RT-AC3100

[lilstone87]

Well I picked up the RT-AC3100 today from bestbuy. They didn't have them on the shelves at my bestbuy yet. I had to get them to go into the back to get me one, as the store showed they had them available online. Anyways I see the router comes stock with 3.0.0.4.380_664 firmware. I see Merlin has a build put together for this router, is it worth upgrading to? Or should I just stay with the stock firmware for now?

 

[jbodine74]

I have b

Well I picked up the RT-AC3100 today from bestbuy. They didn't have them on the shelves at my bestbuy yet. I had to get them to go into the back to get me one, as the store showed they had them available online. Anyways I see the router comes stock with 3.0.0.4.380_664 firmware. I see Merlin has a build put together for this router, is it worth upgrading to? Or should I just stay with the stock firmware for now?

Read the first post.
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/alpha-builds-for-rt-ac88u-and-rt-ac3100.28024/#post-215767
I have been running Merlin's since Friday with no issues. Be very careful flashing to the different firmware. When I went from the stock to merlin's, it loaded, but then it would not load the gui. I had to do the 90 second wps restart. While the router is on, hold the wps button for 30 seconds. Keep it pressed in and turn the router off, hold for another 30 seconds. Keep the wps pressed, turn the router on and hold for another 30 seconds. Once the router is on, refresh your browser and you should be able to get into the gui.

 

[lilstone87]

I have b

Read the first post.
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/alpha-builds-for-rt-ac88u-and-rt-ac3100.28024/#post-215767
I have been running Merlin's since Friday with no issues. Be very careful flashing to the different firmware. When I went from the stock to merlin's, it loaded, but then it would not load the gui. I had to do the 90 second wps restart. While the router is on, hold the wps button for 30 seconds. Keep it pressed in and turn the router off, hold for another 30 seconds. Keep the wps pressed, turn the router on and hold for another 30 seconds. Once the router is on, refresh your browser and you should be able to get into the gui.

Thanks for the heads up. I have owned the N66U(Still do, use as repeater), and the AC87R(got rid of). So I have used Merlin's releases plenty of times in the past. I just exchanged a Netgear R8000 I had for this router. As I just got tired of Netgear's slow push of firmwares for there products. It seems Merlin has had this router testing for a little bit now, so I do think I will upgrade to his build late tonight, or early tomorrow. So I don't have to disturb anyone using the internet at home. Merlin if you see/read this, any notable changes between the stock build on this router, and the build you put together? Also I will make sure to do the 30/30/30 reset. I normally do anyways with my asus routers, whenever doing an firmware upgrade. I prefer to reconfigure manually every time, it's a pita at times though

 

[RMerlin]

378.57-alpha1 lacks LACP and WTFast support. Also, it uses an older beta driver, which will flood the log - that`s why those alpha builds are compiled with logging to JFFS2 disabled.

 

[lilstone87]

378.57-alpha1 lacks LACP and WTFast support. Also, it uses an older beta driver, which will flood the log - that`s why those alpha builds are compiled with logging to JFFS2 disabled.

Okay Merlin, sounds like it might be best to stick with the stock firmware for now then. Will just have to keep an eye out over the next month, or so. When Asus gets a firmware out, that you can build on for this router. Anyways thanks for replying Merlin!

 

[alarsen77]

Well, I went to best buy this morning on my way into work and exchanged my RT-AC87R for the RT-AC3100. I can't wait to get home tonight and get it setup. I have to say I had my girlfriends old linksys E1200 hooked up for a temporary solution so she will have internet when she gets home from work tonight and I don't know how I ever used one of those routers. With our 155/15 connection it seems imperative to have one of the higher end routers to get the speeds we should be.

 

[lilstone87]

New Firmware Released
Well I see Asus has released a new firmware for this router on there support page, however the new firmware isn't properly showing under all the different OS's just yet.

