Random modem hangups AX88U

[Tech9]

If this issue will repeat with this combination, then I can rest assured it will repeat with the ISP router aswell.

You never know. Test the ISP router and see what happens.

If ISP router ->Asus router still has the issue you're going to have to run just ISP router for a few days

He is going to run it all the time with the Asus as single client.

 

[w0ks2]

Update: Weird things happened now, as a reminder I was using D-Link DSL224 as the pppoe dial up -> Asus RT-AX88U wan port.
I was away for a couple of hours, came back and I had no internet access, weird, I try to login to WebUI of DSL224 router, can't, not responsive, I login to WebUI of AX88U, I go to syslogs and see a bunch of console messages and errors like this:
Jun 13 18:29:23 kernel: CONSOLE: 123892.811 txrep:802.1x
The WAN status showed up as "Connected 192.168.1.x" (which is the IP from the DSL-224).
long story short: reboot to AX88U fixed the issue, then I logged in the DSL224 WebUi to see the syslog and it had 0 errors, ISP still connected.

Summery:
Fiber -> SFP -> Media Convertor -> D-Link DSL224 (PPPOE, Router Mode) -> Asus RT-AX88U (WAN Port, Router Mode) -> Asus RT-AX56U (AiMesh Node).
Asus RT-AX88U randomly loses connection to internet, syslog are related to "kernel console" can't reach WebUI of D-Link DSL224, reboot to Asus RT-AX88U fixes the issue and now can access internet and WebUI of D-Link 224 which shows no issues.

Now I'm convinced something is wrong with Asus.
Anyone has any idea why, how, or any information about this sort of issues?

 

[Tech9]

There were reports about AiMesh nodes bugging the main router. Remove the node and try again as just another experiment.

 

[w0ks2]

There were reports about AiMesh nodes bugging the main router. Remove the node and try again as just another experiment.

I can test it, sure, but.... what do I do about Guest Network? I'm using AiMesh to extend both WiFi (LAN + Guest Network)
Do I set the Asus RT-AX56U (which was the AiMesh Node) as a router with a different IP than the Asus RT-AX88U?
Or do I set the Asus RT-AX56U as Access point (and only have 1 WiFI without Guest Network)?
To be clear - Guest Network is a must for both routers (because there are guests and there are smart light switches that need the guest network).

Edit: Could you provide links to the reports about AiMesh nodes bugging the main router?

 

[Tech9]

I remember issues reported with RT-AX58U, ZenWiFi DX4 and ZenWiFi XT8 used as nodes to another model router as well as incompatibility between GT-AC5300 and GT-AX11000 in AiMesh. With so many models all marketed as AiMesh compatible and all running different generation hardware and base firmware the only way is to test and find out what works. There is information this RT-AX56U won't be getting 388 base firmware. You probably need another AP/node, but eliminate components of your system one by one to find where your issue is first.

 

[w0ks2]

I remember issues reported with RT-AX58U, ZenWiFi DX4 and ZenWiFi XT8 used as nodes to another model router as well as incompatibility between GT-AC5300 and GT-AX11000 in AiMesh. With so many models all marketed as AiMesh compatible and all running different generation hardware and base firmware the only way is to test and find out what works. There is information this RT-AX56U won't be getting 388 base firmware. You probably need another AP/node, but eliminate components of your system one by one to find where your issue is first.

Mmmmmmmm, it does makes sense but it's also doesn't make sense.
On the one hand - AiMesh DOES work, it's not like it's laggy or bad or it has speed issues, not at all, it's perfect from a user experience perspective.
On the other hand - I can believe that AiMesh does introduce those weird issues I've been having, because I never tried it as AP/router mode (from two reasons - 1) because I had trust in Asus and their hardware and software and 2) because I need it as AiMesh node to broadcast LAN WiFi and Guest Network)

So for my next experiment - Do I use Asus RT-AX56U as router mode and enable guest network (will it even work? I guess guests will have access to Asus RT-AX88U LAN clients, right?)
Or do I use Asus RT-AX56U as AP without Guest Networks?

 

[Tech9]

it's perfect from a user experience perspective

You think so perhaps because you never compared it to other "mesh" systems available on the market. We have folks around here running Asus router for easy GUI with lots of settings and Google Nest Wifi, Amazon eero, Netgear Orbi, TP-Link Deco and different business APs or entire setups from Cisco, Zyxel, Ubiquiti, TP-Link (Omada) for Wi-Fi. There is a good reason to do so. Asus AiMesh is a marketing name for wired APs or wireless Repeaters with minimum control. AiMesh 2.0 in 386 introduced GN to nodes as a plus. What it does best is to sell more Asus routers and it does it very successfully. Otherwise AiMesh wireless node performance is comparable to Repeater. You don't even have Tx power control on the "node". Repeater can actually do better.

