AC5300 Merlin Low Range

[ASadani]

hi All. I am on the latest Merlin firmware. The router works well but the range is extremely less when compared to my netgear x10 running ddwrt. I have not made any firmware modifications to increase the transmit range. Is there a tweak that i can increase the transmit power of the radios?

This is the exact Hardware I have

RT-AC5300
H/W Ver: A5
F/W Ver.: 3.0.0.4.380

much much appreciated.
I have not made any modifications to the default settings.

 

[HuskyHerder]

Try a hard restart. Turn power off, unplug the power cord and wait a minute or so, then turn it back on. One of the earlier betas w/ my 5300 had the wifi hardly broadcasting at all. At least it seemed that way when trying to connect to it. After the hard restart all was back to normal.

The power options are the same as the ASUS firmware.

 

[sfx2000]

I am on the latest Merlin firmware. The router works well but the range is extremely less when compared to my netgear x10 running ddwrt. I have not made any firmware modifications to increase the transmit range. Is there a tweak that i can increase the transmit power of the radios?

Hmmm... $800 worth of Consumer Router/AP's - the X10 netgear and the Asus 5300

OP got bit by marketeering... 3rd party firmware ain't gonna fix that.

So... alt approach

WiFi - Couple of UniFi AC-Pro's - that's $260 for both

Routing - Add a pfSense box for around $200... or an ERx/hEX which can be found for around $100USD

Maybe add a Netgear GS-108T managed switch - 80 bucks...

One will come out money and coverage and performance ahead...

So spend money wisely - bigger money doesn't mean better performance...

BTW - 5GHz and 2.4GHz are generally governed by the laws of Physics - and even then, big power on the AP side is countered by small power on the client side - juicing power/bigger antennas, again - physics...

 

[ASadani]

Hmmm... $800 worth of Consumer Router/AP's - the X10 netgear and the Asus 5300
OP got bit by marketeering... 3rd party firmware ain't gonna fix that.
So... alt approach
WiFi - Couple of UniFi AC-Pro's - that's $260 for both
Routing - Add a pfSense box for around $200... or an ERx/hEX which can be found for around $100USD
Maybe add a Netgear GS-108T managed switch - 80 bucks...
One will come out money and coverage and performance ahead...
So spend money wisely - bigger money doesn't mean better performance...
BTW - 5GHz and 2.4GHz are generally governed by the laws of Physics - and even then, big power on the AP side is countered by small power on the client side - juicing power/bigger antennas, again - physics...

Don't know much about the equipment you have mentioned. but the reason to have multiple of these routers as we need to use VPN's and the usage of VPN on ddwrt and merlin are slightly varied and hence wanted to try out which one works better. In my opinion, merlin is much superior but the transmit range is very low when compared to ddwrt. Was hoping Merlin would help increase the power. I have heard that if you use an old firmware there are transmit keys that can increase the power?

 

[ASadani]

Try a hard restart. Turn power off, unplug the power cord and wait a minute or so, then turn it back on. One of the earlier betas w/ my 5300 had the wifi hardly broadcasting at all. At least it seemed that way when trying to connect to it. After the hard restart all was back to normal.

The power options are the same as the ASUS firmware.

I have tried that. I have given my AC5300 to a friend and repurchased the same router again. The new one as well has the exact same range issues. The netgear x10 with ddwrt is much more stronger. I wonder if ddwrt has modified the transmit power by default. The main reason I want to make merlin work for me is because asus can do vlan id's correctly unlike ddwrt and not requiring a double nat in my case. However with the AC5300, the devices at home have issues connecting for example the belkin light switch. If I tell Alexa to turn the lights on, the unit thinks and says can't find the switch. I never have this issue with the netgear.

 

[HuskyHerder]

As for Belkin light switches. I had connection issues prior to my 5300. Very much like you describe. I was using a 5th gen AirPort Extreme and several Airport Express to cover dead or weak areas. The wall switch was my most problematic device. I moved all my plugs and switches over the last year or so to iDevices. (Works w/ HomeKit) About the only time I have connection issues now is if I cause network havoc and change Wi-Fi password etc. Which means I just have to reset the device and manually pair it with my Wi-Fi.

I have an old home with plaster walls/metal mesh and so far my range has been great. I do have a hard wired extender on an end of the home to provide my detached garage with Wi-Fi.

TLDR; Belkin just didn’t work well for me either.

 

[ASadani]

As for Belkin light switches. I had connection issues prior to my 5300. Very much like you describe. I was using a 5th gen AirPort Extreme and several Airport Express to cover dead or weak areas. The wall switch was my most problematic device. I moved all my plugs and switches over the last year or so to iDevices. (Works w/ HomeKit) About the only time I have connection issues now is if I cause network havoc and change Wi-Fi password etc. Which means I just have to reset the device and manually pair it with my Wi-Fi.

