Slow smb transfer in ASUS RT AX88U

[makksi]

Slower than RPi hardware with limited RAM, actually. Asuswrt offers a bit too many features for it to handle. I have one AX88U available for testing and I can give you the recipe for disaster using USB attached storage. Go light and you'll be fine.

As usual you need to know its target. You don't want to win a Formula 1 with a beautiful Nuova Giulia Alfa Romeo, but it Is still a beautiful car. Need to keep always an open eye to the contest of the discussion...thanks

 

[Tech9]

I'm just trying to warn you. It's not the speed, but the reliability.

 

[makksi]

Slower than RPi hardware with limited RAM, actually. Asuswrt offers a bit too many features for it to handle. I have one AX88U available for testing and I can give you the recipe for disaster using USB attached storage. Go light and you'll be fine.

Just for my understanding, what kind of disaster did you face with RT-AX88U and USB attached storage? Can you give more details?

 

[Tech9]

I've tested multiple Asus routers with 20GB 12.000 files transfer to USB 3.0 attached SSD. It starts fast in the beginning, then falls to zero after the RAM utilization reaches 98%. The cycle repeats multiple times until some router core services break. You may see Web server freeze and restart, WAN down, Wi-Fi restart, etc. The reason is insufficient RAM. Some services do recover, others don't and you need to reboot the router. Routers with 512MB RAM (AX58U, AC86U) could not complete the transfer at all, AX88U failed once (1GB RAM routers hold better). AC68U with 256MB RAM surprisingly did not fail, but it was very slow. The main issue is eventual data corruption when the router starts crashing. If your data is important, better get a real NAS box. The router may work for a long time and fail in worst for you moment.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I've tested multiple Asus routers with 20GB 12.000 files (different sizes from 2GB to 2Kb) transfer to USB 3.0 attached SSD. It starts fast in the beginning, then falls to zero after the RAM utilization reaches 98%. The cycle repeats multiple times until some router core services break. You may see Web server freeze and restart, WAN down, Wi-Fi restart, etc. The reason is insufficient RAM. Some services do recover, others don't and you need to reboot the router. Routers with 512MB RAM (AX58U, AC86U) could not complete the transfer at all, AX88U failed once (1GB RAM routers hold better). AC68U with 256MB RAM surprisingly did not fail, but it was very slow. The main issue is eventual data corruption when the router starts crashing. If your data is important, better get a real NAS box. The router may work for a long time and fail in worst for you moment.

Try the possible solution I posted here.

 

[Tech9]

Try the possible solution I posted here.

Thank you!

Perhaps 512MB RAM router will show faster if there is an improvement?

 

[igo]

Had similar issue. Just got about 10 MB/s transfer rate. For NAS and Router attached USB Stick. Made me wonder.
well, two days try out and research later: ...
What did help was to disable SMB 1 protocol on the AX86 Router. After that speed was about 60-75MB/s on NAS and USB Stick. But only by test with iPhone. Turned out my laptop is a elderly guy and can only connect with 270Gbit, witch is about 30MB/s and he did make that too on CrystalDiskMark.
So for me, problem solved by disable SMB 1 support. Enable only SMB 2 does the trick!
SMB 1 is maximum speed of about 10-13MB/s or so. Seems for whatever reason SMB 2 didnt run when SM1+SMB2 support was enabled!