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USB to 2.5Gbe adapter on AX88U

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Late in posting, sorry.
Has anyone tried to assign IRQs to particular cores to avoid the CPU bound issues?
I believe the CPU in a Pi 4 is somewhat better than that used in the AX routers, yet they need some manual tweaking when using a dongle to avoid becoming CPU bound with higher speed connections.
My R4S which has 6 cores benefits from assigning IRQs and affinity.
This is how it's done on the R4S, no idea on the AX routers.
Code:
echo 4 > /proc/irq/35/smp_affinity
echo 8 > /proc/irq/87/smp_affinity
echo 10 > /sys/class/net/eth0/queues/rx-0/rps_cpus
echo 20 > /sys/class/net/eth1/queues/rx-0/rps_cpus
 
While it does have 6 cores, they are really only 2 'Big' cores on that NanoPi with slightly faster (2GHz) speeds than most routers (1.8GHz) today.

I believe the routers cores' are only 'Big' cores and may provide much better performance than the 'Little' cores on the Pi.
 
Did anyone try this on AXE16000 router?

I have pluggable adapter 2.5gb, but it doesn't work the light turn orange. it doesn't recognize it.

It needs the driver to be integrated into the firmware i think if i am not wrong, the forum how to it's really complicated and confusing.

Can someone do the driver pluggable adapter 2.5gb integration in the firmware 388.1 beta and upload it? I will really apricate it.
 
I've been trying to upgrade my pair of RT-AX92U to 2.5 or even 5Gbe after reading this post: https://wu.renjie.im/blog/network/ax88u-nbase-t/
Nearly 2 years later, I finally have compiled a stable driver for Realtek RTL8156B. Driver version is 2.16.3. And I posted the binary on Renjie's blog: http://disq.us/p/2qdy0v4

I think the cause of the bandwidth limitation is because the driver needs to be loaded manually. You can't achieve 2.5Gbe with default drivers (cdc_ncm or cdc_ether) because the CPU is saturated.

Before installing Merlin on my pair of routers, I needed a USB stick to be able to load a script at startup (the usb_mount nvram variable).
The script unloads the default drivers and loads my own compiled driver. Then I include the eth8 interface (with the right driver) to br0.
Now with Merlin, I don't need the USB stick anymore, the firmware loads the script at boot time.

Install Merlin, copy driver file to /jffs/drivers and put this in services-start :
Bash:
rmmod cdc_mbim
rmmod cdc_ncm
insmod /jffs/drivers/r8152-2.16.3.ko
sleep 3
nvram set br0_ifnames="$(nvram get br0_ifnames) eth8"
nvram set lan_ifnames="$(nvram get lan_ifnames) eth8"
nvram set wired_ifnames="$(nvram get wired_ifnames) eth8"
brctl addif br0 eth8
ls -1 /sys/class/net/*/queues/*x-0/*ps_cpus | xargs -I{} bash -c "echo '1' > {}"
ifconfig eth8 txqueuelen 2500
echo enable > /sys/class/net/eth8/rtl_adv/sg_en
ifconfig eth8 up
ethtool -G eth8 rx 4096
echo 2500 > /proc/sys/net/core/netdev_max_backlog
/sbin/asus_usb_interface 2-2:1.0 add

Then I put the 5Gbe stick on my NUC and performed some iperf3 tests.

RTAX952U Realtek 2.5Gbe as iperf3 server and NUC 5Gbe as iperf3 client :
Code:
[CODE][ ID] Interval      Transfer    Bitrate        Retr  Cwnd 
[  5]  27.00-28.00  sec   276 MBytes  2.32 Gbits/sec    0   1.51 MBytes                                             
[  5]  28.00-29.00  sec   276 MBytes  2.32 Gbits/sec    0   1.51 MBytes
[/CODE]
=> The bandwidth is limited by the Realtek stick, no RETR

NUC 5Gbe as iperf3 server and RTAX952U Realtek 2.5Gbe as iperf3 client :
Code:
[ ID] Interval            Transfer    Bitrate         Retr  Cwnd 
[  5]  26.00-27.00  sec   214 MBytes  1.79 Gbits/sec  319    188 KBytes                                             
[  5]  27.00-28.00  sec   187 MBytes  1.57 Gbits/sec  406   83.4 KBytes
=> The bandwidth is throttled and we see a lot of RETR, but it is a a real bump on the default 1Gbe.

