Anyone Using an Asus DSL-AC68U

For the previous sync (almost 17 hours of uptime, removed numbers in brackets, added commas):
Code: 
near-end path0 fec:     128,209,194
near-end path0 crc:     42
near-end fec sec:       57,345
near-end err sec:       20
near-end ses sec:       0
near-end los sec:       0
near-end ua  sec:       0
far-end path0 fec:      17,404
far-end path0 crc:      0
far-end fec sec:        215
far-end err sec:        0
far-end ses sec:        0
far-end los sec:        0
far-end ua  sec:        0

For the previous sync, the downstream FEC seconds equates to an overwhelming 93%~ of the connection's uptime, unbelievable!

For the current sync (nearly 2 hours of uptime, so far - hope it stays a lot lower):
Code: 
near-end path0 fec:  5582
near-end path0 crc:     0
near-end fec sec:       68
near-end err sec:       0
near-end ses sec:       0
near-end los sec:       0
near-end ua  sec:       0
far-end path0 fec:      1075
far-end path0 crc:      0
far-end fec sec:        25
far-end err sec:        0
far-end ses sec:        0
far-end los sec:        0
far-end ua  sec:        0

Current downstream FEC seconds equates to roughly less than 1% of current connection's uptime.

4 hours 20 minutes uptime:
Code: 
near-end path0 fec:     20701
near-end path0 crc:     8
near-end fec sec:       168
near-end err sec:       4
near-end ses sec:       0
near-end los sec:       0
near-end ua  sec:       0
far-end path0 fec:      2608
far-end path0 crc:      0
far-end fec sec:        51
far-end err sec:        0
far-end ses sec:        0
far-end los sec:        0
far-end ua  sec:        0

Still looking fine.

If the FEC/FEC seconds rate continues to remain much lower than the previous sync then could the modem be having issues with handling crosstalk/noise I wonder? This might be an astonishing discovery and useful information for ASUS to know about if this test proves to hold itself up.
 
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simoncraddock said:
I'm now at 26+ hrs uptime...

Whilst I realise FEC errors are due to Interleaving I'm mostly concerned with the increased number of CRC errors that I seem to get mostly at night on the Asus. I can go 8 hours daytime with just a handful, but overnight seem to chalk up over a thousand.

For once DLM didn't kick me last night and I have opted to keep the device for now. If I can't get satisfactory results from it then I'll run it purely as a wireless router with a modem thus keeping the 5Ghz AC1900 wifi, there was no real cash benefit returning it and swapping for just the RT wifi/router model due to similar price tag.

I still believe the firmware needs lots of improving, hopefully Asus will deliver.
Click to expand...

Hopefully I just wish that asus communicated into one forum directly so we are reassured, they do it on other forums in the world but there isn't even a representative on their own asus forum which is terrible customer liaison.
As for wanting disconnects, mine have always been in the early hours of the morning which makes me think that maybe my sky hd box is doing a lot of 'chat' at that time, possibly anytime+. However my last disconnect was at about 18:45 on the 14th, which makes me think maybe OR had a hand in it...
 
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Had a bit of a spike in FEC earlier, but the overall result is still nowhere near as bad as it usually is by now. FEC seconds isn't going up much, possibly between 30-60 seconds hourly.

Almost 7 hours uptime:
Code: 
near-end path0 fec:     180355
near-end path0 crc:     8
near-end fec sec:       603
near-end err sec:       4
near-end ses sec:       0
near-end los sec:       0
near-end ua  sec:       0
far-end path0 fec:      3449
far-end path0 crc:      0
far-end fec sec:        65
far-end err sec:        0
far-end ses sec:        0
far-end los sec:        0
far-end ua  sec:        0

Still early days of course, things might change before I decrease the SNRM target to 9dB later tonight (about 1-2am most likely).
 
chriscatt said:
I just wish that asus communicated into one forum directly so we are reassured, they do it on other forums in the world but there isn't even a representative on their own asus forum which is terrible customer liaison.
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I've not had any replies to my emails as of late, rather poor show considering the amount of info I've fed back to them.
 
Another update, 12 hours uptime:
Code: 
near-end path0 fec:     395969
near-end path0 crc:     10
near-end fec sec:       780
near-end err sec:       6
near-end ses sec:       0
near-end los sec:       0
near-end ua  sec:       0
far-end path0 fec:      5837
far-end path0 crc:      0
far-end fec sec:        113
far-end err sec:        0
far-end ses sec:        0
far-end los sec:        0
far-end ua  sec:        0

As you can see, still reasonable in comparison to the previous sync statistics (before disabling tones 0-519 on downstream). A few spikes but nothing as serious as the continuous FEC I was getting previously.

