New AC router for Maestro

Burch - K4QXX

After fighting with my 1 year old Asus router with my Maestro,  I need to purchase another AC router.  I have a Netgear router that works great on the Maestro, but it doesn't have some of the firewall functionality that I like on the ASUS router (mainly, being able to block certain websites).  I am looking for suggestions from people who have a Maestro and an AC router that works well together.

Burch

Brad Adams (N4PYI)

Butch, what kind of problems did you have with the ASUS router? 

Burch - K4QXX

Lots of audio drops and packet loss.  The Maestro is totally useless when running on this router.  It's a ASUS RT-AC87U router.  I purchased it about a year, maybe a year and a half ago.  At the time, it was the top rated router for speed as reviewed by CNET.com.  It was very popular with gamers.  It is a very fast router and works great with all my devices (multiple laptops, cameras, Apple TV, etc).  It's just the Maestro that has issues with it.  I have a several year old netgear (the first model that had type AC wifi) and it works great with the Maestro.  I would just use the Netgear router but the netgear doesn't have as much filtering/firewall control as the Asus.  I am hesitant to purchase another ASUS so I will stay away from that brand.

Brad Adams (N4PYI)

My Maestro would not see the wired network at all through my TrendNet gigabit switch, but works OK through my 1GB Cisco router. Although, It sometimes sees a lot of packet drops and the network quality is poor. Checking the Cisco router shows no packet loss at all on the Maestro port, so the issue is with the Maestro. A reboot of the radio and the Maestro will correct the packet loss and the Maestro will run at zero packet loss for hours. Dudley says that they want a 100 MB switch. I have not tried one yet between my Cisco router and the Maestro but I intend to. That's why I asked about your problems. Thanks,

WX7Y

Before you spend a bunch of money on a new Router try uploading a new 3rd party firmware like the ASUSWRT-Merlin. 
It sure helped my N66U and AC66U Routers when running the Maestro. 

Backup your setting first
The Merlin firmware needs to be uploaded by the Physical LAN Ethernet port and not over the Wireless or VPN. 
Download the ASUS recovery utility just in case things don't go quite right so you can install the firmware. 

With the Merlin firmware I was able to use the built firmware upgrade tool if your firmware on the unit is new enough.
WX7Y
73's
Bret

Burch - K4QXX

My thinking is that I will stay with a Netgear router since my current Netgear R6300 works so well with the Maestro.  I was really liking the reviews of the Linksys WRT1900ACS but I have read here on the community of one user having an issue with this model with his Maestro.  Most of the reviews I have read on the WRT1900ACS have really raved about it but if it doesn't work with Maestro, it will be a waste of money for me.

Burch - K4QXX

I will give that a shot.  I really like my ASUS router.  It is really fast with everything except the Maestro.  When I first got it, my Macbook Pro didn't like the router (I would get throttling while streaming viedo).  After a couple of firmware upgrades, it fixed that issue on my Macbook so maybe this third party firmware will help.

Mickey N4MB

You don't need a new router, just fix the one that you have. You could always run DD-WRT or Tomato on that router, but you'd lose some of the hardware acceleration. 

Better yet, read this blog to setup the router to perfection: http://www.rickygao.com/tuning-the-asus-wireless-router-to-best-performance/

KC9NRN

Burch, likely your wireless is on a congested band, if you're configured 40mhz you're possibly hurting performance plus unknowingly hurting your neighbors performance as well.

There are apps to view the wireless networks around you, set the wireless to 20mhz and possibly channel one since most don't change it or don't know how. Also, look into how many devices are on the 2.4GHz radio and if they support 5GHz put them on it, as long as they get good signal this opens up the band more for your Maestro.

I wrote this very quickly between running around, hopefully it made sense.

Burch - K4QXX

I don't have a congested band.  In fact, my router is the only one I see on 5GHZ. I do have an app I use to analyze the networks around me (I work in IT).   I have done all the tricks that have been posted here (changed channels, changed between 80mhz and 40mhz channels, made sure jumbo frames are turned off, etc).  Plus, if I did have a congested band, my Netgear router (which works great with the Maestro) would also suffer.  I only have the issue with my Asus router whether I use 2.4ghz or 5Ghz.  Both 2.4ghz and 5Ghz work great with the Maestro with my Netgear.  I would simply just use the netgear but it doesn't have all the firewall functions that I like on the Asus and doesn't have as good of a range.   I have currently turned off the 5GHZ radio on the Asus and have changed the settings on the Netgear so that it's not a router anymore, just a wireless access point.  I have the Netgear plugged into one of the LAN ports on the ASUS.  So the ASUS acts as the router and the Netgear gives me the wifi signal.  This works great but I'd rather not have to use both devices.

