Release RT-AC86U Version 3.0.0.4.384.82072

[punchsuckr]

Just a report about this fw with my earlier problems of 5ghz crashing (and possibly the same channel 0 problem), setting the channel to auto (on 149) it has been working fine for a week now.
No interruptions or unstable connection reports on hours of zoom/webex calls.
RAM usage is at 94% without aiprotection or qos, with 2x1TB disks attached but I guess that is just the cached RAM being reported.

 

[Robinbb]

Just a report about this fw with my earlier problems of 5ghz crashing (and possibly the same channel 0 problem), setting the channel to auto (on 149) it has been working fine for a week now.
No interruptions or unstable connection reports on hours of zoom/webex calls.
RAM usage is at 94% without aiprotection or qos, with 2x1TB disks attached but I guess that is just the cached RAM being reported.

The 5GHz issue has me baffled - just on one of my 86Us. Every trick in the book and I can’t get any life from it. But, strangely, the carrier is there ok ie my WiFi Scanner can see it OK - but the carrier is not modulating so the in-house speed test fails.
I am trying Whirlpool to see if there are any ideas there - there might have a different perspective.
Actually, maybe it is not such a big deal as my 2.4 is flying - helped by the 5 on the second 86U.

 

[tallytr]

2.4GHz is “flying”?
I only use 2.4 if I absolutely have to, mainly Sonos and IOT stuff, for everything else there is 5GHz, that router is great on the 5GHz band.

 

[Robinbb]

Maybe my idea of flying is wrong. On 2.4 I am averaging around 500 Mbps, which I am content with.
I would love to have 5, particularly since my scanner is not showing any other users in range. But, ever since moving to Asus, I have never been able to get reliable 5. My devices will latch onto 5 OK, but can’t communicate using it. One moment they might work, later the device either can’t see the router or think that the password is no longer valid.
I have given up now, enough firmware changes, factory resets, etc.
There seems to be an issue with the data handling - my scanner shows the basic carrier signal as reliably always present.

 

[LimJK]

Maybe my idea of flying is wrong. On 2.4 I am averaging around 500 Mbps, which I am content with.
I would love to have 5, particularly since my scanner is not showing any other users in range. But, ever since moving to Asus, I have never been able to get reliable 5. My devices will latch onto 5 OK, but can’t communicate using it. One moment they might work, later the device either can’t see the router or think that the password is no longer valid.
I have given up now, enough firmware changes, factory resets, etc.
There seems to be an issue with the data handling - my scanner shows the basic carrier signal as reliably always present.

Robinbb,
I recently got a Philips Internet Radio. It occasionally picks up the 5.0GHz band, but, always seem to fall back to the 2.4GHz band. After reading your post, I decided to experiment by Fixing my 5GHz band Control Channel to 36 (previously set on Auto) now Philips Internet Radio is on 5GHz band .
So for my case it is not the router's issue it is my Philips Internet Radio that support 5GHz band only on Channel 36 with a Bandwidth of 40MHz. Hope you resolve your 5.0GHz issue soon.

 

[bitsbytes]

Maybe my idea of flying is wrong. On 2.4 I am averaging around 500 Mbps, which I am content with.
I would love to have 5, particularly since my scanner is not showing any other users in range. But, ever since moving to Asus, I have never been able to get reliable 5. My devices will latch onto 5 OK, but can’t communicate using it. One moment they might work, later the device either can’t see the router or think that the password is no longer valid.
I have given up now, enough firmware changes, factory resets, etc.
There seems to be an issue with the data handling - my scanner shows the basic carrier signal as reliably always present.

the wrong password on the 5Ghz band is one of the symptoms of a hardware defect. That's how it started with me and many other ac86u owners here. Wrong passwords and flaky connections with low network speeds. Unfortunately the ac86u routers especially the ones made in 2018 have a high failure rate.

 

[Robinbb]

Thanks bitsbytes. I fear that you are correct - sadly I bought a Chinese model, so I have little comeback. Only a few months old.

 

[OzarkEdge]

The 5GHz issue has me baffled - just on one of my 86Us.

Sounds like a faulty 86U.

OE

 

[Siro]

Yea " Fixed static WAN IP connection issues" it helped a lot cuz i use this connection type and i feel a lot better connection right now. I had many talks in this forum about how its firmware fault and not my internet connection ( my connection is bad ) but when 1 router performs and other not its firmware i said when all pointed at user errors. At least after some time justice shows who was right . And let me repeat time and time again. When im sure about smth im never wrong. Its like 3:0 for me right now where people here on this forum were wrong and in the end i was right. So passing by to say that im happy that asus constantly fix bugs and remind u that all were wrong poiting user fault just i was always right like always when im sure about smth.

