Asus RT-N66 issue with 2.4Ghz channel setting?

[Fifth313ment]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and found this while searching Google. I bought the Asus RT-N66W this past week on sale at Amazon. I love the router but was amazed to see there is no stock bandwidth meter? So I installed DD-WRT and didn't quite like the implementation and speeds so I went with the Merlin build of the newest, I think?, version. I appreciate all the work Merlin put into this firmware as he 1up'ed Asus big time! Not only do I need the bandwidth meter but the site survey is another great must have option! Asus should simply hire him to revise the next update! My router is the Asus RT-N66W (white) like I said and my build is 3.0.0.4.374.35_4 (Merlin build). More info from my Tools System info is:

Tools - System Information:
Router:
Model: RT-N66W
Firmware Build: Sat Nov 30 23:02:36 UTC 2013 merlin@5264e90
Bootloader (CFE): 1.0.1.4
Driver version: wl0: Sep 23 2013 11:46:29 version 6.30.102.9 (r366174)
Features: mssid 2.4G 5G update usbX2 switchctrl manual_stb pwrctrl optimize_xbox WIFI_LOGO ipv6 PARENTAL2 yadns dualwan pptpd printer modem wimax openvpnd HTTPS webdav cloudsync media appbase vpnc diskutility repeater wl6 nfsd user_low_rssi ufsd
Uptime: 0 days 10 hours 56 minutes 52 seconds
Temperatures: 2.4 GHz: 52°C - 5 GHz: 55°C
CPU:
CPU Model: Broadcom BCM5300 chip rev 1 pkg 0
CPU Frequency: 600 MHz
CPU Load Average: (1, 5, 15 mins) 0.00, 0.00, 0.00
Memory:
Total: 234.10 MB
Free: 183.45 MB
Buffers: 6.43 MB
Swap usage: 0.00 / 0.00 MB
Internal Storage:
NVRAM usage: 39004 / 65536 bytes
JFFS: 0.48 / 6.00 MB
Network:
HW acceleration: Enabled
Connections: 156 / 300000 - 41 active
Ethernet Ports:
Port VLAN Link State Last Device Seen
WAN: 2 1000 Full Duplex XXXXXXXXXXX
LAN 1: 1 1000 Full Duplex XXXXXXXXXXX
LAN 2: 1 100 Full Duplex XXXXXXXXXXX
LAN 3: 1 Down <none>
LAN 4: 1 Down <none>
Wireless clients (2.4 GHz): Associated: 2 - Authorized: 2 - Authenticated: 2
Wireless clients (5 GHz): Associated: 1 - Authorized: 1 - Authenticated: 1

Now the issue I am having is that when I set the 2.4Ghz channel to what I want it either defaults to channel 6 mainly or sometimes to 1? I wanted it to be 11? Also when I unplug or turn off the power it auto defaults back to channel 6 again? And when I go to the WiFi settings it still has the channel I set but it's simply doing it's own thing, lol? Also I have the channel bandwidth set to 20/40 and Wireless Mode to Auto with xbox and b/g unchecked. Using WPA2 with AES security. This is just annoying as I live in a condo where there are like 40 routers within range and I need to set a specific channel. I tried using Auto but it still goes to channel 6 which has a majority of the routers on it, lol. EG: I'll choose channel 11, and apply, then still on 6, choose channel 10 then apply still on 6, then do channel 11 and choose apply and then the router will go to channel 1, WTF, I'll do channel 11 again and then it will go back to 6 and then when the power goes off or I change a setting or reboot it will go back to 6?! When I make any changes to the router settings (sometimes not even in WiFi settings it defaults back to channel 6! Also although the 5Ghz channel stays at what I set it sometimes reverts to channel 36 but usually goes back to what I had set. I can't continue to use this if it keeps me on channel 6 as there is far too much interference where I live. Is this a bug? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

5th

 

[RMerlin]

Known issue. Set channel width to 20 MHz on the 2.4 GHz band.

 

[Fifth313ment]

Known issue. Set channel width to 20 MHz on the 2.4 GHz band.

Is this a bug with the build I have? Is it a bug with the AsusWRT in general? Do you think it will be fixed in the next build? Do you think I should use 40Mhz band on 2.4Ghz or no because I have so many routers in my area? I know in the 5Ghz band the router is auto using 40Mhz as it's using two channels. Thanks again for the help. Let me buy you a beer? Do you have a website or donate section?

Regards,

5th

 

[RMerlin]

Is this a bug with the build I have? Is it a bug with the AsusWRT in general? Do you think it will be fixed in the next build? Do you think I should use 40Mhz band on 2.4Ghz or no because I have so many routers in my area? I know in the 5Ghz band the router is auto using 40Mhz as it's using two channels. Thanks again for the help. Let me buy you a beer? Do you have a website or donate section?

