RT-AC88U Internet Problem: ISP's DHCP did not function properly.

[cowboy]

I have a AC88U Router with the newest Asuswrt-Merlin Firmware 386.3_2 running.

Yesterday evening I lost internet connection. I was thinking it was because of the bad weather. But today I realized that my neighbors have internet. So I started checking my router.

The error message of my router states:

WAN_Connection: ISP's DHCP did not function properly.

After hours of trying I could not fix the error. Therfore I decided to reset my modem and afterwards my router too. But still the router is not working.

I tried a different router (old Netgear) and the internet works. So the problem is somewhere withing my RT AC88U router.
The modem is in bridge mode.

The last changes I made on the router were more than 5 months ago. So I don't get it why sudently this problem.

Does any one have a suggestion?

 

[L&LD]

It's impossible to not have changed anything more than 5 months ago.

The firmware is only 52 days old.

When was the last time you did a full reset to factory defaults? It may be time to do so now.

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

 

[arewhy]

I had the same issue with Spectrum and initially thought that my AC88U router was going bad. Like you I connected my old router which was a D-Link and it had no issue. Just for the heck of it, I reconnected the AC88U and entered the MAC address from the D-Link router into the MAC address field on the WAN tab. To my amazement, I immediately got an IP address and was up and running. Armed with this information, I called Spectrum and explained that I wasn't getting an IP when using the AC88U's real MAC but had no issue when with using another MAC on the same router. After a few minutes on hold the agent had me reboot the cable modem and then my router and everything was fine. The agent also had me change the DHCP query frequency from Aggressive Mode to Normal Mode, which is also on the WAN tab and I haven't had an issue since.

 

[cowboy]

It's impossible to not have changed anything more than 5 months ago.

The firmware is only 52 days old.

When was the last time you did a full reset to factory defaults? It may be time to do so now.

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

I did reset my router. But not as described in your post. I actually pressed the reset button on the back of the router for 15 seconds and my router rebooted and all the settings were gone.
Is this not enough?

 

[cowboy]

I had the same issue with Spectrum and initially thought that my AC88U router was going bad. Like you I connected my old router which was a D-Link and it had no issue. Just for the heck of it, I reconnected the AC88U and entered the MAC address from the D-Link router into the MAC address field on the WAN tab. To my amazement, I immediately got an IP address and was up and running. Armed with this information, I called Spectrum and explained that I wasn't getting an IP when using the AC88U's real MAC but had no issue when with using another MAC on the same router. After a few minutes on hold the agent had me reboot the cable modem and then my router and everything was fine. The agent also had me change the DHCP query frequency from Aggressive Mode to Normal Mode, which is also on the WAN tab and I haven't had an issue since.

I changed the DHCP query to normal mode. But that did not help.
I will connect the old router again and check the settings and check the MAC address. Then I will try your method. Maybe I will request a new modem from my ISP.

 

[cowboy]

I had the same issue with Spectrum and initially thought that my AC88U router was going bad. Like you I connected my old router which was a D-Link and it had no issue. Just for the heck of it, I reconnected the AC88U and entered the MAC address from the D-Link router into the MAC address field on the WAN tab. To my amazement, I immediately got an IP address and was up and running. Armed with this information, I called Spectrum and explained that I wasn't getting an IP when using the AC88U's real MAC but had no issue when with using another MAC on the same router. After a few minutes on hold the agent had me reboot the cable modem and then my router and everything was fine. The agent also had me change the DHCP query frequency from Aggressive Mode to Normal Mode, which is also on the WAN tab and I haven't had an issue since.

I tried you suggestion above. I put the old router and it is working. Than I took the Mac address and copied it in the Asus under the Wan settings. But still it is not working.

This seems to be some kind of bug.

I don't know what else to try.

 

[john9527]

@cowboy
Last thing to try.....power off both the modem and router for about 30min. Then power up the modem and let it sync, then the router. Some ISPs 'remember' things about the attached equipment, and taking everything offline for 15-30min is usually enough time to force a reset.

