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[Alex Atkin UK]

That is from 2013 maybe they fixed it now as both my DSL-N55U and RT-AC1200G+ have 40 days PPP connection day.

You're reading their joined date, thread started by primitivo, Mar 28, 2019.

Its also specifically mentioned that for some people its fine, but for others its unreliable.

[hushcoden]

I was under the impression that the Asus RT-AC68U router, although not being the latest model by any means, was a very well respected unit especially when running AsusWRT-Merlin FW which certainly adds a lot of additional features, somewhat disappointed that I'am experiencing this issue.

No doubt, it is still a great router

Still wondering if the router has a hardware issue and should I try and get a replacement from Amazon, it's still returnable until 30/06/20 as only received on 13/05/20 ?

Have you tried with direct PPPoE connecton with your laptop ? If you don't experience issues, then you'd  better ask Amazon for a replacement.

[Alex Atkin UK]

Have you tried with direct PPPoE connecton with your laptop ? If you don't experience issues, then you'd  better ask Amazon for a replacement.

Would be kinda odd though, for a fault to only impact PPP, but I guess its not impossible.

[tiffy]

Afraid I got very disenchanted with the very frequent and what appeared to be random dropouts this afternoon, packed the router back in it's box and posted back to Amazon for a refund.
Would have accepted a replacement but this was not offered during the process, a like for like unit on Amazon would now cost approx. 1.5 times more that I paid, very likely the reason for no offer of replacement.

To be honest, even though the unit was sold by Amazon as brand new I had suspicions that it could be a return/re-furbished item, bits of the packaging just didn't look "virginal", perhaps the reason it was listed at an attractive price by comparison to the current listings.

So, my romance with Asus now over and returned to my old, bomb proof 1312-B10A in modem/router format.
Many thanks to all who offered support along the way, unfortunate about the result and two frustrating lost days.   

[tiffy]

On checking my Sam Knows White Box on line trends today noted that during the period I deployed the Asus RT-AC68U router the latency and packet loss increased, packet loss quite considerably, trends attached.

Exact same setup with the White Box for either permutation, now back on ZyXEL 1312-B10A modem/router setup.

[Chunkers]

Afraid I got very disenchanted with the very frequent and what appeared to be random dropouts this afternoon, packed the router back in it's box and posted back to Amazon for a refund.
Would have accepted a replacement but this was not offered during the process, a like for like unit on Amazon would now cost approx. 1.5 times more that I paid, very likely the reason for no offer of replacement.

To be honest, even though the unit was sold by Amazon as brand new I had suspicions that it could be a return/re-furbished item, bits of the packaging just didn't look "virginal", perhaps the reason it was listed at an attractive price by comparison to the current listings.

So, my romance with Asus now over and returned to my old, bomb proof 1312-B10A in modem/router format.
Many thanks to all who offered support along the way, unfortunate about the result and two frustrating lost days.   

Tiffy, I am sorry you had issues, you did the right thing dumping the AC68U imho, I am sorry I hadn't seen your earlier posts

I had a RT-AC68U (different device but similar without modem built in) working as a WAP for 3 years, I bought it as my main router and initially tried a few firm-wares (Merlin etc) - always liked the GUI and spec but although my initial impressions were positive subsequently I had a lot of issues.

Whilst I was using it as my main router it would drop the PPoE connections randomly every day, I subsequently found it was a bug/hardware issue that some other users also experienced.  I persevered with technical support and different firmwares for about 9 months and then gave up, replacing it with another router (which solved the issue)- I subsequently relegated it to a being a wireless access point.

As a WAP it functioned OK, but had a habit of crashing / freezing and becoming unresponsive requiring a reboot every 2-3 weeks.  I bought a Ubiquiti WAP to replace it, it has performed flawlessly ever since.

The RT-68U is an old design, mine is over 4 years old, I still have it in my junk pile but it will never get plugged in again, I am kind of amazed its still on sale tbh

Other Asus devices I have bought have been pretty good so its strange.... nowadays I stick to enterprise / custom built stuff as much as I can - 'home' stuff is all built down to a price and has little or no support after a year or two.... including the fancy gaming stuff

C

[tiffy]

@Chunkers:

Many thanks for the interest and comments.

Yes, disappointed with the Asus (it was a RT-AC68U, router only unit) was well aware that the DSL-AC68U has a terrible reputation as a modem so avoided that model and stuck to my old faithful VMG1312-B10A as modem in bridge mode.
The Asus was dropping PPP session very frequently and randomly, certainly could not live with that.

As you say, this is quite an old model now but surprisingly still very much in demand and do hold their price very well, Amazon could not offer me a replacement at anywhere near the original cost which makes me suspicious that the unit was not brand new as advertised, perhaps a faulty/refurbished return ?

Can't fault Amazon's service, a full refund was in my account within 2 days, as soon as they received the Post Office notification of dispatch and definately before they had received the unit back again for inspection.

