RT-AC86U intermittently but constantly dropping Internet Connection

[jksmurf]

Hi

I have been tearing my hair out on this one for days, both trying stuff and contacting my ISP for help. I have had for quite some time the normal setup:

• Broadband Modem=>Wired Ethernet=>Router; Router=Wired Clients; Router=Wireless Clients

Recently it started dropping connections. The Router log showed a number of error messages related to the ISP as follows:

• WAN_Connection: ISP's DHCP did not function properly

The modem appears to work OK connected to my computer (although I am monitoring up-time just in case). I can find little on that message above (although I tried the suggestions where they were given to no avail).

So after checking cables (Cat6), resetting the PC's Ethernet Adaptor, changing Routers (RT-AC68U => (new) RT-AC86U, both on Merlin 384.7_2), trying to find and clone the modems MAC in the Router (not successful with the MAC IDs thrown up by arp -a even when directly connected), changed the DHCP query frequency settings from Aggressive to Normal (I am not on Charter, I'm not in the states), I then contacted the ISP.

The ISP said it was a "normal" connection and reset it remotely anyway. Same thing on reboot.

They said they could not help with third party devices (they sell their own Wifi Boxes). I am currently running the thing directly modem =>PC (so I can run an uptime monitor) and modem to an AP for wireless clients but clearly I am not happy with lack of security.

I now come to you in desperation.
Thanks a lot!

k.

[EDIT] - I have seen and read all of this thread https://www.snbforums.com/threads/is-this-a-bug-on-asus-firmware-wan-disconnections.8433/page-14 ; I didn't add to it because it ended in Sep 2017.

 

[jksmurf]

I have done some more reading and disabled DDNS as well as kept the DHCP query frequency settings at Normal. This "seems" so far to have reduced the length of time the outages occur and for how long. The ISP also said that only Port 1 and Port 3 OR 4 of the modem (Huawei EchoLife HG8040 GPON Terminal) were active. The outages still occur though :-(.

Nov  4 12:33:38 nat: apply redirect rules
[B]Nov  4 12:33:38 WAN_Connection: ISP's DHCP did not function properly.[/B]
Nov  4 12:33:38 DualWAN: skip single wan wan_led_control - WANRED off
Nov  4 12:35:52 WAN_Connection: WAN was restored.
Nov  4 12:35:52 nat: apply nat rules (/tmp/nat_rules_eth0_eth0)
Nov  4 12:36:10 nat: apply redirect rules
[B]Nov  4 12:36:10 WAN_Connection: ISP's DHCP did not function properly.[/B]
Nov  4 12:36:10 DualWAN: skip single wan wan_led_control - WANRED off
Nov  4 12:36:15 WAN_Connection: WAN was restored.
Nov  4 12:36:15 nat: apply nat rules (/tmp/nat_rules_eth0_eth0)
Nov  4 13:22:53 kernel: eth1 (Ext switch port: 0) (Logical Port: 8) Link DOWN.
Nov  4 13:22:53 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered disabled state
Nov  4 13:22:55 kernel: eth1 (Ext switch port: 0) (Logical Port: 8) Link UP 100 mbps full duplex
Nov  4 13:22:55 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered listening state
Nov  4 13:22:55 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered listening state
Nov  4 13:22:57 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered learning state
Nov  4 13:22:59 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
Nov  4 13:22:59 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered forwarding state
Nov  4 13:24:37 kernel: eth1 (Ext switch port: 0) (Logical Port: 8) Link DOWN.
Nov  4 13:24:37 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered disabled state
Nov  4 13:24:40 kernel: eth1 (Ext switch port: 0) (Logical Port: 8) Link UP 1000 mbps full duplex
Nov  4 13:24:40 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered listening state
Nov  4 13:24:40 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered listening state
Nov  4 13:24:42 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered learning state
Nov  4 13:24:44 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
Nov  4 13:24:44 kernel: br0: port 1(eth1) entered forwarding state[CODE]

 

[Netbug]

Hi mate,

I remember having a similar issue a few years back.

