Release ASUS RT-AC68U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386_51668 (2023/11/30 )

[Tech9]

Does it really matter? You have 25% RAM utilization.

Was there a memory leak issue before on older firmware versions?

 

[wouterv]

As I said, no harm.
Firmware 3.0.0.4.386_51668 seems to be "too good" with an uninterrupted uptime of 97 days of both the RT-AC68U Router and the RT-AC1900U Media Bridge. I can't recall the close to 100 days was reached with older firmware versions without the need for a reboot other then after a firmware upgrade.

 

[Tech9]

seems to be "too good"

You'll start seeing anomalies the moment you go outside of expected basic configuration close to default settings.

 

[Intrepid]

Sadly, Asus has just announced that the RT-AC68U has been discontinued and has reached end of life. :-(
When a product is end-of-life, it means:
It is no longer manufactured
Its certification will not be renewed
Its firmware, utility, website, DM, QSG and manual will not be updated
It may be replaced by a new product with updated hardware and similar functions
See (under Wireless Routers): https://www.asus.com/event/network/eol-product/

Being discussed in this thread >> https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac68u-end-of-life-announced-by-asus.89314/

 

[wouterv]

At least they leave the RT-AC68U behind with rock solid firmware.

 

[banger]

At least they leave the RT-AC68U behind with rock solid firmware.

Let's hope so. I have just come off Merlin 12_6 which is not stable at all.

 

[Tech9]

Let's hope so

As long as you don't have a combination of IPv6 enabled + AdaptiveQoS, don't rely on Time Scheduling/Internet Blocking and UPnP/Port Forwarding with NAT acceleration enabled, don't use Network Services Filter, don't rely on Dual WAN functions, don't mind the spikes in Traffic Monitor, don't run speed tests on wired nodes LAN ports, don't mind last security updates from May 2023 and Asus doesn't brick your router with one of the next ASD updates - you're good.

This final firmware update was just fixing Trend Micro's constant DCD crashes.

 

[wouterv]

In a few words: the more you deviate from the factory default settings, the more troubles you can expect.
All the advertised additional fancy features are marketing driven, the more additional features you enable and try to use at the same time, the worse it get.
My RT-AC68U Router and RT-AC1900U Media Bridge are up without hick-ups for over 100 days, exactly how it should be (install and forget), and yes, they run without fancy features enabled (the most exotic is the USB stick in the router as simple network drive).

 

[andyross]

I currently have the next-to-last 51665 release. Is it worth updating it to 51668? I am having no problems, and it only looks like it is some minor updates.

 

[Tech9]

Is it worth updating it to 51668?

It stops constant Trend Micro DCD crashing. If you don't use any Trend Micro features - perhaps doesn't matter.

 

[wouterv]

My router does not have Trend Micro features enabled.
With firmware 51665 and older both the Router and Media Bridge showed hick-ups now and then, the Media Bridge got frozen about once in a month.
After the upgrade to 51668 no single hick-up and the Media Bridge never got frozen.

The only minor issue I noticed is a small memory leak in the Router and the Media Bridge (see post #14), probably that is not new but hidden when you reboot the router frequently due to other issues. Now the Router and Media Bridge are up for 108 days I am able to notice the slow creeping memory usage, no harm so far and enough memory left.

[EDIT]
I talked to quick, the Media Bridge gave this in the system log:

Mar 22 04:31:10 ahs: [read_json]Update ahs JSON file.
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: wl/3333: potentially unexpected fatal signal 11.
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: Pid: 3333, comm:                   wl
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: CPU: 1    Tainted: P             (2.6.36.4brcmarm #1)
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: PC is at 0x40100c1c
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: LR is at 0x40101f1c
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: pc : [<40100c1c>]    lr : [<40101f1c>]    psr: a0000010
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: sp : be90faf8  ip : dd7b3edd  fp : be90fb0c
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: r10: be90fde8  r9 : 00000004  r8 : be90fba0
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: r7 : 3cdda23d  r6 : 00000000  r5 : 00000001  r4 : 00000000
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: r3 : 00000000  r2 : 400c2000  r1 : be90fba0  r0 : 0007b124
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: Flags: NzCv  IRQs on  FIQs on  Mode USER_32  ISA ARM  Segment user
Mar 22 20:20:15 kernel: Control: 10c53c7d  Table: 9c47c04a  DAC: 00000015
Mar 23 02:15:10 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7834)]do webs_update

The error is quite at its own, the ahs update was hours before and the next firmware check hours after.
The Media Bridge continued without a restart and functions normal.