RT-AC86U WAN Aggregation support in Merlin

[hullio]

Tried finding a solution but not much luck. It appears the default firmware from Asus on the RT-AC86U support WAN Aggregation (WAN Port and LAN 4). However, in Merlin not finding this option. I am running 384.19. Is this planned in a future release? I'd hate to go back to the stock Asus firmware, love Merlin. Thanks.

 

[L&LD]

After flashing 384.19_0, did you do a full reset to factory defaults, including checking the 'Initialize all settings...' check button?

Afterward, did you check the 'Format the JFFS partition on the next reboot' button, then hit 'Apply' at the bottom of the page, and then proceed to reboot the router 3 times in the next 15 minutes. Waiting 5 or 10 minutes between each reboot?

New M&M 2020

The link above may help too.

 

[hullio]

Hmmm, I know I had to do an exhaustive procedure for the upgrade. Let me re-run and get back to you.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't think the RT-AC86U supports WAN aggregation.

[WAN] How to enable WAN Aggregation on ASUS router? | Official Support | ASUS Global

 

[L&LD]

Yes, it does in Load Balance mode.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Yes, it does in Load Balance mode.

Isn't that just the normal Dual-WAN support rather than WAN aggregation (802.3ad)? I remember that WAN aggregation was added to some models in a firmware update but couldn't remember which ones.

 

[CaptnDanLKW]

Never seen it on either of my AC86U. Last m&m redo was 384_15. Still on _19 for a few more days. This weekend gets 386 whatever state it’s in.

 

[L&LD]

What is the difference?

 

[hullio]

I followed the procedure linked about. Detailed steps below. No luck in enabling a WAN aggregation feature. Opened a ticket with Asus as it looks like the AX line is supported but not the AC line of routers.
1. Formatted the JFFS partition on the next boot (click the box and make sure you hit 'Apply' before rebooting the router at least twice in 10 minutes, waiting 5 minutes between boots).
2. After allowing the router to settle after the last reboot above for at least 5 minutes, Reset the firmware to factory defaults and make sure you select the 'Initialize all settings button...' before doing so.
-- As a note had to recreate router profile to be able to log in again.
3. When the router reboots, reflash the firmware I downloaded and verified.
4. Repeat the last three steps above to make sure the router is fully reset and is using its expected defaults on the firmware you want to use.
a. Formatted the JFFS partition on the next boot, rebooted the router through the Web GUI
b. Waited 5 minutes, rebooted with a hard cycle by removing power.
c. Waited 5 minutes, selected Restore to Factory Default with "Initialize All Setting" Selected
d. Waited 5 minutes, held the reset button on the router for at least 10 seconds to clear everything out

After this rebooted I recreated my router profile. No WAN Aggregation Support.

 

[L&LD]

Just a note, you did the reset wrong if the steps above are accurate.

See @ColinTaylor's response (above) and mine after.

What is the difference between WAN Aggregation and DUAL WAN in Balance mode? I don't think there is any practical difference.

 

[hullio]

When Dual WAN is enabled it looks for 2 different sources from the ISP. When I turn it on my cable modem has LAG (Link Aggregation) one. The Router complain about the "2nd" ISP unable to provide an IP address. So in summary Dual WAN wants 2 different ISPs / mediums to connect where WAN Aggregation bonds the channels with a single IP.

 

[L&LD]

Thank you for the explanation.

So WAN aggregation is just LAGG then.

 

[ColinTaylor]

So WAN aggregation is just LAGG then.

Yes, specifically the 802.3ad standard.

BTW there's only one "G" in LAG (link aggregation group).

 

[L&LD]

Interface Types and Configuration — LAGG (Link Aggregation) | pfSense Documentation (netgate.com)

Which is correct?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Interface Types and Configuration — LAGG (Link Aggregation) | pfSense Documentation (netgate.com)

Which is correct?

I would say that pfSense is being slightly misleading because they are referring to the FreeBSD "lagg" (lower case) interface. Using "LAGG" (upper case) implies to me that it's an acronym which AFAIK it isn't.

I guess pfSense felt that they had to capitalize it otherwise it looks odd next to their other interface options (which are acronyms) like L2TP or PPPoE.

https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/network-aggregation.html

So to my mind "lagg" is the name of the FreeBSD interface/package whereas "LAG" is a generic acronym for all types of link aggregation group regardless of the specific operating system or method.

Side note: Because Asus routers use Linux rather than FreeBSD they use the "bonding" driver rather than "lagg". So the Asus interface name would be bond0.

 

[L&LD]

LAG, it is then! Thank you.

 

[MattM]

@L&LD

Have you ever resolved the matter of enabling WAN-LinkAggregation on the AC86U ?

I am looking into WAN-LinkAggregation for the newer AX86U (ASUS officially advertising WAN LinkAggregation on the WAN), but for my setup the mode is not the one that I am after.
I happen to also have an AC86U that I have startted using in Ai-Mesh node mode so if you were eventually successfull it might reveal some information that I could use to change from Mode#4 to Mode#0 on my AX86U.

Here is the post where I recently posted my "issue":
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ax88u-wan-aggregation-using-merlin-firmware.56296/post-762807

 

[L&LD]

I've never needed this option.

I would suspect that this needs to be supported by the ISP (and/or with additional commercial grade equipment).

 

[MattM]

I've never needed this option.

I would suspect that this needs to be supported by the ISP (and/or with additional commercial grade equipment).

Thanks.

In this particular case the ISP modem itself is already in a mode that supports LinkAgg but only in Mode#0 (balance-rr)
Mode#4 (802.3ad) is not supported.

Many people had success with the Mikrotik RouterOS products (fork of Linux) where choosing the Bonding mode to #0 was made easy....