Regards,

5th

From what I can theorize, the issue is that when the wireless driver decides to fall back to 20 MHz, it's unable to "downgrade" the 40 MHz-formatted channel (for example, 1u) into a 20 MHz channel (just 1). Most likely the driver then ends up on some built-in default channel, which would be 6.

This is handled inside the closed source driver, so outside of my control.

Personally, I think nobody should use 40 Mhz on the 2.4 GHz band, unless they were living somewhere with virtually no neighbour close by, and they were sure they have no other devices at home that can interfere with the 2.4 GHz band. That list can unfortunately be quite long: older cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, the microwave oven...

 

[xaviercharles]

Personally, I think nobody should use 40 Mhz on the 2.4 GHz band, unless they were living somewhere with virtually no neighbour close by, and they were sure they have no other devices at home that can interfere with the 2.4 GHz band. That list can unfortunately be quite long: older cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, the microwave oven...

I'm one of these people.

I use 40mhz on 2.4ghz. Unfortunately i've found that i need to stay with firmware version 3.0.0.4.372.30_3 to be able to use 2.4ghz @ 40mhz on channel 13.

I hope Asus fix this as i'd love to use the latest version of Merlins firmware.

 

[xaviercharles]

Ok I've upgraded from 3.0.0.4.372.30_3 to 3.0.0.4.374.35_4.

I didnt restore any factory settings or anything like that, just a normal firmware upgrade with all my settings intact. I noticed my 2.4ghz channel had changed to 1+3 but remained on 40mhz. I selected channel 13u and now its on 11+13 like it was on firmware 3.0.0.4.372.30_3 and it seems to be working perfectly.

The reason i have 2.4ghz on 40mhz is because im using an D-Link router with DDWRT on it to add some ethernet connectivity in my living room. The D-Link router connects via 2.4ghz to my ASUS N66U and then i use the ethernet ports to connect my xbox tivo box and a couple other ethernet only devices.

I have found when i set it to 20mhz or 20/40mhz the d-link wont connect properly/ through put is very slow only achieving speeds between 30-40Mb. However with 2.4Ghz @ 40mhz on channel 13 i get speeds of up to 90Mb.

 

[Fifth313ment]

From what I can theorize, the issue is that when the wireless driver decides to fall back to 20 MHz, it's unable to "downgrade" the 40 MHz-formatted channel (for example, 1u) into a 20 MHz channel (just 1). Most likely the driver then ends up on some built-in default channel, which would be 6.

This is handled inside the closed source driver, so outside of my control.

Personally, I think nobody should use 40 Mhz on the 2.4 GHz band, unless they were living somewhere with virtually no neighbour close by, and they were sure they have no other devices at home that can interfere with the 2.4 GHz band. That list can unfortunately be quite long: older cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, the microwave oven...

Merlin, why is it not good to use 40Mhz on 2.4? Will it mess with my neighbors WiFi (will it be good for me and bad for them or bad for us both)? I have literally 40+ routers I can get from the site survey in your Merlin Asus N66 build! So I have to be very good at finding the right channels and settings. 5Ghz is all but open with only 3 routers within range (including mine) utilizing it. I just want to know why it's not good to use 40Mhz on 2.4 unless your in a field somewhere alone without a microwave or 2.4 cordless, lol?

I use an Android app called WiFi Analyzer to help find the right channel to use and I've found I can force other neighbors routers off the channels I want by changing my spare routers name to their routers name on the same channel and encryption (even though I don't know their password). Eventually their router will change channels automatically. Does anyone know another way to mess with someone else's router. I have someone who must be using a booster of some sort as I can pull his router from everywhere in my building and that is impossible unless he has something else going on with a signal booster or something else? How can I mess with his router to push it off as I haven't been able to do anything. Any tips anyone? I tried Merlin to get you a beer, see below...

Ok I've upgraded from 3.0.0.4.372.30_3 to 3.0.0.4.374.35_4.

I didnt restore any factory settings or anything like that, just a normal firmware upgrade with all my settings intact. I noticed my 2.4ghz channel had changed to 1+3 but remained on 40mhz. I selected channel 13u and now its on 11+13 like it was on firmware 3.0.0.4.372.30_3 and it seems to be working perfectly.

The reason i have 2.4ghz on 40mhz is because im using an D-Link router with DDWRT on it to add some ethernet connectivity in my living room. The D-Link router connects via 2.4ghz to my ASUS N66U and then i use the ethernet ports to connect my xbox tivo box and a couple other ethernet only devices.

