RT-AC66U Firmware 3.0.0.4.376.1123 problem

[cheenachatze]

I am using Asus RT-AC66U router with Intel AC7260 laptop client (Intel driver version 17.0.5). At 5Ghz range I usually get connection speed of 650Mbps a couple of floors away from the router. I updated the router firmware from 3.0.0.4.374.5517 to 3.0.0.4.376.1123. The connection speed maxes out at 144Mbps, even if I move my laptop to the same room as the router. At 2.4Ghz I still get the max connection speed of 300Gbps. I reinstalled the previous firmware, and the speed is back to normal. Anyone else owns this router and client combo, and has the same problem?
Kudos to Intel for improving the drivers dramatically in the past year. The client connects very quickly now, and the connection does not drop at all.

 

[Adamm]

I am using Asus RT-AC66U router with Intel AC7260 laptop client (Intel driver version 17.0.5). At 5Ghz range I usually get connection speed of 650Mbps a couple of floors away from the router. I updated the router firmware from 3.0.0.4.374.5517 to 3.0.0.4.376.1123. The connection speed maxes out at 144Mbps, even if I move my laptop to the same room as the router. At 2.4Ghz I still get the max connection speed of 300Gbps. I reinstalled the previous firmware, and the speed is back to normal. Anyone else owns this router and client combo, and has the same problem?
Kudos to Intel for improving the drivers dramatically in the past year. The client connects very quickly now, and the connection does not drop at all.

Make sure you reset the nvram after upgrading to 3.0.0.4.376.1123, I was experiencing similar quirks before doing so.

 

[doubleroll]

I have issues with the lastest firmware on my RT-AC66R and posted in this thread:
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18185

I could not get AC connections with this firmware even with the Asus PCE-AC66. Tried the nvram reset, etc with no luck. Went back to 5517 or Merlins 43 builds and all is back to normal. I even open a case with Asus.

 

[cheenachatze]

Thanks for all the responses.

I should have mentioned that at 5Ghz range, bandwidth is set to 80Mhz. I reported this problem to Asus and got a response from them to set the bandwidth to 40Mhz. I did that, and now my client connects at 300Mbps.

This is not an acceptable solution. I did not buy $200 AC router and AC capable laptop to get a speed of $50 wireless N router. I hope Asus fixes this, since they clearly target their products at enthusiasts.

In the meantime, I reverted to the previous firmware, and again I get an average connection speed of 650Mbps.

 

[RMHC]

I had the same issue. I'm using an Asus PCE-AC66 and a Linksys WUMC710. Both were getting 80 MHz AC connections on prior firmwares.

But with this latest, setting 80 MHz bandwidth gave me 20 MHz bandwidth. Like you, I could set it to 40 Mhz and get what amounts to an N connection, but I couldn't get an 80 MHz AC connection with any setting.

I reverted to Merlin's last firmware and it's back to normal.

 

[jeff_d]

I am using Asus RT-AC66U router with Intel AC7260 laptop client (Intel driver version 17.0.5). At 5Ghz range I usually get connection speed of 650Mbps a couple of floors away from the router. I updated the router firmware from 3.0.0.4.374.5517 to 3.0.0.4.376.1123. The connection speed maxes out at 144Mbps, even if I move my laptop to the same room as the router. At 2.4Ghz I still get the max connection speed of 300Gbps. I reinstalled the previous firmware, and the speed is back to normal. Anyone else owns this router and client combo, and has the same problem?
...

I have the same RT-AC66R & Intel AC-7260 NIC (driver v17.0.034) and just tried the same 374.5517 to 376.1123 change.
My laptop's conn on 376.1123 via 5GHz downgraded to a straight 300Mbps, and at this moment the laptop is within a meter of the router (same room too). I then went to Merlin's 374.43 (latest) and the same link came up at between ~750Mbs and 866Mbps.

I have been able to conn at similar speeds with the std Asus fw, but while looking into other posts here just now, I saw a mention by someone saying they didn't think the Asus fw trunk was as robust as Merlin's since a driver fork/change (SDK v5?) that Merlin has held to a different level vs Asus' stock fw.