Good job and thanks for putting it out there that some of these people in this forum think they know everything and when ever they cant repeat the bug that it is a user error. Which sometimes is the case and sometimes is not the case. But they don't think theyre ever wrong. So its important that information gets out there so other users use process of elimination to determine if the error is users fault or the firmware to keep from wasting time.

 

[punchsuckr]

Working without problems now for nearly 6 weeks. Previously had issues around 5ghz channel 0 bug when using channel 36 or 40; it would cause problems within 5-6 days.
Settings that worked: Auto channel selection on both bands, dual band smart connect on.

 

[bitsbytes]

Working without problems now for nearly 6 weeks. Previously had issues around 5ghz channel 0 bug when using channel 36 or 40; it would cause problems within 5-6 days.
Settings that worked: Auto channel selection on both bands, dual band smart connect on.

wow, may I ask what features (Aiprotection, adaptive QoS....) are using/not using.

 

[punchsuckr]

wow, may I ask what features (Aiprotection, adaptive QoS....) are using/not using.

Qos is on in custom mode and Aiprotection is also on; no drives attached to the router.

 

[128bit]

Good job and thanks for putting it out there that some of these people in this forum think they know everything and when ever they cant repeat the bug that it is a user error. Which sometimes is the case and sometimes is not the case. But they don't think theyre ever wrong. So its important that information gets out there so other users use process of elimination to determine if the error is users fault or the firmware to keep from wasting time.

while grossly inppropriate, i truly wanted to let your comments go. i was hoping someone would respond and i could just "like" their comments. regrettably, the players rose above and ignored these comment. so, i'll have to be the *******!

first, some good ole fashioned "edumacation." this blog, if u will, is a service - a free one. participants are welcome to pay, but that's little more than a slight gratuity for the talent and general info archived here. i'm gonna go out on a limb, and wager that neither of u have made any contribution. keepin' it real, neither have i, k. here's my point, people are taking time to read and respond to issues from strangers, without any formal process for authentication, not to mention compensation from asus! they help based upon experience and a broad knowledge of this extremely complex environ known as networking.

so shame on u for those rude comments!

if u want to critique support, go to the manufacturer, and bitch at them! your negativity has no place here. it's clear that u don't get the mission of this blog or the fine people that take their personal time to assist us, simply because it's in their respective hearts! i personally abhor selfish behavior that fails to recognize anything other than self. could that be u?

while unlikely in this new age, an apology is the very least you can do. at best, i'd suggest reading a lot more, and criticizing no one but self for missing the big picture and mission of this forum. i do get it. u got some adverse advice. get over it, already. if anything, one could ask if there was more that u could've added to help folks understand how much in the way of problem determination u performed.

i've read this forum for months before signing up. i got to understand the quality of the responses and the dedication of the few for the many. to that end, i'm thankful and if u can't manage to get that, just bring your issues and criticisms to asus.. bottom line, wasn't it asus who ultimately had the bug? aren't they the ones with the staff and engineers that bear the ultimate responsibility? these guys here only tried to help..

 

[OzarkEdge]

i've read this forum for months before signing up. i got to understand the quality of the responses and the dedication of the few for the many. to that end, i'm thankful and if u can't manage to get that, just bring your issues and criticisms to asus.. bottom line, wasn't it asus who ultimately had the bug? aren;t they the ones with the staff and engineers that bear the ultimate responsibility? these guys here ony tried to help..

This may sound odd, but I'm encouraged knowing that Taiwan's response to the pandemic is the gold standard. I like that! Bravo, Asus and countrymen and women!

OE

 

[128bit]

This may sound odd, but I'm encouraged knowing that Taiwan's response to the pandemic is the gold standard. I like that! Bravo, Asus and countrymen and women!

OE

i "hear" ya. i've "explored" some asustek products over time; it was part of the job. most recently, i've bought a graphics card from them. they struggle with timely updates there as well, k. that said, and with my limited product knowledge, i'm quite pleased with the 86u and with my background in the industry, being pleased is rare!
i'm truly disappointed in some american brands, linksys & netgear come to mind. although founded in the us, their founders are of asian decent but asus is the better Q product in general. asustek is huge and overall, they have very good products and use very modern manufacturing processes.
like many, in this very competitive consumer retail world, they cut back on service. i won't hold that against them but instead of building new product which is way ahead of the industry, i.e. ax stuff, i'd like to see them spend more $$ fixing the existing stuff.
unless it breaks, the 86u will likely be my last router. 5g will likely make routers as necessary as a cassette tape or cd.

