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AC68U wireless bridge not stable?

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Mine Ong

Regular Contributor
Greetings,

I have a wifi stability issue with Merlin/Ac68U that I cannot resolve, I seek your collective guidance in this debugging process.

I currently have 2x AC68U running Asus Merlin (386.1) in AiMesh model with wired backhaul. The AiMesh router is in the basement (at one corner of the house where the DSL line comes into the house), and the node is at the 1st floor at the center of the house.

I didn't manage to get ethernet wires into certain part of the house, thus I tried:

1) another (3rd) AC68U as AiMesh nodel with wireless backhaul, or
2) AC68U in wireless bridge mode (edit: media bridge mode)

the 3rd Asus router is located on 1st floor roughly 30ft away from the (wired) node, separated by 1 dry wall.

In both situations, I did notice that the AC68U losses connection once a while: in fact, Windows 10 machine (wired) connected to the AC68U reports there is connection but just that nothing was transmitted. Simultaneously, other wireless devices connected to the (wired) AiMesh node have internet connection.

This makes on-line learning (for kids) impossible as their courses are live.

I then took out my old trusted Asus 520GU (with tomato) and set it up in wireless bridge mode. It has NOT loss any connection for about 3 weeks. Physically the 520GU is in the same location as the 3rd AC68U but it is only in wireless-g (~36 mbps).

While 520GU serves its purposes, I like to keep on using AC68U to take advantage of the faster wireless connection. I am puzzled as why, even in wireless (edit: media) bridge mode, that AC68U would loss connection?

any thought/suggestion is much appreciated,
 
Last edited:
Are you:
using fixed 2.4 and 5 GHz channels?
using fixed bandwidth: 20 MHz for 2.4 GHZ and 80 MHz for 5 GHz?
using separate SSID for 2.4 and 5 GHz?
not using 5 GHz DFS channels"
 
My bride in not stable either...... :)
 
Are you:
using fixed 2.4 and 5 GHz channels?
using fixed bandwidth: 20 MHz for 2.4 GHZ and 80 MHz for 5 GHz?
using separate SSID for 2.4 and 5 GHz?
not using 5 GHz DFS channels"
1) under Wireless->General, for both the 2.4/5GHz, the Control Channel and Extension Channel are "auto",
2) under Channel bandwidth: 2.4GHz: 20/40MHz, 5.0GHz: 20/40/80MHz
3) yes, separate ID,
4) can't find such a option?

basically I didn't tweak much, everything was left as default after flashing Merlin and re-initialization/reboot.

regards,
 
Greetings,

I have a wifi stability issue with Merlin/Ac68U that I cannot resolve, I seek your collective guidance in this debugging process.

I currently have 2x AC68U running Asus Merlin (386.1) in AiMesh model with wired backhaul. The AiMesh router is in the basement (at one corner of the house where the DSL line comes into the house), and the node is at the 1st floor at the center of the house.

I didn't manage to get ethernet wires into certain part of the house, thus I tried:

1) another (3rd) AC68U as AiMesh nodel with wireless backhaul, or
2) AC68U in wireless bridge mode (edit: media bridge mode)

the 3rd Asus router is located on 1st floor roughly 30ft away from the (wired) node, separated by 1 dry wall.

In both situations, I did notice that the AC68U losses connection once a while: in fact, Windows 10 machine (wired) connected to the AC68U reports there is connection but just that nothing was transmitted. Simultaneously, other wireless devices connected to the (wired) AiMesh node have internet connection.

This makes on-line learning (for kids) impossible as their courses are live.

I then took out my old trusted Asus 520GU (with tomato) and set it up in wireless bridge mode. It has NOT loss any connection for about 3 weeks. Physically the 520GU is in the same location as the 3rd AC68U but it is only in wireless-g (~36 mbps).

