Release ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386.46061 (2022/01/14)

[Davemul]

Hi all, would any kind soul have a copy of the stable 42095 firmware that they could upload for me to download. (as it’s been removed from the ASUS site)

my situation, new owner of 3 xt8s and they came with firmware 43170 on two xt8s (AP device and wireless backhaul device) and firmware 25790 on the 3rd unit that I have a hard wired cat6 connection to.

I’ve come to the xt8s after trying the ORBI rbk753 which is atrocious for disconnects.

I’ve only just installed the xt8s so monitoring their current performance today working from home.

the app says updates to 46061 available but from reading this post I’d like to have 42095 incase things go tits up.
Many thanks

 

[kamil666]

42095 XT8 https://gofile.io/d/NnSGrf

 

[Davemul]

Ah that’s great, Many thanks

 

[Thirteen]

The download link is still active, it's just no longer listed.

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/ZenWiFi_XT8/FW_ZENWIFI_XT8_300438642095.zip

 

[Dodgydrains]

Hi all, would any kind soul have a copy of the stable 42095 firmware that they could upload for me to download. (as it’s been removed from the ASUS site)

my situation, new owner of 3 xt8s and they came with firmware 43170 on two xt8s (AP device and wireless backhaul device) and firmware 25790 on the 3rd unit that I have a hard wired cat6 connection to.

I’ve come to the xt8s after trying the ORBI rbk753 which is atrocious for disconnects.

I’ve only just installed the xt8s so monitoring their current performance today working from home.

the app says updates to 46061 available but from reading this post I’d like to have 42095 incase things go tits up.
Many thanks

Please note this on the Asus website:

'If your router's production year is 2022 or above, DO NOT downgrade to this version, Please check the back label for the production year.'

 

[IcerJo]

Have you tried beta 9.0.0.4.386_57317-gd068439

I haven't, also I just returned home and my System has been up and stable for the past 6 days. I may have had a bad download last time. When the beta becomes mainstream i will switch over.

 

[Michael Eli]

Hi, new to the XT8, using it with an Ethernet backhaul, attached behind my isp router in a DMZ. When I got it I upgraded to 46061. Generally not happy, if I activate ai protection and traffic analyser it will crash and reboot every couple of hours. If I switch them off and get it to auto reboot every night it’s stable. Except when my daughter comes over and uses Microsoft teams, that will usually cause it to crash, so I set her up on my isp router. But while it’s working it’s very good, fast and reaches every corner of the house. Wondering what to do, I think returning it is complex (ASUS not easy to work with), plus I hear Orbi has problems as well. Leaning towards keeping it as its stable in the setup I’ve settled on, perhaps hoping new releases more stable. Any advice?

 

[aurizn]

Hi, new to the XT8, using it with an Ethernet backhaul, attached behind my isp router in a DMZ. When I got it I upgraded to 46061. Generally not happy, if I activate ai protection and traffic analyser it will crash and reboot every couple of hours. If I switch them off and get it to auto reboot every night it’s stable. Except when my daughter comes over and uses Microsoft teams, that will usually cause it to crash, so I set her up on my isp router. But while it’s working it’s very good, fast and reaches every corner of the house. Wondering what to do, I think returning it is complex (ASUS not easy to work with), plus I hear Orbi has problems as well. Leaning towards keeping it as its stable in the setup I’ve settled on, perhaps hoping new releases more stable. Any advice?

Disable AiProtection, parental control, traffic analyzer, QoS and web history. These features will disable NAT acceleration and cause additional load to the CPU which might lead it to crash.

The ZenWiFi XT8 have a really slow CPU despite being a $400+ product. It's literally the same CPU used on the RT-AX55 that cost just $100.

 

[Michael Eli]

Disable AiProtection, parental control, traffic analyzer, QoS and web history. These features will disable NAT acceleration and cause additional load to the CPU which might lead it to crash.

The ZenWiFi XT8 have a really slow CPU despite being a $400+ product. It's literally the same CPU used on the RT-AX55 that cost just $100.

Thanks, good advice. Is there another 2 node mesh system you’d recommend in preference to the X8?

 

[bradbort]

I'm running it with a wired backhaul, AI on, and really have not had any problems, except for having to move my nest thermostat onto the guest network. For some reason, it kept dropping if I did not.

 

[shama_001]

Some other issues with WAN speed decreasing by time up to a stable level, but no problem with CPU speed with AI protection ON.
The CPU/MEM are stable and low, internal traffic is as expected

 

[Chippy_boy]

Perhaps not the place to ask this, but are people faring better with e.g. Orbi?

I am pretty annoyed that I am still having to run 42095 in order to be able to watch TV on my Sky Q mini boxes. Everything after 42095 and I lose the picture every so many minutes. I am far from happy to be running such old firmware from a security standpoint, especially knowing how many security flaws have subsequently been identified and fixed.

 

[bradbort]

I'm running it with a wired backhaul, AI on, and really have not had any problems, except for having to move my nest thermostat onto the guest network. For some reason, it kept dropping if I did not.

It looks like there is a new public beta posted on ASUS download site, which claims to fix IOT issues. We shall see!

 

[GenericITGuy]

It looks like there is a new public beta posted on ASUS download site, which claims to fix IOT issues. We shall see!