In AI Mesh mode, there was a watchdog which made the router reboot after about 20 minutes. I never figured it out. Switched to AP mode.
In AP Mode, eveything is working well, except bandwidth limitation and RTR in iperf3 in one way.


My experience with an AQC111U is very bad: the driver I compiled is not stable and make the router reboot as soon as I add the interface to the bridge. The native driver is not very stable I think.
 
Last edited:
I just spent many hours playing with "bonding" between one of my RT-AX92U and my NUC linux box.
All configuration done via SSH.
Bonding in "balance-rr" between eth4 and eth8 (USB device) works as intended, BUT as always with this router, the bandwidth is limited by the CPU. I could not go beyond 1 Gb/s in one way (sort of half duplex). Maybe a BCM4908 with 4 cores could achieve 2 Gb/s.
Then I tried bonding in "balance-rr" mode between eth3 and eth4. It achieved 1.5 GB/s in one way with iperf3. I needed to set packets_per_slave=25 to have better performance.
Still a no go for the RT-AX92U. But the BCM4908 could perform better with its 4 cores.

Bash:
modprobe bonding mode=0 packets_per_slave=25
brctl addif br0 bond0
ip link set dev bond0 up
ifenslave bond0 eth3
ifenslave bond0 eth4
ip link set dev eth3 up
ip link set dev eth4 up
cat /proc/net/bonding/bond0
// this forces all packets to be forwarded to CPU
ethswctl -c hw-switching -o disable

I think this could be used on the WAN side as well.

Finally, tried the native bonding mode 802.3ad (Bonding/ Link aggregation in Switch Control) and it works as intended, balancing connexions between the 2 links. Not true 2 Gb/s, but no CPU throttling.
 
I just spent many hours playing with "bonding" between one of my RT-AX92U and my NUC linux box.
All configuration done via SSH.

Then I tried bonding in "balance-rr" mode between eth3 and eth4. It achieved 1.5 GB/s in one way with iperf3. I needed to set packets_per_slave=25 to have better performance.

Bash:
modprobe bonding mode=0 packets_per_slave=25
brctl addif br0 bond0
ip link set dev bond0 up
ifenslave bond0 eth3
ifenslave bond0 eth4
ip link set dev eth3 up
ip link set dev eth4 up
cat /proc/net/bonding/bond0
// this forces all packets to be forwarded to CPU
ethswctl -c hw-switching -o disable

I think this could be used on the WAN side as well.

Interesting...

It sounds like you were able to force successfully the <balance-rr> mode#0 for the LAN-side between (eth3) and (eth4) as per the attached while the GUI only provides Mode#4.

"I think this could be used on the WAN side as well.":

I have been wanting for some time to force "balance-rr" mode#0 link aggregation on the WAN side (as opposed ot Mode#4) - between WAN=(eth0) and LAN#4(eth1) for the the AX86U - to work with the un-advertised Virgin Media UK Hub4

It also seems to be of interest for @ktully : https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ax88u-wan-aggregation-using-merlin-firmware.56296/post-821703



As to the LAN side, I am still trying to succesffuly build a working <r8152-2.16.3.ko> for the AX86U model as well as for the AC86U model - Un-successfull so far.

If anyone would already working <r8152-2.16.3.ko> drivers built recently for those two models (AX86U and AC86U) , and would like to share them here or on REnjie's post (https://wu.renjie.im/blog/network/ax88u-nbase-t/), that would be fantastic !

I am not having much luck somehow in building those....
 

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Tried with the Cable Matters dongle that has 8156B chipset...
Sadly it was slower with the dongle on my AX88U

With the dongle.
With25GUSB.png


Without the dongle
Without25GUSB.png
 
Is there config that needs to be changed to activate higher speed from the usb dongle?
On my ISP modem it's connected 2.5G
On my ax88u i see usb0: 2500 mbit/s downlink 2500 mbit/s uplink in the logs.
But unable to get faster.

This is what I have:
1687805539039.png

1687805464037.png
 
At the CLI on the router if you type lsusb it should tell you what chip it is.
if it shows this:
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0bda:8156

Does it means the chipset is not the 8156B it's a normal 8156??
 
Just tried the Sabrent NT-S25G and still the same results in speed

Very sad results
1688015731728.png


This proves to me there a definite issue with the realtek chipset.

But was impress with the Sabrent USB dongle quality. Very massive and solid.
Doesn't feel cheap plastic like the other. Probably better to dissipate heat.
 
