Starting to despair

[maxbraketorque]

I've put the ASUS router back in service and downgraded the USB device to 2.0. So far, it does seem to have made a significant improvment, but I'll leave it on test until tomorrow morning and see what happens. It's currently auto-connected to channel 7, which seems to be the preferred channel.

Would have been good to mention USB at the beginning. Its well-known that USB3 can cause substantial 2.4 GHz interference.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

5 pages of discussion and no mention of a USB device attached. When you got the replacement router and saw the same issues, wouldn't the first thought be "ok, what didn't change, let's focus on that".....

If it is a thumb drive use a good quality USB extension cable to move it away from the router. And if whatever it is has (or needs) transfer rates at or below USB2, leave it set to that.

One of the very first replies was someone saying their raspberry pi close to the router was killing their 2.4 signal, would think that would have triggered you to test without the USB device attached.....

I've no idea what a raspeberry pi is, so no, that didn't mean anything to me as relating to my problem. The benefit of hindsight is appropriate here I think.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Would have been good to mention USB at the beginning. Its well-known that USB3 can cause substantial 2.4 GHz interference.

I hadn't noticed a particular problem with this previously.

 

[bennor]

I've no idea what a raspeberry pi is, so no, that didn't mean anything to me as relating to my problem. The benefit of hindsight is appropriate here I think.

A suggestion that may help in the future. Fill out the signature line in your account profile with your setup. Include the specific router(s), firmware they're running, any addon scripts you are using, and any USB devices attached. Such information likely would have helped others clue in very early on that you had an attached USB device and they could have offered the suggestion to check the USB device as a potential cause for WiFi interference significantly sooner.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

A suggestion that may help in the future. Fill out the signature line in your account profile with your setup. Include the specific router(s), firmware they're running, any addon scripts you are using, and any USB devices attached. Such information likely would have helped others clue in very early on that you had an attached USB device and they could have offered the suggestion to check the USB device as a potential cause for WiFi interference significantly sooner.

I had read somewhere that this could be a security risk, especially for those with a static public IP address like mine.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I had read somewhere...

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

I don't. There's so much fake stuff around that it's hard to know who or what to believe these days and I guess it's only going to get worse now with AI on the scene.

 

[ZebMcKayhan]

I've no idea what a raspeberry pi is, so no, that didn't mean anything to me as relating to my problem. The benefit of hindsight is appropriate here I think.

In my case Ive build my own nas from a raspberry pi (a small open frame computer) and I hand soldered in usb3 wires (which was a painful experience) between the internal usb connector and 2 usb2sata converters and used 2 hdd on these and hung it up next to the router. I hold it as likely that it was these usb3 cables that caused the disturbence to my network even though I used a properly shielded pair, with correct impedance, no stubs, max 5mm stick-out from shield et.c but maybe a too sharp bend. The impedance mismatch is probably causing an impedance bump and since this is where the energy ends up it will probably be air-borne. But this problem was not there from first day, so could be degradation of materials over the years.

So, just showing how easy it is to disturb something today, even dcdc converters switch so fast they generate noise up in GHz band, especially the small ones. And even if something used to work doesnt meant its not a suspect.

Anyhow, this was not my first suspect. I also use a ups to supply my router directly with variable output voltage, thus a dcdc back-end which I was almost certain to be it. But Im glad it wasnt.

I was also powering a device to communicate with my key-less door from the router usb which was my second suspect... but no...

But a key was that when I relocated my old router temporarely, it started to work again, so I knew that it was something in close proximity.

But it was easier for me as the problem was more constant. Transient issues are a pain!

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Yes, I hate intermittent issues as well and you end up chasing several red herrings in trying to track down the real cause of the problem.

I also use a UPS as well (actually, three of them to be precise; one for my router and VOIP phone base station, one for my Synology NAS and one for my ONT). The VOIP phone base station was one of the suspects in my case as it is fairly close to the router, as is one of the phones, but switching them off made no difference, so I was able to eliminate them fairly quickly.

 

[bennor]

I had read somewhere that this could be a security risk, especially for those with a static public IP address like mine.