The beta seems to have finally resolved the Manual DHCP issue that has existed in EVERY firmware since initial release back in early 2020 (I forgot the build number and no longer have it), so that is a huge plus for me.
However, I use the wireless backhaul and have to revert to 25790 on the Aimesh node as that is still a huge issue with every version since 25790, including the beta 46980. I really wish I had the option to ethernet backhaul, but don't want to take the time doing it right and getting into the walls and running close to 175ft of wire (only about 50ft away the way the radio waves fly )

I am going to run both 46980 on primary and 25790 on aimesh and hope it stays solid---good for the last 5 hours so far.

 

[RogerSC]

The beta seems to have finally resolved the Manual DHCP issue that has existed in EVERY firmware since initial release back in early 2020 (I forgot the build number and no longer have it), so that is a huge plus for me.
However, I use the wireless backhaul and have to revert to 25790 on the Aimesh node as that is still a huge issue with every version since 25790, including the beta 46980. I really wish I had the option to ethernet backhaul, but don't want to take the time doing it right and getting into the walls and running close to 175ft of wire (only about 50ft away the way the radio waves fly )

I am going to run both 46980 on primary and 25790 on aimesh and hope it stays solid---good for the last 5 hours so far.

Couple of things...if you have cable TV coax in your walls already, you can use them for ethernet via MoCA 2.0 or MoCA 2.5. You need a MoCA adapter at your router node, and an adapter at each "remote" node, and that will act as wired backhaul. Have that set up here, and it works really well...MoCA is about the speed of ethernet cables with just a little more latency due to the MoCA adapters. Just a thought that might help.

The other is that there is now Asuswrt firmware from GNUton (builds Merlin's firmware for a few Asus routers that Merlin doesn't deal with) for the ZenWiFi AX...haven't used it myself since the Beta firmware is doing well for me, but have heard good things about it:

Release - Asuswrt-Merlin 386.5 GNUton's builds are now available

Hi there, Today I am finally happy to announce that we have a Merlin stable release for the usual models: - DSL-AC68U - DSL-AX82U/DSL-AX5400 - RT-AX82U and also for two new entries: - TUF-AX5400 - ZenWiFi AX (X8) / RT-AX95Q If you have wishes to see Merlin running on other routers please...

www.snbforums.com

 

[GenericITGuy]

Couple of things...if you have cable TV coax in your walls already, you can use them for ethernet via MoCA 2.0 or MoCA 2.5. You need a MoCA adapter at your router node, and an adapter at each "remote" node, and that will act as wired backhaul. Have that set up here, and it works really well...MoCA is about the speed of ethernet cables with just a little more latency due to the MoCA adapters. Just a thought that might help.

The other is that there is now Asuswrt firmware from GNUton (builds Merlin's firmware for a few Asus routers that Merlin doesn't deal with) for the ZenWiFi AX...haven't used it myself since the Beta firmware is doing well for me, but have heard good things about it:

Release - Asuswrt-Merlin 386.5 GNUton's builds are now available

Hi there, Today I am finally happy to announce that we have a Merlin stable release for the usual models: - DSL-AC68U - DSL-AX82U/DSL-AX5400 - RT-AX82U and also for two new entries: - TUF-AX5400 - ZenWiFi AX (X8) / RT-AX95Q If you have wishes to see Merlin running on other routers please...

www.snbforums.com

I am familiar with the MoCA adapters, but not willing to drop another couple hundred just to get a wired version working when wireless backhaul should work. Plus, I don't actually have coax anywhere near my mesh node location.

I am actually working well on the mixed firmware model. I might track the gnuton spinoff too though.

 

[RogerSC]

Yes, wireless backhaul is working well for me here. I've tried wired backhaul here, and it was just a little faster, while having more problems. Haven't tried it yet on the Beta firmware, though.

And don't want to have different firmware on the XT8's here, that doesn't make sense to me in a mesh configuration. I like the "identical nodes" idea. However, if that works better for you, enjoy *smile*!

 

[maximillion82]

Thanks for posting. Thus update is not working for me. We have the newest MBPros with M1 Max/Pro chipsets, and they fail to connect to the correct node. Performance is useless. We also observed this with other Apple and non-Apple devices but less frequently. We downloaded and installed the beta that was released on Feb 22/2022, I am not a fan of using beta versions, but so far, it is the most stable version that can still be downloaded from Asus.

 

[Davemul]

Hi all. Running 4 xt8’s.
Main is in AP mode
1 node Ethernet backhaul
2 others wireless. Connection keeps freezing in WiFi unless I switch off one of the wireless connected nodes then returns to normal. I think all my units are 2022 models

what firmware is everyone using as stable?

I’m using 42095 on 3 units (main, Ethernet backhaul & wireless backhaul) and 46061 wireless backhaul on a recently bought unit.

the 42095 wireless unit is causing WiFi freezes unless I switch it off.
Grateful for any advice

thanks

 

[Turok]

I updated to the latest FW and I've had absolutely no issues so far. Even my Neat thermostat hasn't "lost connection" so far, normally my nest thermostat would say "offline" all the time and I'd have to physically use the thermostat to set the heat/AC.

Fingers crossed that this has been fixed. Which was the biggest problem I was experiencing.