[Maylyn's Review] ASUS RT-AC87U

[dfran1]

I will definitely try dd-wrt in the next few weeks! dfran1, I saw in one of your older post that you were emphasizing the use of a January build but now I see in your post that you mention the March post. Which one would you suggest?

Yes I am now on the latest Build 26446 3-5-2015, I have not obviously spent a lot of time with it but this one seems great except for no guest network issue.

Info here

All my problems are gone with dd-wrt

dd-wrt downloads

Just make sure you download the proper one!
to flash
1. in asus firmware (your current one) reset to factory defaults.
2. Go back in shipping setup, and flash new firmware.
3. Put a user and password, go into new firmware , administrator tab , reset to defaults.
4. configure upon reboot, when 5 GHz light comes on.
NEVER reboot the router again if at all possible (with any firmware), see my first link on that.

 

[dfran1]

My hammer has been asking me the same question. Soon I will give in and smash the router to bits.

Thats exactly how I felt before I installed dd-wrt.

Why do people still persist with asus routers when they are still unstable?

I really think it is all routers today not just asus, they are competing against each other to rush out the routers for sales. then we suckers buy them and they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Now the reason all of us suckers bought an asus router is because we owned one in the past or knew someone that owned one (rt-ac66 that actually worked perfectly), and they are very customizable, also being able to install other firmware (dd-wrt, ect..) as a backup when Asus can't figure out problems for months (almost a year now, 4 more months I believe).

Now some claim they have no more problems, and that may be the case in what they use it for, BUT for me Asus DNLA (media server) still quits after up to 24 hours and PS4 lag after up to 24 hours, also never reboot it (something new as of this year I discovered). Also you should put a laptop cooler under it.

Now none of these problems are on dd-wrt firmware BUT if you have an ISP that gives you more than 450m then DD-wrt is maxed out for now at the 450m and you have to stick to asus firmware.

Now from all the trouble I had with this, there is still nothing better out there today and tomorrow. This offers the best in range for 5GHz. With all the other stuff I mentioned.
Best of luck.

 

[jfpatenaude]

Yes I am now on the latest Build 26446 3-5-2015, I have not obviously spent a lot of time with it but this one seems great except for no guest network issue.

I am eager to try dd-wrt with multiple AC-87U routers! Too bad I promised my wife I wouldn't work this week-end

 

[dfran1]

How to disable the beam forming?

Wireless tab on left side
Then professional tab
Click 2.4 then5GHz
Scroll down
You will find 2 beamforming entries. For each band

 

[consigliere]

My iphone 6 plus 5ghz still experiencing wifi connected but cannot surf internet after wake from sleep even after disable beamforming.

 

[thiamhui]

My iphone 6 plus 5ghz still experiencing wifi connected but cannot surf internet after wake from sleep even after disable beamforming.

Did you reboot AFTER disable beamforming?

 

[tuapuikia]

Hi,

You can try asuswrt-phantom (fork with merlin with daily merge including few tweak).

I used it as main router and 9 wireless devices. Stable and support openvpn scramble.

asuswrt.over9000.wtf/firmware

github.com/tuapuikia/asuswrt-phantom

Btw, for person who complaint about router hang. Have you try disable malicious site scan? The bwdpi is not stable when deal with lot of encryption traffic.

 

[trichard]

Hi,

You can try asuswrt-phantom (fork with merlin with daily merge including few tweak).

I used it as main router and 9 wireless devices. Stable and support openvpn scramble.

asuswrt.over9000.wtf/firmware

github.com/tuapuikia/asuswrt-phantom

Btw, for person who complaint about router hang. Have you try disable malicious site scan? The bwdpi is not stable when deal with lot of encryption traffic.

Thnask !......

Wonder what other firmware also available other than Merlin/DDWRT.

 

[tuapuikia]

Sorry, I'm new to hwz. Can someone tell me what's the problem between iOS devices with Asus router?

I have iPad mini gen 1 using 5ghz with beam forming enable. No disconnect issue.

I'm not a apple guy but I try to understand what is wrong here. Either ios do not follow 802.11ac spec or bug in router.

 

[trichard]

My iphone 6 plus 5ghz still experiencing wifi connected but cannot surf internet after wake from sleep even after disable beamforming.

Bad news ...............
The 5Ghz dropping started for me too since last night........

 

[ArcticCheetah]

Thnask !......

Wonder what other firmware also available other than Merlin/DDWRT.

Don't waste your time I looked at all the commits, no special fixes.
No need to thank me.

 

[thiamhui]

Bad news ...............
The 5Ghz dropping started for me too ......

My Uptime is now 2 days 21 hours 18 minutes 28 seconds...


Still going strong...


