[SOLVED] Asus Router RT-AC68U w/ Merlin 384.19 constant drop

[nshanahana18]

I have an Asus Router RT-AC68U with the newest update Merlin 384.19 firmware. It used to work great, but earlier this summer it started losing connection. I realized I needed to update my Merlin, which actually fixed it for days. A week later though it was back to dropping, though it may be a completely different issue than before.

I have attached a screen shot of the system log when it went out, this is a typical log in this situation. I don't know enough about these things, and would love to learn more. Sometimes the forums I try to search for answers in are a little over my head networking wise. I can give anymore information you need to help.

Apologies in advance if you don't need this giant block.

Sep 28 14:41:04 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth2: Assoc A4:B8:05:60:F0:77, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:42:53 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth2: Auth A4:B8:05:60:F0:77, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:42:53 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth2: Assoc A4:B8:05:60:F0:77, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:44:57 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(481): eth2: Disassoc A4:B8:05:60:F0:77, status: 0, reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.25.1 (2020-08-14 15:17:43 EDT)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Linux version 2.6.36.4brcmarm (merlin@ubuntu-dev) (gcc version 4.5.3 (Buildroot 2012.02) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Aug 14 15:20:58 EDT 2020
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: CPU: ARMv7 Processor [413fc090] revision 0 (ARMv7), cr=10c53c7f
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: CPU: VIPT nonaliasing data cache, VIPT nonaliasing instruction cache
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Machine: Northstar Prototype
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Ignoring unrecognised tag 0x00000000
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Memory policy: ECC disabled, Data cache writealloc
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Built 1 zonelists in Zone order, mobility grouping on.  Total pages: 60416
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Kernel command line: root=/dev/mtdblock2 console=ttyS0,115200 init=/sbin/preinit earlyprintk debug
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Memory: 255464k/255464k available, 6680k reserved, 0K highmem
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Virtual kernel memory layout:
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:     vector  : 0xffff0000 - 0xffff1000   (   4 kB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:     fixmap  : 0xfff00000 - 0xfffe0000   ( 896 kB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:     DMA     : 0xf7e00000 - 0xffe00000   ( 128 MB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:     vmalloc : 0xd0800000 - 0xf0000000   ( 504 MB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:     lowmem  : 0xc0000000 - 0xd0000000   ( 256 MB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:     modules : 0xbf000000 - 0xc0000000   (  16 MB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:       .init : 0xc0008000 - 0xc003d000   ( 212 kB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:       .text : 0xc003d000 - 0xc03af000   (3528 kB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel:       .data : 0xc03c8000 - 0xc03eb2e0   ( 141 kB)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: * Invalid signature of oopsbuf: 03-00-A0-88-08-09-12-10 (len 86025427)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: External imprecise Data abort at addr=0x0, fsr=0x1c06 ignored.
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Mount-cache hash table entries: 512
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: CPU1: Booted secondary processor
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Found a AMD NAND flash:
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Total size:  128MB
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Block size:  128KB
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Page Size:   2048B
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: OOB Size:    64B
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Sector size: 512B
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Spare size:  16B
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: ECC level:   8 (8-bit)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Device ID: 0x 1 0xf1 0x 0 0x1d 0x 1 0xf1
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: bio: create slab <bio-0> at 0
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: no core
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: no core
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 0
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 0
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 1
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 0
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 2
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: VFS: Disk quotas dquot_6.5.2
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: Dquot-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order 0, 4096 bytes)
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: et0: et_mvlan_netdev_event: event 16 for vlan1 mvlan_en 0
May  5 00:05:05 kernel: et0: et_mvlan_netdev_event: event 5 for vlan1 mvlan_en 0
May  5 00:05:06 kernel: et0: et_mvlan_netdev_event: event 16 for vlan2 mvlan_en 0
May  5 00:05:06 kernel: et0: et_mvlan_netdev_event: event 5 for vlan2 mvlan_en 0
May  5 00:05:06 kernel: et0: et_mvlan_netdev_event: event 13 for vlan1 mvlan_en 0
May  5 00:05:06 kernel: et0: et_mvlan_netdev_event: event 1 for vlan1 mvlan_en 0
May  5 00:05:07 nat: apply redirect rules
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: selected channel spec: 0x1007 (7)
