[Alpha] 386.2

[seabell]

How would this router be as an upgrade for my setup? Is the processor a worthy upgrade? The WiFi surely is. And as you can see from my signature and attached screen capture, RAM is not an issue for me. I cannot bribe my router to use Swap, no matter how hard I try. I'm a standard home user with multiple devices and no mesh.

View attachment 31199

Here's mine for comparison. I guess swapfile for memory isn't utilised until needed (?).

 

[bluepoint]

Openvpn server gets stuck initializing settings(see yellow information) forever after server is started. If I restart the server it comes up clean then after a while it returns. Clients can still connect in this status though.

386.2 Alpha1 RT-AX88U

 

[Striker317]

Hi @RMerlin and others

I installed RT-AC86U_386.2_alpha1-gc52b410e89 (both Dirty Flash from 386.1_2 and then from a clean install... subsequent post follows clean install from default)

I have a dnsmasq.conf.add file at /jffs/configs
Within the .add file, I have a line that says dhcp-hostsfile=/mnt/SDA1/static_leases

The static_leases file would have all my static leases in this format
B8:27:EB:F6:55:55,192.168.50.6,windows-1
B8:27:EB:F6:55:56,192.168.50.7,windows-2
etc

This setup has worked well up to and including 386.1_0 and 386.1_2


When I reboot after installing 386_2 alpha, I see this error from dnsmasq
Feb 25 23:52:01 dnsmasq[2128]: cannot read /mnt/SDA1/static_leases: No such file or directory
Tells me that SDA1 has not mounted.

This is confirmed by a log entry 2 seconds later

Feb 25 23:52:03 kernel: tfat info: FAT32 volume name 'SDA1', version 0.0.
Feb 25 23:52:03 hotplug[2159]: USB vfat fs at /dev/sda mounted on /tmp/mnt/SDA1
Feb 25 23:52:03 usb: USB vfat fs at /dev/sda mounted on /tmp/mnt/SDA1

Because the file with my static_leases isn't read, my static leases aren't defined, and all my assigned IPs obiously don't load

Having seen the log entries above, I take it something has changed with regards to when SDA1 is mounted, relative to when dnsmasq loads including settings in the .add file.

Questions arising

1. Is this a result of the Add jitterentropy-rngd daemon to HND models? (not sure what else changed between 386_1.2 and the 386_2 alpha
2. I suppose I could throw service restart_dnsmasq into my post-mount script but was this change intended? (dnsmasq running before my SDA1 mounted)?

Any insights onto this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mine25]

Openvpn server gets stuck initializing settings(see yellow information) forever after server is started. If I restart the server it comes up clean then after a while it returns. Clients can still connect in this status though.

386.2 Alpha1 RT-AX88U
View attachment 31289

I had the same issue and noticed that changing the port from UDP 1194 (default) to a random one (>1024), makes it disappear. Give it a try: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers

 

[LimJK]

Openvpn server gets stuck initializing settings(see yellow information) forever after server is started. If I restart the server it comes up clean then after a while it returns. Clients can still connect in this status though.

386.2 Alpha1 RT-AX88U
View attachment 31289

Hi bluepoint,
I recalled see this before when I did dirty flash of new Firmware. My workaround was to DISABLE and ENABLE OpenVPN Server and setup again with the same settings. It has been running properly since I did that.

 

[Volkis]

Openvpn server gets stuck initializing settings(see yellow information) forever after server is started. If I restart the server it comes up clean then after a while it returns. Clients can still connect in this status though.

386.2 Alpha1 RT-AX88U
View attachment 31289

I have the same issue on 386.1_2 on RT-AX88U, so it doesn't seem to be connected to the new alpha version. When selecting Advanced under VPN Details and Apply (no changes) you get the Export button back.

 

[bluepoint]

Hi bluepoint,
I recalled see this before when I did dirty flash of new Firmware. My workaround was to DISABLE and ENABLE OpenVPN Server and setup again with the same settings. It has been running properly since I did that.

Ill try to re-setup and see what happens later. If I change the port # for example, should I re-export the config file to the clients? I don't see any option to change the port in the IOS app so I assume a new config file needs to be imported?

 

[bluepoint]

I had the same issue and noticed that changing the port from UDP 1194 (default) to a random one (>1024), makes it disappear. Give it a try: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers

I think I've fat fingered the export button when I click it to create the config file. Ill re-setup and see what happens.

 

[chichow]

CPU would be a major upgrade. Wifi is hard to compare, as it has fewer streams and lower-end radios but adds AX support.

RAM will depend on what you run on your router. The HND platform used by the RT-AX68U uses more RAM for its regular services, so you can't directly compare usage with older models like the RT-AC88U.

It should be fine unless you start using more memory intensive addons like Skynet or Diversion, which can have significant RAM usage depending on blocklists used.

