RT-AX56U EOL question.

[Tech9]

Really? Even with all the spec overlap with the RT-AX86S?

What specs overlap with RT-AX86S?

If you are thinking about RT-AX68U (AX2700) - this router is (or was) the only Asus model with BCM6710 (3-stream) used for 5GHz and had long term Wi-Fi issues, perhaps Broadcom drivers support related. Replaced already with multiple AX3000/AX5400 products on different hardware platform. Often unavailable or on clearance price. RT-AX86S (AX5700) uses popular BCM43684 5GHz radio (4-stream), the same as in RT-AX86U. Much better choice.

 

[BikeHelmet]

What specs overlap with RT-AX86S?

If you are thinking about RT-AX68U (AX2700) - this router is (or was) the only Asus model with BCM6710 (3-stream) used for 5GHz and had long term Wi-Fi issues, perhaps Broadcom drivers support related. Replaced already with multiple AX3000/AX5400 products on different hardware platform. Often unavailable or on clearance price. RT-AX86S (AX5700) uses popular BCM43684 5GHz radio (4-stream), the same as in RT-AX86U. Much better choice.

Well, to the untrained eye...

Okay, so basically, pay attention to the 5ghz WiFi blob, as that determines the support duration more than anything else?

Heh, I usually run WiFi APs around homes and don't even have the router WiFi turned on. I can't remember when I actually last used the WiFi on the router. I think I briefly did on my old RT-AC3200, but haven't used it at all on any models since then.

The WiFi is literally the "feature" killing them off early? That's a real bummer, since it's all the other stuff that matters to me. If I want a WiFi upgrade, I just swap in new APs. Most homes in the area have crawlspaces and odd layouts due to the whole town consisting of 1900's homes brought over on sleds when the coal mines shut down. The thick floors and walls hammer the signal, plus those central kitchens with all the big metal appliances in the middle, so the best thing is usually to run a network cable through the crawlspace or attic from one corner to the other, and stick two APs in place. Gets a perfect signal everywhere, including in the garden. I haven't bothered with centrally broadcast WiFi since that's what Shaw and Telus do, and it never works - but their solution is to add 2-5 repeaters and turn it into an abysmally slow mess... lol

Anyway, appreciate all the insights. I now realize that how I use these routers is "different".

 

[RMerlin]

Okay, so basically, pay attention to the 5ghz WiFi blob, as that determines the support duration more than anything else?

No. You cannot predict anything just by looking at the hardware components Product development decisions can be based on a lot of different reasons. Can be component availability on any of the chips, software SDK support by the provider, marketed location (some SKUs are only intended for specific regions), product line up changes... There's no simple rule to follow there. Only the company making the product knows.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Well, to the untrained eye...

View attachment 53172

Okay, so basically, pay attention to the 5ghz WiFi blob, as that determines the support duration more than anything else?

Heh, I usually run WiFi APs around homes and don't even have the router WiFi turned on. I can't remember when I actually last used the WiFi on the router. I think I briefly did on my old RT-AC3200, but haven't used it at all on any models since then.

The WiFi is literally the "feature" killing them off early? That's a real bummer, since it's all the other stuff that matters to me. If I want a WiFi upgrade, I just swap in new APs. Most homes in the area have crawlspaces and odd layouts due to the whole town consisting of 1900's homes brought over on sleds when the coal mines shut down. The thick floors and walls hammer the signal, plus those central kitchens with all the big metal appliances in the middle, so the best thing is usually to run a network cable through the crawlspace or attic from one corner to the other, and stick two APs in place. Gets a perfect signal everywhere, including in the garden. I haven't bothered with centrally broadcast WiFi since that's what Shaw and Telus do, and it never works - but their solution is to add 2-5 repeaters and turn it into an abysmally slow mess... lol

Anyway, appreciate all the insights. I now realize that how I use these routers is "different".

Basically, you get what you pay for. I am just going by what I have read from @RMerlin replies. Some advice from one user to another, You need to get in the "thick of it" with your cost analysis and what everyone talks about on here (and other places). Your best defense is reading about and following the trend of the products. You can get the feel of that here. @RMerlin has given you some pretty sound advice here. I wouldn't be surprised if he is not ready to just close this thread because it is becoming a point where it is endless chatter of repeating the same stuff from both ends.

 

[BikeHelmet]

No. You cannot predict anything just by looking at the hardware components Product development decisions can be based on a lot of different reasons. Can be component availability on any of the chips, software SDK support by the provider, marketed location (some SKUs are only intended for specific regions), product line up changes... There's no simple rule to follow there. Only the company making the product knows.

I appreciate how blunt and precise you are with your comments. It helps with steering straight in the future. It seems that some of it is just going to come down to luck, as there are many factors there that I cannot predict. Thank you.

