AC87, iTunes WiFi Sync and Handoff issue

[ajgaspard]

Hello,

I recently purchased and configured an RT-AC87R router and it is working great but I have 2 main issues with it:

• iTunes does not see my iPhone wirelessly.
• Handoff is not working after the router change.

I used to have an airport extreme and worked perfectly before. The reason I changed is that this router blows away in terms of speed and coverage.

Any thoughts on this issue. I am running the latest firmware from ASUS.

Thnx

 

[TheBurgerKing]

Hello,

I recently purchased and configured an RT-AC87R router and it is working great but I have 2 main issues with it:

• iTunes does not see my iPhone wirelessly.
• Handoff is not working after the router change.

I used to have an airport extreme and worked perfectly before. The reason I changed is that this router blows away in terms of speed and coverage.

Any thoughts on this issue. I am running the latest firmware from ASUS.

Thnx

I have the same issue. When the devices (iPod, iPad, iPhone 6+) are on 5GHZ and the MBP is on 5GHZ, iTunes never sees them. When the devices are on 2.4GHZ and the MBP is on 5GHZ, it only works sometimes. When I put everything on 2.4GHZ, Macbook Pro and devices, WiFi sync works fine. However, I can send and receive calls on my MBP regardless of the band the MBP or devices are on. Here is a detailed breakdown of the devices I am using. Two 5th Gen iPod Touches, Two iPad Air 2s, Two iPhone 6+s, One Mid 2014 15" rMBP. Just sharing my experience.

EDIT: I am on firmware 3.0.0.4.378_3885. This also happened on 3754 and 2769.

 

[ajgaspard]

I have the same issue. When the devices (iPod, iPad, iPhone 6+) are on 5GHZ and the MBP is on 5GHZ, iTunes never sees them. When the devices are on 2.4GHZ and the MBP is on 5GHZ, it only works sometimes. When I put everything on 2.4GHZ, Macbook Pro and devices, WiFi sync works fine. However, I can send and receive calls on my MBP regardless of the band the MBP or devices are on. Here is a detailed breakdown of the devices I am using. Two 5th Gen iPod Touches, Two iPad Air 2s, Two iPhone 6+s, One Mid 2014 15" rMBP. Just sharing my experience.

EDIT: I am on firmware 3.0.0.4.378_3885. This also happened on 3754 and 2769.

I can confirm this also in my case. At 2.4GHZ everything is fine, but at 5GHZ ....nothing...

 

[TheBurgerKing]

I can confirm this also in my case. At 2.4GHZ everything is fine, but at 5GHZ ....nothing...

On the Airport Extreme everything worked fine at 5GHZ?

 

[TheBurgerKing]

'iTunes server' was a thing years ago.

Apple have long since abandoned it & substituted another even more proprietary thing that nobody can interact with except proprietary Apple devices/software.

'iTunes server' is only really useable by a Windows PC or Mac running iTunes client as a legacy thing.

DLNA is more of an industry standard.

I am not sure what this has to do with iTunes WiFi Sync?

 

[ddarko]

I also have 87R and have the same inconsistency with iTunes wi-fi sync on 5ghz with my iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2. There are several steps I take that makes the devices visible on the 5ghz band:

1) reboot or power off/on the mobile device and restart iTunes. Sometimes, the mobile device gets picked up;

2) switch to the 2.4ghz band on the mobile device while keeping the computer with iTunes on the 5ghz band;

3) switch all devices to the 2.4ghz band. Once the devices are detected on the 2.4ghz frequency using either method 2 or 3, you can switch back some or all of the devices to the 5ghz band and the devices remain detected. Of course, eventually, the detection is lost and you have to do 1, 2 or 3 again. I've also noticed that sometimes a mobile device will be detected through Handoff but it won't show up in iTunes wifi sync. I think that's because the Handoff/Continuity feature works in part over Bluetooth.

By way of comparison, my parents' house has an AC66U and iTunes wi-fi sync works well there. It's not perfect even with the 66U and I sometimes have to do one of these tricks to get devices detected but it usually remains detected far longer than with the 87R. I'm afraid problems like this with the 5ghz band on the 87R will never get fully fixed, no matter how many firmware revisions are put out because the Quantenna solution just wasn't fully baked.

 

[ajgaspard]

On the Airport Extreme everything worked fine at 5GHZ?

Well, I do not remember having an issue. So I guess yes....

 

[TheBurgerKing]

...I think that's because the Handoff/Continuity feature works in part over Bluetooth.

Thanks for the info. I have used those tricks too. As for the bluetooth, I have it turned off on my rMBP and Handoff/Continuity both work fine. I am wondering if this is an Apple problem of AC87 problem. If either of you have time, maybe trying the DD-WRT firmware would help narrow it down. Here is the link. http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=22421 I won't have time until next week. I think its worth a shot.

 

[ajgaspard]

Thanks for the info. I have used those tricks too. As for the bluetooth, I have it turned off on my rMBP and Handoff/Continuity both work fine. I am wondering if this is an Apple problem of AC87 problem. If either of you have time, maybe trying the DD-WRT firmware would help narrow it down. Here is the link. http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=22421 I won't have time until next week. I think its worth a shot.

I really would like to help you answer that but I sold my extreme router....I just would like to mention that I don't remember having handoff issues with the extreme router (2.4GHZ or 5GHZ).

 

[TheBurgerKing]

I really would like to help you answer that but I sold my extreme router....I just would like to mention that I don't remember having handoff issues with the extreme router (2.4GHZ or 5GHZ).

We could install DD-WRT on the AC87. People have posted great results with that firmware. I figure one of us can load it on our router and try WiFi Sync using 5GHZ. If it works then we can say, with reasonable certainty, its a AC87 Firmware issue. If not we are back to square one unless someone has a non Asus router to try.

 

[ajgaspard]

We could install DD-WRT on the AC87. People have posted great results with that firmware. I figure one of us can load it on our router and try WiFi Sync using 5GHZ. If it works then we can say, with reasonable certainty, its a AC87 Firmware issue. If not we are back to square one unless someone has a non Asus router to try.

I can try it...I am reading about the DD-RT firmware and the Asuswrt firmware to see what's the pro's and con's of each.

 

[TheBurgerKing]

I can try it...I am reading about the DD-RT firmware and the Asuswrt firmware to see what's the pro's and con's of each.

Awesome. Are you looking at the link I referenced in one of my previous posts? Anyway, it sounds like it needs a tad more polish, but seems to be working good. It certainly would help us in this case. I am anxious to see if it fixes our issue. If so, it gives me hope for this router. Definitely keep us posted.

 

[TheBurgerKing]

Just checking in to see if anyone had a chance to test the DD-WRT build and iTunes WiFi sync.