"RAM will depend on what you run on your router. The HND platform used by the RT-AX68U uses more RAM for its regular services, so you can't directly compare usage with older models like the RT-AC88U."

Obviously I am not running Asus Merlin on mine (yet) but ASUSWRT stock. No add on package. Just enabled AiMesh.

FWIW My normal usage from the status page shows

512 Mb RAM
384 Mb RAM used
144 Mb RAM free

 

[Clark Griswald]

I hate to be that guy, but alpha has not shown any adverse issues, since install over Release fw.
I just checked for a "new alpha/beta", since my system is running smoothly.
Happy Wife and Children staring at glowing devices. It's a regular Norman Rockwell Portrait.
Thank You RMerlin!

Stay Safe Everyone

 

[bluepoint]

Openvpn server gets stuck initializing settings(see yellow information) forever after server is started. If I restart the server it comes up clean then after a while it returns. Clients can still connect in this status though.

386.2 Alpha1 RT-AX88U
View attachment 31289

Update, problem resolved as suggested by @LimJK. Thanks everyone!

 

[ItsMeDude]

Openvpn server gets stuck initializing settings(see yellow information) forever after server is started. If I restart the server it comes up clean then after a while it returns. Clients can still connect in this status though.

386.2 Alpha1 RT-AX88U
View attachment 31289

Mine was doing that as well. The problem was that NTP wasn't updating the system time quickly enough. It was because of the way I have my network set up so I made some changes, but NTP was definitely the issue.

 

[ItsMeDude]

I've been running this on an AX88U for a few days problem free. I had an issue unrelated to the firmware with NTP and VPN servers/clients. One issue that I did have was the USB would not mount after the installation and reboot. While I was troubleshooting the problem it started mounting. I'm not sure what the problem was. I have a second drive that has the same img on it and it did it with both drives.

It could have been related to my other issue that was caused by NTP not updating the system time but I'm not sure exactly what it was.

Everything has been running great after that issue was resolved.

 

[gattaca]

We flagged some outlier timings with NTP not starting "soon enough" in some of the AMTM processing in 384.19. It waits, I forget how many seconds now, then gives up, notes it in the logs and things move forward. Normally, that time is long enough but I had a case the other day where I got burned again when NTP didn't start in time and the router just went on with the wrong time. The clue was the logs kept showing me May... Seems the NTP default wait timeout needs to be increased... to cover these recurring edge cases? Thanks!

 

[bluepoint]

Mine was doing that as well. The problem was that NTP wasn't updating the system time quickly enough. It was because of the way I have my network set up so I made some changes, but NTP was definitely the issue.

If you have NTP problem that will cause a lot of services not to start at boot time cause most of them needs correct date and time, however, my Openvpn problem is not related to NTP instead it's more likely self inflicted.

 

[RMerlin]

Scripts shouldn't blindly rely on a fixed timeout, and actually look for ntp_ready to get set to 1 if they require an accurate clock.

 

[Wallace_n_Gromit]

`
MSRP and 'sale' prices are meaningless today when the lowest price available for merely waiting for one of the revolving sales is significantly lower.

philosophically/businesswise I tend to agree with what you are saying.

The way you could think of it is, the lowest price that you can get something from a manufacturer if you are indifferent to when you get the item is the actual "MSRP". If you can wait a week to 6 months to get something then you wait for the lower/actual price.

You are charged a Premium on the actual "MSRP" if you want/just have to get the item RIGHT NOW! We understand this as a concept. Just as if you are willing to pay lots more to have a package delivered Overnight Air vs. waiting 2-7 days for FREE/cheaper ground shipping.

 

[AntonK]

CPU would be a major upgrade. Wifi is hard to compare, as it has fewer streams and lower-end radios but adds AX support.

RAM will depend on what you run on your router. The HND platform used by the RT-AX68U uses more RAM for its regular services, so you can't directly compare usage with older models like the RT-AC88U.

It should be fine unless you start using more memory intensive addons like Skynet or Diversion, which can have significant RAM usage depending on blocklists used.

So if price is not an issue, and all I'm concerned with is maximum power in all respects (cpu, radios etc), maximum longevity in terms of router support from ASUS and, likely, 3rd-party support, what is my best choice right now from ASUS to upgrade from the RT-AC88U (asked of all, not just @RMerlin )?

 

[SMS786]

So if price is not an issue, and all I'm concerned with is maximum power in all respects (cpu, radios etc), maximum longevity in terms of router support from ASUS and, likely, 3rd-party support, what is my best choice right now from ASUS to upgrade from the RT-AC88U (asked of all, not just @RMerlin )?

RT-AX88U definitely.. Until Wifi 6E becomes ubiquitous, of course

 

[L&LD]

1 RT-AX86U (or 2x, in wired AiMesh mode (if needed for best coverage at highest throughput) is better than 1 RT-AX88U (or 2x...), overall.

The RT-AX88U is great, but the RT-AX86U is better.