WAN Issues - RT-AC88U

[SashaSolitaire]

I have purchased the ASUS router above and am facing consistent issues with it. Help appreciated.

Setup:

ISP - Verizon FIOS (MI-424 router)
Router - ASUS RT-AC88U
Firmware: 3.0.0.4.380_7743-g2cf84e9
Signature: 1.170 Updated : 2017/06/27 14:15

Connections:

FIOS ONT -> Coax ->MI-424 (set up in Bridge mode) -> LAN Port 1 of MI-424 -> WAN port of ASUS router

Also hooked up to the ASUS Router

1) Netgear ReadyNas 212 to ASUS LAN ports 1 and 2 (with link aggregation). The NetGear also runs my Plex server
2) CAT 5 to living room from ASUS LAN port 3 which is connected to the XBOX
3) CAT 5 to office from ASUS LAN port 4 which is connected to a TP-LINK SG105E (serves two Windows desktops)

Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands are active on the ASUS. Multiple wireless devices (AV receiver, iPads, tablets, phones etc.,) are connected to different bands.

Issue: The router works fine, but then randomly, sometimes within an hour, or sometimes over 6- 8 hours, does not let any device connect to the internet. To be clear, all the devices are either on the wired or wireless connections, but cannot connect to the internet. If I had a page open on my browser where I had logged into the router, I would be logged out when this happens. Once I enter the credentials, I can log back in, but still cannot connect to the internet. There is a valid WAN IP, but still cannot connect to the internet. A reboot at this point of the ASUS router invariably restores the internet connection.

A section of the system log between the reboots is provided below

Jun 29 09:43:00 rc_service: ntp 883:notify_rc restart_upnp
Jun 29 09:43:00 ddns update: Asus update entry:: return: HTTP/1.1 200 OK^M Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:42:58 GMT^M Server: Apache^M X-Powered-By: PHP/5.6.30^M Content-Length: 0^M Connection: close^M Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8^M ^M
Jun 29 09:43:00 ddns update: retval= 0, ddns_return_code (,200)
Jun 29 09:43:00 ddns update: asusddns_update: 0
Jun 29 09:43:01 rc_service: ntp 883:notify_rc restart_diskmon
Jun 29 09:43:01 disk_monitor: Finish
Jun 29 09:43:01 ddns: ddns update ok
Jun 29 09:43:02 disk monitor: be idle
Jun 29 09:43:03 kernel: * Make sure sizeof(struct sw_struct)=160 is consistent
Jun 29 09:43:04 kernel: sizeof forward param = 160
Jun 29 09:43:06 rc_service: udhcpc 609:notify_rc start_firewall
Jun 29 09:43:06 dhcp client: bound 96.232.XXX.XXX via 96.232.XXX.XXX during 7200 seconds.
Jun 29 09:43:07 start_nat_rules: apply the nat_rules(/tmp/nat_rules_eth0_eth0)!
Jun 29 09:43:22 dnsmasq-dhcp[533]: Ignoring domain <<WIFE's OFFICE DOMAIN>>for DHCP host name WPMUTHU-SURF
Jun 29 09:43:30 crond[542]: time disparity of 1005943 minutes detected
Jun 29 09:44:48 hour monitor: ntp sync fail, will retry after 120 sec
Jun 29 10:00:02 disk_monitor: Got SIGALRM...
Jun 29 10:32:53 dnsmasq-dhcp[533]: Ignoring domain<<WIFE's OFFICE DOMAIN>>for DHCP host name WPMUTHU-SURF
Jun 29 10:33:35 dnsmasq-dhcp[533]: Ignoring domain <<WIFE's OFFICE DOMAIN>>for DHCP host name WPMUTHU-SURF

Based on research to mitigate this, the changes I made to the router are:

Change 2.4 GHz to 20Hz
Change 5.0 GHz to 20Hz
RTS Threshold to 2307
Beacon Interval to 50
Disabled uPNP
Changed DHCP Query Frequency to "Normal Mode"

Appreciate it if anyone can shed some light on what could be wrong. Let me know if you need more information

TIA

Sasha

 

[SashaSolitaire]

In fact, it had to be rebooted just as finished posting. Attaching the router log.

 

[CaptainSTX]

In fact, it had to be rebooted just as finished posting. Attaching the router log.

If in fact your MI-424 is in bridge mode by the fact you are connecting the cable from this router to a LAN port on the ASUS you don't have a DHCP server.

My recommendation is that you put your MI-424 back in the router mode. (If you don't have CATV you could eleiminate this router by having FIOS change the output from the OTN to Ethernet, but even without TV I would leave the MI-424 in place.)

2. Change the Subnet of your ASUS router to anything different than the MI-424 i.e 192.168.50.0 /24 and turn on its DHCP server.

