RT-AC68U Slow USB 3.0 speeds

[Asusnet]

On .205 in my case - when disabled I was able to mount USB 3.0 HD on the USB 3.0 port at the very slow speed (USB 2.0) and it would disappear at times.
It would not mount at all when Enabled.
Once installed .214 - it worked good. At least it got properly recognized as USB 3.0 HD on USB 3.0 port when Disabled.

What USB enclosure or drive are you using? Your issue may be related to specific controllers on the USB drive/Enclosure. My USB drive (WD My Passport Edge 500GB USB 3.0) did not have issues connecting to the USB 3.0 port. As you may have seen with firmware 3.0.0.4.374.214, it is something we will fix by the next firmware update.

 

[greggy101]

What USB enclosure or drive are you using? Your issue may be related to specific controllers on the USB drive/Enclosure. My USB drive (WD My Passport Edge 500GB USB 3.0) did not have issues connecting to the USB 3.0 port. As you may have seen with firmware 3.0.0.4.374.214, it is something we will fix by the next firmware update.

I am using NexStar Dual 2.5-Inch and 3.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0/eSATA HDD Dock (NST-D400SU3) with 256GB ADATA SP900 SSD in it.
Since it works okay on .217 it is definitely not the problem with the hardware on my end...

When you say -" we will fix..." - I am assuming you are representing the manufacturer here???
If so, what's the ETA on the new firmware, please. I didn't return the unit to Amazon yet. Hoping to give it another try with the new firmware.

 

[tl2k2]

"Reducing USB 3.0 Interference" Enabled: Reduces USB 3.0 top speeds to USB 2.0 speeds, but decreases interference and attenuation over 2.4Ghz.

"Reducing USB 3.0 Interference" Disabled: Allows USB 3.0 top speeds, but can cause interference/attenuation over 2.4Ghz.

This should be the case for both FW .205 and .214.

so you saying that if we want to use usb3.0 at full speed, we have to deal with 2.4ghz interference? correct me if i'm wrong if the usb3.0 is properly shield then we could use it without worrying the interference 2.4ghz signal, i'm not against Asus, i'm actually a fan now, came from previous owner of net gear products. I'm currently own two of the asus ac68 and i'm concern about my investment.

 

[Asusnet]

I am using NexStar Dual 2.5-Inch and 3.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0/eSATA HDD Dock (NST-D400SU3) with 256GB ADATA SP900 SSD in it.
Since it works okay on .217 it is definitely not the problem with the hardware on my end...

When you say -" we will fix..." - I am assuming you are representing the manufacturer here???
If so, what's the ETA on the new firmware, please. I didn't return the unit to Amazon yet. Hoping to give it another try with the new firmware.

Firmware will be available at end of this week or by next week.

 

[ronan_zj]

so you saying that if we want to use usb3.0 at full speed, we have to deal with 2.4ghz interference? correct me if i'm wrong if the usb3.0 is properly shield then we could use it without worrying the interference 2.4ghz signal, i'm not against Asus, i'm actually a fan now, came from previous owner of net gear products. I'm currently own two of the asus ac68 and i'm concern about my investment.

I have the same question. Most of my home electrical systems are operated under 2.4G, and I do have a USB 3.0 external hard drive for file sharing. so if I want to use usb 3.0 under 2.4G, I will experience the interference? Does it mean degradation over time?
I am currently on N56u, and I use wire connect to the router. The transfer speed of usb 2.0 is only 7MB/s over 1G wire.

 

[tl2k2]

I have the same question. Most of my home electrical systems are operated under 2.4G, and I do have a USB 3.0 external hard drive for file sharing. so if I want to use usb 3.0 under 2.4G, I will experience the interference? Does it mean degradation over time?
I am currently on N56u, and I use wire connect to the router. The transfer speed of usb 2.0 is only 7MB/s over 1G wire.

look like they ignore my question dude.

 

[ronan_zj]

look like they ignore my question dude.

I think the answer is Yes from original post, you get interference and attenuation over 2.4Ghz.

""Reducing USB 3.0 Interference" Enabled: Reduces USB 3.0 top speeds to USB 2.0 speeds, but decreases interference and attenuation over 2.4Ghz."

 

[tl2k2]

I think the answer is Yes from original post, you get interference and attenuation over 2.4Ghz.

""Reducing USB 3.0 Interference" Enabled: Reduces USB 3.0 top speeds to USB 2.0 speeds, but decreases interference and attenuation over 2.4Ghz."

then is that mean this one not as good as net gear r7000, which usb run at full speed and no interference.

 

[RMerlin]

then is that mean this one not as good as net gear r7000, which usb run at full speed and no interference.

