Problems with my RT-AC86U

[Rabelais]

Hi Everybody

Apologies if I breach any etiquette in this post as I am new to the forum, though I have been reading it over the years
I am having issues with my AC86 which has previously been relatively faultless over the last 2 years.

I had been running a MESH with an AC86 with a RT-AC68U as the secondary (I had no real need for the extension it was just to utilize a spare router)
This was working fine until I did an upgrade to Merlins latest update (385.19) and then I found the router would become unresponsive after 12 or so hours. I rolled back the upgrade to 384.16 after examining the log but I am still having an issue though it is less unstable. In the log I am seeing endless versions of this

Oct 3 12:36:49 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(386): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Oct 3 12:36:49 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(386): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Class 2 frame received from nonauthenticated station (6)

repeat endlessly
Followed by this occasionally by

Oct 3 12:41:36 out of memory [9005]
Oct 3 12:41:36 out of memory [9005]
Oct 3 12:41:36 out of memory [9005]
Oct 3 12:41:36 out of memory [9005]
Oct 3 12:41:36 out of memory [9005]
Oct 3 12:41:36 out of memory [9005]

Occasionally I get a B2 mac address
Oct 3 12:49:38 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(420): eth5: Auth 3A:53:67:30:47:B2, status: 0, reason: d11 RC reserved (0)
Oct 3 12:49:38 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(449): eth5: Assoc 3A:53:67:30:47:B2, status: 0, reason: d11 RC reserved (0)
Oct 3 12:49:46 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(386): eth5: Deauth_ind 3A:53:67:30:47:B2, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Oct 3 12:49:48 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(401): eth5: Disassoc 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)
Oct 3 12:49:49 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(386): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Class 3 frame received from nonassociated station (7)
Oct 3 12:49:49 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(386): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Class 3 frame received from nonassociated station (7)
Oct 3 12:50:19 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(420): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: d11 RC reserved (0)
Oct 3 12:50:19 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(449): eth5: Assoc 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: d11 RC reserved (0)

The B6 mac address is not on my system and after extensive and quite a pain in the arse search I have worked out it is my neighbours BT open wifi node that appears to be the station that is broadcasting that is the non associated station and to be honest I am unsure if it constant entries are anything to do with my problem. After a while the router then loses it's it time and shows may the 5 2015 which I presume is the default. I can't block the mac address as it isn't trying to login and only appears in any scan every once and a while.
I am unsure how to proceed, I deactivated the MESH setup and rolled back the upgrade this only delays the lockout, I cannot block the intruding MAC address. I am unsure if my problems are hardware related or caused by my upgrade or indeed caused by a change by the BT open network next door. Has anyone any advice on how to proceed, I am reasonably tech aware but not a router specialist or that good with scripts and unix.
Perhaps I might need to contact BT if the open router is the problem, but I admit I am at a loss.
Cheers in advance
Rab

 

[bbunge]

Plenty of discussion in these forums on the AC86U and Merlin 384.19. Your problem likely is over the /jffs corruption. Best to factory reset (see: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039078), minimally configure, then flash 384.19 again. Check to see of the /jffs is mounted: Tools/Internal Storage JFFS should show xx/47 MB. If it does finish configuring manually. Do not use saved backup. If not go to Administration/System Format JFFS partition at next boot Yes, Apply then reboot. Check to see if /jffs is mounted as above.

 

[Rabelais]

Plenty of discussion in these forums on the AC86U and Merlin 384.19. Your problem likely is over the /jffs corruption. Best to factory reset (see: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039078), minimally configure, then flash 384.19 again. Check to see of the /jffs is mounted: Tools/Internal Storage JFFS should show xx/47 MB. If it does finish configuring manually. Do not use saved backup. If not go to Administration/System Format JFFS partition at next boot Yes, Apply then reboot. Check to see if /jffs is mounted as above.

