[ 386.4 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

[Tom Ames]

I was surprised to see so many Asuswrt-Merlin and similar features all at once in Asuswrt. There is also Auto Firmware Upgrade on/off switch. It actually feels weird - @RMerlin can't build/update his firmware anymore, but Asus is coming with "new" Asuswrt-Merlin borrowed features.

LOL! That is ironic!

I hope a silver lining is that RMerlin is able to enjoy a bit of downtime in the midst of his frustration--and ours.

 

[Tech9]

There is a little difference though. Asus marketing in action.

AC68U - no DNSFilter (possible, but not available)
AC86U - no Wireguard (possible, but not available)
AX models - all features available

So, we'll give you the features, but only if you give us more money.

 

[Treadler]

There is a little difference though. Asus marketing in action.

AC68U - no DNSFilter (possible, but not available)
AC86U - no Wireguard (possible, but not available)
AX models - all features available

So, we'll give you the features, but only if you give us more money.

It‘s a wicked old world……..

 

[Tech9]

I'm waiting to see what the final firmware is going to look like and if Asus marketing is still there, I'm going to ship my entire Asus router collection (12x routers) to a friend of mine living in a place where people are less fortunate. This way 12 people are not going to give Asus more money.

 

[RMerlin]

I don't know what it is, but the timing is what makes it feel weird. Stop Asuswrt-Merlin and push the new Asuswrt with the same or similar features. I would like to hear @RMerlin position on this, if he wants to share it with us. I have to admit the new Asuswrt VPN section offers limited functionality, but in very easy to understand form and with modern looking UI. What it offers is what most people would like to have available for VPN. I don't have supported router model to test Wireguard server/client.

As I mentioned before, no need for people to get their tin foil hat. The GPL situation is exactly as it was explained. My contacts within Asus are actually trying to push as much as they can to get this situation resolved, there is no nefarious purposes on their part. They are aware of what Asuswrt-Merlin does for their market.. Things are just taking longer than everyone expected.

As for features coming from Asuswrt-Merlin, this is something Asus and I are in regular discussion about, as to which features would make sense to be integrated into the stock firmware. We actually reviewed a list of potential candidates months ago. DNSFilter is one of them, and I even discussed some of the technical details of its implementation with Asus to help them implement it. So nothing is "stolen" there, I actively support them whenever needed to help add these features.

 

[Tech9]

Thank you for the explanation, @RMerlin. This sounds better than what it looks like.

 

[RMerlin]

There is a little difference though. Asus marketing in action.

AC68U - no DNSFilter (possible, but not available)
AC86U - no Wireguard (possible, but not available)
AX models - all features available

So, we'll give you the features, but only if you give us more money.

DNSFilter wasn't intended to be available so early, it's been temporarily removed from newer firmwares, and will return at a later date once it's ready for prime time. For instance the previous beta was using older DNSFilter that wasn't up-to-date. They are also reviewing which DNS services to offer in the presets. So wait until it gets its real formal release to determine which models have it.

Also keep in mind that the RT-AC68U is currently nvram-starved. That could be a reason for Asus to not necessarily add every possible new features to that model, as it would increase the risk of running out of nvram, leading to settings corruption.

People shouldn't base final availability of features on beta firmware releases. It's perfectly possible that some models might not get it during early beta because of issues with a particular model. Maybe for instance they hadn't had time yet to patch the RT-AC86U kernel to add the WG kernel module. Wait until the formal 386_5xxxx release.

 

[thecheapseats]

For me, the loss of the Asuswrt-Merlin features I use (DNSFilter/VPN Director) that are not in stock would be the annoyance. Not a blocker as security/protection should always be front and center.

if I had a nickel for every abandoned, orphaned or end-of-life network hardware device I've owned - I'd have a lot of nickels to go along with being annoyed...

that said - not having a spare new-platform router under my fingers (i.e., preconfigured) and waiting in the wings for deployment, would be irresponsible on my part... be prepared...

 

[thecheapseats]

What's that they say? Stealing... I mean, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

or more accurately -> amateurs imitate - professionals steal....

 

[JGrana]

As for features coming from Asuswrt-Merlin, this is something Asus and I are in regular discussion about, as to which features would make sense to be integrated into the stock firmware. We actually reviewed a list of potential candidates months ago. DNSFilter is one of them, and I even discussed some of the technical details of its implementation with Asus to help them implement it. So nothing is "stolen" there, I actively support them whenever needed to help add these features.