How exactly is it a security risk? You've already posted your router model (RT-AX88U Pro) in your first post. You've already indicated you are using a USB device. You have posted to other discussions other information that reveal additional information about your setup. Bots already scan the internet anyway regardless of static WAN IP address or not. <shrugs>

 

[GHog]

So there needs to be more info on your environment.
Do you live in a condo, apartment, housing that is one house on top of another. This is the biggest cause of problems. Too much traffic and too close to your router.
Have you performed a site survey to find an unused control channel. If you can find one, switch to manual and select that channel. Make sure you find used channels for both radios.
Are you using DFS channels. If yes, stop. Aviation, military and police and other devices use those channels. A jet flying over your house if you are using DFS channel could knock radio offline.

On both wireless radios make sure that you have the following settings:
Airtime fairness-disable
user mimo-disable
OFDA/802.11-disable
These settings have been brought up many times and from my experience these setting have stopped many of my dropouts.

One other item is with respect to VOIP, like OOMA devices. If you have a modem that has multiple lan ports, connect your ASUS router to the first lan port and your VOIP to that last open lan port. Do not connect in series with router if modem has an open lan port. This will reduce problems with VOIP box connected in series with router.
Last. If you think a usb memory stick is causing issues, make sure it`s plugged into router and not on an extension cable. If using a usb3 device with a usb2 rated cable, you are gaining nothing, and extension cable could be acting like an antenna. Always use shielded extensions cable when connecting usb devices to router.
Hope one of these ideas help.

 

[drinkingbird]

I've no idea what a raspeberry pi is, so no, that didn't mean anything to me as relating to my problem. The benefit of hindsight is appropriate here I think.

Well, how is the performance and consistency so far after dropping to USB2?

 

[ZebMcKayhan]

If using a usb3 device with a usb2 rated cable, you are gaining nothing, and extension cable could be acting like an antenna. Always use shielded extensions cable when connecting usb devices to router.

No, thats just not the way it works. Usb3 use dedicated shielded twisted pairs each for RX and TX, these run at 2.5GHz to supply a maximum of 5Gbit. Usb2 cables dont have these but only use the slower D+ and D- with supply lines. This is why usb3 cables are thicker and less bendable. If you use a usb2 cable the usb3 connectors will not connect to anything and not be used. The phy will never make the connection and no antenna, atleast not more then unplugged connector.

 

[drinkingbird]

.
Last. If you think a usb memory stick is causing issues, make sure it`s plugged into router and not on an extension cable. If using a usb3 device with a usb2 rated cable, you are gaining nothing, and extension cable could be acting like an antenna. Always use shielded extensions cable when connecting usb devices to router.
Hope one of these ideas help.

Actually the extension cable to move the device away from the router is a common solution. Doesn't always work but it will not act as an antenna either, so won't hurt. It depends if it is the device itself causing interference or the port in the Asus, but even if the port, the extension cable may fit and ground better than the device did.

All USB cables should have the proper shielding for their type, there is not shielded vs unshielded USB that you can buy. Just make sure they are high quality cables so you know they didn't skimp or cut corners, have bad connections, etc.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Well, how is the performance and consistency so far after dropping to USB2?

OK yesterday evening after I uploaded the official firmware (to see how that would perform), performed a full factory reset and didn't connect anything to the USB port. However, look at the situation I came down to this morning:

 

[TheLyppardMan]

So there needs to be more info on your environment.

Do you live in a condo, apartment, housing that is one house on top of another. This is the biggest cause of problems. Too much traffic and too close to your router.
Have you performed a site survey to find an unused control channel. If you can find one, switch to manual and select that channel. Make sure you find used channels for both radios.

I live in a mid-terraced house with two adjoining one-bedroom apartments on one side and two one-bedroom houses on the other.

Channel 11 has always given me the best performance previously, but it's mostly unusable with this new router, as is the auto setting from this morning's experience. I've just set it to channel 1, which is quiet at the moment and I'll monitor it continuously with Multiping for up to a day to see if it's any more stable than what I have tried so far.

Are you using DFS channels. If yes, stop. Aviation, military and police and other devices use those channels. A jet flying over your house if you are using DFS channel could knock radio offline.

There are no problems with the 5 GHz band and no, I don't use the DFS channels.

On both wireless radios make sure that you have the following settings:
Airtime fairness-disable
user mimo-disable
OFDA/802.11-disable
These settings have been brought up many times and from my experience these setting have stopped many of my dropouts.

I'm uploading a screenshot of my current settings (which I haven't changed).

