guide me, though I must say in advance that upon reading some posts in here, I am not proficient at long lines of code, as simple as I know it may be to many of you in here.

Any questions, feel free to ask away, and I will respond as good as I can, I would really like to resolve this issue, especially if it means I could return this £500 router and save some money. Gas bills aren't getting any cheaper, apparently!!

Cheers

Yea I never turn to the router thinking the router is the issue, when the reports are coming in from using a specifc app or script such as nextDNS cli. keep in mind, the authors of NextDNS Cli, incorporate methods similar to how any other script works on the router meaning they behave intended by how the authors wrote them at the time they were drafted. Anything new such as the AXE11000 or any other newly supported router is subject to scrutiny when running such applets on them because they were not around at the time NextDNS cli support was drafted for Asuswrt-Merlin. Think of your self as a NextDNS beta tester on a newly supported Router model. You may have some issues you have to report to Next DNS.

 

[dave14305]

The NextDNS client is probably to blame. Your router’s system log should show some clues to what’s happening. You need to troubleshoot what works and what doesn’t when you lose connectivity.

1. Can you ping the router IP from a LAN device?
2. Can you ping an internet IP (e.g. ping 8.8.8.8)?
3. Can you resolve an internet name (e.g. nslookup google.com)?
4. Can you resolve a LAN domain name (e.g. nslookup router.asus.com)?

 

[ToonTonic]

The router may not be fully resetting.

If that is the case still after having used the WPS Button reset method, the following link may help.

Fully Reset Router and Network

Ok to follow up on this:

I have done the resets as mentioned, soft/hard/factory etc

I have installed the latest Merlin OS and configured the router, but left off the NextDNS CLI.

Within about 15mins of this all been completed, I ran into the exact same issue as before.

So I'm led to believe it's not the CLI, it's infact the router or OS.

This behaviour can be replicated on the AC88U & AXE11000.

Unfortunately, the system logs show absoloutly nothing of note, even when set to the lowest level.

Devices can still connect to the routers as usual, but they have absolutely no access to the internet.

 

[ColinTaylor]

What is "DoR"?

 

[dave14305]

Unfortunately, the system logs show absoloutly nothing of note

Why not upload the log to pastebin.com and post a link for others to review?

Are you using Guest Network #1 at all? Did you do any of the basic troubleshooting I mentioned earlier to figure out what is broken when you have “no access to the internet”?

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

What is "DoR"?

Dead on reboot?

 

[ToonTonic]

Why not upload the log to pastebin.com and post a link for others to review?

Are you using Guest Network #1 at all? Did you do any of the basic troubleshooting I mentioned earlier to figure out what is broken when you have “no access to the internet”?

Sorry I didn't, but I will. I have just had to factory reset this router again (axe) to get into here. Next time it goes down, I will go through your tests, but from what I can tell, the outside world fails to exist once this issue occurs.

Logs are pretty much hopeless too, as from all I can see it's just talking about devices connecting and leaving the network, nothing else really.

 

[ToonTonic]

What is "DoR"?

Dead on reboot

I may have just totally made it up! Sorry.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

@ToonTonic

If you could please post a list of how you have your settings configured, (or post applicable screenshots with personals redacted). I want to piece by piece try to replicate your condition if possible. Then I may be able to help trouble shoot what is going on. I have a GT-AX11000 and an RT-AX88U I can run some test with for you. ( not the AXE though). Who knows Maybe I can even spot your issue at first glance, but when you get a change please provide a detailed listing of any WAN, DNS, or LAN configurations you have including if you have Guest networks configured.

 

[RMerlin]

Dead on reboot

Phew. I thought this was ANOTHER new DNS-over-<something> standard that had appeared overnight.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Phew. I thought this was ANOTHER new DNS-over-<something> standard that had appeared overnight.

It is that new encryption, Dns over Router.