ZenWifi AX6600 XT8 Keeps Dropping WAN Connection

[jcq]

I have a set of AX XT8 routers that I typically have set up in AI Mesh with a third Asus router. The primary node is connected via Ethernet to an ET2251 (DOCSIS 3.1, provided by Charter/Spectrum) cable modem. All routers are updated to the latest firmware (3.0.0.4.386_49873 for the XT8 ones).

Recently (I am not certain of the date, but I would say since August), we have been having substantial issues with realtime network applications (Zoom, Meet, etc).The system log (see example below) shows that the WAN port disconnects and reconnects within around 4 seconds. This happens with annoying frequency, sometimes multiple times in a minute.

Things I have tried:

• Restarting all mesh nodes & the cable modem
• Factory resetting all mesh nodes
• Swapping out the primary node (one XT8 for the other to eliminate hardware issue with the one WAN port)
• Swapping ethernet cables that connect router to modem (tried three, all experience the issue)

As much as I'd like to place the blame on the cable company, I have also plugged a computer directly into the cable modem (bypassing the routers entirely) and have yet to see any drops after multiple hours of testing.

Has anyone else seen a similar issue, perhaps after updating to the latest firmware? I do have a support ticket in w/ Asus, but have not yet received guidance. Since I have the issue with multiple XT8s (and cables), I believe it to be a software issue. I'm happy to try out any configuration changes that might help. At the moment, all I have done since factory reset was set up WiFi and mesh; all other settings are defaults.

Sep  8 10:49:21 WAN Connection: WAN(0) link up.
Sep  8 10:49:21 rc_service: wanduck 1607:notify_rc restart_wan_if 0
Sep  8 10:49:24 wan: finish adding multi routes
Sep  8 10:49:25 miniupnpd[25073]: shutting down MiniUPnPd
Sep  8 10:49:25 miniupnpd: it is advised to use network interface name instead of 192.168.50.1/255.255.255.0
Sep  8 10:49:25 ddns: update WWW.ASUS.COM update@asus.com, wan_unit 0
Sep  8 10:49:25 ddns: Clear ddns cache.
Sep  8 10:49:25 ddns: Start Inadyn(10).
Sep  8 10:49:25 inadyn[25414]: In-a-dyn version 2.8.1 -- Dynamic DNS update client.
Sep  8 10:49:25 miniupnpd[25402]: HTTP listening on port 49943
Sep  8 10:49:25 inadyn[25414]: Update forced for alias A8C2796A623D274C322769C5909FA1945.asuscomm.com, new IP# <ISP_ASSIGNED_IP>
Sep  8 10:49:25 miniupnpd[25402]: Listening for NAT-PMP/PCP traffic on port 5351
Sep  8 10:49:25 kernel: Archer TCP Pure ACK Enabled
Sep  8 10:49:25 dhcp client: bound <ISP_ASSIGNED_IP>/255.255.224.0 via <ISP_ASSIGNED_IP> for 81385 seconds.
Sep  8 10:49:25 inadyn[25414]: alias address=<<ISP_ASSIGNED_IP>>
Sep  8 10:49:25 inadyn[25414]: request<GET /ddns/update.jsp?hostname=A8C2796A623D274C322769C5909FA1945.asuscomm.com&myip=<ISP_ASSIGNED_IP>&model=RT-AX95Q&fw_ver=3.0.0.4.386_49873-g72159cc HTTP/1.0^M Authorization: Basic N0MxMEM5MDVGMzEwOjg0NzJDMzgzOTBGNTU2RUVFOTNBODIzMjk4MDUxMTE0^M Host: ns1.asuscomm.com^M User-Agent: inadyn/2.8.1 https://github.com/troglobit/inadyn/issues^M ^M >
Sep  8 10:49:26 inadyn[25414]: [response_update]HTTP/1.1 200 OK^M Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2022 14:49:26 GMT^M Server: Apache^M Content-Length: 0^M Connection: close^M Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8^M ^M
Sep  8 10:49:26 inadyn[25414]: Updating cache for A8C2796A623D274C322769C5909FA1945.asuscomm.com
Sep  8 10:49:26 ddns: ddns update ok
Sep  8 10:49:26 WAN Connection: WAN was restored.
Sep  8 10:49:30 kernel: ^[[0;33;41m[ERROR archer] archer_mcast_activate,577: ADD_PORT: WLAN SSID has already been added: egress_port 7, current 0x0002, new 0x0002^[[0m
Sep  8 10:49:30 kernel: ^[[0;33;41m[ERROR archer] archer_mcast_activate,577: ADD_PORT: WLAN SSID has already been added: egress_port 7, current 0x0002, new 0x0002^[[0m
Sep  8 10:49:46 kernel: eth0 (Int switch port: 1) (Logical Port: 1) (phyId: 1f) Link DOWN.
Sep  8 10:49:50 kernel: eth0: sysport_tm port shaper set to 2497500 kbps, 150000 mbs (phy speed 2500000 kbps)
Sep  8 10:49:50 kernel: eth0 (Int switch port: 1) (Logical Port: 1) (phyId: 1f) Link Up at 2500 mbps full duplex
Sep  8 10:49:50 kernel: ^[[0;33;41m[ERROR archer] archer_mcast_activate,577: ADD_PORT: WLAN SSID has already been added: egress_port 6, current 0x0001, new 0x0001^[[0m
Sep  8 10:49:51 WAN Connection: WAN(0) link up.

