RT-AC66U Randomly Stops Working

[bman]

For awhile now, months and months I have been having a major issue.

My internet would randomly stop working, so I go check the modem and router. So I'd connect directly to the modem, internet is working, connect an old WRT54GL and its working.

So I keep it switched for awhile, then after awhile, I plug the AC66U back in and it's working fine. Seems to work fine for a couple weeks, maybe a month then it does it again.

Is it a dud? It does have Merlin firmware on it, but I am not sure if this problem started before that or not.

It's a real hassle.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
Have you reflashed f/w starting from scratch as if you just took the router out of box.

 

[KGB7]

Try another firmware and get back to us in a week.

 

[bman]

So it sounds like it could just be the firmware?

Should I go back to stock, I thought Merlin was suppose to be SOOO good.

 

[r00t4rd3d]

Just update to a newer version then do a factory reset and re-enter your settings manually, dont back up from a file.

 

[L&LD]

RMerlin's firmware is not good; it's great! - for the time it was released.

What version are you running? How did you set the router up after you upgraded the firmware?

Have you left your modem unplugged for at least a good 30 minutes before plugging in your router (and then power both up; first the router, then the modem)?

Not stating the version number doesn't help with getting you help.

Going back to 'stock' firmware blindly doesn't either.

 

[bman]

RMerlin's firmware is not good; it's great! - for the time it was released.

What version are you running? How did you set the router up after you upgraded the firmware?

Have you left your modem unplugged for at least a good 30 minutes before plugging in your router (and then power both up; first the router, then the modem)?

Not stating the version number doesn't help with getting you help.

Going back to 'stock' firmware blindly doesn't either.

Why the hell would I turn my modem off for 30 minutes? Never have I heard that in my life, a few minutes, sure.

I don't know what version it's running. Now it's not plugged in cause I am using the other router.

What do you mean, how did I set it up?

 

[L&LD]

Good luck getting help with that attitude and unwillingness to provide information that will only help you in the end.

 

[bman]

Good luck getting help with that attitude and unwillingness to provide information that will only help you in the end.

huh? I asked two questions, and you say I have attitude?

Oh sorry, I said hell. Still a real question, same as, what information do you want! You said how did I set it up, how so, what are you asking exactly? Geez.

 

[L&LD]

Okay; let's try again.

The firmware version you're running is important to what will be suggested you try.

By how did you set it up; what I am asking is did you ever do a firmware update? Did you ever clear your nvram and do a power cycle of the router (physically pull the plug - not a reboot of your router via the web gui). When you initially setup the router settings; did you use a backup config file or did you type everything in manually?

Did you change any settings from the defaults?

The reason you want to leave your modem off for a long time is to force the ISP to connect properly to the new router you're plugging in. 30 minutes may be long - but I've left my modem off for over 8 hours as a sanity test (they finally replaced the faulty modem).

The recommended firmware at this time is the 374.40 Beta 1 firmware for your model.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ucabgkcjwtf02kl/RT-AC66U_3.0.0.4_374.40_beta1.zip


Unplug all Ethernet and USB devices/cables from your router, reboot the router for good measure, connect the Ethernet cable to the computer you're going to do the firmware upgrade from (make sure to unzip the file first) and proceed with the firmware upgrade.

When it is done, plug in the WAN port to your ISP's modem and do a basic setup following the wizard steps.

Now, inside the main web gui page; perform a reset to defaults and manually power off (pull the power plug) the router when it is finished.

Configure it manually once more and then document each change you make away from the defaults.

You also want to either use a new ssid for your wireless connections or else 'forget' the network connection on each device and re-associate with the router again. This will ensure that the micro settings within the different drivers used between different firmware will not conflict with the saved settings in your currently setup network ssid settings on each of your devices.

This may be all you need to do to resolve any issue you have with your old firmware.

If not, we'll be here to offer further suggestions.

And, welcome to 2014 if you decide to upgrade the firmware as recommended above.

 

[RMerlin]

Why the hell would I turn my modem off for 30 minutes? Never have I heard that in my life, a few minutes, sure.

With cablemodems, some ISPs can take up to 10 minutes before they properly terminate any existing session, and let you reconnect with a totally new session. It also gives time to your ISP to unblacklist your MAC in case it got blacklisted by them - you didn't specify anything about your Internet connection, so we can only assume the worst case scenario here, which would be being on Charter cable, and having your DHCP frequency set to Aggressive, which would lead to your MAC being blacklisted unless you spend 5 minutes without sending any packet to your ISP. That's what having the modem off for 5-10 mins would also do.

