Asuswrt-Merlin 374.41 Beta 1 is now available

[RMerlin]

Asuswrt-Merlin 374.41 Beta 1 is now available for download.

UPDATE: Beta 2 now available, with a fix for the Comcast firewall rule

Here are the highlights of this release:

• Merged with Asus's 374_5047 GPL (from the RT-AC68U). This release resolves the random reboot issues on the RT-AC68U, redesigns the DLNA/FTP/SMB server configuration pages, option to auto-logout of webui after timeout, and updates minidlna and radvd to their latest releases. Asus also implemented numerous additional security fixes since the last release.
• Miniupnpd has been updated to the latest release, which adds PCP (Port Control Protocol) support. Note that only MAP requests are supported.
• A new option has been added to enable/disable WAN access to the FTP server. This option can be found on the FTP tab (under USB). Note that the default is to disable WAN access. If you remotely access your FTP server, make sure you enable WAN access to it.
• The WOL page has been fixed (it was broken in a recent Asus release)
• An experimental workaround for Comcast IPv6 users has been implemented in the firewall. Please report your results in regard to neighbor solicitation request floods.
• Crashes surrounding the OpenVPN page, using more than 30 static routes, as well as issues surrounding IPTV multicast support and the web interface in languages using UTF8 (such as Russian) have been resolved
• For security reasons, the Run CMD page has been removed. In the last few releases Asus has been tightening security in the web server backend, restricting what processes can be launched by it through the webui. Since keeping the Run Cmd page would basically overset all these security improvements, I have decided to remove it. Using putty/XShell4/ssh isn't difficult, and well worth the security improvements.
• And since I still get asked a lot: Asuswrt-Merlin is NOT vulnerable to Heartbleed. None of the previous versions are vulnerable either.

Things that need testing:

• Comcast IPv6 customers: see if you still get neighboor solicitation flooding in your log. I've had mitigated reports, some saying it was resolved for them, others saying it still wasn't.
• General stability and reliability, since there's a new GPL merge involved with this release (covering two releases from Asus). I fixed some of the new issues introduced already (some were caused by the new security measures implemented by Asus), but I want to make sure there aren't any additional ones I might have missed

As usual, wireless stability is something completely out of my control. If you have issues, start by disabling Beamforming support on BOTH radio bands, in case your clients might simply not be compatible. If you still have issues, go through the usual: check the channel you are using, don't use 40 MHz channel width if your 2.4 GHz band is overcrowded, delete and recreate the wireless connection profile on your clients, and as a last resort try a factory default reset + manual reconfiguration. A LOT of so-called issues can be resolved by these steps, and they have nothing to do with the router's wireless driver itself.

Changelog is here.
Downloads are here.

MD5Sums:
Beta 1

b2bf56de916d461adb44d2b6b7d28322  RT-AC56U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta1.trx
4c2898b36e2f65c1f18261f326390aa9  RT-AC66U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta1.trx
f17f7d511ab25f2efe0c066cf4334353  RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta1.trx
13e38396faef1b4cdfb9a372dc4337c1  RT-N16_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta1.trx
0913c955c2f3daac74bcd86ca589b537  RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta1.trx

Beta2

5cbf2b92c1c313a6b872235c0b49b4b1  RT-AC56U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta2.trx
c5536984ed3c0d1f291ac32a6bfc5883  RT-AC66U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta2.trx
8c686dc52eb197a7cecf38c42fa71678  RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta2.trx
271348e576c16d2eee8c92e555606d7a  RT-N16_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta2.trx
e5fb1f0a99da1c9518ac76060ae4c4ac  RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_374.41_beta2.trx

 

[jim769]

Thanks Merlin i have been waiting for this build. I will also keep a very close eye on the comcast overflow issue it would be great if this issue is fixed. Will report back. Flashing now.

 

[cmillar6]

Merlin, thanks for the Comcast fix. I'll keep an eye on the system log and let you know how it works since I seem to have gotten more of the table overflow errors than anybody else on this forum. Previous fixes did not work at all.

 

[Ka Hooli]

From the changelog...

   - FIXED: Replaced webui glue with permanent concrete.  It won't fall again.

Made me laugh

 

[DrTeeth]

>>Using putty/XShell4/ssh isn't difficult

I have not got a clue how to do this. I have found several SSH options but they do not mean anything to me.Any links for noobs in this area?

TIA.

 

[wbennett77]

Thanks again Merlin for all that you do.!

Replaced webui glue with permanent concrete. It won't fall again.

LOL! I read the change log from A-Z this time

Cheers!

