RT-AC87U_3.0.0.4_378_6687 - Unofficial beta firmware

[raven-au]

No. I tried ALL the control channels. I just tried without WPA enabled (open system), same thing happens. Very weird. Now that you say the R7000 worked fine for you, I am starting to think it could be a problem on 5ghz with the second router too.

I have an R66U, EX7000, DIR-868L and an EA8500 all functioning fine on 5GHz and all in media bridge mode except for the EA8500 which is in wireless repeater mode. I only recently swapped out the R7000 with the EA8500.

Are you sure your passphrase is alphanumeric only, it's unlikely but it may make a difference just having a non-alphanumeric value set in nvram, even if it isn't used.

This was the only problem I had with media bridge mode to the R87U.

 

[MasterBash]

My passphrase is something like this : 1111xxx1111xxxx... So it should be fine.

Wireless Mode : Auto
Channel Bandwidth : 40mhz
Control Channel : 157
Authentication Method : WPA2-Personal
WPA Encryption : AES
Protected Management Frames : Disable
Network Key Rotation Interval : 3600

Set AP Isolated : No
Roaming assistant : Disable
Enable IGMP Snooping : Disable
DTIM Interval : 3
Beacon Interval : 100
IEEE 802.11h support : Disable
802.11ac Beamforming : Disable
Universal Beamforming : Disable
Tx power adjustment : 100%

When you say R66U, do you mean the N66U or AC66U? A family member's laptop does not seem to disconnect when used on 5ghz, but I will make sure to re-confirm that tomorrow to make sure this is right.

It connects, but when using pingplotter, I get packet loss every 30 secs to 2 minutes and any games I am currently playing, freezes. So it appears that it is disconnecting for a few seconds, which doesnt always show up in the wireless log.

I wonder if it means I should RMA it. I tried factory reset multiple times and I also tried to re-flash the firmware a few times too.

 

[raven-au]

I have an R66U, EX7000, DIR-868L and an EA8500 all functioning fine on 5GHz and all in media bridge mode except for the EA8500 which is in wireless repeater mode. I only recently swapped out the R7000 with the EA8500.

Are you sure your passphrase is alphanumeric only, it's unlikely but it may make a difference just having a non-alphanumeric value set in nvram, even if it isn't used.

This was the only problem I had with media bridge mode to the R87U.

Another thought, a long shot.

Twice now, when I've had strange problems with the 5GHz wireless and reset button reset should have worked, it hasn't.

But a WPS button reset did help, ie. hold down the WPS button, power on and continue holding it down until the power led blinks, then release it and wait until the device is fully booted up. A further reboot afterwards might also be a good idea.

 

[MasterBash]

So I just did all that again and I can confirm that I am having the exact same issue.

By the way, the laptop has the same issue but a lot less often. Probably once every 10 mins or something.

Hmm, should I go for a second RMA?

 

[MasterBash]

I kinda want to RMA, but at the same time... I tried for a few hours... It works when I use the AC87U as bridge connected to N66U... So its very weird. No idea what oculd be causing this.

 

[dfran1]

Just an update to my settings below with beamforming on both bands, 2 days 3 hours in, no drops in 5GHz, all is perfect, I set the SSID the same on both bands and my iphone is switching between the 2 just fine, playing movies to my samsung tv morning and night on the 5GHz no problems at all! IOS 8.4 was the cure besides the 6687 beta!

I am still testing this but these settings are pretty great so far, I am using 6687 beta, I am able to stream 720P movie on the 2.4GHz ~350+ feet from the router in two directions, the garage direction has a weak spot but is better now after these settings and no ios drops so far with the exception of the garage area. iPhone 6+ ios 8.3, tested also with wifi analyzer on my samsung note 10.1 1st gen.

I have the 2.4GHz beamforming on and beamforming on for 5GHz!
I also have no 2.4 or 5GHz guest networks enabled, as if I do enable the 2.4GHz guest network, my 2.4GHz network develops weakness and drops quicker.

