ASUS RT-AC68U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.380.7266

[wouterv]

I have taken the stand that if you do not know what you are doing don't do it.
The symptoms are consistently inconsistent.
I get periods of no issues interspersed with Internet access issues.
I have an Android phone setup to access the router and do a reboot when necessary.

I am not looking for an explanation. however, if I downgrade the FW
I will immediately find that an FW upgrade is available.
How do I tell if the FW Upgrade fixes the problem?

If the engineers were to ask I would gladly test an imminent FW release.

John

John, at what firmware is your router now: 3.0.0.4.380.7266 or the previous version 3.0.0.4.380.4164 as suggested by Asus support?
Some users report issues with 3.0.0.4.380.7266.
When version 3.0.0.4.380.4164 is stable for you, it at least tells there is an issue in version 3.0.0.4.380.7266.
In my case version 3.0.0.4.380.7266 is stable, like it is for others who reported back here.

Did you already share how your router is setup?
What are your changes to the Factory default configuration?

I suggest at least to start with a minimal required secure configuration to allow (wireless) Internet access, leave anything else at Factory defaults:

1. Change the Username and Password for access to the router configuration.
2. Set unique and different SSID's for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, do only use alphanumeric characters (Aa to Zz and 0 to 9).
   
3. Specify your personal WPA Pre-Shared keys (do only use alphanumeric characters (Aa to Zz and 0 to 9).

Leave all the rest as is and test this setup for longer time.

 

[John Wright]

John, at what firmware is your router now: 3.0.0.4.380.7266 or the previous version 3.0.0.4.380.4164 as suggested by Asus support?
Some users report issues with 3.0.0.4.380.7266.
When version 3.0.0.4.380.4164 is stable for you, it at least tells there is an issue in version 3.0.0.4.380.7266.
In my case version 3.0.0.4.380.7266 is stable, like it is for others who reported back here.

Did you already share how your router is setup?
What are your changes to the Factory default configuration?

I suggest at least to start with a minimal required secure configuration to allow (wireless) Internet access, leave anything else at Factory defaults:

1. Change the Username and Password for access to the router configuration.
2. Set unique and different SSID's for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, do only use alphanumeric characters (Aa to Zz and 0 to 9).
   
3. Specify your personal WPA Pre-Shared keys (do only use alphanumeric characters (Aa to Zz and 0 to 9).

Leave all the rest as is and test this setup for longer time.

 

[John Wright]

Wouterv,

I appreciate your concern for my security. However I started using computers in 1968.
I have programmed in raw machine code.
I am a system guy and taught a whole suit of highly technical computer management and use courses.
I also fully understand the software development cycles.

Yes I have removed the ADMIN account on the router and added a highly secure password.
In addition, I have unique and cryptic network identifiers.

I am very glad to hear "WE" are working on new FW version. Hopefully soon

Again, I appreciate you concern.

John

 

[DJVN]

I started using computers in 1968.
I have programmed in raw machine code.
I am a system guy and taught a whole suit of highly technical computer management and use courses.
I fully understand the software development cycles.

John

You realize how insanely insecure that sounds, right? Maybe you'll learn to, I hope so. Also, totally ridiculous to mention '68 computing and asm/plc programming to establish a know-it-all stance, especially for a consumer router FW upgrade. It's exactly the people like you who feel the need to convince the world how much you know, who learn the least as they are the most closed minded people ever and refuse being told or advised stuff. If you had any sense of humility left, you'd not even write the post above, which says nothing more than "I know everything there is to know, so don't think you're better than me." A total fail you should wish you could undo.

Back to topic.

I updated today, and right off the bat (after soft and hard resets) started loosing WAN about once an hour. Rolled back. The FW updated turned a rock stable router into a turd. They should really quality control these things better. I'll just wait a while longer until the next comes out, if it has any interesting fixes that makes it worth it. Changelog for the latest was just minor stuff anyway, at least NOT worth loosing the connection all the time.

 

[wouterv]

I updated today, and right off the bat (after soft and hard resets) started loosing WAN about once an hour. Rolled back. The FW updated turned a rock stable router into a turd. They should really quality control these things better. I'll just wait a while longer until the next comes out, if it has any interesting fixes that makes it worth it. Changelog for the latest was just minor stuff anyway, at least NOT worth loosing the connection all the time.

It is obvious that quite a few people suffer WAN disconnects with firmware 3.0.0.4.380.7266.
On the other hand others, including myself, do not see that behavior.
The issue is probably related to "Added automatic standby mode for CE Ecodesign directive".
I assume this new feature detects inactivity at some level in the router and switches the router in power save mode by disabling certain services.

In my situation there seems always WAN traffic, even if none of the clients is active. This WAN activity shall mainly be all kind of probes, messages that shall be ignored by the router.

Is there in your case always WAN traffic, seen as a flashing WAN LED on the router?
How is your router setup, what changes did you make from Factory defaults?