Basically, you get what you pay for. I am just going by what I have read from @RMerlin replies. Some advice from one user to another, You need to get in the "thick of it" with your cost analysis and what everyone talks about on here (and other places). Your best defense is reading about and following the trend of the products. You can get the feel of that here. @RMerlin has given you some pretty sound advice here. I wouldn't be surprised if he is not ready to just close this thread because it is becoming a point where it is endless chatter of repeating the same stuff from both ends.

No problem. I've gotten plenty of great info from this thread, and appreciate the time that you've all taken to respond. Have a great Autumn!

 

[ADFHogan]

The next ones on the chopping blocks will be the RT-AC88U, RT-AC3100 and RT-AC5300. I got one final GPL for these three for 386.12, and unless there are any major security issues fixed by Asus, these will be the next models to be dropped by me. I might possibly provide one or two updates with component updates if development leans that way. These are again models that are 8 years old now, which is a fairly healthy life cycle.

So the RT-AC5300's on the chopping block soon, eh? I'll have to start thinking about which router to migrate to. Right now, mine's not doing WiFi, just routing, and's been doing ok on it. Sometimes needs a kick..

 

[Tech9]

So the RT-AC5300's on the chopping block soon, eh?

RT-AC5300 and GT-AC5300 are already End-of-Life products:

End-of-life product list

 

[slowmotion]

I have a pair of RT-AX3000 running as mesh (on ASUS official firmware) at home, and a RT-AX56U (on Merlin) at another home.

Too bad AX56U is now EOL but I do appreciate at least Merlin managed to give us WireGuard VPN support.

On the other hand, I know too much about ASUS way of putting products into EOL bin, so the AX3000 mesh is only used for Wifi AP but nothing more - I go for a dedicate fan-less PC as router with VPN and other security / networking purposes.
A PC-based VPN solution lasts much longer and from security point of view, is much more secure as long as you really patch them frequently enough.

 

[Tech9]

I go for a dedicate fan-less PC as router

Then replace the APs with proper ones with VLAN support. Your routers don't have VLAN support.

 

[slowmotion]

Then replace the APs with proper ones with VLAN support. Your routers don't have VLAN support.

Well it is a fan-less PC with 4-port i225v running pfSense that I am using, it does have VLAN support... and I still got a bunch of dd-wrt enabled old APs that I can use, should I want to expand the network with VLAN.

 

[Tech9]

expand the network

...or simple Guest Network. Asus routers in AP Mode have no GN separation from main WLAN.

 

[Meshkoff]

Quote from Merlin WRT Changelog-NG.txt:

3004.388.4 (21-Aug-2023)
- NOTE: The RT-AX56U is no longer supported, as Asus has put it
on End-of-Life status, and the previous Asuswrt-Merlin
388 releases for that model were all based on untested
code.

So, if i got it right, 386.7_2 was the last tested firmware.
It is better to stay on it or upgrade to the latest (388.2_2)?

 

[RMerlin]

Quote from Merlin WRT Changelog-NG.txt:



So, if i got it right, 386.7_2 was the last tested firmware.
It is better to stay on it or upgrade to the latest (388.2_2)?

It was untested by Asus before they sent it to me, however I've had a significant userbase that ran it without any problem.

 

[Meshkoff]

It was untested by Asus before they sent it to me, however I've had a significant userbase that ran it without any problem.

Thanks for clarifying)

 

[vzzbuckz]

It was untested by Asus before they sent it to me, however I've had a significant userbase that ran it without any problem.

How are you finding the 388.6 firmware that ASUS recently provided to you for the RT-AX56U? I'm guessing this is also untested by ASUS.

 

[BikeHelmet]

How are you finding the 388.6 firmware that ASUS recently provided to you for the RT-AX56U? I'm guessing this is also untested by ASUS.

Quite stable on my end. No reboots or freezes or ping spikes or other issues, so far. I'm not on the latest _2 release yet.

 

[cwerdna]

(thread resurrection)

This is a major reason why I don't support lower end models. I tried to do it with the RT-AX58U and RT-AX56U. First one became a headache as it has seen multiple hardware revisions that require a different firmware and therefore dedicated development, and the second one got EOL fairly quickly compared to every other model that I support. Since Asuswrt-Merlin is composed of multiple closed source portions that are model specific, continued support is simply not possible.

The next ones on the chopping blocks will be the RT-AC88U, RT-AC3100 and RT-AC5300. I got one final GPL for these three for 386.12, and unless there are any major security issues fixed by Asus, these will be the next models to be dropped by me. I might possibly provide one or two updates with component updates if development leans that way. These are again models that are 8 years old now, which is a fairly healthy life cycle.

On this note, RT-AX56U_V1, RT-AC88U, RT-AC3100, RT-AC5300 are all now on https://www.asus.com/event/network/eol-product/.

 

[L&LD]

Yes, for quite a while now.

 

[M75]

I'm still running my AX56U as Mesh, recent update to 388.7 also no issue. As long as usable as Mesh or AP, I'll still keep it till it "self-expired"