TUF AX6000 restarts every few minutes

[coroner26]

Hi,

can anyone guess why my new router restarts every few minutes? I upgraded to the newest firmware right after I bought it a few days ago. Since then I tried to restart multiple times, I did factory reset twice, I also uploaded the latest firmware manually again. I always set it up manually from scratch (changing IP address, changing wifi name, changing DHCP address range, setting up a few static IP address assignments, adding one AiMesh node, adding 2.4 and 5Ghz guest networks, disabling NAT Acceleration, enabling AiProtection)

Here's what's in the logs for the restart:

May  5 07:05:12 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1 (2023-06-14 11:25:00 CST)
May  5 07:05:12 kernel: Linux version 5.4.182 (root@asus) (gcc version 8.4.0 (OpenWrt GCC 8.4.0 r0-db7dd77)) #1 SMP Wed Jun 14 11:25:56 CST 2023
May  5 07:05:12 kernel: Kernel command line: root_rfs=0x31fc1c rootfstype=squashfs ubi.mtd=UBI_DEV console=ttyS0,115200n1 loglevel=8                  earlycon=uart8250,mmio32,0x11002000 root=/dev/mtdblock6
May  5 07:05:12 kernel: _ Reboot message ... _______________________________________________________
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address ffffffc013000002
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Mem abort info:
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:   ESR = 0x96000021
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:   EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:   SET = 0, FnV = 0
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:   EA = 0, S1PTW = 0
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Data abort info:
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:   ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000021
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:   CM = 0, WnR = 0
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: swapper pgtable: 4k pages, 39-bit VAs, pgdp=0000000048886000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: [ffffffc013000002] pgd=000000005ffff003, pud=000000005ffff003, pmd=0068000018000705
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Internal error: Oops: 96000021 [#1] SMP
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Modules linked in: mtk_warp_proxy(P) mtk_warp mt_wifi(P) mtkhnat conninfra ebtable_filter tdts_udbfw(P) tdts_udb(P) tdts(P) nf_nat_sip nf_conntrack_sip nf_nat_h323 nf_conntrack_h323 nf_nat_rtsp nf_conntrack_rtsp nf_nat_ftp nf_conntrack_ftp ip6table_mangle hfsplus hfs vfat fat ext2 ext4 jbd2 mbcache uas usb_storage sg sd_mod ebt_ip ebtable_broute ebtables ip6table_filter ipheth qmi_wwan cdc_wdm cdc_ncm rndis_host cdc_ether asix cdc_acm usbnet mii ehci_hcd xhci_mtk xhci
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: CPU: 1 PID: 7361 Comm: networkmap Tainted: P                  5.4.182 #1
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Hardware name: TUF-AX6000 (DT)
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: pstate: 60000005 (nZCv daif -PAN -UAO)
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: pc : pci_free_rx_buf+0x24c/0x4a10 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: lr : pci_free_rx_buf+0x1dc/0x4a10 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: sp : ffffff8015863660
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x29: ffffff8015863660 x28: ffffffc01083d850
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x27: 0000000002206d58 x26: 0000000000000002
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x25: ffffffc014936000 x24: 0000000000000000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x23: 0000000000000004 x22: ffffffc015ae6000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x21: ffffff8014010a30 x20: ffffff801597f800
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x19: ffffff8014010000 x18: 0000000000020000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x15: 00000000fffffff0 x14: ffffffc010919da0
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x13: 000000000000ecbc x12: ffffffc010980000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x11: ffffffc010919000 x10: ffffffc0109800c8
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x9 : 0000000000000000 x8 : ffffffc010396af0
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x7 : ffffffc014936000 x6 : 0000000000000002
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000093
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x3 : ffffffc008f2b568 x2 : 0000000000000000
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: x1 : 0000000000000002 x0 : ffffffc013000002
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Call trace:
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  pci_free_rx_buf+0x24c/0x4a10 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  hw_io_read32+0x38/0x48 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  chip_chk_exception_type+0x3460/0x8b70 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  Show_FwDbgInfo_Proc+0x30/0x40 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  AndesSendCmdMsg+0x6f8/0xdb8 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  chip_cmd_tx+0x3c/0x48 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  MtCmdPhyGetRxRate+0xb0/0x138 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  GetPhyRxRate+0x60/0x1d8 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  RTMPIoctlGetMacTableStaInfo+0x2d8/0x320 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  RTMP_AP_IoctlHandle+0x464/0xa20 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  rt28xx_ap_ioctl+0xbc0/0x1578 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  rt28xx_ioctl+0x50/0x88 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  ap_iw_handler+0x3c/0x310 [mt_wifi]
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  ioctl_private_call+0x48/0xa0
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  wireless_process_ioctl+0xbc/0x178
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  wext_handle_ioctl+0x148/0x1c8
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  sock_ioctl+0x24c/0x530
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  do_vfs_ioctl+0xa4/0xb38
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  ksys_ioctl+0x44/0x90
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  __arm64_sys_ioctl+0x1c/0xb8
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  el0_svc_common.constprop.2+0x7c/0x110
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  el0_svc_handler+0x20/0x80
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:  el0_svc+0x8/0x180
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Code: d65f03c0 f94066a0 b9404fe1 8b010000 (b9400000)
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: ---[ end trace 22c40e4bda464119 ]---
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: SMP: stopping secondary CPUs
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Kernel Offset: disabled
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: CPU features: 0x0002,20002008
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Memory Limit: none
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log: Rebooting in 3 seconds..
May  5 07:05:12 kernel:  crash_log:
May  5 07:05:12 kernel: ____________________________________________________________________________