 

[tgl]

Try some other firmware versions, perhaps. I've had a pair of XT8s since December, and have tried every firmware version ASUS has put out in the last year, and every single version has had glitches of one magnitude or another. Maybe there is one that will work solidly for your use-case, but evidently this one is not it. (For me, only 42095 has been stable on the main unit, though 49873 is holding up OK on the remote node.)

Suffice it to say I'm unlikely to buy any more ASUS gear.

 

[jcq]

Is there a way to rollback to a prior firmware w/o a Windows computer? I'd be happy to use CLI or something, but I don't currently have a Windows machine...

 

[tgl]

Is there a way to rollback to a prior firmware w/o a Windows computer? I'd be happy to use CLI or something, but I don't currently have a Windows machine...

You don't need Windows (I don't have Windows either). Just a browser. Connect to the router's web GUI and upload the firmware you want to try using the firmware update page. The hard part might be laying your hands on the firmware file --- ASUS' website tends not to have very old versions. Keep in mind also that if your XT8 was made in 2022, it won't run older firmware versions; they changed something or other about the hardware.

 

[jcq]

You don't need Windows (I don't have Windows either). Just a browser. Connect to the router's web GUI and upload the firmware you want to try using the firmware update page. The hard part might be laying your hands on the firmware file --- ASUS' website tends not to have very old versions. Keep in mind also that if your XT8 was made in 2022, it won't run older firmware versions; they changed something or other about the hardware.

Hah — that's what I get for seeing an Asus tech support page instead of just trying it. That worked great for rolling back the firmware. Unfortunately, that didn't affect the issue I was having.

However, I decided the next step was to just swap out the cable modem, despite troubleshooting evidence to the contrary (no drops when computer is connected directly to modem). So far (10+ hours), I haven't yet seen a drop of the WAN port. Here's hoping that ends up fixing it... and it also makes me feel better that my initial feeling of wanting to blame it on cable company was essentially justified.

 

[OzarkEdge]

However, I decided the next step was to just swap out the cable modem, despite troubleshooting evidence to the contrary (no drops when computer is connected directly to modem). So far (10+ hours), I haven't yet seen a drop of the WAN port. Here's hoping that ends up fixing it.

What modem are you using instead of the previous Technicolor Spectrum D3.1 2.5G eMTA Cable Modem ET2251 (which I use with Spectrum)?

OE

 

[jcq]

I ended up just dropping by a Spectrum store and swapping it out for whatever they handed me (which turned out to be an E31U2V1. They didn't even blink an eye at the swap (nor even ask what was wrong), so I'm guessing modem failures are a fairly common occurrence for them.

 

[lifeisfun]

I ended up just dropping by a Spectrum store and swapping it out for whatever they handed me (which turned out to be an E31U2V1. They didn't even blink an eye at the swap (nor even ask what was wrong), so I'm guessing modem failures are a fairly common occurrence for them.

Hi there!
Did this solve your problem?

I have similar problem with my XT8 as well.
My service provider sent me new modem Sercom DM1000 replacing Hitron CGN3 (apparently no longer used by Rogers), and now I'm getting short internet drops.
Connected directly to PC no disconnects.

Thanks

 

[MABear]

Hi there!
Did this solve your problem?

I have similar problem with my XT8 as well.
My service provider sent me new modem Sercom DM1000 replacing Hitron CGN3 (apparently no longer used by Rogers), and now I'm getting short internet drops.
Connected directly to PC no disconnects.

Thanks

Hi,

I am having the same problem. I have Spectrum GIG Internet. I had the stock Spectrum modem they gave me and I swapped it out for a Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 {I bought it}. I've been having problems since the OG modem and now the Netgear. I have 3 wired XT8's. And I'll be streaming or surfing the net for a few minutes and my connection drops. I'll reboot the modem and mesh and it'll work again and then crash again. Spectrum has been out 3 times and tested everything from outside to the inside and everything runs fast. They even replaced some splitters and re-did some wires too. SO the problem isn't Spectrum. I mainly use my Galaxy S20 Ultra's WiFi6 to watch stuff in bed. I've got a Microsoft Surface also and it does the same thing. Has anyone figured a solution to this problem yet? Please let me know this is driving me nuts. And as you know the XT8's weren't cheap either. Thanks for your time.