Interference isn't just a router issue, it's also a cabling and USB device issue. The shield the R7000 has (if it's the same as the RT-AC56U) only shields near the USB connector. If you use a poorly shielded USB3 cable, or if you keep the hard disk right next to the router, you can still suffer from interference - which is where the USB3 interference option comes in.

People using USB3 thumbdrives should preferably use a short USB3 extension cable to allow the USB drive to be moved a few inches away.

As an example, Tim experienced bad enough interference that he was unable to do any file copy over USB3. However, I was able to transfer a file from my USB3 hard disk over wifi 2.4 GHz in my test, and suffered no issue at all with my RT-AC68U. I was getting the full 120-140 Mbits I typically get while transferring a file over 2.4 GHz. This was a proof that the absence of a metal shield does NOT mean that you will absolutely have interference issues - it will depend on your USB device too.

 

[PrivateJoker]

so you saying that if we want to use usb3.0 at full speed, we have to deal with 2.4ghz interference? correct me if i'm wrong if the usb3.0 is properly shield then we could use it without worrying the interference 2.4ghz signal, i'm not against Asus, i'm actually a fan now, came from previous owner of net gear products. I'm currently own two of the asus ac68 and i'm concern about my investment.

Take a look at the Intel white paper I linked to in post 35 of this thread to get a handle on USB 3.0 & 2.4ghz wifi issues irrespective of the Asus AC68. I'm not dismissing the presence of a problem w/ the AC (best case scenario the early f/ws on a very new device are not without some issues of concern, that's not a big deviation in either routers or nascent high performance consumer electronics), just saying that some background might be helpful.

look like they ignore my question dude.

Dude, if you're looking for a manufacturer of a consumer product to come to a forum that is not even run by them, and be able to answer serious technical questions or pontificate on the specifics of yet unreleased firmware, you should adjust your expectations. Call or email them directly if you have concerns, or return your routers, but be thankful that they even come here and post anything at all. They obviously read all the posts. Go on twitter and tell a company that you're having a problem with their product, they'll say "email us at this address" or "call us and ask for..." - they're not going to solve your problem and discuss future updates in a public forum before they are released.

 

[greggy101]

Take a look at the Intel white paper I linked to in post 35 of this thread to get a handle on USB 3.0 & 2.4ghz wifi issues irrespective of the Asus AC68. I'm not dismissing the presence of a problem w/ the AC (best case scenario the early f/ws on a very new device are not without some issues of concern, that's not a big deviation in either routers or nascent high performance consumer electronics), just saying that some background might be helpful.




Dude, if you're looking for a manufacturer of a consumer product to come to a forum that is not even run by them, and be able to answer serious technical questions or pontificate on the specifics of yet unreleased firmware, you should adjust your expectations. Call or email them directly if you have concerns, or return your routers, but be thankful that they even come here and post anything at all. They obviously read all the posts. Go on twitter and tell a company that you're having a problem with their product, they'll say "email us at this address" or "call us and ask for..." - they're not going to solve your problem and discuss firmwares in a public forum before they are out.

As I agree with almost everything you said here - I need to voice my opinion on one issue that I respectfully disagree with you - "...be thankful that they even come here and post anything at all"
Every reputable and respected company will have their reps accessing the forums and retailers buyers' reviews forums - see Amazon, Newegg etc.
They don't do it because they like it - these days - they have to do it.
Users comments (good and bad) can have a huge impact not just on the manufacturer's reputation but also it will translate into dollars and cents. Their sales will be affected by it and they know it. Now, whether Asus wants to comment and share info here or not - it is their own decision. Whether us buyers will still support a company that makes a Cadillac but finds out later that it performs just like a Yugo - that's a totally different story. And if anyone should be thankful for anything at all (IMHO) is Asus for Merlin doing an incredible job for them here!
And us - users again - being thankful for Merlin who spends long hours after his day job not only sharing his custom firmware but also defending Asus on every occasion he has and providing us with some pieces of the inside stories.
For the record -I do not work for Netgear, lol. I own 5 routers by Asus, AC68 is the latest one of them. And yes, I will be patiently waiting for a new firmware... I want my Cadillac to run like a Lamborghini

 

[ronan_zj]

then is that mean this one not as good as net gear r7000, which usb run at full speed and no interference.

Well, I actually bought the R7000 last week and I returned it same week. R7000 has pretty impressive hardware but I seriously don't like the Netgear FW, it looks like your car has a powerful engine, but it has less function to utilize the engine.

I just came back from BestBuy to pick my AC68U, and I think I should give a try because ASUS has really good tech support on FW, plus, it has 2 years warranty. ( I have a refurb. N56U for 2 years, and I still get FW upgrades).

BTW, The routher I got from Bestbuy is actually marked as AC68R, is AC68R same as AC68U?

