Release ASUS RT-AC68U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386_52048 (2025/08/19)

[wouterv]

In the first place as general security concern it is advised to not use UPnP.
The Media Bridge setup with the RT-AC68U as main Router has been stable for us for many years, starting with an old RT-N66U as Media Bridge, in 2021 I replaced the the RT-N66U by a new RT-AC1900U.
Some time ago, I cannot recall when exactly, the Media Bridge started to infrequent drop the connection. Infrequent as like once in a week or a few times in a month.
The only wired client behind the Media Bridge was a TV set-top box, that worked say 95% of the time except after the Media Bridge lost its connection and of course always halfway some nice movie.
Looking back in the RT-AC68U and RT-AC1900U firmware release notes it might be firmware 3.0.0.4.386.51729 dated 2025/02/14 when the instability started, which "Fixed client binding issues in Mesh scenarios".
It was for sure not the latest 3.0.0.4.386.52048 that introduced our Media Bridge issues.
With the other wireless clients connected to the RT-AC68U we never notice connection drops, that are: a Brother printer, a W10 business laptop (to be replaced soon), a few W11 laptops. a Linux Laptop, iPhone's and Android phones.
The TV set-top box now has a fixed network cable connection directly to the Modem (yes, the FTTH Modem has one connection for the Router and one for TV) and seems rock solid.

 

[jzchen]

Seems that turning off AI Protection solves it. Tried turning off individual components of AI Protection without success the whole thing has to be off and withdraw from the Policy.

Above you mention factory resetting the nodes, how about the main router?

 

[jzchen]

If you don't know what settings to change - use the defaults and hope for the best. There is no universal best settings.

In general I strongly recommend preparing for factory... recycling of this model and all variants. The radio is early AC Wave 1 and I'm not sure if it ever got out of "draft" specifications. It uses the main CPU for encryption, can't support many active clients, the sensitivity is low compared to newer hardware, the performance is greatly affected by environment noise.

For a long time I had my RT-AC68U up about 12 ft high on a windowsill, and I could get WiFi far up front across the street even. This appears to have diminished when I replaced it having recently reached EOL at the time, with a RT-AX5400. Not very impressed with it's range, I finally replaced it with a BQ16 Pro, to even crappier range due to low power mode I suspect...

Since I noticed this August update available I placed the RT-AC68U on a windowsill in the living room normal height corner room in the house. I find it has the most devices connected to it, even though there are 2 WiFi clients in the room there are currently 6 shown, (see below).

While your explanation makes sense practical doesn't seem to follow theoretical in the RT-AC68U's case...

 

[banger]

Above you mention factory resetting the nodes, how about the main router?

It is advisable with this firmware to reset the main router to factory and re-add the nodes.

 

[jzchen]

Had to do a factory reset as changing from router to AP wasn't working but did after reset, and it was relatively easy to add mesh nodes back, did it first try.

I guess you eventually did...

Hoping it wasn't AiProtection in the first place was my concern, causing those kernel errors....