Up and download limit and Time Machine

[Matsa]

I am a happy Merlin firmware 380.62 user on my ASUS RT-N66U but I am missing two things.

The first is to put a up and download limit on specific devices in order not to use my whole bandwidth. If there is such option on Merlin I can’t find it.

The second is to connect my Apple Time Machine hard drive to the router. I know that on the ASUS RT-AC68U original firmware this is possible. But maybe Merlin supports this on my ASUS RT-N66U too but I can’t find out how?

 

[RMerlin]

The second is to connect my Apple Time Machine hard drive to the router. I know that on the ASUS RT-AC68U original firmware this is possible. But maybe Merlin supports this on my ASUS RT-N66U too but I can’t find out how?

I don't. Asus doesn't have a license for Tuxera's HFS+ filesystem driver on their older MIPS routers.

 

[wocram]

The first is to put a up and download limit on specific devices in order not to use my whole bandwidth. If there is such option on Merlin I can’t find it.

Adaptive QoS > QoS > QoS Type: "Bandwidth Limiter"

 

[Matsa]

Adaptive QoS > QoS > QoS Type: "Bandwidth Limiter"

I have seen that. But I can't set a max limit what I see?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Look at the top right of that page and change Automatic mode to User-defined Bandwidth Limiting.

 

[Matsa]

Look at the top right of that page and change Automatic mode to User-defined Bandwidth Limiting.

I found that but there it also requires a specific port to limit. Not a general limit?

 

[john9527]

I found that but there it also requires a specific port to limit. Not a general limit?

Just leave the port field blank for all ports.

 

[Matsa]

Just leave the port field blank for all ports.

I just tried to limit my own computer but it still uploads with full speed that in my case is 768kbps. Did I miss anything in the settings?

 

[AimDev]

I am a happy Merlin firmware 380.62 user on my ASUS RT-N66U but I am missing two things.

The first is to put a up and download limit on specific devices in order not to use my whole bandwidth. If there is such option on Merlin I can’t find it.

The second is to connect my Apple Time Machine hard drive to the router. I know that on the ASUS RT-AC68U original firmware this is possible. But maybe Merlin supports this on my ASUS RT-N66U too but I can’t find out how?

Re the apple time machine, I assume you are trying to backup via wifi from a laptop?
Apple tend to change things every so often, that said, netatalk (Apple file Protocol) works on linux boxes (esp debian, but you need the unoffical versions libatalk16_3.1.7-1_amd64.deb netatalk_3.1.7-1_amd64.deb) so a cheap linux box running debian jessie will allow access to your disk, via the router, a bit like a cheap NAS.
BUT some times while AFP works ok, time machine does not. My airbook for example works ok with the synology NAS, but for some reason, the ethernet connection from the imac wont work
but I use an attached usb3 disk in this case. All apples are running macOS sierra.

There is an opkg package (afpfs-ng - 0.8.1-1 - afpfs-ng is an Apple Filing Protocol client that will allow BSD, Linux and Mac OS X systems to access files exported from a Mac OS system with AFP over TCP.)
but 1, not sure if its compatible, 2. it may be the router isn't powerful enough to support the timemachine required throughput remember the first backup is everything, then its incremental, every hour)

 

[ColinTaylor]

I just tried to limit my own computer but it still uploads with full speed that in my case is 768kbps. Did I miss anything in the settings?

Yes, you're configuring the wrong screen. You need to choose Bandwidth Limiting not QOS rules.

 

[wocram]

Need to edit the limits on this screen:

 

[sfx2000]

FWIW - don't trust TimeMachine backups on anything other than local storage, MacOSX Server, or a TimeCapsule...

Apple doesn't document how it works, and from what I've seen, sooner or later, most third-party implementations implode - it'll work for a while, but when you need it, it might not be there...

 

[Matsa]

First I want to thank you guys for your help!

Just got my ASUS RT-AC3200 and it looks great I have to take a tour and see all new goodies in it. The first confusing this is that now I also have a "ASUS_5G-2" signal. What's that and should I keep it activated?

 

[ColinTaylor]

The first confusing this is that now I also have a "ASUS_5G-2" signal. What's that and should I keep it activated?

The AC3200 is a "tri-band" router. So that will be the 2nd 5GHz radio.

 

[Matsa]

The AC3200 is a "tri-band" router. So that will be the 2nd 5GHz radio.

Make sense. Just never seen that before I bought it

 

[L&LD]

The AC3200 is a "tri-band" router. So that will be the 2nd 5GHz radio.

Correction.

It is a Tri Radio router (2.4GHz and 2x 5GHz radios). It is still 'only' Dual Band (2.4GHz and 5GHz).

 

[ColinTaylor]

Correction.

It is a Tri Radio router (2.4GHz and 2x 5GHz radios). It is still 'only' Dual Band (2.4GHz and 5GHz).

Yes of course you are correct. Perhaps you should tell Asus as I copied that phrase from their own product description.

https://www.asus.com/UK/Networking/RTAC3200/

Tri-Band Wireless-AC3200 Gigabit Router

• Ultra-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi router with a combined tri-band data rate of 3200 Mbps for smooth up to 4K/UHD video playback, ultra-fast file-sharing for large files and low-latency online gaming.
• Tri-Band Smart Connect automatically selects the fastest of the three available frequency bands for each device, based on the device’s speed, signal strength and how busy each band is.

 

[L&LD]

Yes of course you are correct. Perhaps you should tell Asus as I copied that phrase from their own product description.

https://www.asus.com/UK/Networking/RTAC3200/

Oh, I know who 'started' it. No need to keep spreading misinformation though (even from our beloved Asus).

 

[RMerlin]

Simultaneous tri-band - this is accurate.

- 2.4 GHz
- 5 GHz U-NII-1 band
- 5 GHz U-NII-3 band

5 GHz in itself is just a frequency, it does not define a band. So semantically, Asus is correct. You can have the first radio use a channel within the U-NII-1 band, and the second radio use one within the U-NII-3 band.

 

[L&LD]

Simultaneous tri-band - this is accurate.

- 2.4 GHz
- 5 GHz U-NII-1 band
- 5 GHz U-NII-3 band

5 GHz in itself is just a frequency, it does not define a band. So semantically, Asus is correct. You can have the first radio use a channel within the U-NII-1 band, and the second radio use one within the U-NII-3 band.

Thanks RMerlin.

I had no doubt that they (Asus) were 'technically' right, but that doesn't mean they're still trying to confuse consumers.

The laptops and other clients I encounter all give access to both upper and lower channels within the 5GHz 'band'. In addition to their 2.4GHz channels too. They don't market themselves as Tri Band though.

For me, regardless of what the 'specs' say, for it to be a true Tri Band solution would be to have full access of both upper/lower channels on both 5GHz radios at the minimum (same identical channels not allowed though, of course).

Of course, a true Tri Band radio would need the clients that support a new/additional (WiFi) band.