What's new

Any WiFi issues with Merlin an the AC86U?

  • SNBForums Code of Conduct

    SNBForums is a community for everyone, no matter what their level of experience.

    Please be tolerant and patient of others, especially newcomers. We are all here to share and learn!

    The rules are simple: Be patient, be nice, be helpful or be gone!

hyelton

Senior Member
Hate to make another thread but was doing some tests after setting up static IP's etc before disabing WiFi, which does NOT work. 2.4GHz is gone, BUT I changed the 5GHz wifi name, and it never changed even though it changed in the GUI, and even now turning it off the wifi radio wont turn off.

Time to reset and have to reset back up again...
 
Time to reset and have to reset back up again.”

Not sure how to read this. I presume you are going to reset the router to its factory default settings (hopefully using L&LD’s Guide). But I hope the “back up” is just my misunderstanding and you’re not intending to restore settings from a back-up file. Anyway, if you follow the guide carefully, there’s no danger you’ll make that mistake.
 
Last edited:
If 2.4GHZ band isn't visible to WiFi devices then it maybe because of the 2.4GHZ radio dying up. I have seen enough people complaining about the same even in this forum. Though the no of affected devices may not be significant but some of the devices do have legitimate hardware issues. However, my RT 86U is still functioning and the performance has been better than previous router I owned.
 
Hate to make another thread but was doing some tests after setting up static IP's etc before disabing WiFi, which does NOT work. 2.4GHz is gone, BUT I changed the 5GHz wifi name, and it never changed even though it changed in the GUI, and even now turning it off the wifi radio wont turn off.

Time to reset and have to reset back up again...
Exactly what has been with my first RT-AC86U, nothing to solve this issue, no M&M no firmware - nothing.
I could change any Wifi-settings and press apply, but they never applied, only reboot or turn off and on wifi again made settings to apply.
Later I found SSH command 'service restart_wireless' let them apply too.
My second RT-AC86U (a chinese version too) never had this special problem.
I think there has been something in bootloader which caused this error and cannot be solved by user.
Except this phenomenon the router has been running same as the other one.

Noone here can help or could help me, mostly been ignored as others didnt see this and return has not been an option for me.
 
Last edited:
even now turning it off the wifi radio wont turn off.

Likely a hardware failure. Happened to my first AC86U where reset initially fixed the problem and the time between resets was finally a down to a day from a week at the onset. Eventually, the 2.4GHz radio stopped working completely.

ASUS support concluded that when a factory reset and upload of the firmware again did not solved the issue, was to return the unit to service for a replacement. Exhaustive couple of weeks thinking it was some settings or firmware issue.
 
I swapped from factory firmware to Merlin without a reset, and its been working fine for several months now on thre AC86U routers. If your 2.4 GHz radio is gone, I'd say its unlikely to be due to a swap to Merlin firmware, but as you said, first step is a full reset. If that doesn't fix it, then probably a HW issue. Where did you purchase your AC86U?
 
My first AC86u 2.4ghz wifi radio died as well....returned to amazon and purchased another. No issues with new one, and even purchased a second unit for another location.
 
Thought I'd provide an update. Did ANOTHER reset and reset everything back up and it seemed to fix it. Didnt really buy it for the WiFi anyway, but still better work lol. I turned WiFi on for now just to test it and see how it goes. Will update if it decides to fail. Excellant router for what it is though, but seems pleaged with wifi issues from looking at reviews.
 
Spoke too soon..... 5GHz worked for a whole few hours. Its still "working" and shows up but NOTHING can connect to it, just gives out a 169.xxxxx IP While 2.4 is still working.

Disconnecting the client and reconnecting TOOK FOREVER but gained an IP correctly again. grrrrr.
 
just gives out a 169.xxxxx IP
It doesn't give out a 169.xxxxx IP. The client gives itself a 169.254.x.y address when it doesn't get a response from a DHCP server.

That aside, it sounds like you ought to get replacement router.
 
Another Update: Factory reset worked for a whole min with nothing being changed from default. Its just the 5GHz network thats broken. Back to Amazon it goes. Should have a replacment Tuesday... if it fails, then I guess I'll get something different.

Too bad I already sold my good ole trusty AC66U-B1, But put in my Reliable old D-Link until Tuesday.

Will update then on the situation :)

I loaded the stock ASUS firmware back and the router is doing nothing but freezing GUI wise. So in the box it goes.
 
Last edited:
Thought I'd provide an update: Got the replacement today, So far so good. Been a busy day, but did hook it up to my current router just to see if WiFi was broken by the time I came back home 6 hours later, came home still working! Just finished setting up all the clients, etc and settings. Will update tommrow on how everything is.
 

Similar threads

Latest threads

Sign Up For SNBForums Daily Digest

Get an update of what's new every day delivered to your mailbox. Sign up here!
Top