Even though there was a fault on my line and it took my ISP 6 months to listen to me and fix it i did also have an issue with an ethernet cable the one coming from modem into router, try replacing your cables and see if it stops dropping the connection.

 

[jksmurf]

Hi mate,

I remember having a similar issue a few years back.

Even though there was a fault on my line and it took my ISP 6 months to listen to me and fix it i did also have an issue with an ethernet cable the one coming from modem into router, try replacing your cables and see if it stops dropping the connection.

Cheers Netbug, yeah unfortunately I already replaced my modem to Router cable with a factory flat Cat 5e cable rather my self-fabricated Cat 6, no joy there. I'm really happy to try and help debug this (with my limited knowledge). I guess I could try other cable locations but don't see any other except that critical one. Such a 'mare.

Funny thing is I tried a Net Uptime monitor when I connected it directly into my PC and it didn't seem to trip up on that. When it goes down it sometimes takes 10 or 15 mins to come up again sometimes just a few secs.

k.

 

[Netbug]

Ah sorry just went over your post again and notice you changed cables, if there is no connection drop when plugged directly into the modem that would suggest issue is not with the modem or ISP.

If not already done, you could try a full factory reset, if you updated router firmware recently maybe try downgrading to previous version and full factory reset and see it it still happens.

Either way i would try a full factory reset next and manually re-configure (take screenshots of pages so you can use the screenshots to reconfigure router)

 

[jksmurf]

Ah sorry just went over your post again and notice you changed cables, if there is no connection drop when plugged directly into the modem that would suggest issue is not with the modem or ISP.

Yup my conclusion (right or wrong) too.

If not already done, you could try a full factory reset, if you updated router firmware recently maybe try downgrading to previous version and full factory reset and see it it still happens.

Already did a change to stock, reset, back to Merlin latest reset, no change. What I have NOT done yet is go back to an older firmware.

Either way i would try a full factory reset next and manually re-configure (take screenshots of pages so you can use the screenshots to reconfigure router)

Lol...yeah that's how I do it too, I have screenshots from my RT-N16=>AC66U=>AC68U and now AC86U, so yeah, got those too

 

[Netbug]

only other thing i can think of is maybe the WAN port on router could be failing, not sure log doesn't seem to give anything more helpful.

 

[jksmurf]

Well I reset to factory settings and then downgraded the Merlin firmware to 384.5 and it is now perfect with zero errors or "ISP's DHCP did not function properly" events in the log.

I had done a full nvram reset before but kept it on 384.7_2. I'm convinced it's the firmware but time may prove me wrong ... if I get time I will test by upgrading it again, but nearly a week of this has left me really wanting to just have a stable system.

If I do AND if 384.7_2 fails (with my ISP), would taking a "nvram show | sort" and posting here likely show the difference that caused the breakdown?

Cheers

k.

 

[sfx2000]

Recently it started dropping connections. The Router log showed a number of error messages related to the ISP as follows:

First thing to look at is the Router's AC Adapter - they do get "soft" over time, and DHCP issues are the first indication...

You'd be surprised at how many 200 dollar routers have been swapped out because a 1 dollar part (at the manf level) starts failing...

 

[jksmurf]

First thing to look at is the Router's AC Adapter - they do get "soft" over time, and DHCP issues are the first indication...

You'd be surprised at how many 200 dollar routers have been swapped out because a 1 dollar part (at the manf level) starts failing...

Cheers but the thing is like just a week or 10 days old .

Anyway curiosity got the better of me and I upgraded to 384.7_2 and it immediately failed; I reset nvram and redid all the settings, still no good. I then downgraded to 384.5 for the second time and it immediately worked again, even without resetting nvram (which I will do in a minute and maybe compare the nvram show | sort thingy).

So I have convinced myself my ISP does not like the latest Merlin Upgrade.

One other thing I don't get is why with the failed Merlin FW 384.7_2 why there is no Internet (Disconnected) yet I have a WAN IP and Ethernet WAN says connected. What am I missing.

Anyway with 384.5 it says Connected and Has a Wan IP in the Upper left Box AND my DDNS Address from Asus. Fab.