Just tried the Sabrent NT-S25G and still the same results in speed

Very sad results
View attachment 51423

This proves to me there a definite issue with the realtek chipset.

But was impress with the Sabrent USB dongle quality. Very massive and solid.
Doesn't feel cheap plastic like the other. Probably better to dissipate heat.

First the inbuilt speed test is garbage and you may just be hitting a limit of that.

Second USB eithernet dongles will require CPU power from the router that it may not have. I've seen mixed results here with various USB dongle and router combos. Don't think I've seen anyone get 2.5G full throughput out of one.
 
First the inbuilt speed test is garbage and you may just be hitting a limit of that.

Second USB eithernet dongles will require CPU power from the router that it may not have. I've seen mixed results here with various USB dongle and router combos. Don't think I've seen anyone get 2.5G full throughput out of one.
It's just strange that with the dongle I get lower speeds with the dongles than without.
DL I lost up to 250Mbps and up to 50% less UL speed.

I understand the CPU power on this unit is limited but enough to cut those results?
I tried each one on my server and was able to get 1.2Gbps/950Mbps speeds.

So I blame more the driver from Realtek. This is why my last test would be to try either the Sabrent or the Startech 5Gbe USB adapter.
I still believe I should be able to get over 1Gbps speed DL speed.
 
It's just strange that with the dongle I get lower speeds with the dongles than without.
DL I lost up to 250Mbps and up to 50% less UL speed.

I understand the CPU power on this unit is limited but enough to cut those results?
I tried each one on my server and was able to get 1.2Gbps/950Mbps speeds.

So I blame more the driver from Realtek. This is why my last test would be to try either the Sabrent or the Startech 5Gbe USB adapter.
I still believe I should be able to get over 1Gbps speed DL speed.

Not surprising at all, if the router can't handle a full 1G, the router + dongle certainly won't be able to.

If the dongle plugged into a much more powerful PC can't do 2.5, it certainly will do much less on the low powered router.

What makes you believe you should be able to get over 1 gig connected to the router if your PC can barely do that?

I'd first figure out why your router can't do 1G, factory reset it and don't enable any CPU features like aiprotection, traffic stats, QOS, parental controls, etc. Also do not use the built in speed test, use a wired PC for testing. Once you can get 1G (or about 950M) using a hardwired PC, then see what you can get with the dongle.
 
What makes you believe you should be able to get over 1 gig connected to the router if your PC can barely do that?

I'd first figure out why your router can't do 1G, factory reset it and don't enable any CPU features like aiprotection, traffic stats, QOS, parental controls, etc. Also do not use the built in speed test, use a wired PC for testing. Once you can get 1G (or about 950M) using a hardwired PC, then see what you can get with the dongle.
Without the dongle and no CPU features... I see around 900/900 on speed tests. My ISP package is 1.6/950.

I believe It still should give me over 1G since I saw other that posted in this forum able to do it.
In the own thread some confirmed they where able to get over 1Gbps.
Some with a recompiled Realtek driver for either the ax88u or the ax86u.
I tried with that updated driver but never was able to make it work.

So this is why I want to try the Sabrent 5Gbe... I don't expect 5Gbps... but some way to get over 1Gbps speed.
I'm doing this more to answer my own questions and confirm it can or can't because anyway I'm switching my
main ax88u router to the gt-ax6000 unit.
 
I know this is an old post but yes it works on the rear usb next to the WAN port only. It shows up as a modem in the config. All I did was unhook my cable modem, went to "WAN" tab then "Dual Wan" tab changed "Primary WAN" to USB and let the router do it's thing. Rebooted my cable modem plugged it into the adapter and then plugged it into the USB port. My internet runs at over 1 gig speeds now. Not sure I understand what you are trying to do but my Motorola cable modem wil run at over 1 gig (I have 1.2Gig Service) and it now shows it in speed test. I don't see how you would plug a PC into it and connect to the LAN though... doesn't seem possible. What you need is just to add fast wifi to your PC.
Hi guys from Bucharest, ROmania.
Just purchased the right type B dongle, ax88U sees it and shows realtek 2.5G, but it cannot get an internet pppoe connection to DIGI, the Romanian fibre provider. What settings (besides enabling dual wan, setting primary wan to usb) do I have to change (it shows options for connection protocols available for 3g/4g modems. Any step by step tutorial available, please? Gee, thanks guyz.
 

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