One other item is with respect to VOIP, like OOMA devices. If you have a modem that has multiple lan ports, connect your ASUS router to the first lan port and your VOIP to that last open lan port. Do not connect in series with router if modem has an open lan port. This will reduce problems with VOIP box connected in series with router.

There aren't mutliple ports on my ONT and in any case this has not been a problem for me.

Last. If you think a usb memory stick is causing issues, make sure it`s plugged into router and not on an extension cable. If using a usb3 device with a usb2 rated cable, you are gaining nothing, and extension cable could be acting like an antenna. Always use shielded extensions cable when connecting usb devices to router.
Hope one of these ideas help.

No USB devices are connected at the moment.

If this router plays up again, I'm going to have to phone Amazon and arrange for it to go back. I've not had any of these problems with the FRTIZ!Box that my ISP provided, so it's very frustrating that a high-end router such as the RT-AX88U Pro is giving me so much hassle.

 

[drinkingbird]

OK yesterday evening after I uploaded the official firmware (to see how that would perform), performed a full factory reset and didn't connect anything to the USB port. However, look at the situation I came down to this morning:

Disable universal beamforming.

Also is the other network on the same channel just your guest SSID from the same router?

Not really surprising that 9 is no good if 11 is no good.

 

[drinkingbird]

I live in a mid-terraced house with two adjoining one-bedroom apartments on one side and two one-bedroom houses on the other.

Channel 11 has always given me the best performance previously, but it's mostly unusable with this new router, as is the auto setting from this morning's experience. I've just set it to channel 1, which is quiet at the moment and I'll monitor it continuously with Multiping for up to a day to see if it's any more stable than what I have tried so far.

There are no problems with the 5 GHz band and no, I don't use the DFS channels.

I'm uploading a screenshot of my current settings (which I haven't changed).


There aren't mutliple ports on my ONT and in any case this has not been a problem for me.

No USB devices are connected at the moment.

If this router plays up again, I'm going to have to phone Amazon and arrange for it to go back. I've not had any of these problems with the FRTIZ!Box that my ISP provided, so it's very frustrating that a high-end router such as the RT-AX88U Pro is giving me so much hassle.

Every router is going to give you hassle on 2.4 ghz. Just the way it goes these days. AX is going to be more sensitive and variable than AC so maybe the ISP router is only AC (which is technically N on 2.4)?

Seriously though you have to let the channel 11 thing go. Kara and Jack who apparently are very close by have gotten a baby monitor or new microwave or something and that one is no good anymore. Next month 11 might be great and 1 might suck.

Also just noticed, disable 802.11b on 2.4 in addition to universal beamforming.

Why did you go back to stock? How was it working after changing USB to 2.0 on Merlin? Why do you keep changing multiple things at once making it impossible to troubleshoot?

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Every router is going to give you hassle on 2.4 ghz. Just the way it goes these days. AX is going to be more sensitive and variable than AC so maybe the ISP router is only AC (which is technically N on 2.4)?

The ISP router is an AX router.

Seriously though you have to let the channel 11 thing go. Kara and Jack who apparently are very close by have gotten a baby monitor or new microwave or something and that one is no good anymore. Next month 11 might be great and 1 might suck.

They don't have a baby and there's some distance between their rooms and where I have the router mounted (roughly in the centre of my home).

Also just noticed, disable 802.11b on 2.4 in addition to universal beamforming.

These are the options I have, so how would I disable 802.11b?

Why did you go back to stock? How was it working after changing USB to 2.0 on Merlin? Why do you keep changing multiple things at once making it impossible to troubleshoot?

Disabling USB 3.0 didn't make any difference, which is why I decided to give the official firmware a try to see if that made any difference.

I'm not going to make any changes until I have left the continuous monitoring run overnight to see what the situation is tomorrow morning.

It seems very strange that ASUS are releasing products that require expert tweaks to get them to work properly and what use is the auto setting for the Wi-Fi channel if it can't pick the best channel to use? Do they really expect us to have to keep checking our network settings each day to keep things running at their best?

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Disable universal beamforming.

Also is the other network on the same channel just your guest SSID from the same router?

The guest channel is just being used for an IoT device (a Honeywell thermostatic radiator valves controller).

Not really surprising that 9 is no good if 11 is no good.

Begs the question then why did the router decide to choose that channel?