Beta Asuswrt-Merlin 3004.388.6 Beta is now available

[RMerlin]

Please, please to the developer, would be really great if you could take a look at this

Nothing I can do about it.

ZenWifi devices like the XT12 have a special RGB LED that's used to display a coloured status based on the boot process, or the state of the connection to other nodes. The code that controls that particular LED is closed source and outside of my control. Your LED most likely gets turned on due to an event that causes the XT12 to update the status/colour of that LED.

You can try disabling it through the AiMesh page instead of the stealth setting on the Administration page to see if it makes any difference.

 

[L&LD]

@SANdood, the reliability of your network is crippled with AX58s inside, IME.

The RT-AX68Us are MUCH more robust/stable. Upgrade at least to those, or above.

The issues you're seeing now will just keep repeating with almost every new firmware you try.

Of course, the way to (possibly) solve it now is a full reset and clean setup of your network on the latest Beta.

 

[XIII]

I did not really notice before, so I'm not sure whether it's related to this release, but the remote log server for the system log functionality is not working properly (in my setup).

I forward the system log to a Raspberry Pi and its /var/log/syslog and /var/log/user.log files are flooded with these errors (as well as hex dumps?):

2024-01-17T10:24:22.556073+01:00 pi-hb rsyslogd: imtcp imtcp: Framing Error in received TCP message from peer: (hostname) router.home.lan, (ip) router.home.lan: invalid octet count 0. [v8.2302.0]

This used to work fine and I did not change anything on the Raspberry Pi.

What could be wrong? How to fix it?

 

[XIII]

Additionally, nothing seems to change if I modify the server address/port number to something else (than correct for that Pi) and hit "Apply" on the "System Log - General Log" page; router events keep overflowing the logs on the Pi.

 

[SANdood]

@SANdood, the reliability of your network is crippled with AX58s inside, IME.

The RT-AX68Us are MUCH more robust/stable. Upgrade at least to those, or above.

The issues you're seeing now will just keep repeating with almost every new firmware you try.

Of course, the way to (possibly) solve it now is a full reset and clean setup of your network on the latest Beta.

I appreciate your suggestion, but this setup has NEVER created an issue in the past 12 months, reconnecting immediately after numerous Merlin firmware upgrades. They have never failed or dropped off the network, and they handle the 4-5 clients they each serve in the corners of my home just fine.

So something is different with Beta 6 ... hence my report.

 

[jksmurf]

I appreciate your suggestion, but this setup has NEVER created an issue in the past 12 months, reconnecting immediately after numerous Merlin firmware upgrades. They have never failed or dropped off the network, and they handle the 4-5 clients they each serve in the corners of my home just fine.

So something is different with Beta 6 ... hence my report.

I run RT-AX86U with RT-AX3000 node (same f/w as RT-AX58U) and also no issues with this combo. Currently have this .6 Beta on the RT-AX86U and the RT-AX3000j. No issues.

Separately have an RT-AX86U Pro with RT-AX58U node both on .5, 9000kms away, accessed regularly via Tailscale. No issues with that combo either, after various f/w updates.

k.

 

[colossus]

Approaching 8 days uptime on my AX86U Pro - no issues to report - no fiddling around

• 6 devices wired
• 10 Sengled bulbs on 2.4ghz (ch 1 - 20mhz)
• 11 assorted Google devices on 5ghz including two Pixel phones w/ ax (ch 157 - 80mhz)
• dns server 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4

 

[visortgw]

I run RT-AX86U with RT-AX3000 node (same f/w as RT-AX58U) and also no issues with this combo. Currently have this .6 Beta on the RT-AX86U and the RT-AX3000j. No issues.

Separately have an RT-AX86U Pro with RT-AX58U node both on .5, 9000kms away, accessed regularly via Tailscale. No issues with that combo either, after various f/w updates.

k.

I manage two different sites with RT-AX88U as primary router with RT-AX58U AiMesh nodes. All (routers and nodes) are on 3004.388.6 Beta1 with zero issues.

@L&LD, in comparison of RT-AX58U and RT-AX68U:

1. Asus has not updated firmware for the RT-AX68U in over a year, even though @RMerlin continues to provide software updates.
2. The RT-AX58U supports 160 MHz on the 5 GHz band. This is a huge deal for wireless AiMesh nodes as you CAN achieve backhaul data connections between 2 and 4 Gbps.

 

[basia]

I have problem with 388.5 and 388.6 beta1. I have GT-AX6000 as main and AX88 as mesh router. Its connected 1GB lan cable. mesh router is out WIFI range main router. Everything works perfect to out power. After restore power main router not "see" mesh. I try first power on main and after start main restart mesh. Not work. After remove mesh router in gt-AX6000 and serch again - not find. I must reset ax88 and after serch mesh again in ax6000 i find it and everything works fine gain. sorry for my english. please help.

 

[MDM]

I manage two different sites with RT-AX88U as primary router with RT-AX58U AiMesh nodes. All (routers and nodes) are on 3004.388.6 Beta1 with zero issues.

@L&LD, in comparison of RT-AX58U and RT-AX68U:

1. Asus has not updated firmware for the RT-AX68U in over a year, even though @RMerlin continues to provide software updates.
2. The RT-AX58U supports 160 MHz on the 5 GHz band. This is a huge deal for wireless AiMesh nodes as you can achieve backhaul data connections between 2 and 4 Gbps.

