AC66U B1 switching from Freshtomato to Merlin

[fced]

Hello,
My AC66U B1 is actually on Freshtomato, latest version, and i am experimenting problems with a device which sometimes don't recognize the 100/50 Mo connection, and i would like to know it switching from Freshtomato to Merlin could be done without problems (from the web upgrade section of Freshtomato)...
I already bricked a TP-Link router trying to revert from DDWRT to factory to install OpenWRT, and i would ike to avoid bricking this one.
Thanks
Ced

 

[bbunge]

You may want to flash back to stock Asus firmware first, do a hard factory reset, min config, flash Merlin 386.1 beta 1, another hard factory reset then configure. Be aware you may have to format the /jffs after flashing Merlin.

 

[rlj2]

Hello,
My AC66U B1 is actually on Freshtomato, latest version, and i am experimenting problems with a device which sometimes don't recognize the 100/50 Mo connection, and i would like to know it switching from Freshtomato to Merlin could be done without problems (from the web upgrade section of Freshtomato)...
I already bricked a TP-Link router trying to revert from DDWRT to factory to install OpenWRT, and i would ike to avoid bricking this one.
Thanks
Ced

I bricked a tp-link router once also switching between firmwares. Asus routers arent near as easy to brick (impossible almost?). but as bbunge mentioned it will be safer, and have a cleaner new install.

 

[jsbeddow]

In my experience, it us sometimes necessary to flash to the @john9527 Fork build (if your router is supported, that is) as the file size is smaller, then move to stock current Asus or Merlin firmware. This seems to work even when a direct move to the current Asus or Merlin builds are rejected within the FreshTomato GUI. Perhaps not always a "must", but a useful workaround when needed.

 

[fced]

Thank you for your answers i will try this, i thought switching from tomato to another was possible without returning to stock firmware.

Do I need Asus firmware upgrade tool to do this (i used it to install freshtomato)?

 

[fced]

You may want to flash back to stock Asus firmware first, do a hard factory reset, min config, flash Merlin 386.1 beta 1, another hard factory reset then configure. Be aware you may have to format the /jffs after flashing Merlin.

Hello,
Apologies, it took me some time to answer..
Why should i format /jffs partition ? To be honest i never touched it, and i also have read somewhere touching /jffs partition on an Asus AC66U B1 could brick the router...

In my experience, it us sometimes necessary to flash to the @john9527 Fork build (if your router is supported, that is) as the file size is smaller, then move to stock current Asus or Merlin firmware. This seems to work even when a direct move to the current Asus or Merlin builds are rejected within the FreshTomato GUI. Perhaps not always a "must", but a useful workaround when needed.

Is this a special release of Merlin firmware made by john9527? If yes, is there a thread with its functionalities somewhere ?

Thanks

 

[john9527]

Is this a special release of Merlin firmware made by john9527? If yes, is there a thread with its functionalities somewhere ?

Sticky in this forum

[Fork] Asuswrt-Merlin 374 LTS Overview

ASUSWRT-MERLIN 374 LTS This is an LTS (Long Term Service) fork of Asuswrt-Merlin based on 374.43_2. This older code base has a history of being very stable, and some of the older code components may perform better in some environments. It may be a good choice for those who desire a 'set it and...

www.snbforums.com

 

[fced]

Hello,
Is there a way to set an sheduled PPPOE reconnection each day on Merlin firmware as it is on Freshtomato / Tomato firmwares ?
With the webif if possible ...

 

[RMerlin]

Create a cron job that issues a 'service "restart_wan 0' command.

 

[fced]

Create a cron job that issues a 'service "restart_wan 0' command.

Thank you, but how, and where, is there a Cron script section in the Web interface of Merlin ? I haven 't see anything like that... Or do you mean with SSH ?
Could you please post the exact syntax ? i am really not this familiar with cron script, i used them a little to shedule a software restart on set-top boxes, but never on a router, i always done this with the Sheduled section of Tomato...
To be honest, Merlin firmware is not like Tomato firmwares, and i am a bit lost to find anything i need with it...

 

[fced]

I found this on another topic :

service restart_wan

Using SSH to connect to the router is not a problem, but, how to create a cron script to shedule a PPPOE reconnect each day at 09h54 AM ? and where to create or save this cron script ?
Could someone post me the cron script please ...

Edit : Is this correct (reconnect ppoe each day at 09h45AM)?

cru a 0 09 * * * service restart_wan +45

 

[ColinTaylor]

You need to create an /jffs/scripts/init-start user script like this:

#!/bin/sh
cru a RestartWan "45 09 * * * service restart_wan"

 

[RMerlin]

restart_wan requires a unit parameter. It must be:

service "restart_wan 0"

 

[fced]

Thank you both for your answers, it should be easier now ...

 

[fced]

You need to create an /jffs/scripts/init-start user script like this:

#!/bin/sh
cru a RestartWan "45 09 * * * service restart_wan"

Thank you, for your answers,
Here is the content of my /jffs partition (i never touched it) :

ced@RT-AC66U_B1-F600:/jffs# ls
addons          configs         scripts         usericon
cert.tgz        nmp_cl_json.js  syslog.log
ced@RT-AC66U_B1-F600:/jffs#

If I am correct, i must create a subolder named "init-start" in /jffs/scripts/ and then put a text file with the script you sent me ?

#!/bin/sh
cru a RestartWan "45 09 * * * service restart_wan 0"

 

[ColinTaylor]

If I am correct, i must create a subolder named "init-start" in /jffs/scripts/ and then put a text file with the script you sent me ?

#!/bin/sh
cru a RestartWan "45 09 * * * service restart_wan 0"

No, you create a file called init-start that is the script.

 

[ColinTaylor]

restart_wan requires a unit parameter. It must be:

service "restart_wan 0"

Is the requirement for the unit parameter on the wan service a recent change? I thought the parameter was only mandatory for the wan_if service?

 

[RMerlin]

Is the requirement for the unit parameter on the wan service a recent change? I thought the parameter was only mandatory for the wan_if service?

You might be right, I can't remember for sure as I haven't used that command in ages.

 

[fced]

Thank you very much,
Is this correct :

Last login: Mon Jan 11 17:59:33 on ttys000
ced@MacbookPRO ~ % ssh ced@192.168.1.1
ced@192.168.1.1's password:
ASUSWRT-Merlin RT-AC68U 384.19_0 Fri Aug 14 19:17:44 UTC 2020

ced@RT-AC66U_B1-F600:/jffs/scripts# ls -l
-rw-rw-rw-    1 ced      root            63 Jan 12 18:03 init-start

ced@RT-AC66U_B1-F600:/jffs/scripts# vi init-start

#!/bin/sh
cru a RestartWan "45 09 * * * service restart_wan 0"

By the way, i tried to connect to the router with several Ftp/ssh clients (Filezilla, Transmit, RBrowser), but no one worked and i had to create the init-start with Vim, and then chmod it, does anybody know if there is a FTP client on Mac which is compatible with Merlin routers, or a way to enable simple ftp connect to the router (ftp server, without ssh key) ?

 

[ColinTaylor]

FTP can be enabled in the GUI. EDIT: IIRC you're restricted to read/write USB storage only.

The script looks good but you need to make it executable:

chmod 755 /jffs/scripts/init-start

Enable custom scripts in the router's GUI (Administration - System).