 

[PrivateJoker]

As I agree with almost everything you said here - I need to voice my opinion on one issue that I respectfully disagree with you - "...be thankful that they even come here and post anything at all"

You make excellent points that I readily agree with. Social media presence and e-tailers that allow for direct manufacturer response are certainly becoming the norm, and as a consumer it's nice to have less walls between myself and the manufacturer of a product or a service provider.

My comment on "being thankful" was intended to be my opinion of a company's interaction outside of their own pipelines (ie their twitter, Facebook page, their own website and/or forums, etc). It is a murky grey area between customer service/marketing /tech support, etc, that is usually easier for a company to navigate in semi-official, verified channels. For a company to chime in on a review site that caters to uber-nerds that are rabidly chasing the newest, fastest, bestest - it's going to be a somewhat difficult task to placate this group, in this setting.

I appreciate your thoughtful response and for allowing me to clarify my opinion, which is really neither here nor there in the grand scheme.

I show this site I am thankful for its great content and stellar community by clicking the links to its sponsors, and I show Merlin I'm thankful for his hard work with small gifts of frankincense, myrh, and PayPal.

 

[tl2k2]

Dude, if you're looking for a manufacturer of a consumer product to come to a forum that is not even run by them, and be able to answer serious technical questions or pontificate on the specifics of yet unreleased firmware, you should adjust your expectations. Call or email them directly if you have concerns, or return your routers, but be thankful that they even come here and post anything at all. They obviously read all the posts. Go on twitter and tell a company that you're having a problem with their product, they'll say "email us at this address" or "call us and ask for..." - they're not going to solve your problem and discuss future updates in a public forum before they are released.

first of all i was talking to the guy just posted in front of me and i didn't ask you so chill, second i know there's asus rep in this forum okai, they just reply to post in this same thread.

 

[ronan_zj]

first of all i was talking to the guy just posted in front of me and i didn't ask you so chill the F off, second i know there's asus rep in this forum okai, they just reply to post in this same thread.

calm down dude, we are all here to share idea and experience on the product we have or will have. no hate.

 

[tl2k2]

calm down dude, we are all here to share idea and experience on the product we have or will have. no hate.

that's the reason to join this forum, i don't hate people unless they started war with me, but let's just stay on the topic of the asus router.

 

[whsbuss]

BTW, The routher I got from Bestbuy is actually marked as AC68R, is AC68R same as AC68U?

Yes. Just marketed to Best Buy.

 

[ronan_zj]

ok, I notice FW 3.0.0.4.374_158 has no USB 3.0 problem, and here is the test I have with Lan cable connection. ( I don't use wireless on my desktop).
I am writing 1.3G file to the router and the speed I get is around 38MB/s. I get the router from Bestbuy and the HW ver is A1. ( find it from the box)
However, when I copy the same file from the external HD to my computer, the transfer reading speed is actually slower than writing speed, and the reading speed is around 30MB/s.
I have no knowledge about shielding, and my external HD is next to my router.

upgrade:
I did another test on my laptop having Intel link 5100 AGN card.( I know its old ,and my laptop was purchased in 2009, and I got the used wifi card from ebay ). In 5G, wifi connection varies between 150Mbps--300Mbps. reading speed was around 15MB/s, writing speed was around 8-9MB/s .

 

[Asusnet]

so you saying that if we want to use usb3.0 at full speed, we have to deal with 2.4ghz interference? correct me if i'm wrong if the usb3.0 is properly shield then we could use it without worrying the interference 2.4ghz signal, i'm not against Asus, i'm actually a fan now, came from previous owner of net gear products. I'm currently own two of the asus ac68 and i'm concern about my investment.

I am sorry I did not respond to this earlier. I am not a dedicated representative on this forum, so I do not consistently read or respond to all the postings here. We will have someone representing this forum on a more consistent basis soon.

There is a possibility of interference, but it is more likely to come from the USB 3.0 cable on the USB drive, not the router. From testing, a USB 3.0 cable with poor braiding and foil can cause interference. You can read more about the issue from Intel's documentation. Refer to section 3.1:
http://www.intel.com/content/dam/ww...-papers/usb3-frequency-interference-paper.pdf

The RT-AC68U does have shielding. It is a large shield around the antenna connectors (See picture below). This should protect against interference better than a small shield around the USB 3.0 port.



The USB 3.0 circuits are also embedded into the multi-layer PCB of the RT-AC68U, which will also help mitigate the possibility of interference.

 

[hearto0o0p]

Sorry ,we need protect ( prevent affect of )the usb3 from antenna or protect antenna from usb 3 ,cause the 2.4ghz is already found inside and around the router So we need a good shielding on usb 3 that prevent affected of 2.4ghz on it,also I use usb 3 stick direct without cable and i experience Slow speed.