[Andy]

Thanks UK Sentinel,

Well after spending far to much time than it’s worth the unit is now retired to land fill.

Debugging firmware didn’t work so I opened up the box and the heat sink had lifted away from the PCB. Obviously heat damage to one of the components causing the problem.

Sometimes it’s just better to open up and take a look 👀

I will still be around the forums as given my VPN needs I cannot find an alternative to the RT-AC88U even though I’m disappointed with the short lifespan & support of the DSL-AC88U

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[Andy]

Yeah, I would like to use the debugging firmware

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[Andy]

UK Sentinel wrote:

Agreed, but you still own that risk – Alas the DSL-AC88U used an non standard firmware from a code/language perspective – so I am unable to have a look at my own DSL-AC88U to see what type of NVRAM is used.

 

As always UK sentinel, thanks very much for your help but I wouldn’t want you to open your up just to take a look. A little more reading revealed the possibility of a nandflash issue which is very common within the equipment I repair so it could be an easy fix.

Is it possible to Telnet the dsl-88u to issue some commands?

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[Andy]

UK Sentinel wrote:

Are you not concerned that the firmware has not been updated for nearly 2 1/2 years from a security standpoint ?

Ofcourse but that was Asus decision to stop supporting firmware on this model which I paid £270 for in July 2017. Given that it’s not even 4yrs old doesn’t represent good value or faith in the brand.

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[Andy]

UK Sentinel wrote:

It is, keep it pressed in for a good 5 seconds and plug in DC IN and WiFi LEDS should Glow Dull – try it a few times just to make sure. If that fails then it is not looking good

Don’t think it’s just me that hasn’t been able to do that reset. A large amount of googling only resulted a lot of users not able to get a DSL-AC88U to do this maybe it only works on RT-AC88U.

Anyone know the model number of the NVRAM chip so I can get a clean one ready before I open the box

 

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[Andy]

Is the restore button the small red as in picture obtainable with cocktail stick.

if so when I hold this in and connect DC power the router doesn’t power up at all.

If I release it still doesn’t fire up until I hit the power button off and then on again.

It then just starts normally

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[Andy]

Hi Grisu, I agree and suspect NVram corruption but not sure how it’s happened as the router hadn’t been logged into as far as I was aware but all the log records were also gone.

Recovery by the method below ……

ASUS router Hard Factory Reset – Method 2

1. Turn the router off.
2. Press and hold the “WPS” button and turn the router on.
3. Power light is on (keep holding the WPS button).
4. Release the WPS button after the power light is off.
5. Reboot your router by manually pressing the power button.

 

Or is there another method I’m not aware of ?

 

 

 

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[Andy]

Yeah, I done that as I thought a NVram reset would solve it but unfortunately it hasn’t and now I’m stuck for ideas and haven’t really come across anything researching the issue so hoping for other suggestions before it enters landfill

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[Andy]

No entering settings manually doesn’t save.
it’s really strange  as if the NVram has gone corrupt

I have tried using 3 different browsers on 2 different PCs

Browsers used, Firefox, Chrome & edge

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[Andy]

UK Sentinel wrote:

Ditching the DSL-AC88U is my advice and purchase something like the RT-AC88U or RT-AC86U is a safer option, alas then u will need a G.fast modem such as Draytek 166 ? (I think you had G.fast) I forget ?

Good memory, its sure better than mine

I think that I have reached the same conclusion but I was thinking that I could connect the MT995 to the RT-AC88U ?

At moment I just have a Cat6 from my MT995 into the WAN port of my DSL-AC88U & I thought I would be able to do the same with the RT-AC88U

 

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[Andy]

After much testing

Switching from Auto to VDSL or unterminated cable make no differebce to the click.

tried later firmwares that remove the click but introduce more OpenVPN server issues. Such as video connection timeout on my CCTV & various connection errors. I have for the time being revereted back to v1.10.05 build503 Jan. 19, 2018 as this is the most stable with both my OVPN server & client set up.

Is it worth changing to a RT-AC88U or do the same bugs exist in the firmware of that unit also?

Or any ideas of a Asus WRT unit I can maybe take a look at ?

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[Andy]

Grisu wrote:

Clicking comes from relais switching input signal between VDSL and G.fast chip – AFAIR.

Yeah, it sounds like a relay switch. Anyway to stop it ?

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[Andy]

Ok guys, here are my findings.

Im on Gfast 150,

ISP predicted typical dowload speed =128mbps to 147mbps

Hitting 70mbps on 2.4ghz only but when switched to 5ghz hits well over 100mbps on 5ghz

Wired connections can range between 30mbps & 152mbps. ( The better spec the processor/RAM the better the figure ).

Not sure if this is down to the firmware version im using as I have never changed it since Sam Wen finally got my OpenVPN working properly back in 2017. Using V1.10.05 build 503.

Yes, I can also hear the Gfast click bug now !!

So im open to suggestions on a firmware version to try that has a known good OpenVPN server & Client firmware

 

 

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[Andy]

AI is on QOS is off.

Made a little progress but its strange findings.

150mbps on windows 10 wired PC but only 20mbps on Windows 7 wired laptop.

All devices on wifi are giving back poor test results off Ookla

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[Andy]

Your quite right Uk Sentinel. A new 5C Openreach socket fitted.

I have decided to use the MT992 modem and just use my 88U as a router.

MT992 to is now connected to the WAN port of my 88U but my speed is still restricted to around 70mbps.

I have tested a laptop directly to the MT992 and my speedtests are then north of 100mbps as expected.

It seams to be the 88U which is causing the resrtiction in download speed but I cannot find where as its now only being used as a router.

Hope someone can offer help as I have now sunk a CAT6 cable from the MT992 to the DSL-AC88U.

( ps: I used the same cable run when i tested speed directly from latop to MT992)

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