 

[Rabelais]

Hi Bbunge
Apologies I gave you poorly worded information. I didfactory reset when I went back to .16, but I didn't explicitly reformat the jffs thinking the reset would kill it. Mine reads at 2.59/48mb but I will do as you suggest with another factory reset level install and a reflash to .19 after formating the jffs on reboot. Last time I saved and restored no old configs and I won't this time either and I will see how I get on. See you in a few hours I guess.
Thanks in advance
Rab

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi Bbunge
Apologies I gave you poorly worded information. I didfactory reset when I went back to .16, but I didn't explicitly reformat the jffs thinking the reset would kill it. Mine reads at 2.59/48mb but I will do as you suggest with another factory reset level install and a reflash to .19 after formating the jffs on reboot. Last time I saved and restored no old configs and I won't this time either and I will see how I get on. See you in a few hours I guess.
Thanks in advance
Rab

Be sure to reset AFTER you install firmware.

Are you using Auto channels or fixed channels?

BTW, the old/OEM date entries in the Log indicate that the router has rebooted on its own.

OE

 

[Rabelais]

Be sure to reset AFTER you install firmware.

Are you using Auto channels or fixed channels?

BTW, the old/OEM date entries in the Log indicate that the router has rebooted on its own.

OE

I have now factory reset again and reflashed and the reformatted the jffs (now showing 47mb). I have fixed channels well away from anything else. The smart connect is off and I am on n and mc mixed on one and legacy on the other well away from any other broadcasting device. Beam forming and mimo are disabled, I have not restored my MESH.
I am still getting
Oct 3 18:53:48 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Oct 3 18:54:27 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 3 18:54:27 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth5: Assoc 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 3 18:54:43 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)

This is still from the mac address of the BT open web router somewhere nearby

I am unsure if this is still the source of the instability as the router hasn't been up long enough to check. There are already 100 or so entries from this and another 3A:53:67:30:47:B2 mac address which is the same device I think.
Any other thoughts? I will not know about the stability till it falls over, which normally takes a few hours.
Cheers
Rab

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have now factory reset again and reflashed and the reformatted the jffs (now showing 47mb). I have fixed channels well away from anything else. The smart connect is off and I am on n and mc mixed on one and legacy on the other well away from any other broadcasting device. Beam forming and mimo are disabled, I have not restored my MESH.
I am still getting
Oct 3 18:53:48 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Oct 3 18:54:27 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 3 18:54:27 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth5: Assoc 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 3 18:54:43 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)

This is still from the mac address of the BT open web router somewhere nearby

I am unsure if this is still the source of the instability as the router hasn't been up long enough to check. There are already 100 or so entries from this and another 3A:53:67:30:47:B2 mac address which is the same device I think.
Any other thoughts? I will not know about the stability till it falls over, which normally takes a few hours.
Cheers
Rab

I assume you mean to say that you reset after you installed the firmware, which is required.

Sorry, I can't interpret the log entries. I wonder if changing the WLAN credentials would make a difference.

OE

 

[Rabelais]

I assume you mean to say that you reset after you installed the firmware, which is required.

Sorry, I can't interpret the log entries. I wonder if changing the WLAN credentials would make a difference.

OE

Yes I meant to type "then" not "the", so I did reset after the firmware install

 

[Rabelais]

Sadly I am back where I was before rolling back to .16 The router stayed up for about two hours, then rebooted itself at about one in the morning. Looking at the time of the last entry and the next uptime there was about an hour gap while I presume it was unresponsive. It seems to have restarted twice in the night and I needed to power it down this morning after it became unresponsive again. I've attached the full overnight log if anyone can see what is happening.
but once again there are endless

Oct 4 04:17:58 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)

followed by

Oct 4 04:21:24 out of memory [8848]

The router then became unresponsive after this message

Oct 4 06:29:04 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth6: Assoc BC:8C:CD:3D:F0:48, status: Successful (0)

I still do not understand why there is endless wireless chatter between my router and a neighbours open network, but I guess that might be unrelated. I suppose I can't rule out a change to their network and it could be component failure somewhere my end but this behaviour wasn't present to my knowledge when I was running earlier firmware. This is driving me nut. I've attached the overnight log.
Cheers
Rab

 

[Rabelais]

For some reason it didn't attach, to big maybe? I shall snip the transitions between reboots

