Asuswrt Merlin 3006.102.3 Alpha1 for GT-BE98 Pro

[visortgw]

@RMerlin has posted firrmware 3006.102.3_alpha1-gbd2e7fe898 for the GT-BE98 Pro. Changelog shows:

3006.102.3 (xx-xxx-xxxx)
  - NOTE: If flashing on top of Asus stock firmware 3006.102_37000
          or greater, then you first need to enable downgrade
          capabilities before flashing Asuswrt-Merlin on top
          of it.  Over SSH, run the following command:

             nvram set DOWNGRADE_CHECK_PASS=1

          After that, you can upload Asuswrt-Merlin through
          the webui like any regular firmware upgrade.

          This is only required when flashing Asuswrt-Merlin
          for the first time.

  - NOTE: The new GPL codebase changed the way wireless networks
          are configured.  If you ever revert to an older
          firmware, you MUST do a factory default reset following
          the firmware downgrade, on both the router and any
          existing AiMesh nodes.

  - UPDATED: Merged with GPL 3006.102_37346.
  - UPDATED: dropbear to 2024.86.

At this point, the alpha is primarily the integration of the new GPL.

NOTE: Install at your own risk. Alpha builds are unsupported.


Download from the standard Pre-beta test builds on OneDrive.

 

[visortgw]

FIndings since installation:

1. "Redirect webui access to www.asusrouter.com" setting is disabled in the web UI for my GT-BE98 Pro, but the redirect occurs anyways. I have not found a way to disable it.
2. I had some "weirdness" with my GT-AXE16000 AiMesh node after the upgrade. WPS resetting and re-adding the AiMesh node resolved the issues.
3. The default IoT network profile claimed slots on all AiMesh nodes even though it was not enabled. Deleting the profile that I don't use (not possible with the previous firmware) resolved the issue.

 

[matthew_eli]

FIndings since installation:

1. "Redirect webui access to www.asusrouter.com" setting is disabled in the web UI for my GT-BE98 Pro, but the redirect occurs anyways. I have not found a way to disable it.
2. I had some "weirdness" with my GT-AXE16000 AiMesh node after the upgrade. WPS resetting and re-adding the AiMesh node resolved the issues.
3. The default IoT network profile claimed slots on all AiMesh nodes even though it was not enabled. Deleting the profile that I don't use (not possible with the previous firmware) resolved the issue.

Hi @visortgw, is the 802.1q options panel present on the WAN section?

 

[visortgw]

Hi @visortgw, is the 802.1q options panel present on the WAN section?

A tab for 802.11q (aka VLAN) options are not present on the WAN page. I believe what you are looking for is the VLAN tab is on the LAN page — it has been always been available on Merlin firmware for the GT-BE98 Pro.

 

[matthew_eli]

A tab for 802.11q (aka VLAN) options are not present on the WAN page. I believe what you are looking for is the VLAN tab is on the LAN page — it has been always been available on Merlin firmware for the GT-BE98 Pro.

Hi, yes that’s correct. Anyway, just like in the GT-AX6000, ASUS added this possibility of configuring the VLAN tag for WAN (as it should be) in the 802.1q options in the WAN section. In this way I also suspect you don’t have to sacrifice the 10Gbit WAN/LAN port instead of the 2.5Gbit

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

In the WebUI:

Smart connect appears enabled even though it isn't and I still have all my split bands with different SSIDs. I cannot disable it.
However I can see all my networks still under: Network page.

This update has also correctly solved my issue of my primary 6Ghz radio not broadcasting with split SSIDs. But I still can't connect to the 6GHz-1 radio even though I can see it broadcasting now with it's own SSID.

 

[visortgw]

In the WebUI:

View attachment 62966

Smart connect appears enabled even though it isn't and I still have all my split bands with different SSIDs. I cannot disable it.
However I can see all my networks still under: Network page.
View attachment 62965

This update has also correctly solved my issue of my primary 6Ghz radio not broadcasting with split SSIDs. But I still can't connect to the 6GHz-1 radio even though I can see it broadcasting now with it's own SSID.