ASUS RT-AC3100 Firmware version 3.0.0.4.380.858
- Improved wireless speed
- Update WTFast Ver. 1.0.0.3_15.1102
- Modified Adaptive QoS interface
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC3100/FW_RT_AC3100_3004380858.zip

There's also a second firmware listed, which is a little bit older firmware version. However there's no listed changes with this release.

ASUS RT-AC3100 Firmware version 3.0.0.4.380.853
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC3100/FW_RT_AC3100_3004380853.zip

 

[tl2k2]

found two bugs with the .858 firmware
1. soft reboot the router on Gui with Lag enabled when booted up no wireless signal 2.4/5ghz at all.
2. dynamic Qos, doesn't matter what i chose customized or not, everything just go back to the default setting which is Game mode.

 

[alarsen77]

So I got the router hooked up last night when I got home. It is already better than my AC87R was. Upstairs in the bedroom I will get from 190-225mbps down over wifi, on the AC87R I would be lucky to get 170-180 in the same spot. Haven't been able to see how it does over time yet, but so far seems to be great. I know I woke up this morning and my phone was still connected to the 5GHz band it didn't have to search for wireless networks like it did with the AC87R.

 

[Puppa]

Watching closely for stability issues...please post if you see anything glitchy. Any slowness granting an IP address after wifi authentication?

 

[alarsen77]

Watching closely for stability issues...please post if you see anything glitchy. Any slowness granting an IP address after wifi authentication?

I will let you know. Most of my wifi usage is my xbox one, cell phones, tablet, and a couple smart tv's and blu ray players and apple tv. I do have my macbook pro hooked up wifi but rarely use it so I will keep an eye out for anything. I have been at work all day today so I am not sure how it is performing since hooking it up last night.

 

[alarsen77]

One thing I can say is that with the AC-87U when running a speed test it seemed to slowly creep up to the max speed of 170-180 it would start at 60 or so and go up slowly, with the AC-3100 it seems to peg right to about where it will settle at and hold that speed within 5-10 mbps. So it seems that is a big improvement.

 

[MasterBash]

So I am on my way to RMA my second AC87U router. None of my devices can stay connected to 5ghz. Battery drain with android devices too...

Will Asus ever allow me to trade in the device for something that works like AC3100 or AC88U? Like, if I keep returning my AC87U 10 times or something? Its so frustrating.

 

[alarsen77]

So I am on my way to RMA my second AC87U router. None of my devices can stay connected to 5ghz. Battery drain with android devices too...

Will Asus ever allow me to trade in the device for something that works like AC3100 or AC88U? Like, if I keep returning my AC87U 10 times or something? Its so frustrating.

I would say it is worth a try. I would give them a call and let them know that it is just completely frustrating that you keep having issues and no resolution has come from it. Will they let you trade it for one of the newer models like the AC3100 or AC88U. You never know they very well might.

 

[normanfox]

just got one from Best Buy. Does this router have Smart Connect?

According to the manual, it is under Advanced Settings > wireless > General. But I don't see any toggle to enable Smart connect.

 

[jbodine74]

just got one from Best Buy. Does this router have Smart Connect?

According to the manual, it is under Advanced Settings > wireless > General. But I don't see any toggle to enable Smart connect.

It does not have smart connect. That feature is usually only seen on tri-band routers I think.

 

[normanfox]

It does not have smart connect. That feature is usually only seen on tri-band routers I think.

according to its manual and asus web site, this router should have smart connect.

under Features here:

 

[tl2k2]

just got one from Best Buy. Does this router have Smart Connect?

According to the manual, it is under Advanced Settings > wireless > General. But I don't see any toggle to enable Smart connect.

no, this router only have one 5ghz band, so no smart connect.

 

[normanfox]

no, this router only have one 5ghz band, so no smart connect.

My understanding of Smart connect is that the router will automatically use either 2.4 or 5ghz band so that I don't have to select either one manually. is that right?

 

[normanfox]

AC88U has this Smart Connect, according to spec on Amazon and manual. is AC3100 the same as AC88U? beside number of ports.