While 520GU serves its purposes, I like to keep on using AC68U to take advantage of the faster wireless connection. I am puzzled as why, even in wireless (edit: media) bridge mode, that AC68U would loss connection?

any thought/suggestion is much appreciated,
i'm in the same situation. After last upgrade the wifi connection of the node imesh is not stable. Google meet and other application didn't work well.
I change the firmare of the node with the original obe but nothing change.
before last upgrade it work very well
 
My bride in not stable either...... :)
Gotta be careful with those 'Wife' upgrades.....

(Sorry....couldn't resist :) )
 
Last edited:
1) under Wireless->General, for both the 2.4/5GHz, the Control Channel and Extension Channel are "auto",
2) under Channel bandwidth: 2.4GHz: 20/40MHz, 5.0GHz: 20/40/80MHz
3) yes, separate ID,
4) can't find such a option?

basically I didn't tweak much, everything was left as default after flashing Merlin and re-initialization/reboot.

regards,
You really need to set fixed bandwidth and channels. Probably your disconnects are caused by the WIFI switching channels and/or bandwidth.
2.4 GHz @ 20 MHz channel 1, 6 or 11
5 GHz @ 80 MHz on channel 36 or 149 depending on your country and neighborhood congestion.
And, if you flashed Merlin over Asus factory firmware a hard factory reset is strongly recommended.
Also, disable Airtime Fairness and Universal Beamforming.
DFS channels see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#5_GHz_(802.11a/h/j/n/ac/ax)
 
thanks, I'll give these suggestion a try.

and these settings (auto bandwidth/channels) wouldn't effect the old trusty Asus 520GU running old/original tomato firmware? is it because these settings are only relevant to wireless-AC and not wireless-g?
 
I think i solved with 80mhz default on 5g and disabling DFS.
I'll monitor for 24 h
But before the upgrade to last merlin firmware I have no wifi issue
 
You really need to set fixed bandwidth and channels. Probably your disconnects are caused by the WIFI switching channels and/or bandwidth.
2.4 GHz @ 20 MHz channel 1, 6 or 11
5 GHz @ 80 MHz on channel 36 or 149 depending on your country and neighborhood congestion.
And, if you flashed Merlin over Asus factory firmware a hard factory reset is strongly recommended.
Also, disable Airtime Fairness and Universal Beamforming.
DFS channels see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#5_GHz_(802.11a/h/j/n/ac/ax)

hi,

just tried your suggestions this morning but still experiencing disconnection problem with an AC68U in media bridge mode:

- the media bridge AC68U is using a static IP,
- when the disconnection occurs, I can login to the media bridge from a desktop that is wired to the media bridge,
- on the Network Map, it was indicated that the "Parent AP status: Connected", "Band: 5GHz", "Link rate: 877.5Mbps", and "RSSI: ~47dBm"
- however, I cannot connect to other devices (such as the main router) from the same desktop (wired to the media bridge)
- while simultaneously, my phone/tablet has internet connection.

The current setting is:
Wireless->general->2.4GHz
- Wireless Mode: auto
- Channel bandwidth: 20MHz
- Control Channel: 6

Wireless->general->5GHz
- Wireless Mode: auto
- Channel bandwidth: 80MHz
- Control Channel: 149
- Extension Channel: auto (the only option)

Wireless->professional
- everything default (re-initialization and flashing Merlin): Roaming Assistant, Airtime Fairness and Universal Beamforming are DISABLED.

I'll try to use different channel. If there are any other suggestion, please advise,

edit: ps: based on the Site Survey function on the router, I am the only one using ac/5GHz in my neighbourhood; as for 2.4GHz, one of my neighbour is also using channel 6 but its signal is very low.

regards,
 
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There are several discussions here about Media bridge mode problems on AC68U,
seems like a long standing issue.

 
thanks. I've read it and it looks using freshtomato is the answer if I want to use it in media-bridge mode.

I've updated the AC68U (media-bridge) to Merlin 386.2_2 but the disconnection still occurs. The AiMesh router/wired-node are still on Merlin 386.1.
 

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