I will reduce the target SNRM to 9 dB later tonight.

EDIT: Tempting fate, I tried INP 0, delay 1ms (fastpath on this device) and within minutes I lost sync. In order to keep a stable connection I have to remain on INP 3 with a delay of 8ms at the very least, despite disabling tones which ADSL uses (which helped the FEC count) it hasn't helped stabilise this device in fastpath even with a higher target SNRM. Since I'm unable to get a faster sync rate with the current ECI or HG612 due to banding I will remain on this for now anyway.

EDIT 2: Sadly this didn't last. FEC is rising again at virtually every second of uptime.
 
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Today my Billion 8800nl arrived, which has now been on-line for roughly 5hrs.

Here are my average FEC stats so far:

billion.jpg


Comparing this to an average of 2.5 million per 15 minutes on the ASUS something is seriously wrong with the ASUS.

PC World customer support today told me to return the ASUS, so I will be dropping it in after work.
 
Good reiews for that Billion - I had the 7800N for a couple of years too - rock solid. The 8800NL would have been my first port of call but for the lack of AC. Have to say it looks a steal for the money.
 
One thing for sure is I won't be purchasing this DSL-AC68U as I had hoped to do by now. Rather disappointed that it is such a failure and was really hoping it would have allowed me to get rid of the two box mess. I don't mind paying a large amount for an item that will work flawlessly but not for something that is worse than free items. Back to the drawing board it is.

Edit: Has anyone tried the new 8800AXL which is I assume an AC varient of the 8800NL.

http://www.billion.uk.com/product/vdsl/8800AXL.htm

Edit 2: It appears it is only ADSL2+ modem inside it actually.
 
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michty_me said:
One thing for sure is I won't be purchasing this DSL-AC68U as I had hoped to do by now. Rather disappointed that it is such a failure and was really hoping it would have allowed me to get rid of the two box mess. I don't mind paying a large amount for an item that will work flawlessly but not for something that is worse than free items. Back to the drawing board it is.

Edit: Has anyone tried the new 8800AXL which is I assume an AC varient of the 8800NL.

http://www.billion.uk.com/product/vdsl/8800AXL.htm

Edit 2: It appears it is only ADSL2+ modem inside it actually.
Click to expand...

Specification states it does have VDSL modem

• Compliant with VDSL2 Standard, ITU-T G.993.2
- Full-rate ANSI T1.413 Issue 2
- PTM and ATM mode including dual latency
- ITU-T G.993.2 (VDSL2, supporting profile 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 12a, 12b, 17a)
 
I'll go and ask on the Billion forums to confirm. It may be another option as well as the TP-Link W9980 which is also a combo unit. Maybe be worth a try for £75!!!
 
michty_me said:
I'll go and ask on the Billion forums to confirm. It may be another option as well as the TP-Link W9980 which is also a combo unit. Maybe be worth a try for £75!!!
Click to expand...

The AXL version just adds a full set of Gigabit Ethernet ports and AC dual band WiFi, everything else is the same as the 8800NL which I'm now running.

I can live without dual band WiFi, I've just added a 8 port Gigabit Ethernet Switch as most of my equipment is now on a Ethernet cable system other than my Tablet, Roku Media Streamer and Chromecast.
 
simoncraddock said:
The AXL version just adds a full set of Gigabit Ethernet ports and AC dual band WiFi, everything else is the same as the 8800NL which I'm now running.

I can live without dual band WiFi, I've just added a 8 port Gigabit Ethernet Switch as most of my equipment is now on a Ethernet cable system other than my Tablet, Roku Media Streamer and Chromecast.
Click to expand...

That is correct. That was just confirmed to me on the Billion forums. How is the range on them?
 
simoncraddock said:
To be honest I've not had time to test range, I only set mine up yesterday. I will say its a delight to set up and manage and quite a compact device.

I can test it tonight if your curious?
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That would be good thanks. I'm quite interested in getting a one box solution and not going near the ASUS to be honest. I'm currently in a 2 bedroom flat so not much concern with range but i'm in the final stages of buying a fairly large 4 bed house so ideally would want something to cover this.
 
That 8800AXL looks very intersting. I'm on the Asus RT-AC87U with an OR modem which will be me set for the foreseeable, but if the 8800AXL had been around when I first got the DSL-AC68U I'd have probably bought one.

I move lots of files about and would really miss AC, the 800AXL isn't the quickest but would still be very much quicker that "N".

Be interesting to see how the new Asus firmware goes, because if the modem got sorted out it could still be a winner....if it's name isn't mud by then.
 
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