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: Adjusted channel spec: 0x1007 (7)
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: selected DFS-exit channel spec: 0x1007 (7)
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: selected channel spec: 0x1007 (7)
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: Adjusted channel spec: 0x1007 (7)
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: selected channel spec: 0x1007 (7)
May  5 00:05:12 acsd: acs_set_chspec: 0x1007 (7) for reason APCS_INIT
May  5 00:05:12 WAN_Connection: ISP's DHCP did not function properly.
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: selected channel spec: 0xe32a (48/80)
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: Adjusted channel spec: 0xe32a (48/80)
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: selected DFS-exit channel spec: 0xe32a (48/80)
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: selected channel spec: 0xe32a (48/80)
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: Adjusted channel spec: 0xe32a (48/80)
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: selected channel spec: 0xe32a (48/80)
May  5 00:05:14 acsd: acs_set_chspec: 0xe32a (48/80) for reason APCS_INIT
May  5 00:05:15 RT-AC68U: start httpd:80
May  5 00:05:15 kernel: gro enabled with interval 2
May  5 00:05:16 disk_monitor: be idle
May  5 00:05:16 hour_monitor: daemon is starting
May  5 00:05:16 avahi-daemon[287]: WARNING: No NSS support for mDNS detected, consider installing nss-mdns!
May  5 00:05:17 httpd: Save SSL certificate...80
May  5 00:05:17 avahi-daemon[287]: Alias name "RT-AC68U" successfully established.
May  5 00:05:19 Samba_Server: daemon is started
May  5 00:05:19 jffs2: valid logs(1)
May  5 00:05:19 wsdd2[313]: error: wsdd-mcast-v4: wsd_send_soap_msg: send
May  5 00:05:19 httpd: Succeed to init SSL certificate...80
May  5 00:05:20 lldpd[332]: cannot get ethtool link information with GLINKSETTINGS (requires 4.9+): Operation not permitted
May  5 00:05:20 lldpd[332]: cannot get ethtool link information with GSET (requires 2.6.19+): Operation not permitted
May  5 00:05:23 syslog: module ax88179_178a not found in modules.dep
May  5 00:05:23 kernel: xhci_hcd 0000:00:0c.0: Failed to enable MSI-X
May  5 00:05:23 kernel: xhci_hcd 0000:00:0c.0: failed to allocate MSI entry
May  5 00:05:23 kernel: usb usb1: No SuperSpeed endpoint companion for config 1  interface 0 altsetting 0 ep 129: using minimum values
May  5 00:05:23 Mastiff: init
May  5 00:05:23 kernel: SCSI subsystem initialized
May  5 00:05:23 kernel: csw_retry 100
May  5 00:05:26 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth1: Auth E8:61:7E:DA:6E:FD, status: Successful (0)
May  5 00:05:26 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth1: Assoc E8:61:7E:DA:6E:FD, status: Successful (0)
May  5 00:05:27 wsdd2[313]: error: wsdd-mcast-v4: wsd_send_soap_msg: send
May  5 00:05:28 nat: apply nat rules (/tmp/nat_rules_eth0_eth0)
May  5 00:05:28 kernel: nf_conntrack_rtsp v0.6.21 loading
May  5 00:05:28 kernel: nf_nat_rtsp v0.6.21 loading
May  5 00:05:30 wan: finish adding multi routes
May  5 00:05:31 rc_service: udhcpc 512:notify_rc stop_ntpd
May  5 00:05:31 rc_service: udhcpc 512:notify_rc start_ntpd
May  5 00:05:31 rc_service: waitting "stop_ntpd" via udhcpc ...
May  5 00:05:32 ntpd: Started ntpd
May  5 00:05:33 miniupnpd[732]: HTTP listening on port 58451
May  5 00:05:33 miniupnpd[732]: Listening for NAT-PMP/PCP traffic on port 5351
May  5 00:05:33 WAN_Connection: WAN was restored.
May  5 00:05:34 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth1: Auth 00:9C:02:CC:02:D9, status: Successful (0)
May  5 00:05:34 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth1: Assoc 00:9C:02:CC:02:D9, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:49:21 ntpd: Initial clock set
Sep 28 14:49:21 rc_service: ntpd_synced 756:notify_rc restart_diskmon
Sep 28 14:49:21 disk_monitor: Finish
Sep 28 14:49:24 disk_monitor: be idle
Sep 28 14:49:28 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth2: Auth 00:9D:6B:39:1C:CD, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:49:28 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth2: Assoc 00:9D:6B:39:1C:CD, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:49:38 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth2: Auth 24:4C:E3:67:A7:B0, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:49:38 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth2: Assoc 24:4C:E3:67:A7:B0, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:49:43 kernel: SHN Release Version: 2.0.1 890c91d
Sep 28 14:49:43 kernel: UDB Core Version: 0.2.18
Sep 28 14:49:43 kernel: sizeof forward pkt param = 192
Sep 28 14:49:43 BWDPI: fun bitmap = 3
Sep 28 14:49:46 crond[246]: time disparity of 1263764 minutes detected
Sep 28 14:49:48 nat: apply nat rules (/tmp/nat_rules_eth0_eth0)
Sep 28 14:49:48 dhcp_client: bound 67.163.58.19/255.255.252.0 via 67.163.56.1 for 310391 seconds.
Sep 28 14:53:04 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth1: Auth 28:F0:76:3F:1C:66, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:53:04 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth1: Assoc 28:F0:76:3F:1C:66, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:53:30 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth1: Auth 88:E9:FE:77:77:DE, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 14:53:30 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth1: Assoc 88:E9:FE:77:77:DE, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 15:22:39 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth2: Auth A4:B8:05:60:F0:77, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 15:22:39 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth2: Assoc A4:B8:05:60:F0:77, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 15:27:24 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(500): eth2: Auth 64:B5:C6:17:C4:0D, status: Successful (0)
Sep 28 15:27:24 syslog: WLCEVENTD wlceventd_proc_event(529): eth2: Assoc 64:B5:C6:17:C4:0D, status: Successful (0)