Only got this pptpd thing which I dunno what is it...
Mar 5 20:54:31 pptpd[9864]: CTRL: EOF or bad error reading ctrl packet length.
Mar 5 20:54:31 pptpd[9864]: CTRL: couldn't read packet header (exit)
Mar 5 20:54:31 pptpd[9864]: CTRL: CTRL read failed

 

[tuapuikia]

Don't waste your time I looked at all the commits, no special fixes.
No need to thank me.

It have few tweak and openvpn patch as it written in readme. What fix do you expect when nothing is broken.

I have 6 devices using 5ghz band and 2 using 2.4ghz. 1 wired. No hang or disconnect issue.

The only complaint i see is owner of apple devices. Hmmmm

 

[tuapuikia]

Oh ya, i have iperf3 server running on singtel unlimited fiber plan. Let me know if you want to test you router/connection speed.

 

[thiamhui]

It have few tweak and openvpn patch as it written in readme. What fix do you expect when nothing is broken.

I have 6 devices using 5ghz band and 2 using 2.4ghz. 1 wired. No hang or disconnect issue.

The only complaint i see is owner of apple devices. Hmmmm

I'm starting to have the same tot as you...


I got the following in the logging of a RT-AC56S.
Mar 5 08:34:18 kernel: br0: received packet on wl0.1 with own address as source address
Mar 6 18:11:34 kernel: br0: received packet on wl1.1 with own address as source address


The message will appear when my iPhone is connected...

 

[tuapuikia]

I'm starting to have the same tot as you...


I got the following in the logging of a RT-AC56S.
Mar 5 08:34:18 kernel: br0: received packet on wl0.1 with own address as source address
Mar 6 18:11:34 kernel: br0: received packet on wl1.1 with own address as source address


The message will appear when my iPhone is connected...

Let me guess, your 2.4ghz and 5ghz is using same ssid?

If answer is yes then you should use different ssid for 5ghz. I'll explain to u how bridge work in linux. Lol

 

[trichard]

My Uptime is now 2 days 21 hours 18 minutes 28 seconds...


Still going strong...


Only got this pptpd thing which I dunno what is it...
Mar 5 20:54:31 pptpd[9864]: CTRL: EOF or bad error reading ctrl packet length.
Mar 5 20:54:31 pptpd[9864]: CTRL: couldn't read packet header (exit)
Mar 5 20:54:31 pptpd[9864]: CTRL: CTRL read failed

It have few tweak and openvpn patch as it written in readme. What fix do you expect when nothing is broken.

I have 6 devices using 5ghz band and 2 using 2.4ghz. 1 wired. No hang or disconnect issue.

The only complaint i see is owner of apple devices. Hmmmm

Not sure you all mean the same as me when I say about 5Ghz DC from devices.... What I check for as follows

1) Reboot the router .
2) Get devices connected back ( I have 4 phones / 4 laptop / 1 IPAD ).
3) Check log that devices login and have a common start time as the router. I did a test from 11pm (at this hour no one should still leaving the house) .
4) Next day I wake up at 6am ... look at the log .... all connected devices should clock up to 7 hours appox up time if no DC over the night.

Last night and today I verify again ...

DC during the night

IPhone 6P (at 5Ghz)
Huawei Mate 7 (at 5Ghz)
Sam S5 (At 5Ghz)

The rest able to touch 7 hours of connected time.

 

[thiamhui]

Let me guess, your 2.4ghz and 5ghz is using same ssid?

If answer is yes then you should use different ssid for 5ghz. I'll explain to u how bridge work in linux. Lol

Ooo... Thanks for the info, will check again over the weekend...

But why only iPhone will generate these messages and not other wireless devices?

Not sure you all mean the same as me when I say about 5Ghz DC from devices.... What I check for as follows

1) Reboot the router .
2) Get devices connected back ( I have 4 phones / 4 laptop / 1 IPAD ).
3) Check log that devices login and have a common start time as the router. I did a test from 11pm (at this hour no one should still leaving the house) .
4) Next day I wake up at 6am ... look at the log .... all connected devices should clock up to 7 hours appox up time if no DC over the night.

Last night and today I verify again ...

DC during the night

IPhone 6P (at 5Ghz)
Huawei Mate 7 (at 5Ghz)
Sam S5 (At 5Ghz)

The rest able to touch 7 hours of connected time.

Yes, I'm also checking using the Connect Time...

 

[naro]

Seems like the ac87u is quite buggy.

I am currently on the asus n66u and my m1 fibre broadband contract is up. I think it comes with ac56u free if i recontract and top up $160 for the ac87u.

can the gurus here recommend if its worth it to pay for ac87u?

 

[ASUS@SG]

Dear all,

Sorry for the delay.

This few days I will be releasing a public beta.

Not going to comment anything regard of iPhone wireless drop, if you want to find out more check their official forums.

Best regard,
JK