Oct 4 01:10:20 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 4 01:10:20 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth5: Assoc 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 4 01:10:20 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(481): eth5: Disassoc 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)
Oct 4 01:10:20 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
May 5 06:05:11 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1
May 5 06:05:11 crashlog: LOG
May 5 06:05:11 crashlog: CPU: 1 PID: 2184 Comm: dcd Tainted: P O 4.1.27 #2

Startup stuff

May 5 06:05:30 kernel: Init chrdev /dev/detector with major 190
May 5 06:05:30 kernel: tdts: tcp_conn_max = 8000
May 5 06:05:30 kernel: tdts: tcp_conn_timeout = 300 sec
Oct 4 02:17:31 ntpd: Initial clock set
Oct 4 02:17:31 rc_service: ntpd_synced 2018:notify_rc restart_diskmon
Oct 4 02:17:31 disk_monitor: Finish
Oct 4 02:17:31 disk_monitor: be idle

Startup

then these
Oct 4 03:20:35 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)
Oct 4 03:20:35 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth5: Auth 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: Successful (0)

followed by out of memory

then that

Oct 4 06:29:04 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth6: Auth BC:8C:CD:3D:F0:48, status: Successful (0)
Oct 4 06:29:04 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth6: Assoc BC:8C:CD:3D:F0:48, status: Successful (0)
May 5 06:05:11 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1
May 5 06:05:11 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1 (2020-08-14 15:19:48 EDT)

Followed by a powered down restart

Full log on request

Cheers
Rab

 

[L&LD]

Post your log files to Pastebin and put the link here.

 

[Rabelais]

Post your log files to Pastebin and put the link here.

Thanks, not something I knew about or have used before. Here are two full logs one from overnight, the other is the current status including a restart due to the router being unresponsive. The problem is not going away.

Overnight

Overnight log - Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.

pastebin.com

Current including a reboot

Current log - Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.

pastebin.com

 

[Rabelais]

Aaand it just fell over again needing a power down

Latest log - Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.

pastebin.com

 

[ColinTaylor]

The out of memory errors are the most concerning. Can you SSH into the router and post the output of these commands?

df -h
free
ps w

 

[Rabelais]

The out of memory errors are the most concerning. Can you SSH into the router and post the output of these commands?

df -h
free
ps w

Thank you and here are the outputs

SSH log - Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.

pastebin.com

 

[ColinTaylor]

Thanks for that. There's nothing obviously wrong in the output. I guess that's because you've rebooted the router and don't have the errors at the moment? If so I think you'll have to wait for the errors to occur again and then run the commands.

 

[Rabelais]

OK will do, I'll let it tick over till the out of memory start to show up again and repost. Thanks for your support. I don't suppose you have any thoughts as to why a neighbours open router keeps on popping up as being authorise, associated and deassociated?

 

[Rabelais]

Ooh first out of memory

Oct 4 19:44:29 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 3A:53:67:30:47:B2, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Oct 4 19:44:31 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Oct 4 19:44:31 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): eth5: Deauth_ind 38:A6:CE:60:47:B6, status: 0, reason: Class 3 frame received from nonassociated station (7)
Oct 4 19:45:25 out of memory [5502]
Oct 4 19:45:25 out of memory [5502]

Script result here

First out of memory ssh output - Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.

pastebin.com

 

[bbunge]

With all of your problems with Merlin may I recommend you go to Asus version 3.0.0.4.384.82072. It was very stable for me before I successfully went to Merlin 384.19.
Remove any USB devices, flash Asus 3.0.0.4.384.82072, hard reset with WPS method (https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039078), minimal setup then flash 3.0.0.4.384.82072 again. Use Dual Band SmartConnect with fixed 2.4 and 5 GHZ channels. Do not change any professional WIFI settings. Let it settle for 10 to 15 minutes before making any additional changes.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Well there's nothing in the output to suggest that there's a problem with memory on the router as a whole, so it's hard to guess where that error message is coming from.

I suggest you try the following to try and narrow down the source of the router's instability.

1. Change all WiFi passwords (including guest networks).
2. Disable the media server.
3. Disable Samba.