 

[kanewolf]

That log shows a reboot. The date reverts to an old date and the boot messages are shown. The most likely candidates are either a bad AC power adapter, or your unit is overheating. Since you are running Merlin, you can see what the temps are.

 

[nshanahana18]

That log shows a reboot. The date reverts to an old date and the boot messages are shown. The most likely candidates are either a bad AC power adapter, or your unit is overheating. Since you are running Merlin, you can see what the temps are.

Okay so I can see the temperature, but I can't see a historical temperature log to match up the timing. I am wondering now if I unplugged the router and the event that took it offline was before what I posted. Is this how it would appear if I unplugged, or just if it overheated to reboot?

My temps are around 51 C for both CPU in router and 82 C overall, as we speak when there is usage. Sometimes it goes out when no one is using it though.

I have seen threads on a problem with this years Merlin update, no idea if this is related though. Also (I know I'm a noob), what is SSH and should I have it on/ will it improve things? I keep seeing people saying you should turn it on.

 

[bill001g]

All depends on what you mean it drops. Do ethernet devices also see a outage. If you leave a ping run to the router IP does that also see a outage. If the router actually reboots you will get a cable disconnect message on your PC most times. The ping will stop even on a ethernet.

The other possibilities are that you are loosing the internet but the connection to the router is up.

It could be only the wifi disconnecting and that can be caused by many things.

The problems other than wifi could be a merlin bug. I would try to collect data so you know more if the router completely crashed and reboots or if it is something else.

Wifi issues tend to not be firmware related.....well not directly related to the router firmware. If you look through the source code for merlin or any of the third party firmware almost none of the wifi function is in the router OS. It is in a small binary file provided by the wifi chipset manufacture. The wifi chip is actually a form of CPU and it pretty much independently runs anything related to talking to the end clients.

Third party router OS can't actually fix bugs in these chipset drivers. All they can do is maybe load a newer one from the chipset manufacture.

Many years ago there was much more code you could have access to in the wifi chips. FCC put a end to the fun people were having changing countries and power levels to illegal values.