Asuswrt-Merlin 3.0.0.4.374.38 is out

[DjRavix]

I still don't get the Link Aggregation to work

It seems to still Brick all the LAN ports on my AC68U

 

[RMerlin]

I still don't get the Link Aggregation to work

It seems to still Brick all the LAN ports on my AC68U

Try asking in the thread dedicated to LAG in this sub-forum, KAD might be able to help you since this isn't a feature of the firmware itself.

 

[lilstone87]

Merlin, Is the .2239 beta build asus released newer then what you are currently working with? I am just wondering, as I know you have gotten your hands on stuff first lately.

 

[Dan_DaMan]

Coming from 3.0.0.4.374.35_4-sdk5 and going to 3.0.0.4.374.38_1-em, I am not seeing similar results either. No worst, no better, basically all the same for both frequencies.

What I've found on my router is that while the RSSI values on the N66U with the 38.1-em firmware are showing weaker signal to the endpoints, using inSSIDer from my laptop shows that signal strength is actually a little better than the 35_4-sdk5 build on both channels to all endpoints. I wish I could explain it but alas, that's not my area of expertise.

Suffice to say, 38.1-em does provide a stronger signal according to my internal tests. Weird that the router is showing far worse numbers than inSSIDer but I'm sure that will get ironed out in future releases.

 

[L&LD]

L&LD 374.38_1-em Report to RMerlin - Asus RT-AC56U

Just a quick update on the RT-N66U (now with 374.38_2-em firmware). No change from what I reported originally here.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=98452&postcount=151


The router is still the best it has ever been for me. Very fast, responsive and stable (for a few days - + 10 hours on the _2-em version).

There is no issue with showing which client (2.4 or 5GHz bands) are connected - and when I removed or added a 5GHz client, the changed showed immediately (after a refresh of the router's page).


I have also installed the 374.38_1 firmware on an RT-AC56U last night with just as positive results (and the 374.38_2 was available right after I finished, lol...).

I am surprised by the range the RT-AC56U now has actually... I thought the internal antenna would hinder that aspect much more.



L&LD 374.38_1-em Report to RMerlin - Asus RT-AC56U


The 'before' firmware was 374.37_0 for the RT-AC56U and here are some stat's for everyone:

With an Intel AC7260 dual band client running in a Windows 8.1 laptop with Channel 11 for 2.4GHz and Channel 149 for 5GHz and the same settings as the link above for the RT-N66U


374.37_0 at 6 feet from router to client (line of sight, no obstructions),
inssider would show 82% for 2.4GHz band and 100% for the 5GHz band.

Ookla speed test showed,
2.4GHz band - 24/2.4 @ 10ms latency (down/up).
5GHz band - 22.7/2.4 @ 10ms latency



374.38_1 at 6 feet,
inssider would show 95% for 2.4GHz band and 100% for the 5GHz band.

Ookla speed test showed,
2.4GHz band - 24.2/2.4 @ 9ms latency (down/up).
5GHz band - 23.4/2.4 @ 9ms latency


Good improvement and noticeable just browsing the web inside the 'office' (the web seemed like it was 'cached').



374.37_0 at 100 feet from router to client (same floor, 3 interior walls),
inssider would show 83% for 2.4GHz band and 83% for the 5GHz band.

Ookla speed test showed,
2.4GHz band - 23/2.2 @ 10ms latency (down/up).
5GHz band - 23/2.3 @ 10ms latency



374.38_1 at 100 feet from router to client (same floor, 3 interior walls),
inssider would show 83% for 2.4GHz band and 100% for the 5GHz band.

Ookla speed test showed,
2.4GHz band - 23.7/2.5 @ 10ms latency (down/up).
5GHz band - 23.8/2.4 @ 9ms latency



Again, a good improvement and noticeably more responsive network just browsing the web at this far location.



I also tried a more extreme test with the RT-AC56U. Sorry, no 374.37_0 stats to compare against.