 

[DJVN]

It is obvious that quite a few people suffer WAN disconnects with firmware 3.0.0.4.380.7266.
On the other hand others, including myself, do not see that behavior.
The issue is probably related to "Added automatic standby mode for CE Ecodesign directive".
I assume this new feature detects inactivity at some level in the router and switches the router in power save mode by disabling certain services.

In my situation there seems always WAN traffic, even if none of the clients is active. This WAN activity shall mainly be all kind of probes, messages that shall be ignored by the router.

Is there in your case always WAN traffic, seen as a flashing WAN LED on the router?
How is your router setup, what changes did you make from Factory defaults?

If the automatic standby mode is indeed the issue, then it should wake up hella fast when there's activity again, instead of completely blocking it. Like you, I also have WAN activity nonstop. Got IPTV going as well as kids on tablets and was in an online gaming session when it disconnected last time. And it's not about factory changes, same setup as before the patch. In general I have a very active and very stable 100Mbit/s optical connection.

I'm with you on it most likely being a bug or unwanted behavior with the CE standby thing. Maybe there's a related setting to that somewhere? Or geographically related. I'm in Europe / Norway.

 

[wouterv]

I am in the Netherlands.
The router WAN Connection Type is "Automatic IP", connected to FTTH modem.
UPnP is disabled, all the rest is default on the WAN page.
There are only wireless clients in a mix of 802.11n and 802.11ac.
The UPnP Media Server is turned Off, USB Modem is Off, Samba share is enabled to allow access to the USB memory stick that resides in the router.
The rest of the router is default.

 

[John Wright]

Wouterv, Thanks for the wake up.

I have UPnP disabled,
802.11n & 802.11ac on
Samba share is enabled
I have a 2TB drive connected to the router via USB 3.0
The rest of the setting are default.
I have essentially removed the admin account (renamed it something-else) and changed the password.
Password is a non dictionary word with at a least one Capitalized letter, non alphabetical character and at least one numeric.

 

[RMerlin]

Automatic standby issues should normally be visible by the power LED flashing.

 

[sol1109]

If the CE standby requirement is the source of problems, do those of us in the U.S. not have problems or is this active for all users? I have avoided moving from 4164 due to what I have read here.

 

[wouterv]

Automatic standby issues should normally be visible by the power LED flashing.

@RMerlin how would that distinguish from slow or quick flashing as already known:

• Flashing slow: Rescue mode
• Flashing quick: WPS is processing.

If the CE standby requirement is the source of problems, do those of us in the U.S. not have problems or is this active for all users? I have avoided moving from 4164 due to what I have read here.

It is not sure what is causing issues for some users.
Besides users with issues, other users (including myself) do not have any issue.

 

[RMerlin]

@RMerlin how would that distinguish from slow or quick flashing as already known:

I don't know as I have never seen it. But it's not something triggered by a button press, unlike the two cases you mention.

 

[wouterv]

I don't know as I have never seen it. But it's not something triggered by a button press, unlike the two cases you mention.

Is anything more known about the "automatic standby mode for CE Ecodesign directive"?
When is this supposed to kick in and what parts of the router will be affected?

I assume it shall be sort of sleep mode (to save power) that gets activated with some delay when there is no more WAN and LAN network activity.
The paused activities can only be very limited, because e.g. DHCP and Wifi shall stay alert for clients that walk back in.

 

[John Wright]

I am not convinced that the apparent problem is solely the router FW.
Yesterday, after a required reboot, I had a router error that indicated the ISP (modem) was not properly reacting to a DHCP request.
I updated a my call to the ISP and after several very testy minutes, I terminated the conversation as it reached a standoff.

Coincidentally, I have not experienced a router failure since that call to my ISP.
I have not downgraded the FW as yet.

Just an update of potentially dubious value.

John

 

[bbunge]

My AC66U B1, which has the same processor as the AC68U, was having problems with USB3 port. Asus had me roll back to the prior firmware. Seems to be OK now.

 

[John Wright]

Just for the record I have started to have problems getting a DHCP address from my ISP.
The normaal IP address is 24. ..... However lately it has become 198. ...
If it is a MPU issue random problems may result.

John

 

[RMerlin]

Is anything more known about the "automatic standby mode for CE Ecodesign directive"?

I don't have any more details, no.

 

[VANT]

in my zyxel switch i have green ethernet function. Switch can power off unused ports, and use low power for short cable connections. Maybe asus use similar features ?

 

[bits]

My rt-ac68u on 7266 has an uptime of 23 days and has never missed a beat.
I and the wife stream pay tv and use the internet about 18 hours a day.

Consistently get 95mbit down and 37mbit up.

Dynamic Ipv4 address and ipv6 /56 from ISP is working perfectly.

 

[John Wright]

I have downgraded the firmware with the version provided by ASUS.
When the next version of FW is released and that version fixes the problem(s) will someone let us all know.
I assume that means a post to that effect.

John