RT-AC87R Headaches with 5 GHz Bridging

[rredline]

I hope someone can help. I've become extremely frustrated with my situation, enough so that I registered an account on this site just to post this!

Several days ago, I purchased two RT-AC87R routers with the intent to set up one as my main router in my home, and the other as a bridge (media bridge mode) so that I can keep my Plex server in another room and out of site. Running ethernet isn't an option (nor is 802.11n), so I thought I would give the latest and greatest 802.11ac a shot.

After upgrading the firmware on both units to the latest on Asus's site (3.0.0.4.376_2678), I successfully set one up as my main router, and the other in media bridge mode over the 5 GHz radio. I was very impressed with the speeds sending files back and forth over the bridge (averaging 85-90 MBps, and reaching over 100 at times).

After several days of use, I noticed the following behavior. After a long period of inactivity (sometimes just an hour or so), the transfer speeds would drop considerably to around 15 MBps. The interface on the bridged unit would still report that it was connected at up to 1300 mbps, but clearly something was wrong. The speed would remain low until I either rebooted the main router, or rebooted the bridge. Rebooting either unit immediately fixed it (after the million years of waiting for the 5 GHz radios to come back online).

I tried transposing the two units (made the router the bridge, and the bridge the router), but the problem persisted. I exchanged one of the units for a new one, but that didn't fix it. I returned the other one and made the replaced unit my main router, and I set up my Netgear R7000 as a bridge thinking everything would be fine...but the problem still creeps up. After a certain amount of time, the connection drops down to 15-19 MBps. After a reboot of either the RT-AC87U router, or the R7000 bridge, I am back to ~70-80 MBps transfers. After a while, though, I am back to the lower speeds until another reboot of one of the units.

Clearly, the problem is with the RT-AC87R/U hardware or firmware. I really, really want to love these things, but I've wasted hours trying to get this sorted out. I have scoured the Internet, and while a lot of people have reported problems, I haven't come across anyone reporting quite the same issue that I am experiencing.

Is this a known issue with the 5 GHz radio? Will it be fixed in a firmware update? I am tempted to return the remaining unit I kept because I don't want it if it's not eventually going to work properly. I can live with it if I knew I could expect the issue to be fixed in the near future with firmware.

Thanks for any insight in advance.

 

[twalls]

Just out of curiosity, what primary 5 GHz channel are you using? What made me wonder this is you mentioned the long delay in the wireless starting up. It almost sounds like you're using a DFS channel, and my understanding is that it has to check for interfering signals from weather radars, etc. before giving the go ahead to allow a connection. If you're on a DFS channel, it might help to force it to use one of the top four channels or bottom four channels (at least in the US). Top four channels (148, 153, 157, & 161) would be preferred since they can use higher power. Also, do you know what channels neighboring 5 GHz networks are using (as well as other possible sources of interference like cordless phones, etc.)?

 

[rredline]

Just out of curiosity, what primary 5 GHz channel are you using? What made me wonder this is you mentioned the long delay in the wireless starting up. It almost sounds like you're using a DFS channel, and my understanding is that it has to check for interfering signals from weather radars, etc. before giving the go ahead to allow a connection. If you're on a DFS channel, it might help to force it to use one of the top four channels or bottom four channels (at least in the US). Top four channels (148, 153, 157, & 161) would be preferred since they can use higher power. Also, do you know what channels neighboring 5 GHz networks are using (as well as other possible sources of interference like cordless phones, etc.)?

I have tried multiple channels. I've also checked for other radios in my neighborhood, and there is only one other one on 5 GHz and barely detectable.

I tested it with the bridge only ten feet from the router, and it's the same thing. Ugh.

 

[rredline]

As of now, when I copy files to a share on the server connected to the bridge (the R7000) from my main PC (hard-wired to RT-AC87R), it caps out at 20 MBps. When I copy the other direction, I get 80+ MBps. Curiously, I am getting approximately one-quarter speed in one direction using a 4x4 router. Coincidence?

I've had this behavior on three different combinations of RT-AC87R-to-RT-AC8R, and now my RT-AC87R-to-R7000 setup. I also tried moving the R7000 to another location last night, but the problem was back this morning.

If I reboot either unit, it will go back to 80+ MBps in both directions, but only for a while before the problem eventually comes back.

I can't believe nobody else has experienced this same issue? Is it even possible that there is a hardware problem with all three units I received from Best Buy? It seems incredibly unlikely.

 

[rredline]

Last night, I upgraded the RT-AC78R to the newly released firmware version 3.0.0.4.376_2769. I did some test file transfers over the bridge (R7000) this morning, and my speeds were still normal (80+ MB/sec in both directions). I had never made it overnight without the problem coming back, so I thought that the newer firmware had fixed the issue.

However, earlier this afternoon (about fifteen hours later), the problem was back. I could only get 26 MB/sec in one direction, and 20 MB/sec the other.

On a hunch, I decided to leave the RT-AC87R and R7000 alone, and instead rebooted the PC on the other end of the R7000 bridge. My speeds went back to normal. Ugh. What is going on? I read that there are some issues with Intel network adapters and the RT-AC87, but I assumed that that would only be the Intel wireless client adapters. The motherboard on my server has an Intel network adapter. Could this issue extend to Intel gigabit adapters as well, even when connected to an R7000 which is bridged to the RT-AC87?

 

[toor]

I do notice issues with the 5Ghz sometimes. I notice freezes to connectivity.

While doing just normal work on my laptop through RDP and pinging the laptop, I noticed this happening probably every couple of minutes. I notice spikes and even drop outs, if i connect to the 2Ghz connection, I dont see it happening. I am running an Intel Wireless-AC 7260 driver vers. 17.1.0.19

Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=104ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=72ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=120ms TTL=128
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.69: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=128

 

[MadHolms]

I do have actually the same problem as the topic starter. When it works I have a very good speed, like in high 80s, but after some standby time the connection would drop completely and when I try to open the web-interface for the bridge router it says
"Settings have been updated. Web page will now refresh. ... " but obviously nobody changed any settings, and that page would stay forever till I restart the main router.
Pretty annoying.

Are there any solutions for this.