Release ASUS RT-BE96U Firmware version 3.0.0.6.102_37024 (10/23/2024)

[DMcD-EMS-USMC]

Click here for firmware download page: ASUS RT-BE96U Firmware 3.0.0.6.102_37024

*Please be advised that due to an architecture upgrade in AiMesh, we highly discourage downgrading to earlier firmware versions as it may result in connectivity problems. If you experience any difficulties, we suggest resetting the AiMesh router to its default settings and re-establishing the mesh connection.

Security:
Strengthened system code execution processes.
Enhanced AiCloud password protection mechanisms, safeguarding against unauthorized access attempts.
Refined input validation in the web interface, ensuring a more secure web interaction environment.
Improved data export functionality in the admin portal, ensuring accurate and secure handling of client information.
Optimized memory management mechanisms, improving system stability.
Improved system buffer management, ensuring reliable data processing workflows.
Enhanced stack buffer management, promoting greater system stability.

New features:
New "Network" page to consolidate main network and guest network pro for simplified management.

Bug Fixes and Enhancements：
Improved AiMesh backhaul stability.
Improved system stability and fixed Guest network pro GUI issues.
Optimized memory management mechanisms, improving system efficiency and stability.

 

[RogerSC]

Had this flashed with factory reset after flashing. Set it up and turned on MLO. All my clients were connected and everything looked good. Decided to reboot the router, which I often do about a half-hour after flashing. After the reboot, only my wired clients were able to connect, none of the wireless ones were. Looked over the "Network" settings and the "Wireless" settings, and didn't see anything wrong there, including checking that the network passcodes were typed correctly.

Since I didn't want to spend the time factory resetting yet again and re-configuring, went back to my backup router (GT-AX6000), and it's working great *smile*. Unless I feel a burst of "reset and reconfigure" energy come over me, I'm waiting for the next version of firmware for the BE96U.

UPDATE: Just had a burst of factory reset/re-configuration energy *smile*. Looking much better this time around with MLO enabled, even survived a reboot nicely. Hoping that this time around it'll just keep working as well as it is now.

 

[baller54]

I flashed this a couple hours ago as we've been waiting for some type of fw update, and finally had time to check it out. Biggest change so far is the new Network tab which now has an MLO option for the Main network that previous firmwares did not. Nice to have it on the Main network and not have to create another MLO-specific network. So far so good, but will put it through it's paces this week

 

[RogerSC]

I flashed this a couple hours ago as we've been waiting for some type of fw update, and finally had time to check it out. Biggest change so far is the new Network tab which now has an MLO option for the Main network that previous firmwares did not. Nice to have it on the Main network and not have to create another MLO-specific network. So far so good, but will put it through it's paces this week

If you used the "MLO fronthaul for clients" setting to get MLO on your main network, this one is interesting. I tried that once as well, and it sets your main network up as a fronthaul for a mesh, not as a general use MLO network. For example, you'll have no SSID to connect to, since that's how backhaul networks are generally configured (so that random clients won't connect to it). The other thing that struck me was that while the three bands were selected using the fronthaul MLO setting, only two, 2.4 and 5GHz. are illuminated in the setting. So I'm not clear on what this says about how 6GHz. will be used...like non-preferentially or something.

Anyways, where Asus says that you would actually turn on MLO for your main network is missing in action. It should be a choice in the "Network" tab "Advanced Settings" area. That's what Asus's online support notes show for how to turn on MLO for your main network. I haven't seen this choice in Network -> Main Network -> Advanced Settings in the last two firmware updates. So it appears that Asus either removed that choice for some reason, or hasn't actually implemented it yet. Odd, but true *smile*. So no main network with MLO for me until there's a way to do that that's actually intended for that. Too bad.

Unless I've missed some setting that enables the MLO setting to be visible in the Advanced Settings menu. I have MLO enabled in the Wireless MLO tab. My main network has WiFi 7 mode enabled, WPA2/WPA3 is enabled. I also tried with straight WPA3, but that didn't work, either. There may be some setting somewhere that I need to enable or disable, but I'm not seeing it.