3. Plug the cable from the MI-424 into the WAN port on the ASUS.

4. Reboot the MI-424 then your ASUS and you should be good to go. If any devices have a problem connecting reboot them also.

5. Depending on the layout of your home you can either use the WiFi or not on the MI-424. If you don't plan to use them turn them off.

You are now double NATed. I ran this configuration for almost two years when I had FIOS and had no problems. There are certain things that are difficult or impossible when running in a double NAT but for an ordinary user it should not be an issue.

 

[SashaSolitaire]

If in fact your MI-424 is in bridge mode by the fact you are connecting the cable from this router to a LAN port on the ASUS you don't have a DHCP server.

My recommendation is that you put your MI-424 back in the router mode. (If you don't have CATV you could eleiminate this router by having FIOS change the output from the OTN to Ethernet, but even without TV I would leave the MI-424 in place.)

2. Change the Subnet of your ASUS router to anything different than the MI-424 i.e 192.168.50.0 /24 and turn on its DHCP server.

3. Plug the cable from the MI-424 into the WAN port on the ASUS.

4. Reboot the MI-424 then your ASUS and you should be good to go. If any devices have a problem connecting reboot them also.

5. Depending on the layout of your home you can either use the WiFi or not on the MI-424. If you don't plan to use them turn them off.

You are now double NATed. I ran this configuration for almost two years when I had FIOS and had no problems. There are certain things that are difficult or impossible when running in a double NAT but for an ordinary user it should not be an issue.

CaptainSTX

Thanks for your recommendation.

A few clarifications. I have the ASUS connected thusly:

LAN Port 1 of Mi-424 -> WAN port of ASUS (sorry that this not clear from my first post). Would this change anything in your recommendations?

I have Verizon TV+Phone+Internet (so no Ethernet from ONT, it has to be the MoCA to Mi-424). In this double-NAT scenario, should the Plex server be connected to the MI-424 or the Asus? Currently, I am using the Plex server not just locally, but also as an "accessible-over-Internet" installation. Would I still be able to run that config by having the NAS connected to the ASUS?

 

[CaptainSTX]

CaptainSTX

Thanks for your recommendation.

A few clarifications. I have the ASUS connected thusly:

LAN Port 1 of Mi-424 -> WAN port of ASUS (sorry that this not clear from my first post). Would this change anything in your recommendations?

I have Verizon TV+Phone+Internet (so no Ethernet from ONT, it has to be the MoCA to Mi-424). In this double-NAT scenario, should the Plex server be connected to the MI-424 or the Asus? Currently, I am using the Plex server not just locally, but also as an "accessible-over-Internet" installation. Would I still be able to run that config by having the NAS connected to the ASUS?

1. You still need to be sure that if you are going to have two DHCP servers they are in different subnets.

2. I have never used a Plex server remotely so I can't tell you how difficult it will be to get work, but in my opinion it would probably be easier to get working on the MI-424 because it will be the Internet facing router. While devices connected to the ASUS can see devices connected to the MI-424 since the ASUS is connected to a LAN port on the MI-424 the opposite isn't true without setting up some routing work around. There are people on this board who I'm sure can give you the framework of the work around. Also by having the PLEX on the Internet facing router double port forwards would not be needed and if you want to set up a dynamic DNS it is straight forward on the Internet facing router.

3. Finally there used to be a very detailed description of multiple ways to hook up multiple routers on Fios besides double NATing. With phone and video service your MI-424 does have to stay in the mix. I believe the options were DSL reports so you might want to search there to see if some other configuration would better meet your specific needs. You can certainly start by getting your double NAT setup working while you investigate other options.

 

[SashaSolitaire]

1. You still need to be sure that if you are going to have two DHCP servers they are in different subnets.

2. I have never used a Plex server remotely so I can't tell you how difficult it will be to get work, but in my opinion it would probably be easier to get working on the MI-424 because it will be the Internet facing router. While devices connected to the ASUS can see devices connected to the MI-424 since the ASUS is connected to a LAN port on the MI-424 the opposite isn't true without setting up some routing work around. There are people on this board who I'm sure can give you the framework of the work around. Also by having the PLEX on the Internet facing router double port forwards would not be needed and if you want to set up a dynamic DNS it is straight forward on the Internet facing router.

3. Finally there used to be a very detailed description of multiple ways to hook up multiple routers on Fios besides double NATing. With phone and video service your MI-424 does have to stay in the mix. I believe the options were DSL reports so you might want to search there to see if some other configuration would better meet your specific needs. You can certainly start by getting your double NAT setup working while you investigate other options.

Thank you. I started off at DSL Reports (http://www.dslreports.com/faq/16077), selected to setup "Option 5 - Double Bridge", and ended here since this was more ASUS specific . Will work on this tonight to see which option works best.