The ASUS AC66U is expensive garbage

[Slycer]

Hi!

Just wanted to post this so people can stay the hell away from this utter garbage of a router. I paid 140 euros for something that can't hold a stable wireless connection to save its life. Running two torrents and ping times to the router start looking like this:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=642ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1432ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1504ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1496ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 642ms, Maximum = 1504ms, Average = 1268ms

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1149ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1116ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=920ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1047ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 920ms, Maximum = 1149ms, Average = 1058ms

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=966ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1003ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=978ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1020ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 966ms, Maximum = 1020ms, Average = 991ms

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1033ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1031ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1300ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1019ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 1019ms, Maximum = 1300ms, Average = 1095ms

Can't even load the router main page in a decent amount of time so I just swith off the power to reboot. GARBAGE. For SO MUCH MONEY I expected something that "just works". Especially when there are only two computers, a tv and a smartphone connected to it. All on latest stock firmware which I'm keeping since I want to retain the warranty on this expensive crap router.

Avoid this garbage router.

 

[L&LD]

Two torrents? How are they loaded (on a computer or directly on the router)?

Upgrading firmware doesn't void warranty. Recommend RMerlin firmware 376.45.

Especially if the torrents are directly off the router, suggest you fine tune the settings to let the poor thing breathe a little more.

Computationally, it is equivalent to the RT-N66U if I'm not mistaken, but hardly a garbage router. Some of my customers are using this model for a long time with no issues and with a heavier network load than what you are presenting (client-wise) to your router, but they don't torrent all day either.

 

[Razor512]

how many connections is your torrent client doing, and are you using QOS?

While I have not tested that specific router, but when QOS is enabled, throughput can often drop down to 250-300mbit/s, and if you generate a large number of connections that are being monitored by the QOS, then you will end up with some lag with the router.

Though for your router to be doing that, they may be a software issue, as My old/ far slower WNDR4700 does not lag to that extent even with 2000+ torrent connections (pings go into the 1000ms range when I actually attempt to DOS the router)


PS do not set your torrent client to do like 10,000 connections, speeds will drop.

 

[theveterans]

Hi!

Just wanted to post this so people can stay the hell away from this utter garbage of a router. I paid 140 euros for something that can't hold a stable wireless connection to save its life. Running two torrents and ping times to the router start looking like this:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=642ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1432ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1504ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1496ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 642ms, Maximum = 1504ms, Average = 1268ms

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1149ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1116ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=920ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1047ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 920ms, Maximum = 1149ms, Average = 1058ms

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=966ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1003ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=978ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1020ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 966ms, Maximum = 1020ms, Average = 991ms

C:\Users\Me>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1033ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1031ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1300ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1019ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 1019ms, Maximum = 1300ms, Average = 1095ms

Can't even load the router main page in a decent amount of time so I just swith off the power to reboot. GARBAGE. For SO MUCH MONEY I expected something that "just works". Especially when there are only two computers, a tv and a smartphone connected to it. All on latest stock firmware which I'm keeping since I want to retain the warranty on this expensive crap router.

Avoid this garbage router.

Quick to blame the router eh, but it might be Windows 8.1's aggressive power saving schemes making your latency jump that high.

 

[microchip]

Have the AC66U myself and downloading 5 torrents @ 14 MBytes/s in total (max of my connection) does not result in issues with the router. Wireless is also very stable here

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
Also no sense issuing single ping command over and over. Use -t switch for trouble-shooting. Checked the NIC advanced setting.

 

[roscolo]

Garbage in, garbage out

Have had my RT-AC66U uploading / downloading over 15 torrents all at once using DownloadMaster. Never a problem. Always on stock firmware. With anywhere from 9-12 clients, wired and wireless, connected to the router simultaneously. Rock solid for over a year and a half.

Your problem is probably NOT your router.

 

[xavierh]

loving my RT-AC66U

running stock firmware on this router and no issues downloaing torrents, while at the same time doing netflix streaming and backups via crash plan

 

[LoneWolf]

I have run 8-10 torrents on the AC66U without issue of any kind.

One user's experience does not make a piece of equipment "garbage". There are many possible reasons for your issue, be it the need for a firmware upgrade, or the lack of seeders for your torrents, or if you're running an OpenVPN client on the router (which taxes the CPU of the AC66U fairly hard due to the encryption).

If you are running an OpenVPN client on the RT-AC66U, you should probably upgrade to the RT-AC68U, which has a higher-clocked dual core CPU and is better suited to handle the encryption. If you are not, I would be testing a lot of other things first.

P.S. Using Merlin's firmware won't void your warranty as opposed to stock; either way, you should make sure you upgrade to the latest ASUS or RMerlin firmware. Also, if you are currently getting your torrents over a wireless connection, I suggest testing it wired to rule out issues with the wireless card being used.

 

[majnu]

What a silly thread. I also have the ac66u and I have no problems downloading Origin and Steam games simultaneously and on the odd occasion when I use torrents I've had good transfer rates. User error or odd ISP behaviour is probably more likely the culprit.

 

[boniek]

Looks like bufferbloat problem.

 

[TonyH]

What a silly thread. I also have the ac66u and I have no problems downloading Origin and Steam games simultaneously and on the odd occasion when I use torrents I've had good transfer rates. User error or odd ISP behaviour is probably more likely the culprit.

Hi,
+1
OP, when you make such a strong statement with a period(.), not even a question mark(?) I am puzzled. My ping time to any router I used is always more or less 1msec. Have you ping the router when it is idle(I mean doing nothing)?

 

[samhain1]

I love mine never had any bother rock solid and fast throughout all my clients

 

[doubleroll]

So far my RT-AC66R is just as good if not better as the Netgear R8000 and Asus RT-AC87R...may be firmware related at this point...

 

[mteicher]

Hello,

Lets not forget that Ping is a tool mainly for determining whether connectivity exists or not. Ping is a weak tool for measuring delay, variation in delay (jitter), and throughput.
ICMP echo packets are often given second-class treatment by routers and target hosts.