Wayne VK4ACN

fwiw,  I was having terrible trouble with numerous gigabit switches (wired) dropping packets and losing the green bars to yellow then red, until I bought a $15 10/100mb switch (not gigabit), it has run perfectly the last couple of days since the change.  No dropped packets and excellent signal.  So I bought another to keep in drawer as backup.  Seems to run perfect on 10/100 than gb. 

Burch - K4QXX

Well, it's a no go on the Merlin firmware.  I am currently using the newest firmware from ASUS but when I try to update with merlin, I get an error saying that it can't install.  I tried several versions of merlin and they all give me the same error.

John-K3MA

IF you decide you do not want the Asus router and wish to sell it then please get ahold of me as I am looking for one to use in another location where a Maestro is not needed.  K3MA@outlook.com

Walt - KZ1F

I've had a Netgear 1750AC router that has worked flawlessly for the last 18-24 months. I have a lot of wireless devices as well as wired plus a 4 node cloud. Performance is way better than the type N it replaced.

KC9NRN

Burch, 

Good luck!

Brad Adams (N4PYI)

An old Netgear 100 MB switch between the Maestro and my GB Cisco router seems to have done the trick.

KC9NRN

My Netgear Nighthawk R7000 has been awesome as well.

Norm - W7CK

I don't understand all of the issues with routers, wifi and wired connections and the Maestro.  I have 3 really old WRT54G routers that run Tomato software.  They have all been cloned with the same exact configurations.   I use one in my home, one in my 5th wheel camper and one as a spare.  I bought them at Goodwill for $5 each and originally had plans to use them for MESH.

Here at home, at any given time I can see up to 12 different wifi routers in my neighborhood on 2.4GHz.  None of them are terribly strong, but they are all there just the same.

I've been using my Maestro for about 2 weeks now and have NEVER had one issue with the wifi connection, dropped packets or any such thing.  I've taken the Maestro into the garage while I was working on a project, I've taken it onto the back patio and I have taken it into the living room.  All without issue and that's on an old Linksys WRT54G router running on 2.4 GHz.  So, I'm confused as to what is going on that some folks are having connection issues even while using fairly good wifi routers.

Oh, and I forgot to mention.  My WRT54Gs are also running OpenVPN and an internal hosts re-routing application that routes DNS calls destined for advertising websites to a local IP to reduce unwanted advertising on all internal devices.  Even with all of this going on, still NOT PACKET LOSS.  So what's the story here?

Norm - W7CK

I'm wondering if it might be an internal setting on these routers that are experiencing issues.   If running 2.4 GHz, I recommend setting the wifi to G only.  

I wish I would have taken some notes but I remember setting my MTU to 1460.  I think this was to speed up NetFlix or something.

Any Router pros out there that can shed some light on some settings that should NOT be left at default values?

WX7Y

use the ASUS recovery tool 
it has worked on 4 of my routers
73's
Bret

Burch - K4QXX

Ok, I will try that tonight.

Burch - K4QXX

John, I will let you know if the firmware update doesn't fix the maestro issue.  It will be awhile before I know because I have one of the bricked Maestros from the recent update.  I haven't had time to get the Maestro shipped back to flex yet but hope to on Saturday.

Burch - K4QXX

Bret

I was able to get the 3rd party firmware installed on the Asus AC87U yesterday (Merlin).  I had to ship my Maestro back to flex to get it un bricked so I can't test it but will as soon as I get back my Maestro. 

Burch - K4QXX

Bret

I updated my Asus router with the third party firmware (ASUSWRT-Merlin).  I do like the new firmware functions on the router.  However, I just got my Maestro back from Flex and the new firmware made no difference.  I still get a lot of packet loss and audio drops when using the Asus.  I then connected to my old Netgear hotspot at 5gz and after 30 minutes had 0 packet drops and the max latency was 7.  Since the Netgear works so well, I will probably buy a newer model Netgear and get rid of the Asus.  I don't like having to run both the hotspot and the router.

Burch

KC9NRN

All Netgear firewalls built since the mid 2000's have website blocking abilities. Well, let me back up, the better ones do, I haven't messed with the lower priced models.

Burch - K4QXX

My Netgear is an original R6300 (not the version 2).  I will have to put it back in router mode again to look at the settings but evey time I tried to block sites it would take me to the Netgear website to setup an account.  On the Asus i can just add the url or a keyword right at the router.  This model netgear was one of the first AC routers on the market and is several years old.  The Maestro loves it though.