 

[Tech9]

because I need it as AiMesh node to broadcast LAN WiFi and Guest Network

If isolated Guest Network(s) were extremely important I would have placed a VLAN capable router and a few VLAN capable PoE APs long time ago instead of playing with home routers and waiting for Asus. This AiMesh Guest Network to nodes was buggy for an entire firmware cycle. What they have created was already available, long time ago and in better form. Anyway... fix the WAN disconnections issue first and then work on AiMesh.

 

[w0ks2]

There were reports about AiMesh nodes bugging the main router. Remove the node and try again as just another experiment.

Currently testing the following setup:
Fiber -> SFP -> Media Convertor -> CAT8 RJ45 -> Asus RT-AX88U WAN port (Router mode, PPPOE with native IPv6) -> Asus RT-AX56U (AP mode)
Testing to see if changing the Asus RT-AX56U from AiMesh node to AP mode will fix the random WAN (and WiFi) issues.
Will keep you updated once I have results.

 

[w0ks2]

A little update:
Asus RT-AX88U (AiMesh Router) -> Asus RT-AX56U (Access Point without Guest Network)
Uptime 7 days 9 hour(s) 29 minute(s) 0 seconds
No issues for a week so far so I guess AiMesh + Guest Network on Asus RT-AX56U is buggy so I just sent a ticket to Asus and updated them about it.

 

[drinkingbird]

A little update:
Asus RT-AX88U (AiMesh Router) -> Asus RT-AX56U (Access Point without Guest Network)
Uptime 7 days 9 hour(s) 29 minute(s) 0 seconds
No issues for a week so far so I guess AiMesh + Guest Network on Asus RT-AX56U is buggy so I just sent a ticket to Asus and updated them about it.

There was an issue in earlier 386 code versions where DHCP requests from the guest wireless 1 (aimesh guest) VLANs were being forwarded upstream to the ISP out the WAN port. It was resolved (not sure what code but definitely in 386.7_2 on my AC1900), but before it was resolved it would cause internet to go down with most fiber carriers as their ONT was stripping the VLAN tag off, giving the guest device the IP, and the router would end up in a routing loop.

Are you running the latest code on both devices? Perhaps one of those models did not get the "fix". If you SSH in with Guest 1 enabled you can look and see if you have VLAN 501 and 502 configured on the AX88U's WAN port, in which case this could be your issue, it does sound pretty familiar to what a bunch of us experienced back then.

I had one guest device at the time and it renewed its IP every 24 hours and every 24 hours my internet went down. Finally got it figured out and disabled guest 1 (the one that uses VLANs and separate subnets), then eventually permanently fixed it by removing those VLANs from the WAN port. But found once I upgraded to 386.7_2 it was no longer necessary to remove them from the WAN port as they had fixed the problem.

Does it work in Aimesh without guest enabled? I guess that would be one step back toward "normal" you could try.

 

[w0ks2]

There was an issue in earlier 386 code versions where DHCP requests from the guest wireless 1 (aimesh guest) VLANs were being forwarded upstream to the ISP out the WAN port. It was resolved (not sure what code but definitely in 386.7_2 on my AC1900), but before it was resolved it would cause internet to go down with most fiber carriers as their ONT was stripping the VLAN tag off, giving the guest device the IP, and the router would end up in a routing loop.

Are you running the latest code on both devices? Perhaps one of those models did not get the "fix". If you SSH in with Guest 1 enabled you can look and see if you have VLAN 501 and 502 configured on the AX88U's WAN port, in which case this could be your issue, it does sound pretty familiar to what a bunch of us experienced back then.

I had one guest device at the time and it renewed its IP every 24 hours and every 24 hours my internet went down. Finally got it figured out and disabled guest 1 (the one that uses VLANs and separate subnets), then eventually permanently fixed it by removing those VLANs from the WAN port. But found once I upgraded to 386.7_2 it was no longer necessary to remove them from the WAN port as they had fixed the problem.

Does it work in Aimesh without guest enabled? I guess that would be one step back toward "normal" you could try.

Thank you for all of this information.

