RT-AC86U no traffic on 2.4GHz interface

[bsiegel]

Experiencing a very strange issue with my RT-AC86U. Everything works great via the 5GHz radio (eth6), but when a device connects to the 2.4GHz radio (eth5), no traffic is routed. The most I see in the logs is that the client associates with the STA, a DHCPOFFER is sent, but no communication ever comes back from the client and the DHCP process doesn't go past that stage. I've tried manually assigning an IP to the client, but no traffic ever makes it from the client to the router. Pinging the router's IP address ends up with no response. I've dug around looking at the output from `ifconfig`, `route`, and `brctl` but nothing stood out at me, nor was there anything surprising under /sys/class/net/eth{5,6}.

I've tried following the nuclear reset procedure to completely wipe out the device and tried flashing various versions of the Merlin firmware but the problem persists. Does anyone have any suggestions on what might be going on here? I haven't yet attempted to flash back to the official Asus firmware, but I might give that a try if no one has any other suggestions here.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Experiencing a very strange issue with my RT-AC86U. Everything works great via the 5GHz radio (eth6), but when a device connects to the 2.4GHz radio (eth5), no traffic is routed. The most I see in the logs is that the client associates with the STA, a DHCPOFFER is sent, but no communication ever comes back from the client and the DHCP process doesn't go past that stage. I've tried manually assigning an IP to the client, but no traffic ever makes it from the client to the router. Pinging the router's IP address ends up with no response. I've dug around looking at the output from `ifconfig`, `route`, and `brctl` but nothing stood out at me, nor was there anything surprising under /sys/class/net/eth{5,6}.

I've tried following the nuclear reset procedure to completely wipe out the device and tried flashing various versions of the Merlin firmware but the problem persists. Does anyone have any suggestions on what might be going on here? I haven't yet attempted to flash back to the official Asus firmware, but I might give that a try if no one has any other suggestions here.

Unfortunately a common problem with the AC86. Look at the numerous reviews on Amazon at that explicitly cite this issue.

Only solution is to either return the router or prepare to enter ASUS RMA purgatory.

 

[bsiegel]

Unfortunately a common problem with the AC86. Look at the numerous reviews on Amazon at that explicitly cite this issue.

Only solution is to either return the router or prepare to enter ASUS RMA purgatory.

Ohh, I had no idea this was a known issue. I thought something had gotten woefully messed up in my firmware or something. I guess the RMA process is also notably bad?

 

[CaptainSTX]

Ohh, I had no idea this was a known issue. I thought something had gotten woefully messed up in my firmware or something. I guess the RMA process is also notably bad?

If you have the option to return the router to the seller that is the easiest way to proceed. The RMA process is aggravating in that ASUS requires you ship the router back to them at your expense, depending on how far you are from California your router will be MIA for ten to fifteen days, and the finally the router they send you back may not work any better than the busted one you sent them.

Read the one star litany of horrors on Amazon if you want to further depress yourself.

Good luck!