374.38_1 at 100 feet from router to client (client down one floor, 4 interior walls),

Ookla speed test showed,
2.4GHz band - 22/2.4 @ 9ms latency (down/up).
5GHz band - 10/2.4 @ 10ms latency


This is what impressed me the most with the RT-AC56U's internal antenna design - still great range and throughput - especially on the 2.4GHz band.


The ISP at this location provides 25/2.5 max down/up speeds - getting this close to 100%, wirelessly, speaks volumes about the quality of the hardware and the Asus/RMerlin software combination.



I also tried downloading real data using three different laptops from the same desktop computer.

This was within 8 feet from the RT-AC56U with each laptop moved to the same location before each test (and the other laptops turned off to not interfere with the tested laptop).

With an dual band, dual antenna equipped AC client (AC7260) connected to the 374.37_0 firmware based RT-AC56U,

The indicated connection was 867Mbps, 24.5MB/s avg download speed completed in 1 minute 50 seconds.


With an dual band, single antenna equipped N client (Broadcom wireless chip) connected to the 374.37_0 firmware based RT-AC56U,

The indicated connection was 150Mbps (5GHz 40MHz width), 6.3MB/s avg download speed completed in 7 minutes 30 seconds.


With a single band, dual antenna equipped N client (Intel N2230) connected to the 374.37_0 firmware based RT-AC56U,

The indicated connection was 144Mbps (2.4GHz 20MHz width), 8.5MB/s avg download speed completed in 5 minutes 36 seconds.



Those are the baselines with the older firmware.


With the 374.38_1 firmware on the RT-AC56U,

Intel N2230 2.4GHz band download times decreased by almost 30 seconds (~10% faster).

Broadcom wireless 5GHz band download times decreased by almost 60 seconds (~15% faster).

Intel AC7260 5GHz band download times decreased by 10 seconds (~10%).



If anyone is having any issues with this firmware and router combo is either experiencing faulty hardware (router or client), faulty drivers (client) or a very unstable/noisy wireless environment.

Can only imagine how the RT-AC68U will perform for my customers.

 

[RMerlin]

What I've found on my router is that while the RSSI values on the N66U with the 38.1-em firmware are showing weaker signal to the endpoints, using inSSIDer from my laptop shows that signal strength is actually a little better than the 35_4-sdk5 build on both channels to all endpoints. I wish I could explain it but alas, that's not my area of expertise.

Suffice to say, 38.1-em does provide a stronger signal according to my internal tests. Weird that the router is showing far worse numbers than inSSIDer but I'm sure that will get ironed out in future releases.

The signal on the router only says how strong your computer is sending. THat value shouldn't change a lot between driver version. When testing a new router driver, you must always measure it from the computer's end.

 

[superss94]

hi, im just wondering why my transfer speed in 38-em between my usb pendrive using aicloud are so slow, it just 3mb/s is that normal? my laptop wireless card is Qualcomm atheros AR5BWB222 (a/b/g/n)

 

[bluepoint]

Merlin, Is the .2239 beta build asus released newer then what you are currently working with? I am just wondering, as I know you have gotten your hands on stuff first lately.

Not Merlin but if you base it on the numbers the beta release is newer. However, there is also a .583GPL released that might be newer than .2239, only Merlin can tell.

 

[sinshiva]

some throughput results. for clarification, these are measured in megaBytes per second rather than megabit.

8mb/s +/- .25 | [B]e2000[/B]/2.4ghz/20mhz/noack=[B]on[/B]

8.0mb/s +/- .25 | [B]n66[/B]/2.4ghz/20mhz/noack=[B]on[/B]

8.25mb/s +/- .25 | [B]n66[/B]/2.4ghz/20mhz/noack=[B]off[/B]

10mb/s +/- .25 | [B]n66[/B]/2.4ghz/[B]40mhz[/B]/noack=[B]off[/B]

these results are from eyeballing the transfer in progress, per windows and do not include SMB overhead. used a highly compressed 1.5gb movie

i tested from a windows 7 desktop SMB server with a usb3 1.5tb 2.5" harddrive attached to a usb2 port, to a win8.1 laptop client's 1tb 5400rpm internal harddrive.

desktop is an amd athlon II x4 645
laptop is an i7 4700MQ

don't have anything to test 5ghz atm, sorry

 

[reddice]

I tried this build and the newest Asus build but I found my WiFi was weaker. I am using 3.0.0.4.374.35_4-sdk5 and the WiFi is stronger and more stable.