If I'm remembering correctly, I have not been getting 866Mbps with this hw as often in the last month or so, but I'd moved around some hw and wasn't able to pinpoint my own inputs/changes.

Happily, with the Merlin .43, the current 866Mbps seems to my observation to be a small uptick (return) to speeds I used to be seeing more often, some unknown to me version of Asus std fw ago.

One last note for the edited out Intel praise: I move 10's of GB off/on this laptop almost daily, and it runs almost 24x7, and does move about the house. My WiFi won't drop often, so "solid" seems about right except in one circumstance: if I double connect my laptop with both 1GTbT (wired) and WiFi to the same net, I get flapping of the WiFi conn at odd intervals. I set Win 8.1 to prefer wired over wifi, so I mostly notice this on the lessor occasions I'm double connected and the laptop audio makes dis-conn/re-conn sounds for wifi while nothing outwardly is going on to make such be happening. Odd, but minor given the 2x conn @ the same time....

Just wanted to confirm the failed new Asus fw for us AC users...
Did you manage a report to Asus?
Should I think they might notice the posts here, or do I need to pick up and carry my report all the way to their doorstep?

Hope it helps,
Jeff

 

[HokieAl]

My phone is connected at 433Mbps

Wireless mode set to Auto, the Channel Bandwidth is set to 20/40/80, and the Control Channel is set to Auto.

I did not clear NVram when I updated to this version either.

 

[RMHC]

I had the same issue. I'm using an Asus PCE-AC66 and a Linksys WUMC710. Both were getting 80 MHz AC connections on prior firmwares.

But with this latest, setting 80 MHz bandwidth gave me 20 MHz bandwidth. Like you, I could set it to 40 Mhz and get what amounts to an N connection, but I couldn't get an 80 MHz AC connection with any setting.

I reverted to Merlin's last firmware and it's back to normal.

I should also point out that I used inSSIDer to look at the transmitted signal while trying various options. When the router was set to 80 MHz, inSSIDer showed that it was only doing 20 MHz. This was true whether a specific control channel was selected or it was set to auto.

When using the 20/40/80 setting, it would run at 40 MHz. Again this happened with auto channel select and with a manually selected control channel.

There was absolutely no way to get 80 MHz AC bandwidth.

 

[RMerlin]

I should also point out that I used inSSIDer to look at the transmitted signal while trying various options. When the router was set to 80 MHz, inSSIDer showed that it was only doing 20 MHz. This was true whether a specific control channel was selected or it was set to auto.

When using the 20/40/80 setting, it would run at 40 MHz. Again this happened with auto channel select and with a manually selected control channel.

There was absolutely no way to get 80 MHz AC bandwidth.

For a long time Inssider didn't support 802.11ac, so it might have been reporting incorrect readings. You need the new commercial version for 802.11ac support.

Check the System Log -> Wireless Log page on your router. It will report whether the chanspec is set to 20, 40 or 80 MHz next to the base channel being used.

 

[doubleroll]

I had very similar if not the same issues with this firmware as reported here. My Macbook pro did the same with regards to reporting 20MHz with this firmware. Switched back to Merlion 43 or 5517 and all was back to 80Mhz. Also, my PCE-AC66 maxed at 450. I reset nvram about 3 times and reloaded this firmware with no luck. Every time I went back to other version above all was back to normal. Asus escalated my case for review...this firmware doesnt work for me.

 

[cheenachatze]

Last response I got from Asus is that the "..information has been documented and forwarded to the appropriate contacts for further review and improvement."

From my experience, and it is limited, only Asus and Apple provide long term firmware updates. I hope Asus fix this problem soon.

 

[doubleroll]

Last response I got from Asus is that the "..information has been documented and forwarded to the appropriate contacts for further review and improvement."

From my experience, and it is limited, only Asus and Apple provide long term firmware updates. I hope Asus fix this problem soon.

I got the same response...

 

[AesynRun]

Same here. Back to Merlin 374.43