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AC86U: how do I set 2.4GHz control channel and tx power?

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badbob001

Occasional Visitor
Unlike my AC68U, the AC86U doesn't seem to let me set the control channel or tx power for 2.4GHz.

There is a Control Channel field, but its only option is Auto. And interestingly enough, it also says: Current Control Channel: 0

As for Tx Power Adjustment, I can't find it anywhere. I don't have Smart Connect enabled.
 
86U transmit power is not configurable.

If using Smart Connect, then wireless mode, channel bandwidth, control channel, and extension channel will be adjusted automatically.

If not using Smart Connect, then a control channel of 0 doesn't make sense... not in the US anyway. So, I would factory default reset the router and re-configure from scratch. And you should consider using separate SSIDs.

OE
 
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Before posting, I had tried a 'nvram erase'. When that didn't fix the issue, I did a factory init from the web portal. Still didn't help.

I suspect I have a hardware failure with the 2.4GHz wifi; 5GHz wifi is ok. I can confirm that I don't see the 2.4 signal by running a wifi analyzer from my phone. I'm not even sure when the wifi failed since I have multiple access points with the same ssid but on non-overlapping channels (2.4 and 5 are on different ssids). I've only noticed it when I was troubleshooting a sudden loss of access to the web admin portal and had it repeatedly stop working even after a reboot of the router or restart of the httpd service.

I just bought this a little over a month ago so this is troubling (and just a few days past the return window). I don't remember the out-of-the-box firmware (sticker on back says year 2018), but when the traffic analyzer wasn't working, I did an upgrade straight to the latest 32799 without factory resetting. I don't remember verifying the wifi settings afterwards.

Oh boy, this is my 7th wifi router and this is my first problem of this type. I hope asus support is not bad.
 
Before posting, I had tried a 'nvram erase'. When that didn't fix the issue, I did a factory init from the web portal. Still didn't help.

I suspect I have a hardware failure with the 2.4GHz wifi; 5GHz wifi is ok. I can confirm that I don't see the 2.4 signal by running a wifi analyzer from my phone. I'm not even sure when the wifi failed since I have multiple access points with the same ssid but on non-overlapping channels (2.4 and 5 are on different ssids). I've only noticed it when I was troubleshooting a sudden loss of access to the web admin portal and had it repeatedly stop working even after a reboot of the router or restart of the httpd service.

I just bought this a little over a month ago so this is troubling (and just a few days past the return window). I don't remember the out-of-the-box firmware (sticker on back says year 2018), but when the traffic analyzer wasn't working, I did an upgrade straight to the latest 32799 without factory resetting. I don't remember verifying the wifi settings afterwards.

Oh boy, this is my 7th wifi router and this is my first problem of this type. I hope asus support is not bad.

Take it in stride.

You could try a reset, power cycle, and then re-install the current firmware from your local disk (download it first). I believe you can do this from the router Quick Setup routine without having to do the initial configuration. Maybe it will come up with both radios ON (fingers crossed). Then reset again before configuration.

OE
 
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Always has been sort of broken. I don't think this forum supports links in signatures so you have to 'go to it' manually, which is a select and right-click in Chrome.

Here you go, my 2xRT-AC86U AiMesh install notes.

OE
No, when I said it was broken, I did not mean the link was not clickable. But I meant the url text was actually broken (a short string in the middle became "..." shown in screenshot below), so I couldn't copy or "select and right-click in Chrome".

PXnjKpX.png
 
No, when I said it was broken, I did not mean the link was not clickable. But I meant the url text was actually broken (a short string in the middle became "..." shown in screenshot below), so I couldn't copy or "select and right-click in Chrome".

PXnjKpX.png
I meant this, I mark this text with "..." in firefox and say open in new tab.
It will work nevertheless whats in there, it will find it here.

You can try:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...ntrol-channel-and-tx-power.49518/#post-442150
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...-control-channel-and-tx-power.49518/#post-442150
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...power.49518/#post-442150
 
No, when I said it was broken, I did not mean the link was not clickable. But I meant the url text was actually broken (a short string in the middle became "..." shown in screenshot below), so I couldn't copy or "select and right-click in Chrome".

PXnjKpX.png

I understand what you mean. But I don't understand why I don't have the same issue here. I can copy/paste it into Chrome or just select and right-click to go to it... it just works. Maybe someone has a clue.

OE
 
To conclude this story, I dusted off an ac68u to take over router duties, RMA'ed the ac86u, just got the new replacement yesterday, and will set it up later today.

I've been meaning to write a script to login to each AP and list the clients on each wifi channel as a way to monitor and log usage. That would help identify dead wifi points.
 

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