RT-AX88U requires reboot to fix WAN access issues (DNS works, but no ping)

[Brockp]

I have an RT-AX88U running 384.19 as main router, though this problem has existed for a long time across several versions.
I have 2 RT-AX92U running in repeater mode (not AI Mesh) to extend the wireless range. They are running ASUS stock firmware 3.0.0.4.384_9177

Symptoms

Randomly sometimes never sometimes several times a day access to large chunks of networks will stop working. Established connections still work (connected to work VPN from laptop works fine until need to reconnect).
Some sites can be reached eg Google.com

DNS works (nslookup), but cannot ssh to the site. This is from the CLI of the device and hosts connected to the device (hard wired to AX88U).

If I reboot the router, OR a repeater it will start working again.

Thoughts?

 

[L&LD]

Have you ever performed a full reset to factory defaults on all routers in use (M&M Config, see my signature for link)?

 

[Blee]

Same thing for me in RT-AC86U

 

[ckennylin]

I had been running Merlin 384_19 on a brand new RT-AX88U for the past 3 weeks and have come across a strange issue with the internet connection status - the internet light would turn red and the network status would show the internet down, even though I am connected to the admin from the outside!

Since Merlin development has been frozen until Asus can reunify their code base around 386, I reflashed and reconfigured using the most current stock firmware 3.0.0.4.384.9579 dated 2020/10/13 (Merlin 384.19 is dated 14-Aug-2020, previous stock was 03-Aug) and will see how it fares. So far, stable, though I'm already missing a number of Merlin features.

I would suggest anyone having RT-AX88U Merlin problems go back to stock in the meantime as there is active development and updates on stock. It's probably unproductive to find and report Merlin bugs for this model until the Asus GPL code stabilizes.

 

[L&LD]

Changing the WAN DNS entries to 1.0.0.1 and 1.1.1.1 or anything else you prefer would have fixed that issue. No need to go back to stock for that. 384.19_0 is running stable for many, search for solutions before jumping ship.

Btw, when you got the brand-new router and flashed it to RMerlin code, did you follow that with a full reset to factory defaults (and not using a saved backup config file to re-configure it)?

 

[ckennylin]

I actually use 1.1.1.3 for the WAN DNS since it is being deployed in a distance-learning environment with children and the fake-disconnect happens often. I did a full reset and hand-entered my configurations for the initial flash to Merlin and back to Stock. Going to leave it alone for now since it's not broken, and now that the site is upgraded to Fios, I can reliably manage and monitor the router from home.

 

[Brockp]

I have done resets, and not restored from backup config.

DNS I use

1.1.1.1
8.8.8.8

I also see a lot of 'disconnected' in the UI but chalked that up to Charter as we do lose internet then and often comes back in 60-90 seconds.