RT-AX86U - 2.4 Ghz Network is NOT working anymore (was working before)

[YADWQ]

Technical Informations:
Asus RT-AX86U
Firmware Version: 3.0.0.4.388_23285

So The issue:
Its really easy to describe. My 2.4 Ghz Network is not working anymore. you can not connect to it realiably, if if you manage to connect to it, there is no internet access possible.
5 ghz Network work flawlessly, LAN as well.
all my sonos speaker rely on 2.4.ghz network and therefore i cannot use them anymore.

the 2.4 Ghz Network was working before perfectly. No Changes have been made to the network settings. Firmware is the latest. Issues occured on multiple firmeware versions.
So basically, i havent touched anything in the router settings. the 2.4.ghz network just stopped working from one day to another. beside changing the SSID password, i also did not change anything from the standard asus network settings for 2.4ghz / 5 ghz.

what i have done until now:

• rebooted the router
• turn off and on again the 2.4ghz network (via the asus router app)
• factory reset the router

As i said i havent changed anything on the network settings. here are some screenshots of the settings ( i hope it help you guys to tell me what to do). If you need other settings scrteenshots to help me troubleshoot. Please just ask (especially the wireless log files. not sure if i should publicly share them here)

2.4 ghz

5 ghz

 

[drinkingbird]

Contact Asus for warranty replacement. 2.4ghz radio died.

Unless your neighbors started running a jammer, happen to make them angry recently? Seems like the less likely scenario though.

Only other troubleshooting I can think of is make sure you did a hard factory reset (instructions on asus' site), maybe even follow that with a GUI reset with "initialize settings" checked. You can also unplug the wall adapter while the router is on, wait a while and plug it back in. Pretty unlikely to help but it will drain the capacitors and possibly reset something.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Technical Informations:
Asus RT-AX86U
Firmware Version: 3.0.0.4.388_23285

So The issue:
Its really easy to describe. My 2.4 Ghz Network is not working anymore. you can not connect to it realiably, if if you manage to connect to it, there is no internet access possible.
5 ghz Network work flawlessly, LAN as well.
all my sonos speaker rely on 2.4.ghz network and therefore i cannot use them anymore.

the 2.4 Ghz Network was working before perfectly. No Changes have been made to the network settings. Firmware is the latest. Issues occured on multiple firmeware versions.
So basically, i havent touched anything in the router settings. the 2.4.ghz network just stopped working from one day to another. beside changing the SSID password, i also did not change anything from the standard asus network settings for 2.4ghz / 5 ghz.

what i have done until now:

• rebooted the router
• turn off and on again the 2.4ghz network (via the asus router app)
• factory reset the router

As i said i havent changed anything on the network settings. here are some screenshots of the settings ( i hope it help you guys to tell me what to do). If you need other settings scrteenshots to help me troubleshoot. Please just ask (especially the wireless log files. not sure if i should publicly share them here)

2.4 ghz
View attachment 53162

5 ghz
View attachment 53163

Only things to try I can see before replacing router:

Disable on 2.4 Ghz the WiFi 6 mode
Pick a fixed channel 1,6 or 11
Set bandwidth to 20

Good luck.

 

[jontalk]

Having returned an AX68U for repair after a troubleshooting chat, be advised that if they determine it can't be repaired they'll ship a refurbished unit. The one they shipped me had a problem and it was replaced with a brand new unit which has worked flawlessly. If possible, I"d suggest you ask for a new device rather than a refurb Regardless best of success!

 

[YADWQ]

Thank you all guys for your replies.

i tried your tips. especially @CaptainSTX your tips.

After i disabled wifi 6 mode on the 2.4ghz network settings, i briefly saw the 2.4ghz network again, but i wasnt able to connect to it. the i changed the bandwidth and channels to your proposed settings and still no luck.

now i also get the pop up "unvalid password for network 2.4ghz SSID" But ofc i triple checked that the password is the correct one (i never changed the password and my iphone/other enddevices where running 1 year flawlessly).

i guess my only solution is now to contact asus support.

Off topic:

is there another router firm out there which has a similar VPN Fusion feature? So that i can say that a certain device in the home network should use my wireguard vpn? thats was really handy

 

[Kaver163]

Have you tried to switch the USB ports from USB3 to USB2 mode? I also had an issue with 2.4 ghz disappearing but it came back after doing this change.

 

[Dr Mono]

Have you tried to switch the USB ports from USB3 to USB2 mode? I also had an issue with 2.4 ghz disappearing but it came back after doing this change. Now after installing new firmware and doing a reset I’m however back to USB3-mode without making any change to my two USB devices.

This. 2.4 radio can be sensitive to USB ports interference.

 

[YADWQ]

Have you tried to switch the USB ports from USB3 to USB2 mode? I also had an issue with 2.4 ghz disappearing but it came back after doing this change. Now after installing new firmware and doing a reset I’m however back to USB3-mode without making any change to my two USB devices.

No I have not tried that. Where do you change that setting? But I never used the usb ports on my router. Not sure if the interferences just comes when pluggin in something.

I unfortunately already build down the router and packed it for the store. But maybe I will try that again.

currently using another router and 2,4 and 5ghz work fine again.


question is do I want a device which is so sensitive with the 2.4 ghz network

 

[drinkingbird]

No I have not tried that. Where do you change that setting? But I never used the usb ports on my router. Not sure if the interferences just comes when pluggin in something.

I unfortunately already build down the router and packed it for the store. But maybe I will try that again.

currently using another router and 2,4 and 5ghz work fine again.


question is do I want a device which is so sensitive with the 2.4 ghz network

If you have no USB plugged in the USB3 setting is not a concern.

