Why am I unable to set up my RT-AC66U as an access point?

[Sonicmojo]

I have a new RT-AC86U as the main router now and would like to use my trusty old RT-AC66U as an access point.

The 66U is running the last known good Merlin before it was deemed unsupported. I found a couple of basic guides on net and was able to get into the 66U (Just plugged my desktop into LAN port 1) and even was able to turn on Access Point mode.

I need the IP of this device to be 192.168.1.2 but as soon as I changed to a manual IP (during Access Point Setup) and then accessed the device via the new IP - it immediately comes back up and gives me a standard ASUS "you need to upgrade your firmware" message:

I have no desire to change the firmware and want to stay with Merlin as is.

What is the deal with this? Is there something I need to turn off - or does this unit not play nice as an AP with Merlin firmware on board?

Appreciate any tips you can share.

Cheers!

Sonic.

 

[CaptainSTX]

First of all when you convert a router to an AP there really isn't any great benefit of using any particular firmware as your AC86 will handle all of the network functions and the AC66 will just use its radios.

Secondly to assign a static IP to your AP use the AC86.

Finally if you can't get the AP function to work on the AC66 just follow the tutorial on this site to repurpose a router to an AP.

 

[Sonicmojo]

First of all when you convert a router to an AP there really isn't any great benefit of using any particular firmware as your AC86 will handle all of the network functions and the AC66 will just use its radios.

Good to know - I will update it to the latest ASUS FW so I can at least get it going.

Secondly to assign a static IP to your AP use the AC86.

Interesting. Every so called "guide" I have found seems to indicate that best practice is to log into the unit "standalone" with a laptop or desktop with a cable into a LAN port and set up the IP that way. Then - once AP mode has been successfully enabled - plug into the parent network?

Or are you saying just stick the router onto the parent network first - regardless of what IP it has and manipulate it that way? The only reason that I did the standalone thing is that this router WAS my parent router and already had 192.168.1.1 previously. I figured I was looking for trouble with two devices with the same IP. (Parent AC86U now has 192.168.1.1)

Finally if you can't get the AP function to work on the AC66 just follow the tutorial on this site to repurpose a router to an AP.

Followed what I thought was a decent guide - but it looks like it was from the Windows XP days. Care to share a link?

Sonic

 

[Salles]

That is correct. The best way is to do it standalone so one will not accidentally configure the wrong device.

To do this you need:
-The firmware you like to use in AP/Repeater to be.
-Asus Router Discovery Utility

In order to configure AP or Repeater I usually:
- disable wifi on my laptop (so I do not accidentaly configure the wrong device).
- connect ethernet cable between laptop and AP/ Repeater to be.
- upload newest firmware from Asus or Asus Merlin to AP/Repeater to be (this will have to be downloaded to your laptop in advance if you do not have internet connection at the moment).
- perform factory reset on AP/Repeater to be from GUI.
- setup as a AP/Repeater. This can either be performed during setup directly after factory reset or you can setup as a router first (which I usually prefer) and the enter Advanced Settings/Administration and then setup as an AP.
- Setup as an AP or Repeater automatically (the IP-address of the AP/Repeater will change).
- Start Asus Router Discovery Utility on your laptop and wait for it to find your AP/Repeater.
- Click on the AP/Repeater. This should then open the GUI of your AP/Repeater in your web browser.
- Enter Advanced Settings/LAN on your AP/Repeater and choose to configure the IP-address manually to which ever you want (that is not already in use). If you have Diversion installed, 192.168.1.2 is probably already in use by pixelserv-tls. I would then choose 192.168.1.3 for AP/Repeater.

[EDIT]
- Do not forget afterwards to login to your AC86U and enter Advanced Settings/Wireless/Professional and enable roaming assistant and adjust RSSI to a suitable setting. I use 55 dBm.
- Read up on sticky clients if you notice that certain devices have difficulties to roam between router and AP. For google devices, the roaming process can be helped by allowing Wifi roaming scans under Developer Options.

Good luck.

 

[Sonicmojo]

That is correct. The best way is to do it standalone so one will not accidentally configure the wrong device.

To do this you need:

-The firmware you like to use in AP/Repeater to be.
-Asus Router Discovery Utility

I have upgraded the router to the latest ASUS (Jun 10, 2019) and have downloaded the utility...however - I do not have a laptop - only a Windows Desktop with a hard LAN connection.

In order to configure AP or Repeater I usually:
- disable wifi on my laptop (so I do not accidental configure the wrong device).
- connect ethernet cable between laptop and AP/ Repeater to be.
- upload newest firmware from Asus or Asus Merlin to AP/Repeater to be (this will have to be downloaded to your laptop in advance if you do not have internet connection at the moment).
- perform factory reset on AP/Repeater to be from GUI.
- setup as a AP/Repeater. This can either be performed during setup directly after factory reset or you can setup as a router first (which I usually prefer) and the enter Advanced Settings/Administration and then setup as an AP.
- Setup as an AP or Repeater automatically (the IP-address of the AP/Repeater will change).
- Start Asus Router Discovery Utility on your laptop and wait for it to find your AP/Repeater.
- Click on the AP/Repeater. This should then open the GUI of your AP/Repeater in your web browser.
- Enter Advanced Settings/LAN on your AP/Repeater and choose to configure the IP-address manually to which ever you want (that is not already in use). If you have Diversion installed, 192.168.1.2 is probably already in use by pixelserv-tls. I would then choose 192.168.1.3 for AP/Repeater.

