Upgraded to 386.1_0 from 384.19 & there seems to be a phantom device

[Skeptical.me]

The Linksys router in the image above doesn't exist. I have an RT-AX88U, a small tp-link switch, and an old RT-N66U (the 66U isn't plugged into the 88U).

I, also, have the Network Printer Server running.

I have tried unplugging all of the Cat5 (the table in the image indicates it's an ethernet connection) cables from the 88U but that didn't help.

So, I'm lost. I must be doing something wrong ‍

 

[L&LD]

Dirty upgrade? Or full WPS reset and minimal and manual configuration?

 

[Skeptical.me]

Dirty upgrade? Or full WPS reset and minimal and manual configuration?

Okay, so ... a "dirty upgrade" means that I upgraded and did not do a factory reset?

I'm not sure what a full WPS reset means, nor do I understand what a "minimal and manual configuration" means.

Sorry for my lack of knowledge.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[L&LD]

Yes, a dirty upgrade means what you stated above.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

Update/Reset Mini Guide


(The 'original' M&M Config is linked below, but I suggest the links above today).

M&M Config https://www.snbforums.com/threads/n...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573


And if your router is still not in a good/known state or you want to verify (as much as we can) that the hardware isn't 'going' on us?

Fully Reset Router and Network

 

[Skeptical.me]

Yes, a dirty upgrade means what you stated above.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

Update/Reset Mini Guide


(The 'original' M&M Config is linked below, but I suggest the links above today).

M&M Config https://www.snbforums.com/threads/n...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573


And if your router is still not in a good/known state or you want to verify (as much as we can) that the hardware isn't 'going' on us?

Fully Reset Router and Network

Wow ... thanks for the help and links. That's something for me to learn.

I'll report back if I encounter an error, or when I've successfully completed it.

 

[Skeptical.me]

Yes, a dirty upgrade means what you stated above.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

Update/Reset Mini Guide


(The 'original' M&M Config is linked below, but I suggest the links above today).

M&M Config https://www.snbforums.com/threads/n...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573


And if your router is still not in a good/known state or you want to verify (as much as we can) that the hardware isn't 'going' on us?

Fully Reset Router and Network

Hi, again.

So, after doing the Factory Reset and then setting everything back up again, a few weeks ago.

The phantom device is still showing, and another one appeared today. Both indicate they're wired connections.

Is there any way that you know how to trouble shoot this? If you haven't got time, I understand.

 

[jata]

I have seen this phantom device issue on my 386.1 network which has had a full WPS reset/setup.

The solution that worked for me is to do a 'refresh' of the client list from the network map page of the GUI.

 

[Skeptical.me]

Interestingly on the AiMesh page under "Wired" it doesn't list these two devices, so I can see they are definitely phantoms.

Okay, I looked at the Client List in the Network Map page, but I'm unable to see a "refresh" button, refreshing the page does nothing.

 

[jata]

there is a refresh button. see pic below from the network map page

 

[Skeptical.me]

there is a refresh button. see pic below from the network map page

View attachment 31473

You know, after 7 years of owning 4 ASUS Routers I had no idea this was an option.

Great, thank you for taking the time out to help.

Refreshing got rid of the "Linksys" but not the device listed by its MAC address.

I'll unplug each Ethernet cable one at a time to see if it is something I'm overlooking.

 

[jata]

or you could use a tool/app like 'Net Analyzer'. I have this on my iphone and it is a great utility. This will automagically scan your entire network and report all actual/online devices. It will find the device if it is actually on the network.

 

[Skeptical.me]

or you could use a tool/app like 'Net Analyzer'. I have this on my iphone and it is a great utility. This will automagically scan your entire network and report all actual/online devices. It will find the device if it is actually on the network.

Ahh, yeah, I have that app (collecting dust) on my iPhone too. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[FLA_NL]

Recent mobile devices generate a new mac address everytime they access a network so they can't be tracked when returning to a public wifi hotspot for example. For Android for example that is turned on by default and you can turn it off for a specific ssid. With generating mac addresses it can pick one that is registered as a different device in whatever database asus is using. Maybe that is what you are seeing here.

 

[zoggy]

mac oui lookup doesnt report back a vendor... i wonder if these are from a bluetooth or some WAN emulation link or something (just wrongly classified as 'wired').
but yeah easy way is to just disconnect everything from router and see if it shows up. if so, then only connect the one computer and disable wifi and see if it still shows up.

 

[GHog]

I ran into the same issue when I updated from 384.19 to the 386_1.2. When a device drops its connection, it is still show in the list of connected devices. This is both for the router when your connected and with the app on your phone. When refreshing the phone app, nothing happens unless you refresh the router first. Since my app is just for looking at router, not to manipulate router, I first must refresh the connected device list in the router. I did report this to ASUS since I feel that this was something they did with their code update, not on the Merlin side. I could be wrong.

 

[miroco]

I have also experienced this behavior on and off. I don't know if it's relevant, but I decided to disable SMB share and monitor the system over time for change.

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[Skeptical.me]

After all of this time and other random phantom devices appearing, my QNAP NAS was the culprit. I must have installed Docker in Container Station, and for some reason, a Virtual Adapter was created and showed up as a device, or two in my Router.

I just deleted the Virtual Adaptor and the phantom devices disappeared.