Should I get rid of the AC68U? For What?

[Phydeauxman]

I bought the 68 right when it came out to replace a Linksys 54G I have had for years. While a lot of people talked smack about the 54G...it just worked and rarely did I ever have to reboot it...maybe 2 or 3 times a year.

The 68 however...

What I love about it...the wireless range and the VPN server

What I hate about it...the reliability and performance. I have to restart this thing like once per week...sometimes more. It has the latest software but I see a reoccurring theme. When I am doing downloads of large files from the Internet (Corporate network)...the quality of my Vonage suffers. The download performance is no better than the 54G was but I never had the Vonage quality hit with the 54G. The wireless will just flat out quit working sometimes. The machines still show connected but it is like they are disconnected from the Internet.

I have not tried the Merlin software so not sure if that help or not with the issues I am having. This is honestly the worst router I have ever had (first time trying ASUS) and I will likely not go ASUS again. I got it from Amazon so I can trade it in and get a portion of my money back but wanted to post something here before I give up on it and go a different route

Is there anything I can do to correct the problems or should I just go for the Netgear (or something else)?

 

[L&LD]

Using an Asus router without RMerlin's firmware is like racing a car on regular gasoline.

Upgrade the firmware to the RMerlin 374.40 alpha4 version (the most stable version for the RT-AC68U right now).

Or, if you're feeling adventurous, try the newest (3/27/2014) Beta from Asus themselves (they've also incorporated various RMerlin fixes in there too).

 

[RMerlin]

Is there anything I can do to correct the problems or should I just go for the Netgear (or something else)?

The current stability issues have been introduced in the last two firmware versions (4422 and 4561). Running an older version (583 - it has some security issues however so you need to not share any USB disks with that version), running a previous version of my own firmware (374.40-alpha4 is the last known stable version) would resolve that issue. Asus just released a new beta firmware today, no idea yet if it does resolve that issue.

 

[faunus]

Same here. Ran a 54/108 Radiolabs router for years. Always worked, rarely required a restart. But they were starting to fail, and were getting bogged down with all the video and image files, so bought two AC-68's.

Agree with you... fast, great range, wonderful router EXCEPT it's flaky, intermittent and just not reliable. And USB3.... don't get me started!

I am going to try the Merlin firmware as advised here, but it means hours of work reworking two routers.

Why is the customer always the product development agent?

 

[TonyH]

Is there anything I can do to correct the problems or should I just go for the Netgear (or something else)?

Hi,
Are you monitoring the temperature of the router? Try to cool the router with forced air or remove cover, or drill holes on the cover all around, etc. See what happens. I drive my router more than average consumer Mr. Joe. Never had stability issue. Power supply(wall wart), ambient temp. are big part of it. I always power the router with Lab. grade regulated DC source, put the router
on stand-off stuck at 4 corners of the router bottom giving ample room for convection.

 

[speedingcheetah]

I remember reading somewhere that older b/g routers...the transmit power were not as limited as current routers thanks to the FCC or who ever sticking there nose in to things.

Anyway, older routers were just built to do one thing, be a router. Today's devices, pack more and more features into them to make an all-in-one device.

The more complex something is, the higher chance that things will go wrong and/or random issues will pop up.

 

[speedingcheetah]

Is there anything I can do to correct the problems or should I just go for the Netgear (or something else)?

EDIT: There is a new beta firmware for the 68U out that may address the issues. Update to that.


I do not recommend Netgear. I have had far to many issues and failures with their products. Also, DLinks cloud routers...also horrible. (they do make good replacements for soda cans when I am out doing some target practice.)

 

[cdikland]

Hi,
or drill holes on the cover all around, .

 

[speedingcheetah]

I drill holes on the top of the cisco e series routers. Makes it run much cooler. Some routers weren't designed with cooling and airflow in mind.

 

[sanke1]

I drill holes on the top of the cisco e series routers. Makes it run much cooler. Some routers weren't designed with cooling and airflow in mind.

Lol don't believe that.

 

[speedingcheetah]

Lol don't believe that.

It does help, especially for over clocking. Those models were known to run a bit to hot. I actually got the idea from a post on this site...lol. There also are fan mod kits for those and many router models. You can find them on ebay.