Options for dead Asus 86U?

[hokiez97]

Hi all,

A neighbor was giving away an 86U that they said had died and Asus was supposed to issue an RMA for, but never did. I picked it up to see if it might be something I could fix or possibly work with Asus to get that RMA going.

It is in fact quite dead. When I power it on, the only LED that lights is for LAN port 4, and that one is very dim. I've tried a hard reset, and have also tried a different power supply (from my own 86U) and those haven't helped.

I checked warranty status and it shows that it ended Jan 2020.

Anything I could do to try to revive this? My hope was to use it in conjunction with my own to set up an AiMesh.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi all,

A neighbor was giving away an 86U that they said had died and Asus was supposed to issue an RMA for, but never did. I picked it up to see if it might be something I could fix or possibly work with Asus to get that RMA going.

It is in fact quite dead. When I power it on, the only LED that lights is for LAN port 4, and that one is very dim. I've tried a hard reset, and have also tried a different power supply (from my own 86U) and those haven't helped.

I checked warranty status and it shows that it ended Jan 2020.

Anything I could do to try to revive this? My hope was to use it in conjunction with my own to set up an AiMesh.

I don't think so. I think it died like mine died: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/one-of-my-rt-ac86us-died-and-shipped-to-asus.62318/

OE

 

[CaptainSTX]

You can try and pursue the RMA but unless ASUS agrees to pay for shipping it probably isn't worth going this route as it will cost $15 - $20 dollars for UPS shipping in the USA and if the repairs won't be covered by the warranty ASUS probably won't do anything so you will be out the shipping cost.

A common complaint from some owners about this router is it doesn't have the longevity of the N66 or AC68.

Time to move on.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I paid return shipping and received a new replacement router.

OE

 

[CaptainSTX]

I paid return shipping and received a new replacement router.

OE

Was your router still in warranty? I had a defective AC86 and I paid return shipping for my original AC86 which was in warranty, but when ASUS sent me three bad/defective replacements 2018 AC86s they paid shipping both ways. I finally got them to send me a unit manufactured in 2019 which resolved my problems.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Was your router still in warranty? I had a defective AC86 and I paid return shipping for my original AC86 which was in warranty, but when ASUS sent me three bad/defective replacements 2018 AC86s they paid shipping both ways. I finally got them to send me a unit manufactured in 2019 which resolved my problems.

Yes, they issued an RMA for warranty repair or replace. They replaced it.

OE

 

[dosborne]

Often it is the power supply that fails. You couldn't another. If it isn't the power supply, then at least keep that as a spare

 

[hokiez97]

I don't think so. I think it died like mine died: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/one-of-my-rt-ac86us-died-and-shipped-to-asus.62318/

OE

Yep, sounds like exactly the same problem! I'd have no issue paying for the return shipping if I could get this one repaired or replaced at Asus' expense. Given that it's out of warranty that seems very unlikely. My long-shot hope was that since the previous owner claims that Asus was going to issue a return label for it, but never did (which seems weird), maybe they would allow it now but still seems unlikely.

 

[scajjr2]

My main 86U crapped out today. It's been a little flakey lately (web pages slow to load, wifi drop outs), had done a full reset last week but it didn't help. Today just wouldn't connect to the cable modem, think the WAN port died. It's 3 yrs old (2017 model), have another 3 yr old one as an access point. But I had bought another 86U last year as a spare. Though it is a 2018 model so I make see about getting another one more recently made or maybe a different model (AX-3100).

Now the two AC68P's I had before the 86U's are still going strong at my youngest daughter's place, almost 6 yrs old now.

Sam

 

[hokiez97]

Think my case is a lost cause. Asus confirmed it's out of warranty and if I want to send it to them, I pay shipping + $35 diagnostic fee + repair cost. I have no idea what that would cost so don't think I'll take them up on it. I asked the previous owner if they had any case # or anything that Asus might reference but no go.

 

[scajjr2]

Picked up an AX58U (aka AX3000). Put latest asus firmware on it and it's working fine.

sam

 

[bilged]

I had an older Asus router die on me (RT-N16). I popped the case off and found a bad capacitor, de-soldered it off and replaced with the same from eBay. If you don't have soldering equipment, a kit can be found on Amazon for $15 and a capacitor should only be a couple of bucks. You can tell which one is bad by the top end being bowed out.

Btw this is with zero experience with soldering. I played around and practiced for a bit, watched a few youtube vids and got to work. Its pretty easy.

 

[dlandiss]

My main 86U crapped out today. It's been a little flakey lately (web pages slow to load, wifi drop outs), had done a full reset last week but it didn't help. Today just wouldn't connect to the cable modem, think the WAN port died. It's 3 yrs old (2017 model), have another 3 yr old one as an access point. But I had bought another 86U last year as a spare. Though it is a 2018 model so I make see about getting another one more recently made or maybe a different model (AX-3100).

Now the two AC68P's I had before the 86U's are still going strong at my youngest daughter's place, almost 6 yrs old now.

Sam

Since you have 3, try the suspected unit with a known good power supply from one of the others. The wall warts for these fail more often than the router itself.