Saturday, January 14, 2012

ASUS Router RT-N16 fancy time waster

@ASUS Router RT-N16 fancy time waster http://j.mp/wjKJ6J via @bryangrant RE: @dlna

This device had several problems, and very little that deserves merit.

I filed a complete support ticket.. it is now day 3 waiting for a response.

I am returning the item this evening.

There is a long list of issues I found on their own site after the purchase, and the new Firmware created some new issues such as will not login via PPoE, will not print via LPR, will not stream DLNA media content over the same LAN subnet, will not mount external drive.

Opensource DDWRT replacement firmware will not support uPnP.
http://j.mp/zYK2gV

Since the primary use of this upgrade to my LAN, besides day-to-day home office tasks, will be to view content on the servers over DLNA, this product is rendered 100% useless.


Firmware 1.0.x
- Currently it ships with Firmware 1.0 installed. Noob users would pull their hair out if they tried to use that build since it has a very long list of flaky problems.
- WDS will not work,
- the uPnP doesn't work
- The WiFi flaps so badly it is not possible to reliably connect.
- PPoE is unreliable [pppd[1986]: Unable to complete PPPoE Discovery]
- External drive mounted flawlessly.

Firmware 3.0.x
- Will not import old router .cfg file. Manually reconfig the router from scratch. *sigh*
- WDS now works just fine
- uPnP is VERY broken. Will not look at external drive's partitions. Inserted a tiny partition onto the drive without my approval. DLNA service simply to NOT work.
- PPoE worked great for 4 days. Then.. just stopped. It will not login to the internet any longer. PPoE via direct cable to the DSL modem works fine, so the router is the culprit.
- Printer server no longer will access a HP LaserJet 1300 via LPR. Worked fine with old 1.0 Firmware.
 - The very same External HardDrive will no longer mount the partitions I wish to share.

@dlna
@ASUS

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