The router is not sensitive, sounds like you just had an early failure, it happens. Exchange it and you should be good.

 

[Kaver163]

USB mode can be changed in different places, but generally under Administration/System/USB setting.

 

[Dr Mono]

If you have no USB plugged in the USB3 setting is not a concern.

The router is not sensitive, sounds like you just had an early failure, it happens. Exchange it and you should be good.

This. I just recall some folks having 2.4 problems with usb drives and poorly shielded usb cables.

 

[s0ulr1pper]

Call me crazy, but i've been struggling with the same issue on my AX6000, but I've just found out that if i change slightly the antennas positions, or even screw them off - the signal gets better and more stable. And the 2.4 signal is much weaker than 5. I believe there is a bug in latest firmware...

I tested speedtest -> my android phone on 2.4 ghz managed to get 3mbs through 1 wall, approx 10m from the router, when I come closer w/o the wall to 5m distance -> the speed gets much higher instantly...

And this is definately some firmware/hardware issue coz
1 - i've just plugged my tp-link repeater in the next outlet, and it's signal is much stronger and 5ghz is visible again, while my AC86U with latest firmware suffered the same symptoms with the 2.4ghz signal and antenna positions (and he was in the closet for the last 3 months coz i bought AX6000)
2 - the issue came out of nowhere w/o any changes to the router or other network devices configuration

 

[s0ulr1pper]

upd. i managed to solve this issue downgrading tx power adjustment for 2.4ghz from performance to good

 

[Kaver163]

upd. i managed to solve this issue downgrading tx power adjustment for 2.4ghz from performance to good

Thanks for this info, it also came out of the blue on my AX86U.

 

[drinkingbird]

upd. i managed to solve this issue downgrading tx power adjustment for 2.4ghz from performance to good

Honestly that makes it sound like the radio is failing or potentially the antenna connection has come loose. If full power causes it to malfunction, that's pointing to hardware. Could be firmware related but seems pretty unlikely, the radio power is limited in hardware.

The only possible firmware related explanation would be if the firmware included a driver update for the radio and the driver has a major flaw. Possible but still would be unlikely to put the radio into a higher power than it can handle (or is allowed to go).

 

[s0ulr1pper]

Honestly that makes it sound like the radio is failing or potentially the antenna connection has come loose. If full power causes it to malfunction, that's pointing to hardware. Could be firmware related but seems pretty unlikely, the radio power is limited in hardware.

The only possible firmware related explanation would be if the firmware included a driver update for the radio and the driver has a major flaw. Possible but still would be unlikely to put the radio into a higher power than it can handle (or is allowed to go).

I have tried different antenna configurations, but when I screwed off all antennas, the signal became much more stable. WIth performance state the only with straight antennas the signal was "okay", but when I bend them, it instantly starts to fail even 5m away direct visbility from router.

After downgrading from "performance" to "good", I was able to bend the antennas and get a strong signal as it is supposed to be

 

[Kaver163]

After downgrading from "performance" to "good", I was able to bend the antennas and get a strong signal as it is supposed to be

I tried to downgrading from "performance" to "good" on my AX86U and unfortunately it didn't help - my 2.4 ghz wifi still disappears when using USB3-mode.

 

[drinkingbird]

I tried to downgrading from "performance" to "good" on my AX86U and unfortunately it didn't help - my 2.4 ghz wifi still disappears when using USB3-mode.

That's normal, USB 3 and 2.4ghz wifi don't go well together. You can try using a USB extension cable to move the device away from the router, and even try wrapping the male end of the cable in foil (the router side).

Turning down the 2.4 power will make your issue worse not better. The others are having some other issue.

 

[Kaver163]

That's normal, USB 3 and 2.4ghz wifi don't go well together. You can try using a USB extension cable to move the device away from the router, and even try wrapping the male end of the cable in foil (the router side).

Turning down the 2.4 power will make your issue worse not better. The others are having some other issue.

Thanks, I was hoping it could avoided to have to shield the units somehow but I guess not. I'm have connected both a USB3 stick running Entware and a USB-harddrive so will have to check whether it's sufficient to shield the USB-stick (by using a cable, etc.) or if both devices has to be shield somehow.

 

[reddeath]

I have a mesh with AX6000 as main and AX88 as node. About 2 weeks ago all 2.4 GHz devices started dropping out. There was no action taken from my side before this problem started. Both routers were running 3.0.0.4.388.22525 for many months.
The devices would be offline most of the time, but they would come back 1 or 2 times per day for short time. For the past few days they seem to be offline all the time.

I finally got around to start investigating it now. It looks like the whole 2.4 Ghz network is not working. In the router UI all settings look ok, network is enabled, etc. The Wifi logs however show only the 5G network details, as if 2.4G does not exist.

First I upgraded the firmware on both routers: AX6000 to 3.0.0.4.388_23285, AX88 to 3.0.0.4.388_24198. I did not do factory resets yet at this point.

I have tried to change the wifi power from performance to good. The Wifi logs now list the 2.4 Ghz network, but my devices still don't see the network, e.g. my android phone when scanning available networks only sees the 5G network.

I have changed control channel for 2.4 GHz network from 2 to 3, and at the same time I set the "802.11ax / WiFi 6 mode" to disabled. Immediately, the 2.4 GHz network started working again. Now, the question is if this is just an intermittent working state like earlier, or permanent.

If the problem comes back, some of you have suggested to replace the router. In my case I have 2 of them. Which one of the 2 is the one to be replaced? How to conclude that?

UPDATE: I was happy too early, shortly after it was working, it stopped working again after I added some clients to DHCP configuration. Not sure how to proceed now. Factory resets, sending one of the routers back (which one)?