RT-AX88U not using 80MHz/160MHz, but RT-AC86U did

[iadjunct]

I'm replacing a pair of meshed RT-AC86U B1 routers with an RT-AX88U.

With the former, my MacBook Pro worked perfectly at 80MHz and had data rates around 850 Mbps.

With the latter router, which I initialized by loading the settings file from the previous router, I cannot get it to connect to anything more than a 40 MHz channel. The WiFi scanner shows the network as being a 40 MHz network.

If I change the "802.11ax HE frame support" setting, the "Enable 160 MHz" setting, or the channels, it makes no difference.

When I look at the channel layout, I see that 50 and 114 are the only channels that support 160 MHz... Though neither of those two channels appear in the list. The lower channel of both 160 MHz ranges do though, but setting the channel to those doesn't help either.

Why have I lost 80 MHz widths? I'm in the same environment as before - I literally turned off the old one and turned on the new one, so the WiFi environment is the same.

 

[L&LD]

I'm replacing a pair of meshed RT-AC86U B1 routers with an RT-AX88U.

With the former, my MacBook Pro worked perfectly at 80MHz and had data rates around 850 Mbps.

With the latter router, which I initialized by loading the settings file from the previous router, I cannot get it to connect to anything more than a 40 MHz channel. The WiFi scanner shows the network as being a 40 MHz network.

If I change the "802.11ax HE frame support" setting, the "Enable 160 MHz" setting, or the channels, it makes no difference.

When I look at the channel layout, I see that 50 and 114 are the only channels that support 160 MHz... Though neither of those two channels appear in the list. The lower channel of both 160 MHz ranges do though, but setting the channel to those doesn't help either.

Why have I lost 80 MHz widths? I'm in the same environment as before - I literally turned off the old one and turned on the new one, so the WiFi environment is the same.

You should not have loaded the RT-AC86U router's backup config file to the RT-AX88U's. The issues you're seeing is direct because of this mistake. It's like you told a Dodge Viper (muscle car) it's an Omni (econobox).

Do a full reset to factory defaults and minimally and manually configure the new router properly. Use defaults (at least initially) and move slowly from there. Use a new SSID too so that it gets a proper test in your network.

See the links below for further information.

 

[iadjunct]

Wow, that's a significant issue. Having to re-set all the VPN, DHCP, etc settings... There's really no way to transfer those?

 

[L&LD]

Have a look at this thread.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/adding-nvram-settings.10966/

I would save everything you have on the old router to a text file and then use that text file to copy/paste back into the new router.

I think it is just easier to start fresh.

 

[Grisu]

no way, not even from one to another of same type, only for the very same device and furthermore same firmware too as parameters can change with FW-upgrades!

 

[JemTheWire]

I find taking screen shots or even photos of the screen can help.

But as already said, it has to be done.

 

[iadjunct]

That's completely ridiculous.

First off, if it shouldn't work by importing the config file, then it should reject the config file.

Secondly, that is a *lot* stuff to update manually.

But regardless, all done. Mac now shows 80 MHz. However, I cannot test whether the 160 MHz channels work yet, so we'll see...

 

[Squall Leonhart]

You should not have loaded the RT-AC86U router's backup config file to the RT-AX88U's. The issues you're seeing is direct because of this mistake..

no it isn't.

 

[L&LD]

no it isn't.

What two different router models were you able to successfully set up by using a single config file from the other?