RT-AC68U as AiMesh node cuts half LAN speed

[muddymind]

I also have this issue.

With the latest FWs from both Asus and Merlin (386.4) I get 500Mbps at most.

With older Asus and Merlin 386.3_2 FWs I get around 850Mbps.

Using a TP-LINK TL-SG108 to do the switch I get 980Mbps.

I have 7 RT-AC68U with 3 different hardware revisions and all show the same behavior.

My GT-AX11000 (main node) and my 2 RT-AX92U don't have these issues.

EDIT: btw, if I use them as APs and not aimesh nodes I get around the full 980Mbps. But in this mode the clients have a lot of trouble connecting to the correct closest router.

 

[CodyPredy]

Same issues - running AC68U as an AI Mesh with the latest firmware.
My main router in an AX86U.....reported this issues a few months ago. ASUS can't be bothered it seems....

 

[muddymind]

@RMerlin do you have any insight regarding this issue?

 

[RMerlin]

@RMerlin do you have any insight regarding this issue?

I don't.

 

[sivaprasath]

I am facing the same issue with RT-AX58U (Mesh Router) + RT-AC68U (Mesh Node). I am getting only half the speed when connected to AC68U.
As mentioned in this forum, I revert back both the routers to 386.3_2 and the speed reported using Ookla Speed is back to normal. Looks like something got broken with 386.4 release.

 

[Sumanji]

Dude, he literally gave an update in the post directly above yours...

 

[Oleksandr]

Updated both devices to 3.0.0.4.386_46065-ge51f2dc.
Nothing has changed.

 

[CodyPredy]

Updated both devices to 3.0.0.4.386_46065-ge51f2dc.
Nothing has changed.

Bad news then....wanted to give it another go. At this point I'm not sure what more we can do besides spamming ASUS support.

 

[slurmsmckenzie]

This is a shame and interesting timing for me because I was planning to use my AC68U in an AiMesh where the LAN ports would be important, so this kind of puts paid to that idea. I've seen lots of people mention that they prefer to downgrade and run older firmware that does not have the issues of the latest, but for me I would always worry about not having the most recent vulnerability fixes. Unless this is less important with an AiMesh node vs the master router?

Even then, @OzarkEdge has said that all AiMesh devices should be on the same level of AiMesh firmware and this would be more difficult if one of the nodes (i.e. AC68U) needed to be downgraded to solve a problem like this. This type of issue kind of harms the benefit of AiMesh that you can repurpose your old router when you upgrade.

My other plan was to use the AC68U as a media bridge without AiMesh but @Tech9 mentioned that not every firmware is stable in media bridge mode for this device. Starts to make me want to replace everything with new hardware, which is not normally want I want to do - I always like to repair and re-use when I can.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Even then, @OzarkEdge has said that all AiMesh devices should be on the same level of AiMesh firmware and this would be more difficult if one of the nodes (i.e. AC68U) needed to be downgraded to solve a problem like this. This type of issue kind of harms the benefit of AiMesh that you can repurpose your old router when you upgrade.

Where did I say that? It's not true and not possible when using different router models with different firmware releases like I'm doing now.

OE

 

[slurmsmckenzie]

Where did I say that? It's not true and not possible when using different router models with different firmware releases like I'm doing now.

OE

Sorry, I should really have quoted - it was this post, hope I haven't misinterpreted: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/aimesh-lan-ports-on-nodes-ac5300-88u-68u.45310/post-388537

Maybe I read too much into the words "install the same AiMesh firmware on all nodes" and it isn't as important as I thought? And I guess things might well have changed since 2018 thinking about it!

Edit: other possibilities now I consider it could be that "AiMesh firmware" != router firmware, and also it might have been specific to the OP in that thread somehow. Still it is good to find out more information about it, hope I did not cause offense!

 

[OzarkEdge]

Sorry, I should really have quoted - it was this post, hope I haven't misinterpreted: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/aimesh-lan-ports-on-nodes-ac5300-88u-68u.45310/post-388537

Maybe I read too much into the words "install the same AiMesh firmware on all nodes" and it isn't as important as I thought? And I guess things might well have changed since 2018 thinking about it!

Edit: other possibilities now I consider it could be that "AiMesh firmware" != router firmware, and also it might have been specific to the OP in that thread somehow. Still it is good to find out more information about it, hope I did not cause offense!

No problem... I just wanted to correct the record. I don't recall what I was thinking then (one month into using AiMesh 1.0), but what I wrote is not useful unless by chance the firmware levels were the same for those three models, such as 21140.

Now I would suggest installing the latest firmware release.

My baseline advice from lurking here and trial and error is in my install notes.

OE

 

[slurmsmckenzie]

No problem... I just wanted to correct the record. I don't recall what I was thinking then (one month into using AiMesh 1.0), but what I wrote is not useful unless by chance the firmware levels were the same for those three models, such as 21140.

Now I would suggest installing the latest firmware release.

My baseline advice from lurking here and trial and error is in my install notes.

OE

Thanks OE, of course I should have referred to your install notes to check that, apologies for missing this - I've been reading so many threads over the past few days trying to decide what to do that I lose track!

I was quite pleased to think I had come up with a solution for using the 86U in a way which means it would not be a big deal if it failed or had issues, but this 68U LAN port thing kind of stops that so I was back to the start again. I'm sure I'll find a way, thanks again for your insight.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I was quite pleased to think I had come up with a solution for using the 86U in a way which means it would not be a big deal if it failed or had issues, but this 68U LAN port thing kind of stops that so I was back to the start again. I'm sure I'll find a way, thanks again for your insight.

FWIW, my ISP (200/10) measures about 230/12 wired to the router; 225-227/11 wired to the wireless node; and 205-220/11 wireless to the node. Nominally speaking, I'm getting what I paid for.

OE

 

[Riley600]

Bad news then....wanted to give it another go. At this point I'm not sure what more we can do besides spamming ASUS support.

I'm experiencing the same issue with my AC68U as a AIMesh node - my speeds seem to be topping out around 450 Mbps. That's a bit annoying for me since my internet is 750/100 so I'm not getting full speeds off the node. It happened pretty suddenly after a firmware upgrade last fall, so it's a little disappointing this has been going on so long without a fix.

I've done my part in spamming Asus Support.

 

[muddymind]

I'm happy to report the newly released 3.0.0.4.386_48262 solves this issue

I still get higher speeds by using a dedicated switch but It's way better vs the last releases.

 

[k_ipman]

I'm happy to report the newly released 3.0.0.4.386_48262 solves this issue

I still get higher speeds by using a dedicated switch but It's way better vs the last releases.

Not so much on the latest Merlin build. Minor improvement from ~450 to ~650.
Still using switch that gives ~980. Will work for those having Ethernet connected Node.

 

[muddymind]

I'm having speeds over 900Mbps. It's more stable at that speed with a switch but it's way over 650Mbps

 

[Sixsonic]

I'm having speeds over 900Mbps. It's more stable at that speed with a switch but it's way over 650Mbps

I'm happy to report the newly released 3.0.0.4.386_48262 solves this issue

I still get higher speeds by using a dedicated switch but It's way better vs the last releases.

Thanks for sharing! I can confirm this, RT-AC88U and RT-AC68U in Aimesh with Ethernet still not reaching max speed but better than before. Shame that this is still an issue.

 

[ScooterRS]

After a Firmware Upgrade from the latest working Merlin Firmware i upgraded to 3.0.0.4.386_48262 and get 980 Mbps but after a factory reset all Problems are back and i only get 485 Mbps. Any ideas whats now wrong?