RT-AC86U Repeater mode BUG on 5Ghz?

[Blak24]

Hello everyone,
I have a RT-AC86U and I'm trying to setting it up as a repeater with a 5Ghz wifi. The fact is, it doesn't show 5Ghz networks at all while scanning. I read about this on another thread here that I can't find now, and it's said it's a firmware bug. I tried connecting to the 5Ghz network with the manual setup, but it can't connect at all and always report it's disconnected after applying the configuration. I correctly insert the SSID (which contains an apostrophe on its name), then the WPA2 Personal and the password of the Wifi Network, then I use a static IP address for the router (my root modem is 192.168.1.1 and the AC86U for simplicity 192.168.1.250). Everything works fine configuring with the wizard using the 2.4Ghz network, but I can't get it to work with the 5Ghz one. Is there any option or a way to connect to my 5Ghz network? I have a 200mbps contract and with the 2.4Ghz it can only go around 100.

Thank you!

 

[New2This]

Ive got a AC87U, Ive found out something with the QTN firmware in the 87U and running my AC66U in repeater mode also.. With the older QTN firmware drivers I was able to get my 87U stable on the 5ghz channel, in order to get my 66U to run in repeater mode. Once I updated my 87U with QTN drivers to( 37.4.0.56) My 66U wasn't able to be in repeater mode.

If I ran a firmware with the QTN drivers(37.3.0.50) I was able to setup my 66U in repeater mode, it all stable

I was able to run my 66U in Media bridge mode no problems with running the newer QTN drivers (37.4.0.56)

 

[Blak24]

Sorry but, what's the QTN firmware? Anyway I don't know if your experience is related to my problem, the fact is that even trying with media bridge with the 86U I can't see 5ghz networks while scanning, I can only see 2.4ghz networks

 

[ColinTaylor]

I correctly insert the SSID (which contains an apostrophe on its name),

Why are you using an apostrophe, non-alphanumeric characters are known to have messed up the UI in the past.

 

[bsdsource]

Use a simple alphanumerical SSID while troubleshooting your issue. As ColinTaylor mentioned non-alphanumeric characters potentially cause issues.

See what RMerlin has to say about SSID's

 

[Blak24]

Ok guys tried removing the apostrophe but nothing changed. Still no connection after applying configuration, the router can't connect to the 5ghz network.

 

[john9527]

Are both routers purchased in the same region/set for the same region? It's entirely possible it won't connect if they are different.

 

[Blak24]

Well no, the router was bought in China while the modem in the EU, and I'm living in the EU.. So this may be the problem. Is there something to do to let this work? Maybe changing region, I've found some discussions here on SNB but they're 2 years old and I don't want to mess up everything so I'll wait here to see if someone can help me

 

[john9527]

I think somewhere in the gui for the AC86U purchased in China is a region/territory code setting (I don't have one, so not sure where it's located). You may want to look for it and try different settings there.

EDIT: Knowing ASUS, if you can't find it while the router is in repeater mode, you may have to reset it to router mode for it to show up.

 

[Blak24]

I think somewhere in the gui for the AC86U purchased in China is a region/territory code setting (I don't have one, so not sure where it's located). You may want to look for it and try different settings there.

EDIT: Knowing ASUS, if you can't find it while the router is in repeater mode, you may have to reset it to router mode for it to show up.

THAT did the trick! I was having this feeling too, restored to factory settings, then configured it as a router and then, under WiFi ---> Professional tab ---> Region ---> Europe. There's still the bug which won't let you discover 5Ghz networks but this time I just had to manually configure it and it worked like a charm! Thanks a lot

 

[john9527]

Glad to hear it worked!

 

[Blak24]

Thanks a lot! Anyway... Another issue I think. The connection with the main modem drops every minute or so. With 2.4ghz I didn't have this problem if I remember from yesterday, while today my phone drops WiFi connection every minute as said, and also the router says "disconnected" in the main page, then it connects again. Any idea?

 

[john9527]

The connection with the main modem drops every minute or so.

Unfortunately, there has been a rash of 5GHz dropped reports lately. First step is to disable some options that have been known to be problematic. Disable
Airtime Fairness
MU-MIMO
Universal Beamforming

You may have to again revert to router mode to access and set these options.

 

[Blak24]

Did that, now it seems the connection drops less than before, and that my phone isn't dropping (*fingers crossed*) wifi connection to the router since when the connection drops from the router to the modem, it stays disconnected for about 1 or max 2 seconds instead of the 5/10 secs before disabling those options. Anyway, it's a workaround and the problem still persists, even if it's better than before. Any other idea on how to stabilize the connection more than this?

EDIT: BAD news.. Tried connecting my PC together with my phone to the 5Ghz band, it's a total mess. Again disconnections from the phone or PC, internet freezes and then restarts. I'm really thinking about finding an alternative solution, maybe buying a good repeater and then using the AC86U as a router..

Side note: wrote to official ASUS support, they answered with: The RT-AC86U DOESN'T support repeater mode. Really?!? They don't even know how their products are made? Out of the box in the first configuration screen there were 4 working modes, repeater mode included, lol

 

[hervon]

I've had 5Ghz drops with my AC86U (i'm not in repeater mode though). Wifi 5G works for a few hours perfectly (12h-36h). Then my iPhone, laptop or iPad looses connection. Sometimes it connects back but other times I have to restart the router. Wifi 2.4 works fine. I also disabled wifi features as suggested by Merlin and john9527 above. Do not seem to work either. I miss my 'sold' AC68U! I'm quite desperate. I tried all Merlin builds with minimal add-on (no script, ect). This afternoon I installed the latest official asus ac86u firmware 18219. So far so good but it's to soon to praise.

 

[Blak24]

I've just bought a repeater and I'll use the AC86U as a router hoping to not have those problems. I know it can be quite difficult to develop a firmware which is good with several devices, but this product seems like at alpha stage seeing several user compliants online

 

[max789]

I just tried using RT-AC86U (on Merlin 382.1_2) as a repeater and did not succeed. I tested RT-AC68U, and got the same result.

Curiously, I tested an older, inexpensive Asus router which firmware has not been updated since August 2016, and the repeater option worked. This router does not receive any Merlin builds, and has three (not four) options under Administration (without the Media Bridge option).

With RT-AC86U and RT-AC68U, the repeater setup was unable to reach step #6 in the following instruction web page.
http://www.microcenter.com/tech_cen...n_asus_rt-ac68u_wireless_router_as_a_repeater

I hope Asus will fix this repeater bug in the firmware of its more advanced routers.

 

[Blak24]

Someone said that the AC86U is a big step forward in terms of Broadcom chipsets and probably there are some problems due to the really young age of the 86U. I know that a router is engineered to be a router, but if you let me show and use the repeater mode I expect it works quite well. Anyway, I use my 86U as a router and I didn't have any problem so far in more than one week

 

[max789]

I just tried using RT-AC86U (on Merlin 382.1_2) as a repeater and did not succeed. I tested RT-AC68U, and got the same result.

Curiously, I tested an older, inexpensive Asus router which firmware has not been updated since August 2016, and the repeater option worked. This router does not receive any Merlin builds, and has three (not four) options under Administration (without the Media Bridge option).

With RT-AC86U and RT-AC68U, the repeater setup was unable to reach step #6 in the following instruction web page.
http://www.microcenter.com/tech_cen...n_asus_rt-ac68u_wireless_router_as_a_repeater

I hope Asus will fix this repeater bug in the firmware of its more advanced routers.

UPDATE:
I put the latest AiMesh beta firmware on RT-AC86U and the repeater function works!