RT-AC87U problem with Macbook Pro

[zaxcom]

I have a 2011 Macbook Pro that is having problems connecting to the 5Ghz network. It will connect and stay up for a little while and then drop the network and will not reconnect even though it can see that the 5Ghz signal is still there.

I have no issues with any of my other devices that connect to the 5Ghz, including an iMac, 2 iPhones and 2 iPads. The other devices stay connected even after the Macbook drops.

The only solution when this happens is to reboot the router and reconnect, but it drops again soon.

I run the router at 80Mhz with Auto Mode and Auto Channel selection.

MU-MMU is off, Explicit Beamforming is on, Universal Beamforming if off.

Any ideas?

 

[joegreat]

I suggest to go back to 40 MHz on 5G and 20 MHz on 2.4G - plus use a fixed channel (no Auto) in the lower range for 5G - 2.4 does not matter the channel no. but should be the least busy one (if you have neighbors).

With this setup my newer iDevices (>=2015) have no issues to connect and run like a charm!

If this simple approach does not help you should update to the newest firmware (like the one from Merlin or standard Asus) then do a factory reset and reconfigure the router manually from scratch - do not play around with the professional tab of the wireless settings as the default settings there are the best!

I assume your Mac is on the latest OS version - as the older ones had known issues with non-Apple routers...

 

[zaxcom]

2.4 band is at 20Mhz, Auto. No issues with the 2.4, only the 5Ghz. I will try going to 40Mhz on the 5Ghz tonight.

 

[sfx2000]

Is the region setting in the 87U appropriate for your location?

Macs are a bit sensitive to this...

 

[zaxcom]

Where are the region settings?

 

[Beherit]

Neither the Macbook Air (2013) nor the iPad 4 we got here at home will work if the 5 GHz WiFi band is using channels not supported by Apple's products.

It could be that your Macbook connects when the router is using a lower channel and then disconnects whenever the router auto-switches to a higher channel not supported by the Macbook.

I don't remember the exact channels that don't work, but try a fixed channel above 40 and below 100 to see if it solves the issue.

 

[sfx2000]

Macs are global as a client - but they take hints on the region based on a lot of inputs...

WiFi triangulation thru location services... this is to set the local timezone, since Macs don't have a GPS or a 3G radio...

And then we have 802.11d info that might be found on adjacent AP's - which is an odd thing, but it happens...

http://www.mikealbano.com/2014/03/80211d-why-you-care.html

This blog post is pretty interesting in that an neighboring network that was not set appropriately impact his network...

 

[sfx2000]

And there's also the long standing issue with how Asus handles 802.11h - for that, see the sticky - but these days, that option might not be available.

Honestly - if you're on a Mac - Asus probably isn't the first AP/Router of choice, as they've typically been pretty Apple hostile here... not just for WiFi, but for Airplay and AirPrint services...

I find it pretty difficult to recommend Asus Wifi gear for anyone that has Macs, iPhones, Apple TV's, or printers that support AirPrint - seems like Asus tries to go out of their way to break things there....

I'm not sure why - but we don't see this kind of behavior from other vendors...

 

[Beherit]

I'm not sure why - but we don't see this kind of behavior from other vendors...

I beg to differ. I was first made aware of this long before I had any ASUS router. I had many phone calls to my ISP's technical support about why their brand new router, which they bragged about was the fastest and most compatible on the market, would flat out refuse to work for me on the 5 GHz WiFi band with Apple products.

I've had the exact same problem with all routers from Compal, Technicolor, Zyxel and Netgear. No exceptions. Changing regional settings doesn't help, which was the only suggestion all my past three ISP's had as a potential solution. They did say they were aware of this problem with "some Macbook models".

I still have the same problem to this day with my Macbook Air 2013 upgraded to the latest OS X, only thing that works is setting a fixed 5 GHz channel below channel 100 and above 40.

 

[joegreat]

I've had the exact same problem with all routers from Compal, Technicolor, Zyxel and Netgear. No exceptions. Changing regional settings doesn't help, which was the only suggestion all my past three ISP's had as a potential solution. They did say they were aware of this problem with "some Macbook models".

Hmm, ... What shall we say when people blame other vendors for their non compliant Apple products...!?

 

[zaxcom]

Neither the Macbook Air (2013) nor the iPad 4 we got here at home will work if the 5 GHz WiFi band is using channels not supported by Apple's products.

It could be that your Macbook connects when the router is using a lower channel and then disconnects whenever the router auto-switches to a higher channel not supported by the Macbook.

I don't remember the exact channels that don't work, but try a fixed channel above 40 and below 100 to see if it solves the issue.

Here in the US you can't use any channel above 48 or below 149. My router is locked on 149. My iPhones and iPads have no issues with 5Ghz, just my MacBook Pro which is running Sierra.

I did turn off beam forming last night and the connection held for 12 hours until just as I was typing this and then it failed and I can't get it back, Had to switch to 2.4Ghz to finish this post.

 

[zaxcom]

I found something interesting, the MacBook will stay connected if I put the router on channel 36 but if I put the router on channel 161 it will drop in a matter of minutes. I confirmed the same behavior using a Netgear router so this is not an ASUS problem.

Now trying channel 149 to see if it holds.

 

[zaxcom]

I suspect I have an 802.11d problem. A scan of active wifi in the area shows several routers that are not advertising their country code and could be set to the wrong region. My greatest suspicion is a network called Viruses R Us that is running on a Technicolor router. Never heard of this brand and the SSID alone gives me pause.

 

[zaxcom]

Well it held longer on 149, but eventually dropped. I can stay on 36 with no drops. So even though the signal level on 36 is a but lower I will live with it.

 

[sfx2000]

Hmm, ... What shall we say when people blame other vendors for their non compliant Apple products...!?

Most of the issues with Macs and iDevices seem to be related to Asus...

Might be anything - but lots of smoke here suggests there is a fire...

 

[kvic]

Most of the issues with Macs and iDevices seem to be related to Asus...

I can't tell where people get this notion. Personally I never have issues between Apple and Asus. To my surprise, a 3rd-gen Apple TV keeps connected for more than 172 days i.e. since my RT-AC56U was last rebooted:

I couldn't find an excuse to retire it yet..

 

[scjr]

Well it held longer on 149, but eventually dropped. I can stay on 36 with no drops. So even though the signal level on 36 is a but lower I will live with it.

I know this is an old post, but I have this issue with my iPad Pro 10.5.

If I use any of the higher channels, 153, 157, etc. I suffer random disconnects or it I appears connected, but the Rx/Tx in router shows a very low value and is stuck there. Example: 14/13. Pages load like I’m on dial up. If I turn WiFi off/on in iPad, it corrects itself until the next event. I’ve tested this extensively.

If I use channel 44 or any lower channels, I stay connected for days. No issues. I reported this to Apple and Asus. Unsure where the problem is, but since turning the iPad off/on temporarily fixes it on high channels, I’m wondering if it’s an Apple issue?