What he mostly meant was that you can't just turn it off 10 secs then back on - that won't do the trick.

 

[bman]

Okay; let's try again.

The firmware version you're running is important to what will be suggested you try.

By how did you set it up; what I am asking is did you ever do a firmware update? Did you ever clear your nvram and do a power cycle of the router (physically pull the plug - not a reboot of your router via the web gui). When you initially setup the router settings; did you use a backup config file or did you type everything in manually?

Did you change any settings from the defaults?

The reason you want to leave your modem off for a long time is to force the ISP to connect properly to the new router you're plugging in. 30 minutes may be long - but I've left my modem off for over 8 hours as a sanity test (they finally replaced the faulty modem).

The recommended firmware at this time is the 374.40 Beta 1 firmware for your model.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ucabgkcjwtf02kl/RT-AC66U_3.0.0.4_374.40_beta1.zip


Unplug all Ethernet and USB devices/cables from your router, reboot the router for good measure, connect the Ethernet cable to the computer you're going to do the firmware upgrade from (make sure to unzip the file first) and proceed with the firmware upgrade.

When it is done, plug in the WAN port to your ISP's modem and do a basic setup following the wizard steps.

Now, inside the main web gui page; perform a reset to defaults and manually power off (pull the power plug) the router when it is finished.

Configure it manually once more and then document each change you make away from the defaults.

You also want to either use a new ssid for your wireless connections or else 'forget' the network connection on each device and re-associate with the router again. This will ensure that the micro settings within the different drivers used between different firmware will not conflict with the saved settings in your currently setup network ssid settings on each of your devices.

This may be all you need to do to resolve any issue you have with your old firmware.

If not, we'll be here to offer further suggestions.

And, welcome to 2014 if you decide to upgrade the firmware as recommended above.

Well there ya go.

I don't know the firmware version as I am not plugging the router back in yet, I make my living from the internet, so I have to wait until a good time.

It's not that old, but I have not updated the firmware since installing the latest version of Merlin when I did that, maybe 5 months at most? Excluding port forwarding some items, nothing was changed, I don't think so.

Anyway, I was going to do exactly as you describe anyway, just waiting for a good time. Once that happens, I will let you guys know how it goes.

Please don't be snippy, and I know "welcome to 2014" is. I am very technologically advanced, and everything is updated to the latest. I do so much using the Internet, I just forgot to keep updating the firmware. Also, my old WRT54GL stayed on the same firmware for 7 years without issue, so I figured it shouldn't be an issue. Since when I installed this firmware and got the router, it was great.

Anyway, I will be back.


*and if doing it for 10 seconds to 1 minute does nothing, then why does my old router not have an issue

 

[L&LD]

Sorry if I sound snippy. Just that even now you still think that 5 month old firmware is still current. Not even close. The security, the performance and the features that have been added in the last 5 months make it like a new product, in effect.

Old stuff doesn't have issues because (caution; opinion ahead...) it was made to work reliable, not made for performance. There is a difference. Also; back then there was some pride in building the best (in any field). These days; the best is simply #'s of units moved.

Additionally, since the old stuff doesn't have to conform to anything invented, deployed, ratified or adapted for current prime time use, it simply uses the old, plodding 'original' method to get things done. And it does, eventually. But it does it reliably because performance is not what it was built for.

The WRT54G series was not great because of bleeding edge performance; it was simply reliable hardware and software, built to spec's that were built to it's specs and mostly stayed at the top because the new tech took so long to be delivered (and free from show stopping bugs).

7 years on the same firmware might sound impressive in one way. I see it as stagnation though.

Even an O/S (which is what the firmware on routers is) is updated monthly, at least. Not to mention service packs that add features, close security holes and generally give the O/S a facelift in performance or otherwise.


Anyway, since you were going to do what I suggested, I'll leave you to it.

You know much more than I could impart to you.

 

[ozgurcnbyz]

its the asus rt-ac66u trust me. I have a fiber optic internet connection. I've had exactly the same problem plus problems with wireless range and performance before it actually died. As a software engineer who works for an ISP, I believe firmware alone is not the answer to some problems. Thats why some basic problems are never solved. (i.e performance degrading). Its hardware + firmware. Its just me though. Developing firmware is a hard job and Merlin has been doing an incredible job. If i were you i'd try a different router from a different brand