RT-AC86U with MerlinASUSWRT 386.1_2 crashing when adding HP WIFI printer

[PT25]

Hi all,

I'm trying to learn the basics of router and firmware configs, I've been watching this forum intently and you are all great mentors I've come across my first issues that I cannot figure out and thought it was time to join and ask for help. I have successfully put Merlin's 386.1_2 on my RT-AC86U and it runs fine until I start adding devices, it then crashes and goes in to an endless boot loop cycle. Through the process of elimination I have discovered that it is a HP Envy 4520 WIFI printer that is causing it to crash. When all other devices are connected there is no issues, however as soon as I connect the HP Printer the router crashes and the boot loop cycle starts. If I reset the printer/turn if off the router boots up fine. This has blown my mind a some as I am out of my depth with this one.

To add some detail, I followed the excellent guides on performing a Nuclear reset on the router and then doing the M&M config as part of going from stock to Merlin. I also have two DSL-AC68U routers running the latest GNuton firmware in AiMesh set up and it all works perfectly until I add this printer. This issue still happens with no AiMesh setup, so I think I have ruled that out. I never had this happen before with stock firmware.

I've attached one of the crash logs from when it happens, none of it really makes sense to me, but I would love to understand if there is something really sinister going on.

Thanks

 

[heysoundude]

there's no ethernet port on the printer? why not use it if there is one?
your router/mesh and neighbours will thank you for clearing up the local airwaves once you do and turn the printer's wireless off. It'll also put your printer behind whatever network protections you're running and close off a potential wireless security hole into your home network.
doesn't answer your question, I know...but in a way it does. (wifi/networking problem? not anymore - not with signal passing through good ol' copper!)
I have an HP officejet (2nd one, actually), and all the problems I had cleared up for me with one simple cable. YMMV.

 

[PT25]

there's no ethernet port on the printer? why not use it if there is one?
your router/mesh and neighbours will thank you for clearing up the local airwaves once you do and turn the printer's wireless off. It'll also put your printer behind whatever network protections you're running and close off a potential wireless security hole into your home network.
doesn't answer your question, I know...but in a way it does. (wifi/networking problem? not anymore - not with signal passing through good ol' copper!)
I have an HP officejet (2nd one, actually), and all the problems I had cleared up for me with one simple cable. YMMV.

Thanks for your suggestion Unfortunately my printer doesn't have an ethernet port, but even if it did it isn't anywhere close to a LAN connection. Thats why I went for a WIFI printer. Thanks though

 

[skeal]

Thanks for your suggestion Unfortunately my printer doesn't have an ethernet port, but even if it did it isn't anywhere close to a LAN connection. Thats why I went for a WIFI printer. Thanks though

Is it 2.4 or 5G and does it have any hard coded ip addressing already set in it? Can you reset the printer to defaults?

 

[itpp20]

On the HP turn Wi-Fi Direct off

 

[skeal]

Have you tried connecting the printer via WPS?

 

[PT25]

To answer all the above, I have reset the printer to factory defaults for both normal settings and network settings several times and it still causes the issue. It is always set as DHCP as I set the static IP in the router. WIFI Direct has always been disabled as I have no need for it. I believe the printer only connects on 2.4

Thanks,

 

[skeal]

Try connecting your printer to a hotspot on your phone or something like that and see if it crashes the phone. Have you tried connecting the printer as a single device, nothing else connected, does it still crash? It sounds like a hard conflict for the router, something the printer passes the router messes it up. I think it's a printer issue.

 

[skeal]

To answer all the above, I have reset the printer to factory defaults for both normal settings and network settings several times and it still causes the issue. It is always set as DHCP as I set the static IP in the router. WIFI Direct has always been disabled as I have no need for it. I believe the printer only connects on 2.4

Thanks,

WiFi direct may be enabled by default, when resetting the router to defaults you would have had to turn WiFi direct off again.

 

[JFlynnXYZ]

I had this exact issue happen to me: same router, firmware and printer is HP ENVY 4502. After trying some usual things (blocking internet access to the printer, assign it an ip, resetting the printer, disabling Wireless Direct and making sure firmware was up-to-date on the printer) I managed to fix it by disabling my 2.4Ghz Guest Network. After I disabled that it worked fine. My guest network was configured to have WPA2-Personal authentication, Unlimited Access but Intranet access was disabled. Interesting thing was as soon as I enabled Intranet access to the guest network the crash stopped happening. Is the printer asking to be accessible to the guest network, causing a crash, even when it is connecting to the main wifi? I'm going to try updating the firmware and see if that fixes it.

Tip: If you are having trouble getting to your admin page from the disconnects I suggest disabling your WiFi radio with the hardware switch and disabling the guest network after that. Then you can just re-enable either by pressing the button again or going into the Wireless -> Professional settings and turning the radio on.