This is a great example of how well Open Source works. This level of collaboration between Asus and @RMerlin is great - I’m sure Richard Stallman would be glad. We as users/consumers are benefiting from this.
Granted, there are some areas/companies that “close” their IP - maybe ”secret sauce” (Trend), exposing too much detail on hardware (Broadcom) - but at least Asus is what I would consider a good Open Source supportive company.
When I consider all the new features that have happenned over the life of my Asus routers - all of them free, some from Asus some from @RMerlin , some from the collaberation between them and others - wow.

 

[heysoundude]

Don’t go looking into how old the unsupported Linux 4.1 kernel is.

is this perhaps a contributor to the logjam on asus' side of things, that they're trying to bring the kernel into this decade...say 5.4 or 5.10?
5.10 would make sense - isn't WireGuard included in it, and isn't there rumour that upcoming asuswrt will include that?
but it's a BIG step...thus the "needs more work" ?

 

[heysoundude]

There is a little difference though. Asus marketing in action.

AC68U - no DNSFilter (possible, but not available)
AC86U - no Wireguard (possible, but not available)
AX models - all features available

So, we'll give you the features, but only if you give us more money.

it was, and will always be thus

 

[RMerlin]

is this perhaps a contributor to the logjam on asus' side of things, that they're trying to bring the kernel into this decade...say 5.4 or 5.10?
5.10 would make sense - isn't WireGuard included in it, and isn't there rumour that upcoming asuswrt will include that?
but it's a BIG step...thus the "needs more work" ?

Kernel is determined by the SoC manufacturer's SDK. Router manufacturers cannot change that.

 

[AntonK]

For me, the loss of the Asuswrt-Merlin features I use (DNSFilter/VPN Director) that are not in stock would be the annoyance. Not a blocker as security/protection should always be front and center.

So for the AX86U, there have been 2 firmware releases since August 8th (the last firmware update on RMerlin's site for this router). In those two ASUS firmware releases are what look like a boatload of vulnerability patches (at least to my untrained eye). Is there a concern with that?

 

[shabbs]

So for the AX86U, there have been 2 firmware releases since August 8th (the last firmware update on RMerlin's site for this router). In those two ASUS firmware releases are what look like a boatload of vulnerability patches (at least to my untrained eye). Is there a concern with that?

I see these: Fixed CVE-2021-41435, CVE-2021-41436.

Time to Google.

EDIT: LOL. Those are showing as "reserved" and not disclosed yet.

 

[AntonK]

I see these: Fixed CVE-2021-41435, CVE-2021-41436.

Time to Google.

EDIT: LOL. Those are showing as "reserved" and not disclosed yet.

And this from the next firmware (8-31-2021):

Version 3.0.0.4.386.45375
2021/08/31 74.93 MBytes
ASUS RT-AX86 Series(RT-AX86U/RT-AX86S) Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386.45375
This version includes several vulnerability patches.
BusyBox
- CVE-2016-2148
- CVE-2016-6301
- CVE-2018- 1000517

cURL
- CVE-2020-8169
- CVE-2019-5481
- CVE-2019-5482
- CVE-2018-1000120
- CVE-2018- 1000300
- CVE-2018-16839

Lighttpd
- CVE-2018-19052

Linux
- CVE-2020-14305
- CVE-2020-25643
- CVE-2019-19052

lldpd
- CVE-2020-27827

Avahi
- CVE-2017-6519

hostapd
- CVE-2021-30004
- CVE-2019-16275

OpenVPN
- CVE-2020-11810
- CVE-2020-15078

wpa
- CVE-2021-30004
- CVE-2021-27803
- CVE-2019-11555
- CVE-2019-9499
- CVE-2019-9498
- CVE-2019-9497
- CVE-2019-9496
- CVE-2019-9495
- CVE-2019-9494
- CVE-2017-13086
- CVE-2017-13084
- CVE-2017-13082
- CVE-2016-4476
- CVE-2015-8041

Fixed DoS vulnerability from spoofed sae authentication frame. Thanks to Efstratios Chatzoglou, University of the Aegean, Georgios Kambourakis, European Commission at the European Joint Research Centre, and Constantinos Kolias, University of Idaho.

Fixed envrams exposed issue. Thanks to Quentin Kaiser from IoT Inspector Research Lab contribution.

 

[fearz]

any major findings / enhancements / noticeable performance changes?

 

[shabbs]

And this from the next firmware (8-31-2021):

Yeah, that's a boatload of fixes... hmmm...

 

[dave14305]

Yeah, that's a boatload of fixes... hmmm...

What’s the hurry today for fixes they sat on since 2015?

 

[shabbs]

What’s the hurry today for fixes they sat on since 2015?

Been waiting a long time for that CVE-2015-8041 to get closed...