I also started to see Link Paused in the Mikrotik switch where the LAN port of the router is connected to.

I also occasionally see regular sites being blocked by Trend Micro, even router's local address sometimes. And I was getting blocked even after I turned AiProtection off.

I previously had Asus RT-AC68U as the main router which was configured the same and I had no such issues.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I always set it up manually from scratch (changing IP address, changing wifi name, changing DHCP address range, setting up a few static IP address assignments, adding one AiMesh node, adding 2.4 and 5Ghz guest networks, disabling NAT Acceleration, enabling AiProtection)

Disabling NAT Acceleration? Are you sure? I'm not familiar with Asus' MediaTek models but I assumed they didn't use that. Perhaps try leaving that setting alone.

 

[coroner26]

I had it disabled on the old router (for whatever reason I disabled it at the time and it worked fine) hence I disabled it on the new one. I'll turn it back on and see. But that AiProtection is giving me some nerves, sometimes blocks sites like

time.nist.gov
www.google.com
www.youtube.com

sometimes when I click on blocked url I get

When I click on OK that page https://global.sitesafety.trendmicro.com/result.php loads fine. Usually clicking the blocked link will open that trendmicro page straightaway and displays that the url is safe (like www.google.com)

 

[ColinTaylor]

Are you sure you're not confusing NAT acceleration (on the RT-AC68U's LAN - Switch Control) with NAT on the WAN - Internet Connection page?

 

[coroner26]

NAT on the WAN page was on on both routers, it was the one on the LAN - Switch Control that I turned off on both.

 

[ColinTaylor]

OK thanks for the clarification.

Perhaps try a hard reset and then just do the absolute minimal possible setup, e.g. no AiMesh, AiProtection, guest Wi-Fi, custom DHCP, etc. and see if that's stable. If it's rebooting every few minutes you'll know soon enough.

[Wireless Router] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2 | Official Support | ASUS Global

 

[drabisan]

"disabling NAT Acceleration, enabling AiProtection"
I would not do either no matter what.
And you're doing both.

What it translates is: every single packet will be processed by the CPU.
Can't but wonder why would one would choose that! It sounds to me like looking for troubles!