I have found when i set it to 20mhz or 20/40mhz the d-link wont connect properly/ through put is very slow only achieving speeds between 30-40Mb. However with 2.4Ghz @ 40mhz on channel 13 i get speeds of up to 90Mb.

I also use a Linksys E1000 (dd-wrt) as a repeater and it works great unless I set my Asus N66 on 40Mhz on 2.4Ghz and then it won't connect. Not a big deal but maybe my other question would explain more? Also I get great speeds on ethernet directly to the repeater but then when I use WiFi to connect to the repeater the speeds are much worse, but I believe that has to do with the router itself having to half the data rate in order to do both sending and receiving at the same time (connecting via ethernet doesn't require halving the rate as it doesn't have to do both at the same time), am I correct? I have a Comcast connection with 58Mb down and 12Mb up and I get all that via the repeater! I love the N66 though as it can really push a signal! I keep the output at 150mW, what do you guys keep it at (mine came stock at 80mW I believe from the Merlin build)?

You can buy Merlin a beer here.

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Thanks again everyone, especially Merlin!

5th

 

[RogerSC]

Merlin, why is it not good to use 40Mhz on 2.4? Will it mess with my neighbors WiFi (will it be good for me and bad for them or bad for us both)? I have literally 40+ routers I can get from the site survey in your Merlin Asus N66 build! So I have to be very good at finding the right channels and settings. 5Ghz is all but open with only 3 routers within range (including mine) utilizing it. I just want to know why it's not good to use 40Mhz on 2.4 unless your in a field somewhere alone without a microwave or 2.4 cordless, lol?

I use an Android app called WiFi Analyzer to help find the right channel to use and I've found I can force other neighbors routers off the channels I want by changing my spare routers name to their routers name on the same channel and encryption (even though I don't know their password). Eventually their router will change channels automatically. Does anyone know another way to mess with someone else's router. I have someone who must be using a booster of some sort as I can pull his router from everywhere in my building and that is impossible unless he has something else going on with a signal booster or something else? How can I mess with his router to push it off as I haven't been able to do anything. Any tips anyone?

If you have, as you say, ~40 wireless networks that show up around on 2.4GHz., 40MHz. channel width is not going to work, there's just too much interference. The router will automatically fall back to 20MHz., and will be basically unstable since you've told it 40MHz. channel width but it can't manage it due to all the interference.

So it goes, use 20MHz. channel width and be happy, or use 5GHz. as much as possible, and then you can use 40MHz. and get your streaming to work. Personally, I'd be using 5GHz. if I were you, much more useful and less frustrating for you and for your neighbors.

Glad I'm not your neighbor, by the way. Normal interference is bad enough, but with a neighbor trying to punch a large enough hole in the wireless channel space so that they can use 40MHz. channel width using extra routers to accomplish that would be just too annoying, that's not what anyone is looking for in a neighbor. That's why the router backoff from 40MHz. channel width to 20MHz. channel width is referred to as "good neighbor policy". It's your choice, of course, but you might take that to heart and give your neighbors a break.

 

[RMerlin]

Merlin, why is it not good to use 40Mhz on 2.4? Will it mess with my neighbors WiFi (will it be good for me and bad for them or bad for us both)?

Both. The interference means your router would have to constantly resend packets. 40 Mhz causes you to overlap with nearly half of all available channels, so it's nearly impossible to find a location where there won't be too much interference for it to be any stable.

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Can't directly link to Paypal, have to use the link from the website.​

 

[rokahn]

On AC68U with merlin FW 376.49_4, the site survey doesn't show anything at my location regarding AC (5GHz?) interference. Perhaps AC penetrates less so there's no potential interference or perhaps it doesn't survey AC frequencies. Your thoughts?

 

[teo1966]

From what I can theorize, the issue is that when the wireless driver decides to fall back to 20 MHz, it's unable to "downgrade" the 40 MHz-formatted channel (for example, 1u) into a 20 MHz channel (just 1). Most likely the driver then ends up on some built-in default channel, which would be 6.

This is handled inside the closed source driver, so outside of my control.

Personally, I think nobody should use 40 Mhz on the 2.4 GHz band, unless they were living somewhere with virtually no neighbour close by, and they were sure they have no other devices at home that can interfere with the 2.4 GHz band. That list can unfortunately be quite long: older cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, the microwave oven...

is this whit the new firmware ( 380.62-1 )also on the moment 2.4 ghz and 20mhz ?

 

[RMerlin]

is this whit the new firmware ( 380.62-1 )also on the moment 2.4 ghz and 20mhz ?

No idea, I wrote that post 3 years ago... It's not something I retest constantly.