Still in the market for a new router but Asus brand is not currently on my wish list.

[j0hn]

I subsequently found it was a bug/hardware issue that some other users also experienced

Could you post a link to this hardware issue?

I've been running an RT-AC68U for a few years flawlessly.
Never had an issue with PPP.

Asus have probably sold millions of these devices.
It has been on sale for coming on 5 years.
If there was a hardware issue I'm sure they would have addressed it with at least a hardware revision years ago.

[Alex Atkin UK]

There's a link a page back https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,24720.msg416247.html#msg416247

[mrk26]

I used Rt-ac68u for good few years and never had problem with, it was very stable and never drop connection. I don't even bother to install Merlin fw on it as it perform excellent on stock Asus fw.

[Alex Atkin UK]

I'm not sure everyone would notice if PPP was dropping often, depending on if they are active when it happens or not.

But generally from what I've read the issue seems to be that it doesn't affect some people, yet others have a horrible time.  Maybe down to ISP implementation at the other end?

[j0hn]

There's a link a page back https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,24720.msg416247.html#msg416247

That's a single user with a PPP issue with a single ISP.
The poster admits that the device worked perfect with other ISP's.

I've used the Asus with numerous ISP's with differing authentication methods.

A router that has sold so many units is always going to have examples of individual problems posted online.
That doesn't mean the device has a hardware bug.

There would be many thousands, probably tens of thousands, of complaints about PPP dropping if there was a hardware bug.

[tiffy]

Fully accept that the Asus RT-AC68U is a very well respected router by many well informed kitz forum patrons and much further abroad, this was the main reason I decided to purchase this model and go down the separate modem/router path.
Chances are, I was just unlucky and got a bad one from Amazon, to be honest, would likely have accepted a replacement at the same cost had that option been available at the time.

However, have decided to avoid rather costly Asus devices at present and currently investigating other "2 box" options which will suit my rather modest requirements at much less cost.

Quote by Alex Atkin UK:

I'm not sure everyone would notice if PPP was dropping often, depending on if they are active when it happens or not.

Yes indeed, I probably would not have noticed the PPP session drop outs had it not been for my Google Home Hub (Wi-Fi connected) which sits beside my PC VDU repeatedly reporting "no connection" & "re-connection", initially thought it was a Wi-Fi issue but then established on the router GUI that it was PPP session disconnects/re-connects.

@Alex Atkin UK:

Noted from your profile that you are running a BT HH-5A on OpenWRT, I spent Saturday converting my old Plusnet Hub One (re-badged BT HH-5A) to OpenWRT, just for fun !
Have not had a chance to play with the GUI much as yet but looks quite interesting.
How do you find your conversion, any use ?
PS: Will open another post on the subject if this gets involved, was going to post my "conversion experience" anyway.

Cross post acknowledged:
 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Noted from your profile that you are running a BT HH-5A on OpenWRT, I spent Saturday converting my old Plusnet Hub One (re-badged BT HH-5A) to OpenWRT, just for fun !
Have not had a chance to play with the GUI much as yet but looks quite interesting.
How do you find your conversion, any use ?
PS: Will open another post on the subject if this gets involved, was going to post my "conversion experience" anyway.

Cross post acknowledged:
 

Its been a god send, as it allowed me to set 3dB SNRm on my Zen ECI line.
I had to switch back my Plusnet line to a VMG-3925-B10B though as the HH5a didn't like the G.INP trial.

If you look at Zen on this table you can see the difference.
The left two columns are how my line was degrading over time with the VMG-3925-B10B, the next column was the HH5a normal, then with 3dB.


You will also notice the HH5a on Plusnet there too, before the G.INP trial where I had to go back to the Zyxel.
With the Zyxel on G.INP I'm currently getting Max Observed Downstream Speed 57.82Mbit, Max Observed Upstream Speed 19.18Mbit.
Its considerably slower than the HH5a was getting, but DLM had decided I was taking the mickey on that line and killed off my 3dB hack anyway, adding interleaving as a present.

Its pretty sad compared to where I were back before Digital Region closed.

[tiffy]

@Alex Atkin UK:

Many thanks for the detailed reply ref. BT HH-5A running OpenWRT, very interesting, will certainly have a more detailed look at my PN Hub One conversion when time permits.

Wonder if you did the conversion yourself, I found it quite challanging and time consuming, case opening, serial connections soldering and FW loading, lots of good information available on the FW but not all in the same place and some of it contradictory, many loading attempts required but got there in the end.
I have ordered a 3.5mm sterio panel mounted socket and miniture push button switch which I hope to just have enough room to mount in the case to give future access to the serial header & reset, tried case mount pins using 4 RPi GPIO header pins but not very successful or neat.

Edit: Mod's., hopefully still roughly on topic ?