Question router uptime issues

[skyking]

I have tried a few routers that I have collected over the years, Asus RT-N66U with Tomato firmware,TP link archer A6 purchased this spring, and they have one thing in common.
Crap for uptimes. They either reboot or just disappear off the wifi landscape. They are connected to an arris cable modem that seems pretty solid, but these routers are messing with my wife working from home.
I have her connected wireless, but these issues will kill a wired connection too. I will be hard wiring her workstation.
Who has a current router that just stays functional for days and weeks without a !@#!^$^&&& reboot?

 

[bbhaag]

I'm currently using a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X in tandem with a couple of their APs and my up time it pretty reasonable. I just checked and it's going on four days and some change but that is because we had a power outage four days ago. Before that I think my up time was going on a couple months.

It was kinda a pain to setup but once you figure it out it's pretty straight forward. Definitely worth taking a look at imo.

 

[skyking]

thanks. I may go something like that. these pieces of junk they sell and then totally phony up the reviews on are giving me gas.

 

[bbhaag]

Yep I got sick and tired of dealing with the same thing back in 2016. I can't remember the names now but I bought a couple of those all in one routers and they just straight up suck. When I burned through the second one I knew it was time to step up my game so after doing the research I ended up on Ubiquiti and have been a happy camper ever since.

 

[skyking]

I just ordered a microtik that will be delivered tomorrow, and I will have to run a wire in the crawlspace and cut in a low voltage plate in the office. Done fucking around! I will look into AP's, but it is the shits when this consumer grade gear reboots and kicks her off the citrix connector and who knows what else.

EDIT: Ordered up an ubiquiti AP too. just done!
I have installed several pairs of the nano's for long wifi bridges, they just work. I have never had to mess with them, like never ever. I log into them now and again and there they are.

 

[razel]

Asus RT-N66U with Tomato firmware

I took a quick look and noticed that Tomato has stopped development since 2017? I often use Advanced Tomato in the past and Shibby Tomato. Both seem to have stopped 2017. if you are still using it, what is the latest and greatest build/fork now?

 

[Ajay]

I'm using a Asus RT-AC68R, with Asus provided firmware. Best router I've ever had. My only downtimes are power outages and firmware updates. My cable modem on the other hand...

 

[JackMDS]

DD-WRT, Tomato, and the like did Great years ago.

As of 3-4 years ago they at best do nothing.

Unless One has some specific need for a feature that does no exsist in the native firmware and can be provided by other firmware, it time to let go and Not act as a "Q-Anon" version of Enthusiasts.

 

[mxnerd]

I took a quick look and noticed that Tomato has stopped development since 2017? I often use Advanced Tomato in the past and Shibby Tomato. Both seem to have stopped 2017. if you are still using it, what is the latest and greatest build/fork now?

FreshTomato – Alternative open source firmware for Broadcom based routers

freshtomato.org

discussion:

Tomato Firmware

Discussion on Tomato Firmware Project and any router that is support by it.

www.linksysinfo.org

 

[skyking]

I'm using a Asus RT-AC68R, with Asus provided firmware. Best router I've ever had. My only downtimes are power outages and firmware updates. My cable modem on the other hand...

'That's great
Those stories seem to be more of the exception with the consumer gear. I know this TP-Link has been a yuuge disappointment. Maybe the TP in the name should have tipped me off.

 

[Ajay]

'That's great
Those stories seem to be more of the exception with the consumer gear. I know this TP-Link has been a yuuge disappointment. Maybe the TP in the name should have tipped me off.

Yeah, most of the routers I've had over the years have had significant problems. I almost went with some pro equipment ~10 years ago.

 

[VirtualLarry]

DD-WRT, Tomato, and the like did Great years ago.

As of 3-4 years ago they at best do nothing.

Unless One has some specific need for a feature that does no exsist in the native firmware and can be provided by other firmware, it time to let go and Not act as a "Q-Anon" version of Enthusiasts.

That is emphatically NOT TRUE, and I am affronted that you would compare the YEARS of DEDICATED 3rd-party development work that goes into those alternative firmwares, with a CRACKPOT CONSPIRACY THEORY PROMULGATED BY MOUTH-BREATHING RETARDS ON FACEBOOK.

Really now, that's a bit over-the-top, and IMHO, quite offensive.

Edit: And to answer your question, the "FreshTomato" fork is still in active development, both MIPS and ARM architecture Broadcom SoC-based hardware. I'm running it right now.

