[378.56.2] Merlin keeps asking for password, can't change any settings

[fluffyguitar]

Hi,

I am running 378.56.2 on an Asus AC66U. I wanted to reboot the router today and it wouldn't let me. When I open the web GUI, I am presented with the login screen. I login successfully and can browse around in the UI.

But as soon as I try to modify a setting, update the firmware or click the reboot button, the page refreshes and I am asked to login again. I login successfully but I am back on the homepage and nothing has happened.

To update the firmware, the firmware gets uploaded, then I am asked to login and then back to the homepage. If I want to modify any setting, as soon as I press save I am asked to login again, back to the homepage and the settings don't stick.

Same thing for rebooting, click the button, asked to login, back to homepage and no reboot.

I rebooted via SSH but how do I fix this? I can't upgrade the firmware for example. That's very odd, never had any issue before.

 

[martinr]

Can you try using a different browser, and, if at all possible, try logging in from a different device and see if that fixes it?

 

[fluffyguitar]

I tried with Chrome and Safari on two computers and the same thing happened.

 

[joegreat]

I tried with Chrome and Safari on two computers and the same thing happened.

Do you use a host-name or the IP address of the router?
Host-name does not work anymore - use the IP address to avoid this problem - was discussed often in the forum...

 

[fluffyguitar]

Do us use a host-name or the IP address of the router?
Host-name does not work anymore - use the IP address to avoid this problem - was discussed often in the forum...

Yes that was it. Thanks.

 

[martinr]

Yes that was it. Thanks.

Then you might want to have a look at this:

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/po...ccess-gui-with-router-name.29794/#post-231101

and if you try it, do give John feedback.

 

[fluffyguitar]

Ok that's odd. When joegreat said hostname, I thought he meant the LAN hostname. I named my router `router.lan` on my network and this is what I was using instead of its IP.

But if I use `router.asus.com` then there are no problems. I just upgraded to the latest firmware to see if it makes a difference.

 

[martinr]

And, quoting John, "are you using Parental Controls/DNS Filter or in some other way bypassing using the router as your DNS server? "

 

[fluffyguitar]

No, the router is the DNS server for the whole network and no parental controls

 

[mystical]

I too was being kicked back to the login page after any change and the problem existed on Chrome and Safari and persisted through a hard factory reset of the router. However, using the router's IP address rather than a DNS name for the router allows me to now configure the router. Thanks for this thread!

 

[JamesG]

First post here, lurked for a bit, searched the forms, and tried a number of things that came up without success on the same problem with a twist.

RT-N66U now running 380.58

I always get kicked back to the login screen after selecting Network Map / View List (under clients). It has only happened once in another settings screen, but I have been able to modify everything else and save normally.

I was already accessing thisN66U via the IP address. I tried three different browsers on three different computers. I have disabled Traffic management, URL, Keyword and Network filters and re-enabled them. I have upgraded to 380.58, done hard resets, but it is still faithfully reproducible.

A quick check of the syslog only shows:
Apr 5 16:25:00 watchdog: restart httpd
Apr 5 16:25:00 rc_service: watchdog 252:notify_rc start_httpd
Apr 5 16:25:00 httpd: start httpd

So I would guess that the process hangs and the watchdog restarts it (hence starting back at the login screen.)

Oddly, the same model of router, with the same firmware at another location works just fine. I was comparing settings, but couldn't spot anything obvious that I could tweak.

I am open to suggestions but want to close with kudos for the great firmware, forms, and posters.

 

[RMerlin]

Something caused the httpd server to crash, and it got restarted by the watchdog service.

 

[effadj]

First post here, lurked for a bit, searched the forms, and tried a number of things that came up without success on the same problem with a twist.

RT-N66U now running 380.58

I always get kicked back to the login screen after selecting Network Map / View List (under clients). It has only happened once in another settings screen, but I have been able to modify everything else and save normally.

I was already accessing thisN66U via the IP address. I tried three different browsers on three different computers. I have disabled Traffic management, URL, Keyword and Network filters and re-enabled them. I have upgraded to 380.58, done hard resets, but it is still faithfully reproducible.

A quick check of the syslog only shows:
Apr 5 16:25:00 watchdog: restart httpd
Apr 5 16:25:00 rc_service: watchdog 252:notify_rc start_httpd
Apr 5 16:25:00 httpd: start httpd

So I would guess that the process hangs and the watchdog restarts it (hence starting back at the login screen.)

Oddly, the same model of router, with the same firmware at another location works just fine. I was comparing settings, but couldn't spot anything obvious that I could tweak.

I am open to suggestions but want to close with kudos for the great firmware, forms, and posters.

Same thing here. When I try to change the ICON in the View List, it goes back to the logon screen, I tired turning off the virus/web check software to no avail. Fails with both Chrome and FireFox (latest version under Windows).

 

[mystical]

Most of my login problems have been solved by using the IP address, but some of my sessions don't timeout even though I set them for 30 minute timeout. When those zombie sessions are active most times I get the 'you are logged on another machine' message, but occasionally I get the 'kicked back to the login screen' behavior.
If this problem were serious and/or easily reproducible I would post it for others to debug. Unfortunately I have yet to figure out the magic incantation to get the 'kicked out' behavior.

 

[JamesG]

I have always been accessing via IP and never ran into the issue until the last upgrade. It does not appear to be a timed out session issue. The strange part is that only one of three RT-N66Us I have exhibits this behaviour (all on the same firmware upgraded on the same day from the same file.)

I was just about to do a factory reset and re-flash to see if that helps, but then I may lose the ability to reproduce the issue (good for my case, bad for debugging.)

The problematic router kicks me out every time so it is reproducible. Is there something I should be looking at to debug this? Would it help anyone else? I'm happy to participate if it contributes, but understand it may not be worth it.

Cheers.

 

[RMerlin]

Check the System Log. If you see a "restart_httpd" from the "atchdog" process, then it means something caused the web server to crash and to be restarted.

 

[JamesG]

Apologies if I am missing something obvious.

The watchdog is restarting httpd just like I noted in my original post. The real question is how do I determine what that "something" is causing the crash.

Many thanks.

 

[RMerlin]

Apologies if I am missing something obvious.

The watchdog is restarting httpd just like I noted in my original post. The real question is how do I determine what that "something" is causing the crash.

Many thanks.

That part is harder, especially if I can't reproduce it on my end. Most of the time it involves compiling it with a lot of debug output, and connecting to the router's serial port to monitor the process.

The most likely source is a network client that has either a long or an invalid hostname. httpd interfaces with networkmap, and that code isn't very robust, despite numerous attempts over the years by both Asus and myself at solidifying it.

 

[JamesG]

I presume I would need a recompiled debug only version (and there is no debug flag I can turn on?) If you wanted to do that, I'm game. If it fixes only one small issue with a bunch of others, then I don't want to waste anyone's time.

Your suggestion about a long or invalid hostname is very likely. When I click the network map / view list sometimes it briefly shows the list (less than a second) before crashing and there is one name that is very long (that seems to have been automatically added) but there is never enough time to edit it. Is there a file I can edit via SSH to correct the long/invalid hostname?

That also means doing a factory reset probably won't help so that saves going down the wrong path.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[john9527]

Is there a file I can edit via SSH to correct the long/invalid hostname?

If you know the associated mac address, you can try making a /jffs/configs/dnsmasq.conf.add with the following entry (xx:xx... is the mac address)

dhcp-host=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx,new_name