RT-AC86U 2.4Ghz Can't connect to this network

[Mushroom]

Hello, I have had this router for about a year. The last time I successful upgraded my firmware was to Asus's firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.45717. I noticed that some of the features in that version did not always work and that there has been numerous security updates since then, so I upgraded to Merlin 384.17 and then to 384.18.

The problem is that after a few hours sometimes minutes of operation it starts dropping devices with errors such as:

Jun 30 13:21:19 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(466): wl0.1: Deauth_ind MAC_HERE, status: 0, reason: Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS (3)
Jun 30 13:21:19 wlceventd: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(481): wl0.1: Disassoc MAC_HERE, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)

At first the devices can reconnect but eventually they give me errors like with Windows "Can't connect to this network" and with Android saying authentication failed.

The only changes that I have made to the settings are:
-Changed the DNS server to 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
-Added a guest network on the 2.4 for IoT devices. Easier than making a VLAN.
-Disabled WPS
-Disabled UPnP

I have had this problem before in the past when upgrading to a newer version of tthe Asus firmware. I have had no luck in making it work so I gave in and moved back to 3.0.0.4.384.45717.

I have done all of the steps I found on other forum posts including:
-doing a NVRAM reset by holding down the WPS button then re-flashing the firmware.
-Factory resetting the router
-Changing the 2.4Ghz setting such as disabling Beamforming, setting to 20hz, channel 6, etc.
-Changed my SSID's to a new one. Just in case the old one's setting interfered.

As a side note, I live in an area that has no other 2.4 or 5Ghz signals around me. So there should be no competition for signal airspace.

Thank you for your time and help.

 

[Mushroom]

For now I am downgrading to Merlin 384.12 to see if that works normally. I think that version is the closest to 3.0.0.4.384.45717.

 

[bbunge]

Your best bet is to flash Merlin 384.18 or Asus 3.0.0.4_384_81930.
Do an Asus hard reset. See: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039074/
Do a minimal config then reflash the same firmware again. Just for good measure do another hard factory reset.Do not use a saved config file!
Set the WIFI to use the dual band smart connect, 2.4 GHZ @ 20 MHZ channel 1, 6, or 11, 5 GHZ @ 20, 40 , 80 MHZ set to a non DFS channel (try channel 36 first). Disable WPS and leave the rest of the WIFI professional settings alone.
I have used both the Asus and Merlin firmware with great success. Merlin's firmware does enable you to use DoT and several other security features.
Best of success!

 

[Mushroom]

Thanks for responding. I did the hard reset mentioned, a couple of times when I was tying to get it working. This is the only WiFi router in the area as I have no neighbors. So I don't think that the channel should be an issue. I am currently on firmware 384.12 and have not had an issue since.

I wonder if there is a bug regarding guest networks or something in the newer version, because that is the only WiFi setting that I changed from stock.

 

[Mushroom]

Is there any difference in upgrading incrementally until I get to 384.18? Or should I be able to go straight there?

 

[bbunge]

The channel setting recommendations are tried and true. Especially the bandwidth on 2.4 GHZ Just flash the latest, twice and use the WPS reset method. Unless the router has a hardware issue it will work.

 

[RMerlin]

Is there any difference in upgrading incrementally until I get to 384.18? Or should I be able to go straight there?

Go directly to the latest version, unless you come from a MUCH older version, and are covered by the special cases documented here.

 

[Mushroom]

These are the steps that I have taken. All of the setting changes were done manually and not loaded from a file:
-Hard reset with WPS method
-Did the initial setup to get to the firmware flash screen
-Flashed 384.18
-Another Hard reset with WPS method
-Initial setup again
-Flashed 384.18 again
-Hard Reset
-I know that it is redundant, but I did this process once more, for a total of three times.
-Then I let the router sit unplugged for a bit.
-Set the 2.4Ghz to channel 1 at 20Mhz and the 5Ghz to 20,40,80 on channel 36.
-Disabled WPS
-Enabled a password protected guest network with WPA2_Personal and Intranet access disabled. No other changes.

Also I am using different SSID's then I previously did, as recommended on this forum.

None of these following setting changes should affect connectivity to WiFi, but they are listed just in case.
-Changed DNS to use 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
-Disabled UPnP

The problem does not usually show up right away. I will have to wait and see if the 2.4Ghz starts to drop again in a few hours.

 

[bbunge]

These are the steps that I have taken. All of the setting changes were done manually and not loaded from a file:
-Hard reset with WPS method
-Did the initial setup to get to the firmware flash screen
-Flashed 384.18
-Another Hard reset with WPS method
-Initial setup again
-Flashed 384.18 again
-Hard Reset
-I know that it is redundant, but I did this process once more, for a total of three times.
-Then I let the router sit unplugged for a bit.
-Set the 2.4Ghz to channel 1 at 20Mhz and the 5Ghz to 20,40,80 on channel 36.
-Disabled WPS
-Enabled a password protected guest network with WPA2_Personal and Intranet access disabled. No other changes.

Also I am using different SSID's then I previously did, as recommended on this forum.

None of these following setting changes should affect connectivity to WiFi, but they are listed just in case.
-Changed DNS to use 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
-Disabled UPnP

The problem does not usually show up right away. I will have to wait and see if the 2.4Ghz starts to drop again in a few hours.

Recommend your SSID's be no more than 8 letters or numbers. No special characters.
Is your guest network on 2.4 GHZ? I am using a guest network on 2.4 GHZ for some IOT devices that do not have settings control.
WPS and UPNP disable is OK and I do the same.
I use Quad9 DNS servers and DNSSEC/DoT to Quad9 (although I set up Stubby to do DNSSEC). Also have DNS Filter set to router. I have Samba and Media Center disabled. I do use AiProtect, QOS, DDNS and OpenVPN Server.

 

[Mushroom]

Thanks for all the help. So far after taking those steps the WiFi has not dropped. The only concern I have now is that I seem to be dropping more packets (also on Ethernet) than I previously was. I am not completely sure about this because I do not have a before and after comparison. Is there any tests I can run to see if something is unstable?

 

[Mushroom]

Also, why would 384.12's WiFi be stable without changing any channels or other setting and 384.18 not be?

 

[Jon555]

I’m noticing the same issue after updating my 3100 to .18. Restarting the router fixes it for a little bit, but then the same thing starts appearing in the logs after an hour or so and both wireless and wired connections begin to drop. Had no issues with .17 at all, will like roll back to that.

 

[MarkyPancake]

Also, why would 384.12's WiFi be stable without changing any channels or other setting and 384.18 not be?

Good question. I went from 384.12 to .17 and now .18 on my AC86U without any factory resets and no issues with wireless on 2.4 or 5 GHz band. Usually 15-20 devices connected at any one time.

 

[Mushroom]

How bad are the vulnerabilities in 384.12? I seemed to have much better luck overall with that firmware.