 

[coroner26]

@ColinTaylor: I have actually reset router settings after my first post here. I did that through Administration - Restore/Save/Upload Setting - Factory default ("Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History." checked). Configured IP address, wifi, DHCP range, guest network (had to as some wifi devices are connecting to internet through that) and turned AiProtection on. Kept NAT acceleration on and I didn't add AiMesh node (second RT-AC68U I have) yet. After some restarts at the beginning (and I mean it restarted by itself) it's so far running for almost 3 hours. I'll see tomorrow when kids start play Fortnite again. AiProtection still occasionally blocking valid websites, in the past 3 hours it blocked 256 urls which when I randomly click on they are all valid on that Trend Micro site.

Those who have the AiProtection also turned on, do you also see valid urls in the blocked sites?

@drabisan: just curious, why not turn on AiProtection? I suppose the main reason I turn it on is because I have kids of a pre-teen age and I can't watch every link they click. I guess it's not perfect but probably better than nothing.

 

[drinkingbird]

@ColinTaylor: I have actually reset router settings after my first post here. I did that through Administration - Restore/Save/Upload Setting - Factory default ("Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History." checked). Configured IP address, wifi, DHCP range, guest network (had to as some wifi devices are connecting to internet through that) and turned AiProtection on. Kept NAT acceleration on and I didn't add AiMesh node (second RT-AC68U I have) yet. After some restarts at the beginning (and I mean it restarted by itself) it's so far running for almost 3 hours. I'll see tomorrow when kids start play Fortnite again. AiProtection still occasionally blocking valid websites, in the past 3 hours it blocked 256 urls which when I randomly click on they are all valid on that Trend Micro site.

Those who have the AiProtection also turned on, do you also see valid urls in the blocked sites?

@drabisan: just curious, why not turn on AiProtection? I suppose the main reason I turn it on is because I have kids of a pre-teen age and I can't watch every link they click. I guess it's not perfect but probably better than nothing.

Your router is probably overheating. With NAT acceleration disabled you were pounding the CPU and stress testing it. It failed the stress test so I'd probably exchange it.

Have you looked at/watched the temperatures in the router GUI?

Aiprotection may be related, it isn't able to check due to CPU, thus blocks it by default or something. Mine blocks very little and no false positives for the last 2 months since stats last reset.

 

[coroner26]

Where can you see temps? I was only watching CPU utilization, the 4th core was between 30-90% with NAT acceleration off, the other 3 cores were below 3% most of the time. With NAT acceleration on they are all now between 0-3%. Doesn't seem like AiProtection is related to NAT acceleration though, I couldn't get to this forum and to gmail a minute ago because it was blocking me. After a few attempts it allowed it.

 

[drinkingbird]

Where can you see temps? I was only watching CPU utilization, the 4th core was between 30-90% with NAT acceleration off, the other 3 cores were below 3% most of the time. With NAT acceleration on they are all now between 0-3%. Doesn't seem like AiProtection is related to NAT acceleration though, I couldn't get to this forum and to gmail a minute ago because it was blocking me. After a few attempts it allowed it.

On mine it is under administration - temperature.

Yes acceleration disabled will typically only hit 1 CPU, these routers do not run things multi-threaded and routing all happens on one core.

Something seems wrong, aiprotection wouldn't be blocking this site or gmail unless it is potentially detecting your device as infected (that would show up under a different spot). Certainly sounds like something is up with that router or maybe the firmware. But if CPU running hard was causing it to crash, that's pointing to probably defective hardware.

 

[ColinTaylor]

@ColinTaylor: I have actually reset router settings after my first post here. I did that through Administration - Restore/Save/Upload Setting - Factory default ("Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History." checked).

I was suggesting you do a hard reset rather than use the reset button or through the GUI, just in case it made a difference. In theory it shouldn't make a difference but if your router is behaving strangely then it could be worth trying.

 

[ColinTaylor]

On mine it is under administration - temperature.

That's a Merlin-only feature.

 

[coroner26]

Just to close off this thread, I ended up returning the router. The AiProtection was randomly blocking sites, one day nothing, another day hundreds of valid sites.