Can't recommend ASUS routers

Tech Talk Hardware
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You may recall there was, some time ago, an issue with Google hardware that was flooding networks. It was supposedly fixed, both by Google and by affected hardware manufacturers. Since that time my ASUS RT-AC3200 has random reboots. They always look like this, the “corruption” is identical every time, the date is always reverted back to May 5th.

May  5 01:05:08 kernel: _ Reboot message ... _______________________________________________________
May  5 01:05:08 kernel: <1>Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer derefere�U�at virtual address 00000000
May  5 01:05:08 kernel: <1>pgd = 80004000
May  5 01:05:08 kernel: <1>[00000000] *pgd=00000000
May  5 01:05:08 kernel: <0>Internal error: Oops: 817 [#1] PREEMPT SMP
May  5 01:05:08 kernel: <0>last sysfs file: /sys/class/net/eth0/speed

I have reported this numerous times through their built in feedback mechanism, literally every time it happens while I am at a keyboard I report it. I googled for the reboot message, and find other people reporting the same issue. It seems to happen more and more frequently as I have added more devices to my network. I have a very busy network, with more than 60 devices. It seems maybe the issue is a slow memory (well it was slow with fewer devices, and with more devices it happens more frequently) and some call to allocate memory in the kernel eventual fails, is unchecked, and causes a null pointer reference/panic/reboot.

FWIW I keep my firmware as up to data as possible, checking their site at least once a month (and frequently more often) and this issue has been present over multiple recent firmware versions. My current version is reported from the UI as “Firmware Version: 3.0.0.4.382_51939”

I otherwise liked the product when I acquired it, and while it has had other issues that were fixed over time with FW upgrades, they have never managed to address this issue. Based on that fact, and the fact it has been years of putting up with this, I have to say I can no longer recommend buying an ASUS router.

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Is this just you, are others reporting this issue?

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3

My RT-AC5300 doesn’t have this issue. It’s been a great router.

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4

I guess the advantage of Asus routers is that they are based on dd-wrt so you could always install a different firmware.

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Oh, I had meant to mention it in my original post. If you google the message you will find others with similar reports, yes.

EDIT:
Oh I did mention it, just in passing:

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I wonder if it happens to many people and/or everyone, just if they don’t have many devices it happens so infrequently they don’t notice it? (Or it happens while they’re sleeping or away.)

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The Asus is still technically a consumer device. Maybe a good time to investigate lower end Ubiquiti router and WAP? Or build a pfSense box - I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, but it’s a matter of time and getting hold of a box I’m happy with.

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