So... I have Smart Connect enabled (prior to upgrade), but it does not show the Smart Connect option nor the SSID on the Wireless >> General tab of the web UI:

 

[visortgw]

Hi, yes that’s correct. Anyway, just like in the GT-AX6000, ASUS added this possibility of configuring the VLAN tag for WAN (as it should be) in the 802.1q options in the WAN section. In this way I also suspect you don’t have to sacrifice the 10Gbit WAN/LAN port instead of the 2.5Gbit

Actually, I use the 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN port for WAN so that I have two 10 Gbps ports available to connect to 10 Gbps capable switches!

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

So... I have Smart Connect enabled (prior to upgrade), but it does not show the Smart Connect option nor the SSID on the Wireless >> General tab of the web UI:

View attachment 62973​

Something odd for sure. Seems to be a visual glitch in the UI.

 

[visortgw]

Something odd for sure. Seems to be a visual glitch in the UI.

Or, possibly an unintentional holdover from the previous version of Merlin firmware?

 

[visortgw]

Another finding: the upgrade enabled UPnP, which was previously disabled.

 

[visortgw]

VPN Director display in web GUI appears to be broken.

 

[visortgw]

VPN Director display in web GUI appears to be broken.

View attachment 62981

It appears that the VPN Director config settings are there. It's just a browser or web UI issue.

If I close browser (Firefox), reopen the web GUI, select the VPN / VPN Director pulldown menu provided by one of the 3rd-party add-ons (possibly amtm? appears to be scMerlin), then the fully populated VPN Director display is shown. If I then select the VPN Director tab, the empty page is shown. The other VPN page tabs work normally.

NOTE: I apologize to @thelonelycoder for incorrectly insinuating that amtm might be at fault — it is definitely scMerlin.

 

[dave14305]

It's just a browser or web UI issue.

Any GUI quirks should be checked on the browser’s Developer Console (F12). Useful messages might be there.

 

[visortgw]

Any GUI quirks should be checked on the browser’s Developer Console (F12). Useful messages might be there.

 

[Tech9]

So... I have Smart Connect enabled (prior to upgrade)

This?

RT-BE86U - how to disable Smart connect?

I have exactly the same problem. I have 2 Shelly 1 and an electrodragon that do not connect to my 2.4Ghz network. I've tried everything. With my other Synolgy RT-2600AC router they connect without problem with the same SSID and password with the same encryption. I have reset it from the factory...

www.snbforums.com

 

[visortgw]

This?

RT-BE86U - how to disable Smart connect?

I have exactly the same problem. I have 2 Shelly 1 and an electrodragon that do not connect to my 2.4Ghz network. I've tried everything. With my other Synolgy RT-2600AC router they connect without problem with the same SSID and password with the same encryption. I have reset it from the factory...

www.snbforums.com

Thanks, that appears to be what I'm seeing (as well as explains what @ExtremeFiretop sees)! I wasn't following this RT-BE86U thread.

 

[Tech9]

I just remembered someone asking the same question. Seems like the new Asuswrt comes with new ways of doing things across the board.

 

[visortgw]

I just remembered someone asking the same question. Seems like the new Asuswrt comes with new ways of doing things across the board.

Yes, Guest Network Pro page eliminated and moved to new Network page, along with parts of General tab of Wireless page. New GPLs can introduce new learning curve along with new capabilities.

 

[Tech9]

Seems like the new Asuswrt comes with new ways of doing things

Actually, about Smart Connect - I don't have such setting in my UniFi control panel either. It's done exactly as RMerlin describes the new Asuswrt way - you start with an SSID and attach it to a radio. Multiple radios used enable automatically what Asus calls Smart Connect.

Guest Network Pro page eliminated and moved to new Network page

This is again similar to what I see in UniFi. You first define a Network with all the properties, then define an SSID and attach it to a Network, then tell the AP how many radios will broadcast this SSID. This is the common logic of doing things on business systems. When I first run a Pro router got a bit confused how Asus made the things backwards. It was inherited by the old flat network design. Now they are fixing it the way it should be.