Solved RT-AC87U questions

[SecCon]

I know you no longer support this device, but please read my post regardless....

originally this router handled my network a few years ago, but since the network grew and doubled the amount of devices, I bought a new cabled Router with way better performance and demoted the RT-AC87U to a WiFi AP Mode only. Works excellent as such. But.

I had to put my old RT-AC87U back in charge of my network since my "better" LAN Router died, up till now I only used the RT-AC87U as WiFi AP, but suddenly it has to do a lot more in a LAN with about 100 devices and it is running pretty hard trying to cope with everything. But it works. I was wondering if your FW would provide any performance and monitoring benefits so I can keep a better eye on it while I get a new LAN Router. FW RT-AC87U_384.13_10.trx then.

You list several performance improvements here Features | Asuswrt-Merlin, and that looks very fine indeed, but are those present in the unsupported FW? RT-AC87U_384.13_10.trx ?

 

[SecCon]

In addition to above I also have two bugs with default FW (latest).
1. WAN says no Internet connection, but all devices have Internet connection.
2. Clock is not working properly, despite attempts to correct it, even via CLI.

I am hoping Merlin might be able to mitigate this?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I suggest you don't use the Merlin firmware, it's too old and missing a lot of security updates. The only "performance" benefit you might get is if you were routing all your traffic through its VPN client.

In addition to above I also have two bugs with default FW (latest).
1. WAN says no Internet connection, but all devices have Internet connection.
2. Clock is not working properly, despite attempts to correct it, even via CLI.

I am hoping Merlin might be able to mitigate this?

By "default" I guess you mean stock Asus firmware, 3.0.0.4.382.52545?

1. Have you factory reset the router and set it up again from scratch manually (not importing an old backup file)?

2. I found that using the default NTP server of pool.ntp.org was very unreliable and often led to the problem you're seeing. I haven't had a problem since I started using time.google.com.

N.B. Both 1 and 2 require the router to have a fully functional WAN DNS. If you have changed these go back to the default (automatic) servers. If you're already using the default WAN DNS servers try using 1.1.1.1 and 9.9.9.9 instead.

 

[SecCon]

Thanks Colin,

No change to Merlin, worse security, noted. No, not using any VPN.

Yes, that's the Asus FW I am on.

1. Yes. No import.

2. OK, trying that.

The WAN DNS is , or should be, dynamically updated by ISP, but I can try those for a while. The WAN is Automatic, neither PPOE or PPTP or any of those.

 

[SecCon]

Actually an additional reset to factory settings did the trick. Must have missed something in the previous one...

 

[L&LD]

Many times, more than one reset (via the reset button, WPS button, or via the GUI) is very effective at getting an older router back to a good/known state. Glad you got your router working again on your own.

 

[SecCon]

Yeah, I know... been a while though... now I have to figure out OPNSense to eventually replace it
Scanning these and other boards for info and impressions.

 

[John35]

What ever happened about the fork of Merlin some 3rd parties had added a couple of important security patches to (about a year ago)? That seemed to spring to life and then go quiet, but they did have a ROM image.
Ah, found it: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/fork-384-13-builds.72845/
Which I assume is one of two possible firmware choices along with the similarly-dated 3.0.0.4.382.52545 from https://www.asus.com/uk/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-Routers/ASUS-WiFi-Routers/RTAC87U/HelpDesk_BIOS/

 

[SecCon]

Very interesting.
While I am perhaps a week or so away from implementing my OPNSense combined Router and FW, I am keeping the Asus a while as AP, so perhaps well worth the "upgrade".

Thanks @John35 .