Bug With Latest BE96U Firmware

[Alex52]

I have two GT-BE98 Pro units with one as a main and the other a mesh node set up in MLO.  I also use the BE96U as a mesh node. Since the installation of 3.0.0.6.102_38984 on the BE96U, I  can no longer do a simple system reboot without losing the BE96U mesh node. A simple normal reset of the BE96U using the reset button does nothing but result in the power LED turning slowly on and off constantly. Pressing the power button on while holding the reset in again results in a flashing power light. Then, on manual power restart, the BE96U starts booting up with radios, which appear in MLO for a second, and it then shuts completely off. 

The only way to get the mesh node working again is to do a factory reset, remove the node in the GUI, and then adding the node back as a mesh node using an Ethernet connection to the main router. Then you can shut it off, move it back to the room it is used in, and turn it back on to boot back into mesh.

I found this bug while doing a system reboot in an attempt to get GT-BE98 Pro MLO operation working like it was previously working using both 5 and 6GHz bands together again instead of individually with clients.

[jzchen]

Is there official instructions on how to use the reset button?  I have accidentally pressed/held it turning on power because I mistook it for the WPS button (Method 2), but that doesn't appear to factory reset.

I was hoping to get a RT-BE96U at a steal of a deal but the listing was incorrectly posted as such, was actually for a RT-BE86U, which I immediately returned...

Something's definitely off with the 6 GHz band.  I have experienced slowdown due to UPS, USB 3.0, and just plain interference I guess.  I have a DECO BE95 (also dual 6 GHz) running as a main router and a ACER Predator Connect W6 running in what was my son's room (moved out for work in another part of California).  On the W6 and DECO I can have them scan for interference and the W6 almost always finds interfence and changes frequency/-ies...

[Alex52]

I have seen something official saying just press the reset button in back with the power on. This should result in a normal fast pulsing power LED and then the LED off with a later auto reboot or a reboot after manually cycling power off and back on. With this current new firmware, it acts the same either way with holding the reset in and does not result in a return to service on the BE96U. At least the work around I provided gets the BE96U working again in mesh. But, the unit also has become much slower to fully reboot than it was with the earlier firmware. This may only apply to use as a mesh node as I haven't used the BE96U in any other configuration.

Of note, even the new ASUS firmware notes tell you to use the factory (WPS) reset after installation of the latest firmware on the BE96U.

I also have noticed the same odd fluctuations in signal strength and utilization (on both models and all bands) and have looked extensively into the cause of this perceived interference. So far, I have found no external source of interference and it occurs with or without clients. In the latest firmware, they evidently lowered the output Db power level across all bands to alleviate this and that did help connectivity about -10 Db also lowering fluctuations in mesh. What I'm seeing appears to be changes to the algorithm for AGC and AFC operation. But there is something wrong with communication handoff and control between the BE96U and GT-BE98 Pro establishing mesh. This may possibly have something to do with changes for full MLO implementation as I did see a 5Ghz band briefly appear as MLO from the BE96U as it booted into mesh with my MLO GT-BE98 Pro setup.

Best Buy has been offering the best deal on the BE96U I've seen at times, but their current deal on the GT-BE98 Pro is only $50 more ($100 off what was their normal price). Both of these units are apparently dropping in overall price.