 

[Raptor]

ASUS RT-N66U Firmware Version 3.0.0.4.374.2239 Released Today

ASUS RT-N66U Firmware Version 3.0.0.4.374.2239 Released Today
Merlin said he was using .2078 as the base of his 3.0.04.374.38.2 builds

Modified:
1. Modified AiDisk setup wizard to prevent a potential security issue.
2. Modified descriptions of WiFi security.
3. Modified MTU clamping rules.
4. Improve Web UI performance.
5. Modified network map client list / UPnP replay mechanism.

Fixed:
1. Fixed wireless schedule setting issues.
2. Fixed several UI issues.
3. Fixed openVPN related issues.
4. Fixed httpd related issues.

Additions:
1. Add support USB hub

 

[Builder71]

I tried this build and the newest Asus build but I found my WiFi was weaker. I am using 3.0.0.4.374.35_4-sdk5 and the WiFi is stronger and more stable.

Did you try the -em version?

 

[Builder71]

I'm up from .38_1-em -> .38_2-em

Thx!

 

[Builder71]

ASUS RT-N66U Firmware Version 3.0.0.4.374.2239 Released Today
...
Fixed

1. Fixed wireless schedule setting issues.
...
3. Fixed openVPN related issues.
...

Curious what they fixed here.
I'm using the wireless scheduler for a long time without problems.

 

[Builder71]

Coming from 3.0.0.4.374.35_4-sdk5 and going to 3.0.0.4.374.38_1-em, I am not seeing similar results either. No worst, no better, basically all the same for both frequencies.

Actually that is a good thing.
You jumped from sdk5 to sdk6.
Previously sdk6 would give you a weaker signal compared to sdk5.

Now the sdk6 with the -em switch will give you similar results, or slightly better, compared to sdk5.
So, what you see is good.

 

[Dan_DaMan]

The signal on the router only says how strong your computer is sending. THat value shouldn't change a lot between driver version. When testing a new router driver, you must always measure it from the computer's end.

That makes good sense, Merlin...thanks for the clarification.

 

[reddice]

Did you try the -em version?

I am new to all of this. I can't don't even know the difference between SKD5 or SKD6 or SDK6 with -em. All I know is someone here said that the wireless performance was better with SDK5.

Edit: On the download page i can't even find a version with -em on it. Sorry but I am new to this. On all my routers I owned I always used stock firmware.

 

[sinshiva]

for too long, sdk5 was better; sdk6 was a work in progress that recent updates have apparently made improvements to. with the current sdk6 provided by the 38 release, you get the benefits of more compatibility provided by sdk6 + the signal quality people saw with sdk5

 

[Builder71]

I am new to all of this. I can't don't even know the difference between SKD5 or SKD6 or SDK6 with -em. All I know is someone here said that the wireless performance was better with SDK5.

Edit: On the download page i can't even find a version with -em on it. Sorry but I am new to this. On all my routers I owned I always used stock firmware.

No problem, go to the downloads on Mediafire.
Click on the "RT-N66U_All_models" and go to the "Experimental" folder.
Here you can find the .38_2-em firmware.

Let us know the results.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

Actually that is a good thing.
You jumped from sdk5 to sdk6.
Previously sdk6 would give you a weaker signal compared to sdk5.

Now the sdk6 with the -em switch will give you similar results, or slightly better, compared to sdk5.
So, what you see is good.

I do not agree with you that the em is better than SDK5.
See this post, where I have 5 dB loss, which is very noticable in my big house.

I am planning to go back to _270.26b which worked superb here when it comes to coverage.