 

[RMerlin]

>>Using putty/XShell4/ssh isn't difficult

I have not got a clue how to do this. I have found several SSH options but they do not mean anything to me.Any links for noobs in this area?

TIA.

Basically, enable SSH on the System page, as well as SSH password login (I think by default this one is already set to Yes).

Download XShell4, install it as a personal use version (it will ask you during the install - personal use is free).

Run it. You will get a black window with a prompt. Type:

ssh 192.168.1.1

(or whatever your router IP is)

Username and password are the same you use for the web interface.

Once logged into the router over SSH, you can run your Shell command you you used to do through the webui.

To log out, type "exit".

You can preconfigure your router's login in XShell4's address book for easier usage later.

Personally I prefer XShell4 over putty for many reasons:

• Native tabbed support (all the hacks I tried to add tabs to Putty/Kitty were horribly quirky)
• Complete address book, you can easily preconfigure username and passwords/keys if you wish without having to install an external addon
• Command prompt: quickly ssh/telnet into a device from its command prompt, no need to use your mouse at all
• Easily open an address book entry through the command prompt. For instance, in my case I can just type:
  

  open lan/stargate

  to start a SSH session with my main router.
• Still free for personal use (as opposed to SecureCRT which costs 99$ USD)

 

[jim769]

Just flashed all seems ok at this point but the system time wont update any reasons why ? Also the 5 Ghz light is still flashing on and off. Also it says my time zone dont match but i have eastern time set in the router.

Edit: Seems the time zone issue solved itself all correct now.

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

If you have issues, start by disabling Beamforming support on BOTH radio bands, in case your clients might simply not be compatible.

No issues yet (for all of 15 minutes) on my N66U, and I have disabled my previous fix for the neighbour table overflow.

How does one disable beamforming? I can't seem to find it in the GUI.

 

[Builder71]

Thx for the new build.

And great to see the MD5Sums.
I expected that long ago, but now we can check the download.

 

[DrTeeth]

@ Merlin,

Many thanks for the SSH info above. I'm fully set up and running with this now. You were right, it's easy-peasy.

I assume that a manual reset is not necessary unless one experiences some weirdness. I will be updating my N66U from 374.40 to 374.41 beta1.

 

[jmone]

Thanks Merlin - After loving the last 42 days of stability on Alpha 4 I've installed the new Beta 1 and will let you know how it goes. Did ASUS indicate what was causing the 68u instability?

 

[admiral2145]

Rmerlin.. With this build does the Astrill applet function with the cmd code missing from the router?

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[RMerlin]

No issues yet (for all of 15 minutes) on my N66U, and I have disabled my previous fix for the neighbour table overflow.

How does one disable beamforming? I can't seem to find it in the GUI.

It's on the Professional page, under 2.4 and 5 GHz pages. However I don't think the RT-N66U supports beamforming, which would explain if the setting isn't visible there.

 

[RMerlin]

I assume that a manual reset is not necessary unless one experiences some weirdness. I will be updating my N66U from 374.40 to 374.41 beta1.

That's correct.

 

[RMerlin]

Thanks Merlin - After loving the last 42 days of stability on Alpha 4 I've installed the new Beta 1 and will let you know how it goes. Did ASUS indicate what was causing the 68u instability?

They said it was an issue with Broadcom's SDK. Broadcom setn them a patch to fix it. Beyond that I don't have any other details.

 

[RMerlin]

Rmerlin.. With this build does the Astrill applet function with the cmd code missing from the router?

No idea how the Astrill applet is implemented.

 

[admiral2145]

No idea how the Astrill applet is implemented.

Ok... I'll be home soon to try it out... It looked like it used the cmd prompt in the router...

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[cvx01]

Slower speeds on 5G

First, thanks very much for the hard work on these builds...

Just a heads up... Flashed 374.41. Beta 1 and 5Ghz speed will not exceed 30Mbs +/- 5Mbs. Reverted back to 374.40 and it works flawless. Exceeds 60Mbs like previous EM and Experimental builds. Not sure what changed with ASUS code, but things are definitely slower on 5GHz with this build.

Running N66U with same conditions before and after flash. Also factory reset between flashes.

 

[RMerlin]

First, thanks very much for the hard work on these builds...

Just a heads up... Flashed 374.41. Beta 1 and 5Ghz speed will not exceed 30Mbs +/- 5Mbs. Reverted back to 374.40 and it works flawless. Exceeds 60Mbs like previous EM and Experimental builds. Not sure what changed with ASUS code, but things are definitely slower on 5GHz with this build.

Running N66U with same conditions before and after flash. Also factory reset between flashes.

It's the exact same wireless driver in both releases.