Some are here talking about the RT-AX68U and the other ones RT-AX86U. Not the same router!

Sorry for the off-topic...

 

[visortgw]

Dirty upgrade on GT-AX11000 from 3004.388.5 (release) to 3004.388.6 beta - BOTH of my AIMesh nodes did not/would not re-connect (one RT-AX58U running 3.0.0.4.388_23925-g269b2a6 and one RP-AX58 running 3.0.0.4.388_23437-gad1cd46). After a few minutes, the two disappeared from the AI Mesh page (they showed 'disconnected' before they disappeared).

Tried rebooting the GT-AX11000, same result.

Dirty downgrade back to 3004.388.5, and all's well again.

I'm happy to try again, if anyone has any suggestions on how to fix or avoid the problem...

I use RT-AX58U at multiple sites that I manage as both primary router and wired/wireless AiMesh nodes. Two things to try (in order):

1. Update RT-AX58U to 3004.388.6 Beta 1 BEFORE updating GT-AX11000.
2. If nodes don't pair with router, factory reset and re-pair nodes.

 

[MDM]

I see the PMF (Protected Management Frames) setting is back in Wireless with the new GPL and WiFi driver. Not too important to me, but can be useful, or even necessary for some users to be able to control it (depending on the chosen Authentication Method).

Had hoped (not much ) for the new driver to maybe please my phones (POCO) more so not to lose connection after 12h if on WPA3.
But alas to no avail, disconnection in the second at 12h; it is the phones that needs it fixed, since all my other devices do not complain.... But no biggie in a home network.

 

[jksmurf]

Some are here talking about the RT-AX68U and the other ones RT-AX86U. Not the same router!

Sorry for the off-topic...

@MDM actually it was more by way of response to this statement regarding AX58s (and their equivalents, AX3000s) as nodes paired with any main router, including those running this beta (to remain on topic), concerns with which had not been my experience.

the reliability of your network is crippled with AX58s inside, IME

Perhaps @L&LD made this statement based on a far larger data set than my two data points, but all I can do is point out that it had not been my experience.

My comment was not intended to make any reference to the AX68U, simply to provide some balance to the discussion over a particular Router used as a node, and also to note that my main Router (albeit not the same as @SANdood) on beta 6 runs well with the AX58U.

k.

 

[kernol]

I have problem with 388.5 and 388.6 beta1. I have GT-AX6000 as main and AX88 as mesh router. Its connected 1GB lan cable. mesh router is out WIFI range main router. Everything works perfect to out power. After restore power main router not "see" mesh. I try first power on main and after start main restart mesh. Not work. After remove mesh router in gt-AX6000 and serch again - not find. I must reset ax88 and after serch mesh again in ax6000 i find it and everything works fine gain. sorry for my english. please help.

This is not a firmware problem - LOTS of folk have those same routers AiMesh paired without a problem.
Suggest you replace cable. Test first by using another cable at short range and see if the link survives after a power off and then on again of the GT-AX6000. If it does then replace the long cable you have been using.

 

[Damit1]

5 days in row.
Im good to go here.

 

[Wisiwyg]

I have problem with 388.5 and 388.6 beta1. I have GT-AX6000 as main and AX88 as mesh router. Its connected 1GB lan cable. mesh router is out WIFI range main router. Everything works perfect to out power. After restore power main router not "see" mesh. I try first power on main and after start main restart mesh. Not work. After remove mesh router in gt-AX6000 and serch again - not find. I must reset ax88 and after serch mesh again in ax6000 i find it and everything works fine gain. sorry for my english. please help.

In addition to the cable suggested above, I've always had better success by running Merlin on the main and OE firmware on the node. I don't run mesh atm and have not tried this with the 388 branch, but worth a try if you've tried everything else.

 

[visortgw]

In addition to the cable suggested above, I've always had better success by running Merlin on the main and OE firmware on the node. I don't run mesh atm and have not tried this with the 388 branch, but worth a try if you've tried everything else.

That's often the case when OEM firmware is based on a significantly newer GPL, but that is not the case here. Merlin firmware is using a much more recent GPL than is available with OEM for either.

 

[jtp10181]

remote log server for the system log functionality is not working properly (in my setup).

I have had it setup for a while and mine is still working on this beta. I forget what is setup exactly, but I think its rsyslog receiving the logs, and then I have it converting it to a more standard format, and forwarding it to telegram. Telegram then posts it all to Influx DB. Telegram does not like the log format from the router, so that extra step was needed to make it work. Found a guide somewhere and followed it, with a few tweaks here and there.

Also wanted to add, been running the beta since the day it came out and has been working great (RT-AX68U). I was having issues with .5 so had rolled back to .4, but this new version is working great.

 

[visortgw]

I have had it setup for a while and mine is still working on this beta. I forget what is setup exactly, but I think its rsyslog receiving the logs, and then I have it converting it to a more standard format, and forwarding it to telegram. Telegram then posts it all to Influx DB. Telegram does not like the log format from the router, so that extra step was needed to make it work. Found a guide somewhere and followed it, with a few tweaks here and there.

Also wanted to add, been running the beta since the day it came out and has been working great (RT-AX68U). I was having issues with .5 so had rolled back to .4, but this new version is working great.

Works for me as well. Currently logging to my Synology NAS.

 

[torstein]

other than asus completely reworking how ssl certificates work in 24353, what else is new in this gpl? I tried googling for it, but came up with nothing. Would be nice to kmow what else is changed or fixed.