 

[Vexira]

have you tried dhcp continuous mode under wan, instead of normal or aggressive?

 

[cowboy]

have you tried dhcp continuous mode under wan, instead of normal or aggressive?

Yes I tried that now. But unfortunately also no improvements.

 

[cowboy]

@cowboy
Last thing to try.....power off both the modem and router for about 30min. Then power up the modem and let it sync, then the router. Some ISPs 'remember' things about the attached equipment, and taking everything offline for 15-30min is usually enough time to force a reset.

I tried that too. Did leave the modem overnight closed. Then turned on modem and after 10 minutes the router. Still the same problem.

 

[Vexira]

Yes I tried that now. But unfortunately also no improvements.

It should work, have you copied the Mac address of the isp unit into the Mac clone field?

With continuous enabled?

 

[L&LD]

Asus themselves state that the Reset button method may not fully reset the router. I stopped using that method to reset routers an awfully long time ago. The proper WPS Button method for your specific router is what I would suggest.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

If following the steps in the link above doesn't get your router back to a good/known state, it indicates a hardware failure to me. To be as sure as possible, follow all the steps in the link below.

Fully Reset Router and Network

If you faithfully do all the steps in the link above in the order they are presented and the issues continue, a new router may be in order.

Be sure you are not using saved backup config files. Be sure you are not using saved backup JFFS files. Be sure you are not 'blindly' putting in settings that worked 'once upon a time'. Do not use/enable features or options until the router has proven stable (at least a day or two). When you do start adding your customizations, do so one at a time and use/test the router/network for an extended period once more, before adding the next change.

 

[cowboy]

It should work, have you copied the Mac address of the isp unit into the Mac clone field?

With continuous enabled?

In my opinion it should be working too, but for some reson it doesn't.
Here is a screenshot:

 

[cowboy]

Asus themselves state that the Reset button method may not fully reset the router. I stopped using that method to reset routers an awfully long time ago. The proper WPS Button method for your specific router is what I would suggest.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

If following the steps in the link above doesn't get your router back to a good/known state, it indicates a hardware failure to me. To be as sure as possible, follow all the steps in the link below.

Fully Reset Router and Network

If you faithfully do all the steps in the link above in the order they are presented and the issues continue, a new router may be in order.

Be sure you are not using saved backup config files. Be sure you are not using saved backup JFFS files. Be sure you are not 'blindly' putting in settings that worked 'once upon a time'. Do not use/enable features or options until the router has proven stable (at least a day or two). When you do start adding your customizations, do so one at a time and use/test the router/network for an extended period once more, before adding the next change.

I will try the hard reset next, afterwards I will report if I had any luck.

 

[john9527]

In my opinion it should be working too, but for some reson it doesn't.

You cloned your LAN port MAC address, not your Internet port.... (should be the '05' address I think).

 

[cowboy]

You cloned your LAN port MAC address, not your Internet port.... (should be the '05' address I think).

OK I will try the address with the 05 at the end.

Just restarted my router and still does not work.

 

[cowboy]

It's impossible to not have changed anything more than 5 months ago.

The firmware is only 52 days old.

When was the last time you did a full reset to factory defaults? It may be time to do so now.

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More

I did the above step by step. Hard reset 2 times my router.
Unfortunately still it is not working. I guess this is a hardware problem as the Netgear Router works without problems.

I will send it back to Asus. I hope the repair is not too expensive.

ps. on Thursday I am getting a new modem. So I will test it one last time.

 

[Vexira]

turn off the two values spoofing and ttl

 

[cowboy]

turn off the two values spoofing and ttl

I tried that too, does not solve the problem.

 

[cowboy]

I contacted Asus of Germany. I sent then a detailed explanation of the problem and what I tried already. Next step is to send them the router so they can check the problem and hopefully repair it.