 

[jksmurf]

Here is the comparison from nvram show | sort - Greek to me, but maybe means something to
someone - although _x must means new routers. Note that I didn't do a reset of nvram for 384.5 before I did the nvram show | sort as Internet just WORKS. 348.7 does not, at least with my ISP.

 

[Netbug]

hmm very interesting.

When i updated the firmware back a few weeks ago from 384.6 to 384.7 i and someone else mentioned that we could see 'Internet Status Disconnected' even though it was actually connected to the internet as like you had a WAN IP. I did two dirty upgrades though so was not bothered by it as was going to do a full factory reset at some point. See here.

About a week ago i did a full factory reset (at this point i am on merlin alpha 384.8) the issue mentioned above in my post was no longer there (again i did 2 dirty upgrades so could have been something to do with that) but after setting up everything i could not access the internet at all and the issue mentioned above came back, unfortunately i did not have much time to take a look at it further, i did check my logs at the time but nothing in there showed there was an issue so just did a restore of my settings something that i never do unless i need to urgently.

I need to try again when i get time and nobody using the internet but that won't be anytime soon. Not sure if they related but sounds similar.

At this point i'm not sure sorry, maybe try the latest alpha version and see what happens.

 

[jksmurf]

At this point i'm not sure sorry, maybe try the latest alpha version and see what happens.

No need to be sorry, I'm just chuffed to bits I might have found someone else with possibly the same 'Internet Status Disconnected' issue and that I'm not actually going nuts. I already tried 384.8 alpha1 and (just today) 2, I think a full nvram reset. I am now on 384.6 (full reset, diversion installed too) and it also seems OK, although it did drop out once. On 384.7 I believe I got it to "fail" by clicking repeatedly between Guest Network and Network Map - then it showed WAN as per pic above but no Internet (and there was no Internet... ).

I'm not clever or knowledgeable enough to know what is going on, but I generally follow instructions and sometimes I even deduce stuff .

Found someone else too: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...-7-is-now-available.49194/page-23#post-441963

 

[Easy Limits]

I have seen "internet status disconnected" too on my 86U. Seems to resolve itself after a hard reboot (pull the plug).

 

[Netbug]

My issue when i updated firmware last week was not related, i just did a full factory reset, manual setup and all is working good for me on latest alpha.

 

[Facsi]

I am having the same issue but with a 68u. It is not an ISP DHCP problem. The isp modem does DHCP even with DSL disabled. Modem DHCP and ISP connectivity are unrelated as modem have to set IPs for the hosts connected to them even if there is no internet connection available (PPPoE disconnected).

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ac68u-disconnecting-static-wan.49536/#post-440628

 

[bearever]

In my environment 384.5 and 384.8alpha are the most solid and do not have intermittent internet disconnect issue.

Also anything before 384.5 did not work well with Netvigator; 384.8alpha1 and alpha2 are both good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jksmurf]

In my environment 384.5 and 384.8alpha are the most solid and do not have intermittent internet disconnect issue.

Also anything before 384.5 did not work well with Netvigator; 384.8alpha1 and alpha2 are both good.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Cheers for that; I’m on 384.5 now and it’s solid. 384.8alpha1 and alpha2 work BUT SAY disconnected as shown in the pic above circled in red. What does it show for various FW versions on your rig?

 

[peraburek]

are you using DNS-O-MATIC as DDNS?

I am having this error:

inadyn[20823]: HTTP(S) Transaction failed, error 37: Temporary network error (HTTPS recv)

 

[bearever]

Cheers for that; I’m on 384.5 now and it’s solid. 384.8alpha1 and alpha2 work BUT SAY disconnected as shown in the pic above circled in red. What does it show for various FW versions on your rig?

Did not pay attention to the connection icon but with versions prior to 384.5 and 384.6/7, I occasionally lost Internet connection every 2 or 3 or 5 days randomly and the router log only indicated ISP DHCP server was having an issue.

Desperately prior to 384.5 I was using an internet monitoring script https://pastebin.com/iDRDjaGV monitoring Netvigator connection every 2 minutes and restart the WAN service when required.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro