@MrFurious 

What is the IP/subnet/gateway of your windows computer?

What is the IP/subnet/gateway of the AX11000?

The Windows PC has an IP address of 192.168.1.25, the subnet is 192.168.1.0/24, and the gateway is 192.168.1.1

The AX11000's IP is 192.168.1.1, the subnet is 192.168.1.0/24. It doesn't have a default gateway on the LAN side, just on the internet side.

Edit: I just realized this was the first attempt that didn't appear to post, but now the second one isn't showing up in the post list. In the other thread, I noted that the only delta was connecting a USB drive and turning on SMB. I've disconnected the drive and turned off SMB, and I'm monitoring to see if the issue recurs. I also just replaced the NIC in the Windows PC with a TX3000E, though I don't think the NIC is the issue.

I believe I've found the issue - if I connect a USB storage device, it breaks stuff. The issue initially manifested itself not long after I connected one, and resolved itself when I disconnected it, after a lot of other troubleshooting.

I left the USB port unoccupied for a couple of weeks, and I did not experience any network issues during that time. Just now, I connected a different USB storage device, and the problems immediately started back up. I removed it, and everything was back to normal.

So, it appears that, at least on my router, USB storage is not a usable feature.

@MrFurious 

Interesting... do you know the approximate time this started?

I'm on W10 PC's only, as well as a printer that share each other. Have iPad's and Phones that can access data on a connected USB drive or print. An Archer A20, and I've fighting this or a similar problem for about a month or so.

I suspected a change in Windows caused this but can't trace it down?

I see the problem as I can't share disk drives between the W10 PC's, or print. I use NET VIEW and get Error 53.

As best I could tell it IS associated with the use of the USB drive (accessing stored files, pictures, and video's on it). It doesn't always happen though during testing to discover the root cause. All I know for sure, NET VIEW will fail. All other aspects of the router seem to work.

I did discover rebooting the router and it works again, just like you are writing. However, the time between fails are totally random, and I can't 'make it happen'.

Another point I discovered, on the Router GUI for USB if I REMOVE the drive, and then SCAN to get it connected again, NET VIEW does work. Full functionality returns, until the next time.

The best cause I found was transferring LARGE files over the LAN to the USB drive, but it isn't always going to cause it.

I have to still suspect some MicroSoft update (both PC's, one Home, the other Pro, at on 20H2 release with the lastest updates if that matters). There were some recent .NET Framework updates, and I wonder if they are involved?

I've Google the problem I have, which it appears is similar to what you are experiencing and can't find other reports. I wouldn't think that would be the case, unless it is purely specific operations and routers involved?

Then again, I could just be wrong. The next time NET VIEW fails for me I will use ARP and see what happens.

@IrvSp 

Printing is definitely a symptom I saw as well, and it manifested itself within a few minutes of hooking up the drive and turning on sharing.

The thing is, I never even got to the point of transferring any files to or from the drive; I was able to map it from the Mac, the Windows machine, or both, but it pretty quickly became inaccessible from both devices, and the other connection issues happened at the same time. One additional thing to note, when I tested today I never even got to the point of testing the Windows machine; I hooked up the drive, turned on sharing, connected from my Mac, and then waited. I didn't time it, but it didn't take long at all (definitely less than 15 minutes) before the share was inaccessible and my printers were showing as "offline" even though they weren't, and everything went back to normal within a few minutes of disconnecting the drive and turning off sharing. Thus, I don't think this is a Microsoft (or Apple) issue. When the issue occurs, it affects devices across the spectrum, like when my wife was unable to print from her iPad during the first period when this happened.

I do suspect this is an issue specific to this device, or perhaps this family of devices. In my searches, I didn't see anyone reporting a similar issue with another manufacturer's device.

@MrFurious 

I did find ONE obscure one, and it mentioned another TP-Link router, but the description of the problem, other than NET VIEW problems and didn't seem to implicate the router at all.

I had ZERO problems (that I knew of) 2 or 3 months ago. I did have this A20 for 18 months with no problems, and no f/w update in probably a year. I actually had a different TP-Link router here for a few weeks and it worked fine too.

W10 uses NetBios to share folders on remote drives. I don't know how Apple does it though. W10 as of V1703 turned of SMB 1 which is required to use NetBios names. Routers use NetBios for discovery as well. W10 defaults to WSD for discovery. Hence the need to turn on SMB 1 manually. I suspect you did this otherwise you couldn't share.

Next time this happen, try just going to the router, REMOVE the USB drive via the GUI, then SCAN again and test. This works 100% of the time for me. Doesn't interrupt anyone else (unless they were using the USB drive) using the Internet.

@IrvSp I'm just going to bail on using the USB storage feature. It wasn't anything that I had a particular use in mind for, other than Time Machine, and it's probably going to be easier and less frustrating to just get a real NAS and go that route.

And now I'm just going to bail on this piece of garbage router. Today, my printers went "offline" with the incomplete MAC symptom, even though I haven't allowed a USB drive within 30' of it. I rebooted it, which resolved it for about 30 minutes. 

I already placed an order for an ASUS AX11000 router and I'm going to return this doorstop to Costco. Maybe if I'm lucky they'll let me take a sledgehammer to it, which is better than it deserves.

@MrFurious 

Sorry to hear that.

I would recommend following up with our support team so they may assist you with your issue: link

@Tony I'll give it a shot, but they ignored me when they asked me to DM them with details on Twitter, so I'm not particularly confident.

ETA: And I got a reply just after I hit enter.