AC86U "USB Setting" disappears and AC68U with hidden ssid

[Buontinh]

Hi all,

I recently have my AC86U and AC68U switched duty for NAS.
When the AC86U is set to access point (AP) mode, the "USB Setting" option under Administration>System disappears. The good thing is USB drives connected to it still spin down after the default set time of 300 seconds when it was set in router mode. The AC68U does not has this problem when set to AP mode. Both are running the latest 384.19 firmware.

The other problem I have is with the AC68U (version 2 with 1.4ghz cpu) showing "HiddenSSID" on top of the 2.4ghz band when set to router mode. I do not recall seeing this when it was running in AP mode. Both Wifi Analyzer and the router's Wireless>WDS>Remote AP List show the same MAC address of this hiddenssid (CA:3A:6B:57:04:3C). My Roku Streaming Stick+ shows a very similar MAC address, but it start with C8 with the rest the same. If I change the wifi control channel, this hiddenssid also follows. This hiddenssid still show up even if I disable the radio for 2.4ghz band. If I change the wifi control channel after disabling the radio then the hiddenssid channel does not follows. The signal strength and distance report by Wifi Analyzer is different for both of course depending on where I'm at.

This is just weird and I want to know why.

Thanks

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi all,

I recently have my AC86U and AC68U switched duty for NAS.
When the AC86U is set to access point (AP) mode, the "USB Setting" option under Administration>System disappears. The good thing is USB drives connected to it still spin down after the default set time of 300 seconds when it was set in router mode. The AC68U does not has this problem when set to AP mode. Both are running the latest 384.19 firmware.

The other problem I have is with the AC68U (version 2 with 1.4ghz cpu) showing "HiddenSSID" on top of the 2.4ghz band when set to router mode. I do not recall seeing this when it was running in AP mode. Both Wifi Analyzer and the router's Wireless>WDS>Remote AP List show the same MAC address of this hiddenssid (CA:3A:6B:57:04:3C). My Roku Streaming Stick+ shows a very similar MAC address, but it start with C8 with the rest the same. If I change the wifi control channel, this hiddenssid also follows. This hiddenssid still show up even if I disable the radio for 2.4ghz band. If I change the wifi control channel after disabling the radio then the hiddenssid channel does not follows. The signal strength and distance report by Wifi Analyzer is different for both of course depending on where I'm at.

This is just weird and I want to know why.

Thanks

Could the hidden SSID belong to a WiFi Direct signal coming from an AP in the Roku for use with a Roku remote control clicker?

If you unplug the Roku, does that hidden SSID stop broadcasting?

OE

 

[itpp20]

Hidden sid coming from a guest setup?

 

[Buontinh]

Guest is disabled.

@OzarkEdge You are absolutely right. I removed the batteries from the Roku remote this morning, but didn't think of disconnecting the stick itself. But it now shows up as DIRECT-roku-587... something when I reconnected it. Is this something you can disable or it's needed to communicate with the remote and wifi? Also why does it follows the router when I change the wifi channel?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is this something you can disable or it's needed to communicate with the remote and wifi?

You can't disable it because it's used for the remote control.

Also why does it follows the router when I change the wifi channel?

It's because the Roku has a single radio that is being used to connect to the router and create an AP for the remote control. The radio can only work on one channel which is why it follows the channel set on the router. For the WiFi-Direct AP to operate on a its own separate channel would require the Roku to have a second radio circuit built into it at added expense.

 

[Buontinh]

I powered it back on then tried connecting to my other wifi channels and now it goes back to hidden ssid again. It seems to follows whatever access point it's connected to.

 

[Buontinh]

Thank you all. At least I now don't have to think about it. As for the problem with the USB Setting disappearing on the AC86U in AP mode, is this a bug or intentional?