Hello,
Upgraded to alpha2 my 2 x AX88U (router and AiMesh node) with full factory reset.
Appears to be running smoothly, I will observe it for a few days.
A few notes for your consideration.
System Log
Start of system log looks very strange,
@RMerlin - does it look normal?
Code:
May 5 06:05:13 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1
May 5 06:05:13 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1 (2020-11-02 18:11:38 EST)
May 5 06:05:13 crashlog:
May 5 06:05:13 kernel: Booting Linux on physical CPU 0x0
May 5 06:05:13 kernel: Linux version 4.1.51 (merlin@ubuntu-dev) (gcc version 5.5.0 (Buildroot 2017.11.1) ) #2 SMP PREEMPT Mon Nov 2 18:28:05 EST 2020
May 5 06:05:13 crashlog:
May 5 06:05:13 kernel: CPU: AArch64 Processor [420f1000] revision 0
May 5 06:05:13 kernel: Detected VIPT I-cache on CPU0
May 5 06:05:13 crashlog:
May 5 06:05:13 kernel: alternatives: enabling workaround for ARM erratum 845719
May 5 06:05:13 crashlog:
May 5 06:05:13 crashlog
Ookla CLI speed
This is an interesting one. I have 910/110 nominal speed and on Asus Merlin 384.19 it was showing that when plugged to routher via 1GB cable, while on the router itself spdMerlin was showing approx. half of it due to utilisation of single CPU only. Now spdMerlin and WebUI speed tests show 820-840/110 and strangely my PC connected to the main router via ethernet cable is now shoing 820-840/110 too. So great it is all consistent, not so great than 10% of speed disappears somewhere on the router. Other people observed same slow down behaviour on AX88U earlier - see ASUSWRT 386 RC2 thread for all release candidates. Sounds as a Asus bug,
@ASUSWRT_2020
UPDATE: Sadly Ookla CLI runs on speeds went back down to 340-380/111, back to maxing out one CPU - both WebUI or spdMerlin, it shows something is odd with Asus infra rather than Ookla test itself. Even more sad that speed test on my PC connected via ethernet cable to AX88U remain low as 820-840. Not going back to 384.19 just for to increase it back to 910.
UPDATE2: Managed to find out what causing Ookla timings to be halfed on AX88U.
It is TrendMicro Traffic Analyser. Signing or withdrawing privacy EULA flicks the behaviour. Sounds as a feature that's here to stay for a while.
UPDATE3: Managed to solve 10% speed dropdown - it required two things:
- resetting my BT FTTH modem, speed went up immediately, do not know how that's relevant to router upgrade
- switching to a different Ookla server for tests (do not know why the one I have been always been using). Now getting consistent speeds on PC, Ookla WebUI and spdMerlin 900-915/111-112Mbs
WAN default settings [found some earlier Merlin response on another thread that this normal]
I observed that default WAN settings has changed, specifically
Special Requirement from ISP / Enable VPN + DHCP Connection was flicked to Yes after factory reset.
I flicked it back No, but unsure what should be setting for BT really. Comments?
Strange behaviour on first startup
I observed a strange behaviour after first start (after factory reseet and setting up WAN). Basically everything appeared to be running - WAN/LAN connecting, nslookups/pings from my PC, even ookla cli test.
However any browsers were unable to load any websites (not DNS message, some disconnects). Not something I have seen before. Tried on my PC: reboot, ipconfig/flushdns, ipconfig/renew. Nothing helped.
Only full router reboot helped, which I was planning to do anyway.
AiMesh client list bug
@ASUSWRT_2020 There is a bug with wirless clients that disconected with AiMesh node (as they are switched off). They appear on Network Map / View list as wired strangely.
Overall happy with my AX88U AiMesh 386.1-alpha2 and keeping it until official release.