Problem with Asuswrt-Merlin 3.0.0.4.374.32

[Dafod]

I had previously posted on a similar issue but is was mixed with ISP issues but that is resolved, but I still have some ongoing problems: I will try to be brief.

Setup: New N66U router with Merlin mod firmware. Basic config with some routed ports to server, nothing else of note.

Problem: nearly all routing of streaming video, both wired and wireless stalls at some point - and never recovers . Same problem with app downloads from iTunes (both wired and wireless). The odd one fully downloads but 80-90% stall (10% to 70% of stream or download) and never work.

Testing: DNS is per ISP, so no change there. I have tried Google and another DNS with no change. Rebooted everything multiple times. Router connected to modem (in bridge mode). I have been trying to trouble shoot this for 6-8hrs over a week and am about to give up.

Peer test: removed Asus router and put in old WNDR 3700 - all steaming and all downloads work perfectly.

conclusion: Not network, not ISP, but a problem with the Asus config. While the wireless strength is less, 3700 works without issue.

Request: Does anyone have any ideas? At this point the ASUS router is a big waste of money. Compromise will be to use the N66U only as an access point - an expensive one.

 

[PrivateJoker]

I had previously posted on a similar issue but is was mixed with ISP issues but that is resolved, but I still have some ongoing problesm: I will try to be brief.

Setup: New N66U router with Merlin mod firmware. Basic config with some routed ports to server, nothing else of note.

Problem: nearly all routing of streaming video, both wired and wireless stalls at some point - and never recovers . Same problem with app downloads from iTunes. The odd one fully downloads but 80-90% stall and never work.

Testing: DNS is per ISP, so no change there. I have tried Google and another DNS with no change. Rebooted everything multiple times. Router connected to modem (in bridge mode)

Peer test: removed Asus router and put in old WNDR 3700 - all steaming and all downloads work perfectly.

conclusion: Not network, not ISP, but a problem with the Asus config. While the wireless strength is less, 3700 works without issue.

Request: Does anyone have any ideas? At this point the ASUS router is a big waste of money. Compromise will be to use the N66U only as an access point - an expensive one.

I'm writing to you from a MacBook on an N66U running that firmware, with none of those problems (lots of mixed devices on my network, many of them Apple, many of them streaming video).

- Did you try Merlin's suggestions from your prior post?

- have you tried by doing a fresh load of the firmware with absolutely no port forwarding, no VPN setup, no other rules or anything?

- this afflicts only Apple devices, and not Windows or other non-PC devices on your network? (i.e. Roku, or any way to consumer Netflix that's not an Apple TV?)

- Besides video streaming and itunes app downloads, all other internet browsing is ok? What about streaming music for several hours, or running bittorrent overnight and downloading/hosting the whole time?

- what about file sharing between two computers? Share a folder and just find the biggest movie file or whatever and move it from pc to pc and see what happens

- what about large non movie downloads? Like go try to download a Linux ISO distro and see what happens

- I didn't see iif you mentioned this or not, but where and how are you streaming from? Is this just from the iTunes store? Have you checked Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, Vudoo to see if you have similar results? At least 3/5 of those should have something you can stream for free pretty easily.

- If you are running Lion or Mountain Lion have you held down the option key as you click your airport menubar icon and gone through the Wireless/Wi-Fi diagnostics built into OSX?

- The netgear 3700 router can be swapped in, and just a slightly reduced wifi signal is the only difference? Like for computers connected via ethernet to the router they instantly can stream video with no problem on the netgear, but you switch routers and plug it into asus and then there is a problem?

These are just the first things that come to mind to try to narrow it down. I had 486gb of internet usage last month, and about another 200gb so far this month, a lot of that video streaming, with no drop outs. I also do a lot of video sharing & data transfer internally to my network and the RT-N66 has been rock solid w/ .32.

 

[Zirescu]

Dafod - I would make sure to create a new SSID for the RT-N66u. I have run into issues where I used the same wireless configuration options (SSID, Passphrase) when moving between routers and had very similar sounding issues. Once I changed the SSID to a new one on my devices all of the issues went away. If it helps I'm also running mostly Apple devices (Apple TV, Airport Express, Mac Mini, iPad2), most on the 5GHz network, 20MHz, channel 165. I've also got my LG TV dongle on the 5GHz. iPods, Blackberry and Windows Computers on 2.4GHz, 20MHz, Channel 11. Streamed over 4hours of Netflix to the Apple TV, no issues. Also running Transmission to download multiple shows and copy over to a buffalo NAS connected via the Airport Express at the same time, no issues. Would be willing to help offline if you want to compare settings, just PM me.

 

[Dafod]

thanks for the quick responses. I must admit I didn't try a different SSID as Merlin suggested. I will try that now and report.

But, thinking about it, it shouldn't impact wired routing............ Will reinstall firmware

Also,

it affects both Apple and PC and WDLive, and apps like Downcast that download podcasts.

All other traffic works - browsing. File sharing seems fine but I will try a transfer. It did impact Usenet downloads when using SABNZBD on a wired server.

video streaming tried: AppleTV, Netflix on Apple TV or iPad. Utube on ipad or appleTV. Don't actually do Amazon or Hulu (found ads on Hulu really annoying).

 

[Zirescu]

Might be worthwhile doing a factory reset first! Depending on what firmware versions you've been moving between there might be some lingering old settings causing some grief.

 

[PrivateJoker]

We'll get it figured out, I use Downcast a ton as well. So between the similarity in your network with mine and others, definitely sounds "troubleshoot-able."

*Edit: To document in case someone else with Macs needs this info sometime, this is a good article (obviously it's giving instructions on one particular network, but the steps are the same) that mentions how to properly blow out old networks from your system preference, and also makes a good point that you should open up your keychain and delete all references to network shares, router logins, etc. I had dozens in my keychain.

Here's a screenshot, and this is not to mention all the logins I had stored for VNC and various other logins to machine when I searched in keychain for "192."

 

[RMerlin]

Check wiring. You need Cat5e or better Ethernet cables, both on the LAN and the WAN side.