Router CPU going crazy

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:20 pm

I was having a bit of a problem getting my wife's computer to connect to our wifi. I decided to take a look at my router and the cpu activity seems crazy. I turned off almost every device in the house and this is what I'm seeing. The only connections I'm seeing in the router's gui are legit. I have my wan connection working fine and the other devices when turned on connect to the internet. But I'm having problems with my wife's computer. The task manager is only showing expected "stand by" activity. Asus RT-AC3200. I just noticed this this evening.

Screenshot 2023-06-10 161400.png

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:55 pm

I tried everything on this page...
https://www.speedguide.net/faq/asus-rou ... -usage-510

No real change. I'm going to try a total reset and start from scratch tomorrow.

Post by **Philip** » Sun Jun 11, 2023 9:05 am

I am using an RT-AX86S and the CPU usage stays less than 5% usually... And that's with 20+ devices connected to the Wi-Fi (computers, printer, NAS, smart phones, IoT thermostats/cameras, etc.)

The attachment router_ax86s.png is no longer available

I would start turning off unnecessary features to see what may be the culprit, like AiCloud, AiProtection, etc. It is likely something other than the core router functionality, or a botched service/firmware.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Sun Jun 11, 2023 9:28 am

Understood. I've been slowly going through i.e. the ones you've mentioned while scouring the Net for possible ideas. There was some mention of a botched security update but I believe that has been resolved and I'm current.

We have several guests with us this weekend and I can't afford to shut everything down for long but I plan on saving my config file, reset, and then reload config file. If all that fails keep an eye out for my next thread "Router suggestions", LOL.

Post by **Philip** » Sun Jun 11, 2023 12:16 pm

AiProtection, malicious site blocking, USB drives and QoS are often associated with higher CPU usage.
You can try to enable SSH on the router (Administration > System > Enable SSH/Telnet), connect to it with a command-line client and type: "top" to see CPU usage by service, this may help narrow it down.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 9:14 am

Ok, I have tried the SSH/Telnet option, I have followed ASUS online instructions etc but I'm unable to get the command-line option to work. I think I'm doing everything correctly. I have enabled Telnet on my Win 11 machine and I have enabled it in the Router GUI. When I enable SSH it asks me for a Port number and I am unsure of how to proceed, so I have only tried with Telnet. I can get the Telnet client to open but it does not seem to respond to the command-line options I have been trying. I think 1 thing that I'm worried about is exposing my computer to the Internet. Can I just unplug from the Internet and run these tests? The erratic cpu usage seems to continue whether connected or now.

Sorry, but I'm stumped and need some instruction as to how to check this problem before I bite the bullet and buy another router.

Easto

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 3:56 pm

Also there was that "bug"...https://www.speedguide.net/forums/showt ... ay-17-2023

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 8:21 pm

^^ Excellent ^^ that thread cleared it all up. I've reset (hard) the router and hardened my passwords etc. It's funny because I looked all over the web for some sort of explanation and there is was on SG all along.