Everything was great, until it wasn't. RT-BE88U wifi issues.

[The_Bishop]

From another thread prior to a reset/flash to latest merlin/reset/configure:
I have a RT-BE88U that has been working flawlessly for several months. Some time recently, however, my Sensi Touch 2 Thermostat lost connection to the internet, and despite all my attempts to re-connect it, it will not. However, if I set up a hotspot on my cell phone and use my wife's phone to set up the thermostat via the app, it connects perfectly. This leads me to believe that it's something that changed in the router.

When I try to connect the log shows:
Dec 29 21:16:32 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(645): wl0.2: Deauth_ind 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: 0, reason: Unspecified reason (1), rssi:0
Dec 29 21:16:32 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(662): wl0.2: Disassoc 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8), rssi:0
Dec 29 21:16:37 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(685): wl0.2: Auth 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: Successful (0), rssi:-44
Dec 29 21:16:37 kernel: SBF: dhd0: INIT [34:6f:92:27:ec:5b] ID 65535 BFW 65535 THRSH 2048
Dec 29 21:16:37 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(722): wl0.2: Assoc 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: Successful (0), rssi:-44

I have to stress that this was working fine for a few months prior to this, I haven't changed anything in the router or the thermostat at all. It's about 15 feet away from the router and signal has never been a problem before.

Firmware version: 3.0.0.6.102_39112-g7a02961_1472-g67069_BB0B

Anyone have any ideas for what to check? I'm frustrated.
-=-=-=-

After this, I decided to do a complete wipe and flash to merlin. Re-configured manually, no loaded config files.

It worked! The thermostat was back online. In the process of setting everything else up, the router needed a reboot. Now the thermostat won't reconnect. I get an endless stream of:

Dec 30 00:36:19 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:19 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.52 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.52 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:25 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:25 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.52 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:28 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 00:36:28 dnsmasq-dhcp[10334]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.52 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b

-=-=-

Starting to give up hope on these Asus routers, lately they've been nothing but trouble. A bit pissed off that I wasted the money to get a newer one that only worked right for 3 months. For what it's worth, as stated above I used my phone as a hot spot and my wife's phone with the sensi app and it connected just fine via the hotspot. This is 100% a router issue.

Anyone have any suggestions? Getting real burned out on this stuff.

 

[The_Bishop]

And, just because who needs sleep anyway... Just did a restore to defaults and re-configure once more to see if that would get the thermostat back online. No dice. Here's the complete log of it's attempt to connect. Seems as if it's not completing the DHCP handshake and accepting an ip address?

Dec 30 01:38:46 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(685): wl0.2: Auth 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: Successful (0), rssi:-41
Dec 30 01:38:46 kernel: SBF: dhd0: INIT [34:6f:92:27:ec:5b] ID 65535 BFW 65535 THRSH 2048
Dec 30 01:38:46 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b IEEE 802.11: associated
Dec 30 01:38:46 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(722): wl0.2: Assoc 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: Successful (0), rssi:-41
Dec 30 01:38:46 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b RADIUS: starting accounting session CB57E76EFF543307
Dec 30 01:38:46 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b WPA: pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
Dec 30 01:38:50 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:50 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:50 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:50 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:54 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:54 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:59 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:59 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:03 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:03 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:03 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:03 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:08 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:08 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:11 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:11 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:15 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:15 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:39:51 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(645): wl0.2: Deauth_ind 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: 0, reason: Disassociated due to inactivity (4), rssi:-47
Dec 30 01:39:51 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b IEEE 802.11: disassociated
Dec 30 01:39:51 kernel: CFG80211-ERROR) wl_cfg80211_change_station :
Dec 30 01:39:51 kernel: WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30)
Dec 30 01:39:52 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(645): wl0.2: Deauth_ind 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: 0, reason: Disassociated due to inactivity (4), rssi:0
Dec 30 01:39:52 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b IEEE 802.11: disassociated

 

[m0rF1uS]

What are your WiFi settings?

 

[The_Bishop]

Exactly the same as it was before the latest Asus firmware update, and how I have Merlin configured:

 

[dave14305]

Dec 30 01:38:46 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b IEEE 802.11: associated
Dec 30 01:38:46 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(722): wl0.2: Assoc 34:6F:92:27:EC:5B, status: Successful (0), rssi:-41
Dec 30 01:38:46 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b RADIUS: starting accounting session CB57E76EFF543307
Dec 30 01:38:46 hostapd: wl0.2: STA 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b WPA: pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
Dec 30 01:38:50 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b
Dec 30 01:38:50 dnsmasq-dhcp[1051]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.195 34:6f:92:27:ec:5b

Is this device on a guest network or the main network? It looks odd to me that the dhcp is on br0, but the device is on wl0.2, but I may be wrong.

Edit: or the guest network is using the same subnet as the main. Nevermind.

 

[doczenith1]

Have you tried a different wifi channel? I had a stable 2.4 GHz network on channel 11 for years and recently started having devices disconnecting. I messed around with some settings to no avail and ended up trying channel 1. Once I switched to channel 1 all my disconnects went away. For the record, per my wifi analysis of my location, it seemed like channel 11 was the better channel but apparently there was something on channel 11 interfering with my network.

 

[The_Bishop]

Is this device on a guest network or the main network? It looks odd to me that the dhcp is on br0, but the device is on wl0.2, but I may be wrong.

Edit: or the guest network is using the same subnet as the main. Nevermind.

I didn't change anything as far as the subnet goes, it's setup however the router sets things as a default.

 

[The_Bishop]

Have you tried a different wifi channel? I had a stable 2.4 GHz network on channel 11 for years and recently started having devices disconnecting. I messed around with some settings to no avail and ended up trying channel 1. Once I switched to channel 1 all my disconnects went away. For the record, per my wifi analysis of my location, it seemed like channel 11 was the better channel but apparently there was something on channel 11 interfering with my network.

It's definitely not a channel issue.

I just reverted to the prior Asus firmware when everything worked, reset the router and re-configured from scratch.

The thermostat is back online. Something was changed in the newer versions of the firmware that seem to break it's connectivity.

 

[Ripshod]

There won't be anything on your IoT network that requires the speed gain from a 5GHz network, so try setting it 2.4GHz only. That's the way mine's set and I never have issues like yours.

 

[degrub]

You likely can also set channel width to fixed 20 MHz and disable 802.11b protocol unless you know you have a device that needs it. Both should help a little with stability and signal reach. If 20MHz does not provide enough total bandwidth, then revert to 20/40

 

[Ripshod]

There won't be anything on your IoT network that requires the speed gain from a 5GHz network, so try setting it 2.4GHz only. That's the way mine's set and I never have issues like yours.

Wierd thing. Just tested with 5GHz enabled on my IoT network and after a reboot everything went whacko. Had a hard time logging in and all four cores were jammed at a steady 50%. I could have spent an hour on it to find out what was happening but I don't have the time tight now. Disabled 5GHz, rebooted, and normal service has resumed. I'll look into the logs later.
Question @The_Bishop. Are you using the default "IoT Network", or have you built it from the "Customised Network" configuration? In the first Merlin firmwares for this router the default IoT network was trouble from the start. Something asus did then, and it may be back.

 

[The_Bishop]

There won't be anything on your IoT network that requires the speed gain from a 5GHz network, so try setting it 2.4GHz only. That's the way mine's set and I never have issues like yours.

Thanks for the catch. I normally have it set to 2.4 only but in the course of several wipe and reset settings cycle I forgot to change it.