Is my ASUS Zen WiFi AX XT8 bricked?

[brifd1]

Caveat: I am a modest techie, enough to have been able to set up this router, its one node, and an accompanying modem in March of 2022. Both have worked virtually flawlessly until recently. Here's what's happening now:
1. My wireless network routinely goes out, usually around midnight every day, occasionally at other times throughout the day. I did/do have a software update scheduled, it was only one night, I believe only on Thursday.
2. Wi-fi only seems to connect to the 2.4 band now from items like a Macbook that connected to the 5 band(s) before (it's a tri-band)
3. The app has given the message "Unable to reach" for at least the past month.
4. I am unable to log in to the Asus dashboard online to control it there.
* I have restarted the modem manually. No change.
I am considering a factory reset. Is that a good idea?
? I wonder if this router is "bricked," although the descriptions that I can find of that term wouldn't seem to support that.
? I wonder if this router and/or the modem is close to end of life. The modem is a Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gig, the same age as the router. If so, it is doubtful that most of my "smart" devices (especially plugs, cameras, lights, fans) are unlikely to be Wifi 7 ready, as they were acquired long before wifi6 in some cases, thus if "end of life" is the circumstance, it would seem that my only remedy would be another Wi-fi 6 router, perhaps of this same brand (there doesn't seem to be any brand/model that at least 5-10% dislike for relevant reasons).

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?

Thank you!!!

 

[Dodgydrains]

If you are experiencing issues like this, it is always good idea to perform a hard factory reset to rule out hardware issues.

[Wireless Router] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 6 | Official Support | ASUS UK

 

[brifd1]

Caveat: I am a modest techie, enough to have been able to set up this router, its one node, and an accompanying modem in March of 2022. Both have worked virtually flawlessly until recently. Here's what's happening now:
1. My wireless network routinely goes out, usually around midnight every day, occasionally at other times throughout the day. I did/do have a software update scheduled, it was only one night, I believe only on Thursday.
2. Wi-fi only seems to connect to the 2.4 band now from items like a Macbook that connected to the 5 band(s) before (it's a tri-band)
3. The app has given the message "Unable to reach" for at least the past month.
4. I am unable to log in to the Asus dashboard online to control it there.
* I have restarted the modem manually. No change.
I am considering a factory reset. Is that a good idea?
? I wonder if this router is "bricked," although the descriptions that I can find of that term wouldn't seem to support that.
? I wonder if this router and/or the modem is close to end of life. The modem is a Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Multi-Gig, the same age as the router. If so, it is doubtful that most of my "smart" devices (especially plugs, cameras, lights, fans) are unlikely to be Wifi 7 ready, as they were acquired long before wifi6 in some cases, thus if "end of life" is the circumstance, it would seem that my only remedy would be another Wi-fi 6 router, perhaps of this same brand (there doesn't seem to be any brand/model that at least 5-10% dislike for relevant reasons).

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?

Thank you!!!

Suggestion by "AI" (I think) was to factory reset. I did so, and I made some adjustments so that it wouldn't look for updates until 4 a.m., and that seems to have taken care of that problem, 1 above, as - so far - the multiple bands are working, 2 above. However, after a few days, the app is back to the "Unable to reach" message, and unfortunately I hadn't added my extra node, which as a result I now cannot do. I "cannot" connect to the Asus website due to malware reportedly on that site. That would seem to rule out firmware updates, but I would think that was taken care of when I factory reset.

I'm back to wondering if this router and/or modem is at "end of life." I bought both 3/22/22, thus they're in the window where that's possible.

 

[brifd1]

If you are experiencing issues like this, it is always good idea to perform a hard factory reset to rule out hardware issues.

[Wireless Router] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 6 | Official Support | ASUS UK

I did, and I got both bands back. However, after a couple of days, "unable to reach" returned.