I have an old home with plaster walls/metal mesh and so far my range has been great. I do have a hard wired extender on an end of the home to provide my detached garage with Wi-Fi.

TLDR; Belkin just didn’t work well for me either.

I have the belkin Wemo Switch. It works 100% of the time with the netgear and about 10% of the time with the Asus

 

[ASadani]

Try a hard restart. Turn power off, unplug the power cord and wait a minute or so, then turn it back on. One of the earlier betas w/ my 5300 had the wifi hardly broadcasting at all. At least it seemed that way when trying to connect to it. After the hard restart all was back to normal.

The power options are the same as the ASUS firmware.

Have been playing around with all the settings and cannot get the transmit power to work decently. Is there a tweak to push the power limit. I believe merlin's latest firmware does not allow that. but there was an old one that could do it but was unstable. Would like to know which firmware should I go back to to enable to transmit power on the AC5300

 

[ASadani]

Can I try this on the 5300? Will this work?

This is just for those who are INTERESTED to test out 500mw transmit power on their RT-N66U, you may enter commands via GUI at 192.168.1.1 > Tools > CMD or via telnet:

### To CHECK your current region, each line entered will result in the answer.
nvram get pci/1/1/ccode
nvram get pci/2/1/ccode
nvram get wl0_country_code
nvram get wl1_country_code
nvram get regulation_domain
nvram get regulation_domain_5G

### To ALTER to a new region such as US(500mw), or GB(200mw), enter or change the last 2 letters accordingly to each line. Its a good idea to CHECK your current region after each command entered.
nvram set pci/1/1/ccode=US
nvram set pci/2/1/ccode=US
nvram set wl0_country_code=US
nvram set wl1_country_code=US
nvram set regulation_domain=US
nvram set regulation_domain_5G=US

### To CHECK your current transmit power, each line entered will result in answer.
nvram get wl_TxPower
nvram get wl0_TxPower
nvram get wl1_TxPower

### To ALTER to a new transmit power such as 500mw(US) or 200mw(GB), enter or change the last 3 digits accordingly to each line. Its a good idea to CHECK your current transmit power after each command entered.
nvram set wl_TxPower=500
nvram set wl0_TxPower=500
nvram set wl1_TxPower=500
nvram commit


After nvram commit command is entered, you may additionally VERIFY values at the GUI > Wireless > Professional > Tx power adjustment. Take note your router temperature MAY rise by about 2 to 3°C and maintain. I have experienced only a 5% average strength increase from 200mw to 500mw. FYI, firmware using is by Merlin 3.0.0.4.372.30_3. Signal strength check using WiFi Explorer 1.5.1.

 

[HuskyHerder]

In my understanding an older version did allow, changing the tx power. That version pre dates my experience with the merlin fw.

 

[ASadani]

In my understanding an older version did allow, changing the tx power. That version pre dates my experience with the merlin fw.

I was hoping there is a way to telnet into it to increase the range. The default is extremely low

 

[ColinTaylor]

Can I try this on the 5300? Will this work?

No it won't. All firmwares since 380.60 (3.0.0.4.380_3000) read the wireless parameters directly out of the CFE. Setting NVRAM variables has no effect anymore (other than what is normally allowed).

 

[Deleted member 22229]

hggomes has a firmware or at least he use to not sure now or even if he supports your model but its worth a try. It has tx power modified and adjustable. You will have to PM him and wait for a reply.

 

[ASadani]

hggomes has a firmware or at least he use to not sure now or even if he supports your model but its worth a try. It has tx power modified and adjustable. You will have to PM him and wait for a reply.

Thanks Kal. I'll check with him.

 

[ASadani]

No it won't. All firmwares since 380.60 (3.0.0.4.380_3000) read the wireless parameters directly out of the CFE. Setting NVRAM variables has no effect anymore (other than what is normally allowed).

In that case can we try a firmware earlier than 380.60. I believe 380.60 is fairly new. The older firmwares had the http web server crash issues but that can be manageable In my opinion.

 

[dlandiss]

I was hoping there is a way to telnet into it to increase the range. The default is extremely low

Remember that the router must also receive data transmitted by the client. Just increasing the router's transmission power alone only treats the downlink, not the uplink.

That's why so many of us try different router positions or antennas: both of those are reciprocal and affect communication in both directions.

 

[ASadani]

hggomes has a firmware or at least he use to not sure now or even if he supports your model but its worth a try. It has tx power modified and adjustable. You will have to PM him and wait for a reply.

Thanks Kal. hhgomes firmware fixed all the coverage issues. Infact, the range is so strong now. The range works for a very long distance. At the moment I am having no issues running my whole setup well. Thanks to you for connecting and thanks for hhgomes, & merlin to make this product beyond what it is.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

Glad it worked out for you.