Edit: (insult elided)

Edit: The OP was complaing about his router cutting out, both wireless and wired. Since I started using 3rd-party firmwares, nearly 10-12 years ago, on (*gasp! Refurb!) consumer routers that supported them, I've had literally basically NO TROUBLES, NO NEED TO REBOOT, NO GLITCHES (more or less, there was one refurb Asus AC68U that would drop the 2.4Ghz signal every once in a while), as compared to "factory firmware", that was BUGGY AS HELL.

If for no other reason than GOOD UPTIME, 3rd-party firmware is where it's at. And please, let me know, when "factory firmware" for any of the big makers, implement "encrypted DNSSEC". I'll be waiting.

---

TL;DR: Basically, 3rd-party firmwares, use the NEWEST, MOST UP-to-DATE code, that is compatible with the BINARY BLOB DRIVERS that they get from the OEM in the open-source package that they use as the base. Factory firmwares (and you can read this in articles around the web on security of SOHO routers with factory firmware), DO NOT.

3rd-party firmwares, are UPDATED REGULARLY, either on a release schedule, usually quarterly, or bi-monthly. Factory firmwares, often, ARE NOT. (Asus is the exception here, BECAUSE OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FTC THAT THEY SUPPORT THEIR ROUTERS WITH SECURITY UPDATES FOR 10 YEARS. Bascially, a "consent decree".)

3rd-party firmwares are generally WIDELY TESTED, and have GREAT UPTIME.

You want newest code. You want regular updates. You want good uptime. --- You WANT 3rd-party firmware.

That's not even touching the interesting new features that they add to the firmware, like DNSSEC and a whole multitude of others, that are not found in factory firmwares, at least not that I've personally seen.

 

[skyking]

Larry, firmware won't fix crap hardware and I submit that the problem lies mostly there these days. Factory reset, updated firmware, same behavior? Yeah that's shit hardware IMO.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Larry, firmware won't fix crap hardware and I submit that the problem lies mostly there these days. Factory reset, updated firmware, same behavior? Yeah that's shit hardware IMO.

I've never known any Broadcom-based to be "crap hardware". MediaTek, RealTek, definitely. Atheros/Qualcomm, sometimes. But given decent firmware, even the lowliest Broadcom platforms can "sing" (and I don't mean cap whine).

 

[skyking]

so wait, you are saying you've never had a failed broadcom device?
I've seen it all take a crap, brick, whatever you want to call it. I'm by no means bashing 3rd party firmwares, I was the one who brought it up. I have tomato on a router/access point right now out in the yard, it has been flawless. It's an old linksys connecting a couple of cameras where the throughput is not a problem.
For me it is all moot now. Her computer is on a wire as we speak, and the house's wifi is an ubiquiti AP lite.

 

[VirtualLarry]

so wait, you are saying you've never had a failed broadcom device?

To me, saying "crap hardware", is not the same as "failed device". Which do you really mean? Poor quality hardware, that exhibits problems from the beginning (*never had that problem with Broadcom hardware), or hardware that "fails" eventually, due to old age (*had some routers, that the power brick eventually went on, that needed replacement. Also, bricked a few Netgear WNR2000v2 routers, with "too big" firmware images. Other than that, no.)

 

[JackMDS]

@VirtualLarry

LOL, I am Not a Facebook, Twitter, Politically correct guy, I do not read and interact on "Social Media".

I started my carrier in Electronics 50 years ago and constantly advanced as soon as possible to every new development in the technology.

I contribute a lot to real development and practical research (even was involved in early medical MRI development), and gave Pro seminars about use of Computers for clinical work all over the world.

The thing that I am the Most ""Amused"" about is the technology FanBoys.

 

[VirtualLarry]

For the record, JackMDS, I wasn't claiming that YOU were one of those "mouth-breathing retards on facebook", only that you were comparing 3rd-party firmware and users of such, to those sorts of people, and that got me a bit incensed. I've always felt it strongly taboo to insult developers of open-source projects, and to claim that they have "no point for the last 3-4 years", is a bit insulting, don't you agree?

And Asus's current firmware, AsusWRT, is actually based on a 3rd-party firmware that sprung up a few years ago, as I understand it, which is why their firmware in particular is so full-featured. So, if there weren't 3rd-party firmwares, there wouldn't be a full-featured AsusWRT factory firmware.