2.4 band general
wireless mode = Auto optimize for xbox and b/g protection both unchecked
channel bandwidth = 20/40
control channel = 8
extension channel = Below
Authentication Method = WPA2- Personal
Protected management frames = Disable
Network Key Rotation Interval = 3600

2.4 band Professional
enable radio = yes
enable wireless scheduler = no
set AP Isolated = no
Roaming Assistant = Disable
Enable IGMP Snooping = Disable
Multicast Rate(Mbps) = Auto
Preamble Type = Short
AMPDU RTS = enable
RTS Threshold = 2347
DTIM interval = 1
Beacon Interval = 200
Enable TX Bursting = Enable
Enable WMM APSD = Disable
Reducing USB 3.0 Interference = Enable
Optimize AMPDU aggregation = Disable
Optimize ack suppression = Disable
Turbo Qam = Enable
Airtime Fairness = Enable
Explicit beamforming = Enable
Universal beamforming = Enable
TX power adjustment = 100%

5 GHz band general
wireless mode = Auto optimize for xbox unchecked
channel bandwidth = 80
control channel = 157
extension channel = Auto
Authentication Method = WPA2- Personal
Protected management frames = Disable
Network Key Rotation Interval = 3600

5GHz band Professional
enable radio = yes
enable wireless scheduler = no
set AP Isolated = no
Roaming Assistant = Disable
Enable IGMP Snooping = Disable
DTIM interval = 1
Beacon Interval = 200
IEEE 802.11h Support = Disable
802.11ac Beamforming = Enable
Universal Beamforming = Enable
TX power adjustment = 100%

All antennas pointing straight up.

You may need to adjust some for your own area, but so far this is working pretty great.

newegg has a refurbished rt-ac87u for $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...3015-Index-_-WirelessRouters-_-33320221-S2A8A

 

[cc666]

Just an update to my settings below with beamforming on both bands, 2 days 3 hours in, no drops in 5GHz, all is perfect, I set the SSID the same on both bands and my iphone is switching between the 2 just fine, playing movies to my samsung tv morning and night on the 5GHz no problems at all! IOS 8.4 was the cure besides the 6687 beta!

Is there any advantage of having both bands with the same name ans PW?

CC

 

[raven-au]

When you say R66U, do you mean the N66U or AC66U? A family member's laptop does not seem to disconnect when used on 5ghz, but I will make sure to re-confirm that tomorrow to make sure this is right.

LOL, oops!
That's AC66U, of course.

 

[dfran1]

Is there any advantage of having both bands with the same name ans PW?

CC

Yes IOS devices will switch automatically and pretty smoothly between the two . This way I don't have to manually do it . Now most devices will switch to 2.4 but from 2.4 to 5 with different SSID I always have to get it back to 5GHz manually as with the same SSID my iPhone will switch to it in the background whithout you knowing or disturbing you.

Other devices may do it also but my note10.1 1st gen will not , not that I care it does anyway .

 

[raven-au]

Wireless Mode : Auto
Channel Bandwidth : 40mhz

I'm not sure this should make any difference, I think the R7000 should just sync at at half the rate, but I usually set this to 80MHz. I mostly don't use auto either but IIRC that also worked. Oddly, I don't have problems connecting wireless a devices (that probably need 20 or 40MHz) with the 80MHz setting.

Maybe worth a try.

 

[MasterBash]

I'm not sure this should make any difference, I think the R7000 should just sync at at half the rate, but I usually set this to 80MHz. I mostly don't use auto either but IIRC that also worked. Oddly, I don't have problems connecting wireless a devices (that probably need 20 or 40MHz) with the 80MHz setting.

The only other option outside of Auto is N, so AC devices wont really get AC speed. However, I did try 80mhz too.

On a side note, I am still connected with my AC87U as bridge to the N66U as primary router, works fine, but I get random 200ms lag spike to the N66U, weird...

However, thats not a long term solution, I need to use my AC87U as primary router.

 

[Veldkornet]

I am positive, look for my previous posts, I copied the article and posted it, besides, my testing of it myself, "it has changed".
Apple did it very quietly as stated in my article I found.
Maybe they left discoveryd in for reasons, I don't know, but I have beamforming on and 4 days ago I tried it and all havoc broke loose, but after the update the only thing I changed was turn it back on in the 5GHz section and now it is perfect, nothing else changed.

Also before my iphone would switch faster between 2.4 and 5 GHz and now there is a huge difference, and the only thing I changed was IOS 8.4 (before and after I turned beamforming on).

Okay. Found your post, here, read it, don't see any mention of iOS 8.4 It's the same article that I was referring to. While I don't doubt that you may be getting better performance for another reason at the moment, it's not from the fix which is mentioned in the article around the removal of discoveryd.

So, on the bright side, your iOS network stability will only get better when iOS9 is released

 

[dfran1]

Okay. Found your post, here, read it, don't see any mention of iOS 8.4 It's the same article that I was referring to. While I don't doubt that you may be getting better performance for another reason at the moment, it's not from the fix which is mentioned in the article around the removal of discoveryd.

So, on the bright side, your iOS network stability will only get better when iOS9 is released

EDIT:
After flashing to the new beta 7010 and flashing back, I can no longer get my iPhone 6 + to function properly, it has random drops, so you must be right and 8.4 does not fix the wifi, this is very sad as apple should have...