I am running the latest code on both devices, yes, you can see I already mentioned it on the first post.
AiMesh router
RT-AX88U
Current Version : 3.0.0.4.388_22525-gd35b8fe

AiMesh Node
RT-AX56U
Current Version : 3.0.0.4.386_51665-g8072e52

You are saying you had your issue every 24hours, but in my case it's random, it could be 5 minutes and it could be 4 days, but it is possible it's the renew of IPs of Guest Network.
But your problem does not mention the WiFi connectivity issue that comes with the WAN down issue,
Once there is the random modem hangup issue there's also the issue with the WiFI of the Asus RT-AX88U, which I cannot connect, only to the Asus RT-AX56U WiFI I can connect.
So it seems your problem is not the same as mine?

I'm sorry, can you please explain more about the SSH part? I don't have much knowledge about that part, but I do know you need PuTTy in order to SSH, use IP 192.168.50.1 (Asus RT-AX88U),
username and password same as GUI, but then what commands do I use in order to test what you said?
Also - Should I test it before there is a problem or during the issue?

I am now testing the following:
Asus RT-AX88U (AiMesh Router) -> Asus RT-AX56U (AiMesh Node)
Settings: Guest network on AiMesh = Router only (Asus RT-AX56U does not broadcast Guest Network, only the Asus RT-AX88U)
I will update here after a week or once I encounter problems.

 

[drinkingbird]

Thank you for all of this information.

I am running the latest code on both devices, yes, you can see I already mentioned it on the first post.
AiMesh router
RT-AX88U
Current Version : 3.0.0.4.388_22525-gd35b8fe

AiMesh Node
RT-AX56U
Current Version : 3.0.0.4.386_51665-g8072e52

You are saying you had your issue every 24hours, but in my case it's random, it could be 5 minutes and it could be 4 days, but it is possible it's the renew of IPs of Guest Network.
But your problem does not mention the WiFi connectivity issue that comes with the WAN down issue,
Once there is the random modem hangup issue there's also the issue with the WiFI of the Asus RT-AX88U, which I cannot connect, only to the Asus RT-AX56U WiFI I can connect.
So it seems your problem is not the same as mine?

I'm sorry, can you please explain more about the SSH part? I don't have much knowledge about that part, but I do know you need PuTTy in order to SSH, use IP 192.168.50.1 (Asus RT-AX88U),
username and password same as GUI, but then what commands do I use in order to test what you said?
Also - Should I test it before there is a problem or during the issue?

I am now testing the following:
Asus RT-AX88U (AiMesh Router) -> Asus RT-AX56U (AiMesh Node)
Settings: Guest network on AiMesh = Router only (Asus RT-AX56U does not broadcast Guest Network, only the Asus RT-AX88U)
I will update here after a week or once I encounter problems.

Mine was every 24 hours because that device was always on and had a 24 hour lease. Others noticed a much more random pattern and finally realized it was when they woke a guest device out of sleep or connected a new guest.

When you say you cannot connect to wifi - that often just means you can't get a DHCP lease - which may all be related to the same problem. Essentially you end up with more than 1 DHCP server on the same LAN, handing out IPs from the wrong subnet, and everything just gets confused.

Windows has a command line SSH you can install (OpenSSH variant) or you can install putty. But if you're not familiar with linux at all it may be a bit daunting. However if you enable SSH in the gui, then use putty or command line to SSH to 192.168.50.1, log in with your same username and password, you can run an "ifconfig" and see what interfaces have the VLAN attached to them when you have the guest wireless 1 active (with access intranet disabled). Assuming your WAN is ETH0, if you see ETH0.501, ETH0.502, etc that may very well be your problem.

 

[w0ks2]

Mine was every 24 hours because that device was always on and had a 24 hour lease. Others noticed a much more random pattern and finally realized it was when they woke a guest device out of sleep or connected a new guest.

When you say you cannot connect to wifi - that often just means you can't get a DHCP lease - which may all be related to the same problem. Essentially you end up with more than 1 DHCP server on the same LAN, handing out IPs from the wrong subnet, and everything just gets confused.

Windows has a command line SSH you can install (OpenSSH variant) or you can install putty. But if you're not familiar with linux at all it may be a bit daunting. However if you enable SSH in the gui, then use putty or command line to SSH to 192.168.50.1, log in with your same username and password, you can run an "ifconfig" and see what interfaces have the VLAN attached to them when you have the guest wireless 1 active (with access intranet disabled). Assuming your WAN is ETH0, if you see ETH0.501, ETH0.502, etc that may very well be your problem.

That makes so much sense!
Thank you!
This might be my problem.

(Still testing the AX56U as AiMesh Node but without broadcast the Guest Network)

A little update:
I might have the option to return both Asus RT-AX88U and Asus RT-AX56U and get refund, when I do - I plan on buying UDM-SE (with unifi APs and cameras), so would like to hear your opinion on this case, good, bad, worse than asus, better? I've searched for other products and only unifi stood out the most.