RT-AX86U Pro and Surface Pro 8

[Chulamin]

I just bought an RT-AX86U Pro and everything works well with the exception of my Surface Pro 8 on the WiFi6 band. I have installed the latest Intel WiFi drivers (fresh install) and the latest Asus firmware but yet I cannot connect the Surface to Wifi6 and not even ac mode when forced in the driver. It connects fine at 2.4ghz. All my other Samsung devices connect fine at WiFi6. I even tried the latest Merlin firmware with no better results. I have even contacted Microsoft and started the troubleshooting process with them but couldn't complete it because I had to run out. Before I get back to them, I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has/had a similar experience that they were able to solve.
Thanks.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Try changing your 5GHz channel to 36 and seeing if that makes a difference.

 

[Chulamin]

Try changing your 5GHz channel to 36 and seeing if that makes a difference.

Thanks, but it made no difference.

 

[bennor]

If the client device cannot even see the 5Ghz SSID then try changing the WiFi 5Ghz channel to a fixed channel. One may have to try several channels to find one that works. Also disable DFS and 160Ghz if enabled in the router's 5Ghz WiFi settings.

If the client device can see the 5Ghz SSID but cannot connect, then check the WPA security setting on the router. If it is set to WPA3, change it to WPA2 and try again. Also try changing the WiFi password to use only letters and characters. As a troubleshooting step, do not use any special characters in the WiFi password.

Make sure to update the client device WiFi drivers to the very latest from the WiFi card manufacturer's website.

 

[Chulamin]

If the client device cannot even see the 5Ghz SSID then try changing the WiFi 5Ghz channel to a fixed channel. One may have to try several channels to find one that works. Also disable DFS and 160Ghz if enabled in the router's 5Ghz WiFi settings.

If the client device can see the 5Ghz SSID but cannot connect, then check the WPA security setting on the router. If it is set to WPA3, change it to WPA2 and try again. Also try changing the WiFi password to use only letters and characters. As a troubleshooting step, do not use any special characters in the WiFi password.

Make sure to update the client device WiFi drivers to the very latest from the WiFi card manufacturer's website.

Tried all your suggestions. No change. It sees the 5Ghz SSID but won't connect.

 

[Tech9]

To rule out potential Surface driver issue with AX - disable AX on the router temporarily and try again. Ch.36 @80MHz, WPA2-Personal.

 

[bennor]

Tried all your suggestions. No change. It sees the 5Ghz SSID but won't connect.

Post readable screenshots of your router's WiFi General and Professional pages, redacting any sensitive information, so others can see what your settings are.
PS: Also post your firmware version on the router as I don't see it (unless I missed it) indicated in prior posts.

 

[Chulamin]

To rule out potential Surface driver issue with AX - disable AX on the router temporarily and try again. Ch.36 @80MHz, WPA2-Personal.

Okay. Now that's interesting. This time it did connect using the N band with decent speed. However the Asus interface changed to dual 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz. And although the channel changed to 36, there is no longer the ability to change it. That's a different interface. I saw this before and had to reset the router to get the normal interface back. Unless you have some idea. Thanks.

 

[Chulamin]

Firmware is 3.0.0.6.102_34314-g8ae1379_400-g562af. See the previous replay. I can't get the normal interface back now without resetting. Reinstalling the firmware doesn't help.

 

[Chulamin]

Post readable screenshots of your router's WiFi General and Professional pages, redacting any sensitive information, so others can see what your settings are.
PS: Also post your firmware version on the router as I don't see it (unless I missed it) indicated in prior posts.

Note that the General Settings page changed for some reason.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Note that the General Settings page changed for some reason.

That page is completely corrupted. You shouldn't be seeing many of those options. That sometimes happens when one of the radios has stopped working (i.e. a hardware fault). Try removing the power and waiting a minute before turning it back on.

 

[Chulamin]

That page is completely corrupted. You shouldn't be seeing many of those options. That sometimes happens when one of the radios has stopped working (i.e. a hardware fault). Try removing the power and waiting a minute before turning it back on.

Any suggestions?

 

[Tech9]

Is this a stand alone router or you have more than one more in AiMesh?

 

[bbunge]

Any suggestions?

Factory Reset with initialize, manually set up the router again using a single SSID for the router (a new SSID may be in order), use the WIFI defaults except disable DFS channels. Do use Dual Band SmartConnect.
If this does not work you may be ready to return the router as defective.

Do not change the WIFI defaults until you get things stable!

 

[Tech9]

Reset and start over - probably. Return because of issues with single device - no.

 

[Chulamin]

Any suggestions?

I just turned mixed mode back on and the interface went back to normal. The surface Pro also reconnected which I didn't expect.

 

[Tech9]

So problem solved?

 

[Chulamin]

Is this a stand alone router or you have more than one more in AiMesh?

I have an ac68U as a mesh node but it made no difference whether it was attached or not.

 

[Chulamin]

So problem solved?

Well kind of. But it still only connects as wireless N but the speed is a lot better. However the other devices won't connect as Wifi6.

 

[Chulamin]

Thanks for the help. But I need to give this a rest for a while. We're making headway and I'll re-read the suggestions later and try them all. Thanks again.