Asuswrt-Merlin 374.41 is out

[Builder71]

I believe Merlin started using the special driver for the N66 with version 3.0.0.4.374_39em

Nothing special with this driver, it's the same as the stock FW.
It's only compiled with the -em switch.

Lucky enough this gives the same range compared to the SDK5 drivers.
-em is now the default, for the RT-N66U, after a few experimental versions.

 

[DrTeeth]

DrTeeth,

If I had to guess it would be this one.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/7v6d5p3ia57f72a/RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_374.35_4-sdk5.zip

If it was the last SDK5 one it's likely to be RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_374.36_beta1-sdk5 isn't it?
Thanks.

 

[DrTeeth]

Lucky enough this gives the same range compared to the SDK5 drivers.
-em is now the default, for the RT-N66U, after a few experimental versions.

Merlin has said that he uses a special driver that Asus is not allowed to use. I assume that it is more then just the '-em' switch as the driver is closed source (doesn't that mean it is pre-compiled?).

 

[owine]

SDK6 is the special driver. SDK5 was the old Asus driver. SDK6 is the default.

 

[jim769]

SDK5 was the original driver the N66 was suppose to use.

 

[darkknight74]

I have tried the new firmware, works great! Thank you Merlin!

Skickat från Samsung Galaxy S3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[DrTeeth]

SDK6 is the special driver. SDK5 was the old Asus driver. SDK6 is the default.

That is not correct. Merlin is using a driver version that Asus is not allowed to use. They are both SDK6.
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?p=113644&highlight=special+driver#post113644

 

[ANJ9686]

What's so special about SDK 5 and SDK 6?


ASUS RT-AC66U F/W: 374.41

 

[joegreat]

What's so special about SDK 5 and SDK 6?

Hi,

My (very simple view) is: SDK5 is OLD stuff and SDK6 is the new and actual stuff. No reason to stick with the old stuff - just go for the new one!!!

With kind regards
Joe

 

[jim769]

@ Merlin, A couple questions. 1. Why under admin tab does it show my router password as weak, it is not ? 2. Will you fix the blinking 5 GHz light in a future build like Asus did ? Thanks, Jim !!

 

[DavidEBSmith]

Presumably set ipv6_neighsol_drop=1 would enable it, for somebody who wants to toggle it on and off?

Unlikely, but you can still disable it:

nvram set ipv6_neighsol_drop=0
nvram commit
service restart_firewall

 

[Trebuin]

I don't know exactly why, but I'm having so many more problems with build 41 so back to build 40 sadly.

 

[DrTeeth]

Hi,

My (very simple view) is: SDK5 is OLD stuff and SDK6 is the new and actual stuff. No reason to stick with the old stuff - just go for the new one!!!

Thanks for the advice. Will look at replacing my wife ASAP .

I am actually having some serious issues with Merlin's SDK 6 driver on my N66U, firmware version 374.41. You may have read about them, but basically, I cannot change channel on 2.4GHz if I use 40MHz bandwidth. If I use it I an stuck on channel 1 with 20Mhz bandwidth. On 5GHz, I am stuck on channel 36 and cannot change it no matter what I do.

Got a new router arriving tomorrow (thanks Amazon), but from what Merlin said it's an SDK6 issue.

 

[Trebuin]

to clarify, the router (ac66) keeps losing internet connection after some period of time. Requires a manual reboot. Basically, my wife complains and I realize that it is a failed firmware. I have an airport extreme as the primary router and the asus is extending it...receiving wifi and pushing most signals out via LAN, but also wifi repeating. I did not do a factory reset on it after updating it.

 

[RMerlin]

Merlin,

What was the last version of your firmware that did not use the special wireless driver you are using for the N66U?

Thanks

374.37 was the last build not using the EM driver.

 

[RMerlin]

Nothing special with this driver, it's the same as the stock FW.
It's only compiled with the -em switch.

Lucky enough this gives the same range compared to the SDK5 drivers.
-em is now the default, for the RT-N66U, after a few experimental versions.

The RT-N66U is actually using a specially built wireless driver that Asus had provided specifically for EM mode usage.

 

[RMerlin]

@ Merlin, A couple questions. 1. Why under admin tab does it show my router password as weak, it is not ? 2. Will you fix the blinking 5 GHz light in a future build like Asus did ? Thanks, Jim !!

1) No idea, and I didn't bother looking into it because I know that Asus broke it in 5547, and will have to rework the way it's implemented due to the recent security fixes involving disclosure of the router password in the source code.

2) I tried to figure out why the LED behaviour was different, and couldn't find it. I have to handle the LED differently from Asus due to Stealth Mode, however I don't see what is causing the current behaviour. In the end, this is all handled by the closed-source driver, so I have zero documentation about the registers controlling its behaviour. Since I don't see why this is such a big deal, I won't be devoting any additional time to this in the near future unless I can obtain some actual documentation to guide me through it.

 

[RMerlin]

Presumably set ipv6_neighsol_drop=1 would enable it, for somebody who wants to toggle it on and off?

That's correct. It is set to 1 by default.

 

[RMerlin]

Thanks for the advice. Will look at replacing my wife ASAP .

I am actually having some serious issues with Merlin's SDK 6 driver on my N66U, firmware version 374.41. You may have read about them, but basically, I cannot change channel on 2.4GHz if I use 40MHz bandwidth. If I use it I an stuck on channel 1 with 20Mhz bandwidth. On 5GHz, I am stuck on channel 36 and cannot change it no matter what I do.

Got a new router arriving tomorrow (thanks Amazon), but from what Merlin said it's an SDK6 issue.

Is your router actually even working in 40 MHz on the 2.4 GHz band? For the vast majority of users, interference forces it to downgrade to 20 MHz, which is usually when the channel issue occurs (it seems like it's not properly downgrading to the user-selected channel but to some default channel when downgrading). If that's the case, then there's little reason not to immediately set it to 20 MHz, which will let you set the channel you want.

 

[RMerlin]

to clarify, the router (ac66) keeps losing internet connection after some period of time. Requires a manual reboot. Basically, my wife complains and I realize that it is a failed firmware. I have an airport extreme as the primary router and the asus is extending it...receiving wifi and pushing most signals out via LAN, but also wifi repeating. I did not do a factory reset on it after updating it.

I looked at your recent posts, and none of them explain what are those actual issues, what troubleshooting steps you too, or any details as to which type of WAN connection you have. That will make it impossible for anyone to help you with your problems.

Considering the hundreds of downloads from other people that have no issue with their WAN, I disagree with your conclusion that it's a "failed firmware".