ASUS RT-AC87U Win 10 HomeGroup problem

[hgw90]

I bought the router about a week ago, to cure my Netgear R7500 slow upload speed (especially wired) and the Asus surpassed my expiations!

The only problem with it is that the Clients disappear from the network after about half an hour, and obviously I can’t reach what’s stored on my PC from my TV then. See attached screenshots.

The Only way to get it back is to reboot the PC. The TV still reaches the internet so it is not a problem with the wireless connection. And it works with the R7500 so I don’t think it is hardware related.

So far I tried all the obvious things like download the latest firmware, numerous factory default resest, change various setting, tried asuswrt-merlin latest firmware …..etc etc.

Please help.

 

[joegreat]

I recall that this is a common problem of Windows (not the router): In Win 7 & 8.1 you even needed to change some registry entries or group policy.

In Win 10 it's working now better, but you need to make sure that you use a common (=same) workgroup name on the router (LAN - DHCP Server: Domain Name) and all Win PCs - preferable it should be only one word in uppercase.

Plus you need to set the router as "Wins Server" and "Force as Master Browser" - to be found under USB Application / Media Services and Servers / Network Place (Samba) Share.

If the list of devices is still empty after some time, you can press F5 to refresh the list...

 

[hgw90]

Thank you for your fast reply

I totally agree with your with your feelings about windows workgroup, and how they used to work or rather NOT work.
but since I'm getting old and lazy and the only thing I wanna do, is to be able to watch some photos and videos stored on my Desktop on my TV, I thought I just use Win 10 Homegroup. (not workgroup) and it worked well for my needs with the old router

First I'm sorry about the somewhat misleading screenshots. in reality it is just Desktop-Router-TV (ok I have other things but not in this Homegroup)
I don't have any disk connected to Router, the photos and videos are on the Desktop. do I still have to enable "Wins Server" and "Force as Master Browser"?

What really puzzle me, is that it works for half an hour after I reboot the Desktop, like there was some kind of "time to live" for the "network map"

BTW I'm sorry for my bad English but "Swinglish" is only my second languish

 

[hgw90]

I finally found a workaround

If I toggle between disable/enable IPv6 (it doesn't matter if I turn it off or on) after I power the Router on it works .
tried it 5-10 times and it works every time. (I have to do every it time I turned off and on the router)

Is there any setting in ASUS or Merlin Firmware that can fix this, or is it a hardware Fault?

 

[Pierino]

You turn your router on and off a lot?
I never turn mine off.

 

[sfx2000]

Plus you need to set the router as "Wins Server" and "Force as Master Browser" - to be found under USB Application / Media Services and Servers / Network Place (Samba) Share.

If I recall, that has no bearing on HomeGroup - it does with Workgroups, however...

Mixed networks (Win7/8/10) can also confuse things with the whole HomeGroup feature in Windows... when it works, it's nice, but many times it can get lost...

The advice about setting all to the Same Workgroup is very valid...

 

[hgw90]

Nu usually I never turn off my router, but right now I'm trying to find the best physical locating to get the best WIFI signal.
The only problem with my "workaround" is to remember it, since I'm getting old and my memory is not what it used to be
I probably have to wright it on the router so I remember it

 

[sfx2000]

If I recall, that has no bearing on HomeGroup - it does with Workgroups, however...

Should also add that the samba libraries bundled with AsusWRT have no impact on HomeGroups - this is entirely a windows thing...

 

[hgw90]

"Should also add that the samba libraries bundled with AsusWRT have no impact on HomeGroups - this is entirely a windows thing...2"
Thank you for clearing that out

 

[sfx2000]

Thank you for clearing that out

One of these days, I should actually sit down and trace this out on the PCAP's to see how windows handles homegroups - if not to explicitly do it, just find a way not to break it...

It should generally work with DNS-SD, but for some, this is not working... might be similar to the mDNS issues that are commonly reported (and many times broken) on the AsusWRT devices - and when mDNS fails, so does AirPrint/AirPlay and Bonjour devices/service detection...

Problem here is we have more than a couple of libraries that involve these services - so that can be an issue with services that do generally work - DLNA for example..

 

[hgw90]

"
One of these days, I should actually sit down and trace this out on the PCAP's to see how windows handles homegroups - if not to explicitly do it, just find a way not to break it..."

That would be greatly appreciated!

BTW I got the advise from ASUS support to downgrade the Firmware to ver:3.0.0.4.378.9529 but no go.
Actually it made the situation even more confusing, with the older firmware the "network map" show that the TV is still there but when I try to se the "properties" after about half an hour I cant and obviously TV can't connect to the PC, the only differens is that the router and it's property's are still there. but at least my workaround still works