Anyways, I'm not doubting your credentials, I'm sure that they're pretty strong. Just disagreeing with your sentiments and assessment of the situation with 3rd-party firmware, especially since I've primarily been running 3rd-party firmware for the last 10-12 years, and enjoying GREAT UPTIME, which is what OP was complaining about. In fact, I believe that I got hacked, primarily because I switched back, for around six months, to FACTORY Asus FIRMWARE, because I was attempting to use their AiMesh feature, which really sucked for me. (Tomato and DD-WRT WDS OTOH, has nearly always been pretty solid.)

In short, it does not make one a "fanboy", to want:
1) improved uptime
2) better security / newer code updates to core Linux networking components used in the firmware
3) regular updates, and continued updates (factory firmware is notorious for only have a few updates, then being forgotten about for the next new hardware model)
4) more features, that are not available with factory firmware.

 

[Makaveli]

i'm using an Asus AX88U with Asus Merlin firmware on a FTTH connection i've done 6 months up time no issues easily on this. I only have downtime when I upgrade firmware's.

 

[skyking]

this is what I went with for a router, no wireless
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MSUMVUB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this is the AP

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PR20GY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Everything works as expected. The router has a boot time of about 4 seconds, it flashes the port lights and beeps and that's it. It can be configured to failover to the USB port with a 4G radio, something we may go for. I can take the 4G with us when going on the road.
The Ubiquiti AP takes a little time and an app to get it configured, then it's just there.
I am setting up an office desk in the 5th wheel trailer with a high-low desk, one monitor on an arm, and the same dock she has in the home office. If I can get a day off now and then by the weekend, we can head out camping where we can get 4G and she can do a day of work while I go exploring

 

[Steltek]

And Asus's current firmware, AsusWRT, is actually based on a 3rd-party firmware that sprung up a few years ago, as I understand it, which is why their firmware in particular is so full-featured. So, if there weren't 3rd-party firmwares, there wouldn't be a full-featured AsusWRT factory firmware.

AsusWRT was originally based on Tomato-RT/Tomato-USB, but has been extensively modified since then. The most recent iteration is now known as AsusWRT-Merlin New Gen.

You can actually download the complete GPL sources (which include binary-only drivers for the proprietary components) and compile the firmware yourself if you want from the project's Github site.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Been rocking an Asus RT-AC66U since '14. Similar to your N66, but supports AC wifi. I keep the OEM firmware updated and it's been rock solid. But things do break: I'm sorry you've had a bad experience.

It is possible to overload a router through overuse and cause system instability. (BitTorrent is very good at that.) You might want to check to see if you can monitor CPU/RAM use from the router's management screen. If either one is over about 90% the router is likely to start dropping things on the floor.

I looked up the specs on the A6, and the specs are actually slightly weaker than the old ASUS (faster CPU, but only half the RAM) While it should be fine for most uses, it wouldn't be impossible to beat it to death, either.

In the past I have had router stability issues due to overheating.

I've also had similar systems (little embedded ARM systems like a raspberry pi, and even a cell phone) go absolutely nutbars because of bad power adapters. They worked at first, but the power delivery was bad somehow and made the devices unstable. Replacing the power bricks fixed 'em every time.

Plugging the router into a power filter or small UPS might help if the wiring in your house is sketchy. (Older buildings often are. I've mostly had that problem in old school buildings myself, being a former public school IT guy.)

 

[skyking]

my entire network suite and server are on a 1500 W APC UPS. It all stays up for more than an hour with a power failure. That's really cool, but my ISP's cable goes dead in a few minutes
Seems that nobody has the node backup power needed for any meaningful amount of down time.

 

[Makaveli]

my entire network suite and server are on a 1500 W APC UPS. It all stays up for more than an hour with a power failure. That's really cool, but my ISP's cable goes dead in a few minutes
Seems that nobody has the node backup power needed for any meaningful amount of down time.

Can't expect that with Consumer internet.

And out of all 3 cable is at the bottom for stability.

FTTH
DSL
Cable

 

[skyking]

we had a 3 hour power outage last Monday. On Friday the Comcast guy was replacing batteries in the backup cabinet up the street (I am on a little ISP, but I have had Comcast) .
I suspect they took a lot of flak with the outage. Everybody is working from home and expect some uptime with the higher dollar Comcast business service.
Those batteries have been stolen once in that past.