 

[OzarkEdge]

unless it breaks, the 86u will likely be my last router. 5g will likely make routers as necessary as a cassette tape or cd.

Someone here with better vision than mine will have to take this one on. All I can think to say is that I want to own my own network.

OE

 

[L&LD]

The 'last router' seems too final. 5G is still a glint on the horizon. Even when it arrives, as @OzarkEdge alludes too, it doesn't make sense past mobile clients for at least another 10 years and probably many more.

 

[128bit]

The 'last router' seems too final. 5G is still a glint on the horizon. Even when it arrives, as @OzarkEdge alludes too, it doesn't make sense past mobile clients for at least another 10 years and probably many more.

i "hear" ya but i respectfully disagree. IT'S already HERE!! granted, it's in an embryonic phase but, in 2 years, i suspect it will be fully implemented in larger cities. why do u think cisco gave up linksys years ago? they could've easily taken it to new levels.
t-mobile has bet the farm on it while huawei is the current king. there's a reason why our gov't (usa) is on their butt, k. this wireless tech will rule and very soon.

why do u think apple (very conservative) has every new i-12 with 5g? some isps have plans in place to put boxes on every other lamp post. a huge investment!! why do u think google pretty much gave up on fiber. c'mon guys, follow the $$. t-mobile wants to usurp verison. it's an exciting time. still have doubts? check out t-mobile's stock - it's crazy.

 

[RMerlin]

Right now, the biggest mobile package you can get here in Canada is about 10 GB of monthly traffic. And the average speed will depend on how far from your closest radio you are, and how many subscribers are sharing it (don`t forget that radio airwaves ave a shared medium).

Mobile 5G isn't going to replace regular routers anytime soon. Asia is moving into 2 Gbps Internet connections (and a few areas are even trialing 10 Gbps). You will never get anywhere close to that over radio.

The world is moving toward FTTH (with DOCSIS still having certain benefits in various areas). North America is lagging years behind what is currently happening in Asia, so to see what the future holds around here, check out what`s going on there at the moment.

5G might look really hot right now, but that's because people using it are pretty much alone on their whole network segment. Remember how LTE used to be just as overhyped when it first launched. Try to get anywhere close to the 300 Mbps that LTE+ can already offer while sitting at home. Here, if I stand close to roughly where my local node is, I can get 70 Mbps at most, standing on that street corner.

If your LTE+ is giving you 1/10th of what the standard can offer, transpose that ratio to the hyped 5G speed rates. Now try picturing instead of having people using their phone just to download their email if 20 persons in your area were currently pushing things to the limit while downloading the latest Windows Feature Update.

 

[anotherengineer]

Right now, the biggest mobile package you can get here in Canada is about 10 GB of monthly traffic. And the average speed will depend on how far from your closest radio you are, and how many subscribers are sharing it (don`t forget that radio airwaves ave a shared medium).

Mobile 5G isn't going to replace regular routers anytime soon. Asia is moving into 2 Gbps Internet connections (and a few areas are even trialing 10 Gbps). You will never get anywhere close to that over radio.

The world is moving toward FTTH (with DOCSIS still having certain benefits in various areas). North America is lagging years behind what is currently happening in Asia, so to see what the future holds around here, check out what`s going on there at the moment.

5G might look really hot right now, but that's because people using it are pretty much alone on their whole network segment. Remember how LTE used to be just as overhyped when it first launched. Try to get anywhere close to the 300 Mbps that LTE+ can already offer while sitting at home. Here, if I stand close to roughly where my local node is, I can get 70 Mbps at most, standing on that street corner.

If your LTE+ is giving you 1/10th of what the standard can offer, transpose that ratio to the hyped 5G speed rates. Now try picturing instead of having people using their phone just to download their email if 20 persons in your area were currently pushing things to the limit while downloading the latest Windows Feature Update.

To further what Merlin has said, anyone with a fast connection will know, most bottlenecks aren't the connection itself but the line inbetween or the servers you want to pull from.

I tried a 300Mbps cable line as a 3 month trial, and only steam and speed tests could max it. Download and update from MS or nvidia or other large company and on avg it would hit about 150 Mbps, and small companies a lot of times wouldn't hit 50Mbps. (downloading drivers, or other large files, etc.)

While I am all for faster speeds there are a lot of other bottlenecks that kind of make them moot. As for now I am on a 100Mbps cable connection, because anything faster is into diminishing returns for the use that I use it for. They are nice to have in theory, but it's kinda like owning a sportscar, there are still speed limits on the roads.

And wow this thread is right off the rails