To your list:

- disable wifi on my laptop (so I do not accidentaly configure the wrong device).

No laptop per above

- connect ethernet cable between laptop and AP/ Repeater to be.

All good - can login to the RT-AC66U via 192.168.1.1

- upload newest firmware from Asus or Asus Merlin to AP/Repeater to be

Done as per above - using the most current ASUS as of June 10, 2019.

- perform factory reset on AP/Repeater to be from GUI.

Did not allow me to do this after the firmware update - said I had "manually" reboot the router - which I assume is just a power cycle? So I power cycled the unit - it came back up just fine.

- setup as a AP/Repeater. This can either be performed during setup directly after factory reset or you can setup as a router first (which I usually prefer) and the enter Advanced Settings/Administration and then setup as an AP.

-Setup as an AP or Repeater automatically (the IP-address of the AP/Repeater will change).

Walked thru this successfully.

-Start Asus Router Discovery Utility on your laptop and wait for it to find your AP/Repeater.

It found the RT-AC66U and listed it in the panel - however....

- Click on the AP/Repeater. This should then open the GUI of your AP/Repeater in your web browser.

When I double click on the entry - I get this error and cannot do anything else.

Stuck at this step now...

Sonic

 

[Salles]

I have upgraded the router to the latest ASUS (Jun 10, 2019) and have downloaded the utility...however - I do not have a laptop - only a Windows Desktop with a hard LAN connection.

Any windows computer is fine.

(Did not allow me to do this after the firmware update - said I had "manually" reboot the router - which I assume is just a power cycle?

Correct.

- setup as a AP/Repeater. This can either be performed during setup directly after factory reset or you can setup as a router first (which I usually prefer) and the enter Advanced Settings/Administration and then setup as an AP.

This is where I am stopped right now - have not made the move to AP from the GUI since I am unsure if this Asus Router Discovery Utility will actually work on my desktop?

Install and open Asus Router Discovery Utility and it will find any Asus router/AP/Repeater/Media bridge in your network.

You did not indicate whether or not you have re-enabled the wi-fi on the laptop - which tells me this utility may work just fine from a non-wireless desktop?)

Once you have setup the AP/Repeater to be as an AP/Repeater you can unplug the ethernet cable to the AP/Repeater and enable wifi on your computer.
Then start Asus Router Discovery Utility and wait for the AP/Repeater to appear in your network.

 

[Sonicmojo]

Once you have setup the AP/Repeater to be as an AP/Repeater you can unplug the ethernet cable to the AP/Repeater and enable wifi on your computer.
Then start Asus Router Discovery Utility and wait for the AP/Repeater to appear in your network.

Ah - here is the issue. There is no wi-fi to enable on this computer so it looks like I will never be able to find the 66U using that tool.

I am going to have to find a laptop to do this now. Sigh.

Sonic.

 

[Salles]

Ah - here is the issue. There is no wi-fi to enable on this computer so it looks like I will never be able to find the 66U using that tool.

Sonic.

In that case you just unplug the ethernet cable from the AP/Repeater (once it is setup) and attach it to your router. Then start Asus Router Discovery Utility and wait for the IP of AP/Repeater to appear.

 

[Sonicmojo]

In that case you just unplug the ethernet cable from the AP/Repeater (once it is setup) and attach it to your router. Then start Asus Router Discovery Utility and wait for the IP of AP/Repeater to appear.

Can I simply plug the 66U into a LAN port on the wall here at my desk? When I finally get this thing working - it is going to be situated well away from the parent router.

EDIT - Working! Simply plugged the 66U from WAN port to the wall and the Discovery Utility found it. I am in!

Now just need to adjust the IP and the Wireless names and make those other changes you mentioned (On the AC86U)

Q: I would like to maintain the same wireless network names on the AP as that on the AC86U so we can simply move between floors with no need to reconnect the iPhones/iPads etc. Advisable?

Thanks so much for your help! This was a bit of a chore but I am glad I have it figured out.

Sonic

 

[Salles]

Q: I would like to maintain the same wireless network names on the AP as that on the AC86U so we can simply move between floors with no need to reconnect the iPhones/iPads etc. Advisable?

Then you unfortunately have to redo the setup of the AP/Repeater.
[EDIT] I do not mean start all over. Enter GUI of AP/Repeater and do it again under Administration.

When choosing the network name for 2,4 and 5 Ghz just type the same name as your router ssid.
For more detailed information.
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/article-discussion-how-many-ssids-is-too-many.25353/