 

[baller54]

If you used the "MLO fronthaul for clients" setting to get MLO on your main network, this one is interesting. I tried that once as well, and it sets your main network up as a fronthaul for a mesh, not as a general use MLO network. For example, you'll have no SSID to connect to, since that's how backhaul networks are generally configured (so that random clients won't connect to it). The other thing that struck me was that while the three bands were selected using the fronthaul MLO setting, only two, 2.4 and 5GHz. are illuminated in the setting. So I'm not clear on what this says about how 6GHz. will be used...like non-preferentially or something.

Anyways, where Asus says that you would actually turn on MLO for your main network is missing in action. It should be a choice in the "Network" tab "Advanced Settings" area. That's what Asus's online support notes show for how to turn on MLO for your main network. I haven't seen this choice in Network -> Main Network -> Advanced Settings in the last two firmware updates. So it appears that Asus either removed that choice for some reason, or hasn't actually implemented it yet. Odd, but true *smile*. So no main network with MLO for me until there's a way to do that that's actually intended for that. Too bad.

Unless I've missed some setting that enables the MLO setting to be visible in the Advanced Settings menu. I have MLO enabled in the Wireless MLO tab. My main network has WiFi 7 mode enabled, WPA2/WPA3 is enabled. I also tried with straight WPA3, but that didn't work, either. There may be some setting somewhere that I need to enable or disable, but I'm not seeing it.

Interesting input! I am using the "MLO fronthaul for clients" setting on the main ssid, as well as wifi 7 mode and all 3 bands selected as in my last screenshot. I didn't have a mesh as I just have the one router. I only have one MLO device right now (Pixel 9 Pro XL) and MLO is definitely working on my phone.

I agree that it seems like it shouldn't work, but it's def working for me. Prior to this firmware I had to create a separate MLO said in the guest network tab to get it working.Maybe it's not actually that fronthaul setting that's making it happen, but some other setting that's not very clear. I guess I could disable that fronthaul setting and see what happens, maybe tomorrow.

Otherwise my settings are the same as yours..
I have MLO enabled in the Wireless MLO tab. My main network has WiFi 7 mode enabled, WPA2/WPA3 is enabled.

 

[jimmysofat6864]

Interesting input! I am using the "MLO fronthaul for clients" setting on the main ssid, as well as wifi 7 mode and all 3 bands selected as in my last screenshot. I didn't have a mesh as I just have the one router. I only have one MLO device right now (Pixel 9 Pro XL) and MLO is definitely working on my phone.

View attachment 62491
View attachment 62493

I agree that it seems like it shouldn't work, but it's def working for me. Prior to this firmware I had to create a separate MLO said in the guest network tab to get it working.Maybe it's not actually that fronthaul setting that's making it happen, but some other setting that's not very clear. I guess I could disable that fronthaul setting and see what happens, maybe tomorrow.

Otherwise my settings are the same as yours..
I have MLO enabled in the Wireless MLO tab. My main network has WiFi 7 mode enabled, WPA2/WPA3 is enabled.

I'm still not sure what the difference is between having "MLO Fronthaul for clients" enabled and the difference between having MLO enabled in the wireless tab. If you have MLO enabled in the wireless tab but leave "MLO Fronthaul for clients" disabled, do you still have MLO support for your phone and other devices?

 

[RogerSC]

I'm still not sure what the difference is between having "MLO Fronthaul for clients" enabled and the difference between having MLO enabled in the wireless tab. If you have MLO enabled in the wireless tab but leave "MLO Fronthaul for clients" disabled, do you still have MLO support for your phone and other devices?

From my experience with this, the MLO in the Wireless tab enables MLO to be turned on, sort of a master enable. This doesn't enable MLO on any network, just allows you to do that. Then once you've enabled MLO in the Wireless tab, you can then turn on MLO for your main network (or elsewhere) in the Network tab. If you try to turn on MLO for a network in the Network tab when MLO in the Wireless tab is off, it tells you to go and enable MLO in the Wireless tab first.

So, to answer the original question *smile*, if you enable MLO in the Wireless tab, no, you've not turned on MLO for any of your devices, just enabled it for the router. To get MLO turned on for devices, you need to go into the Network tab and turn it on for the specific networks that your devices are on.