Asuswrt-Merlin 374.41 is out

[KGB7]

No, because if I do, I will get tons of people asking why setting XYZ does not work as expected while not in router mode.

Its not an issue with 3rd party firmware, and your firmware is 3rd party..persay. So it should not be an issue because the settings are present when the router is in routing mode. Unhiding the options simply gives us more control over our routers.
So let's not assume what may or may not happen with out having users test it first hand.

So let us, the users, continue do the testing and you can continue doing a great job fixing the issues.

 

[bluepoint]

Its not an issue with 3rd party firmware, and your firmware is 3rd party..persay. So it should not be an issue because the settings are present when the router is in routing mode. Unhiding the options simply gives us more control over our routers.
So let's not assume what may or may not happen with out having users test it first hand.

Why do you need the hidden options if it's not needed in repeater mode?

 

[JEWBSV]

Router mode media-bridge is invisible Itunes library on disk. At any FW
mDNS seems locked media bridge. Maybe it's like that correct?

 

[DrTeeth]

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.

I have done that and have no prob with it. It is the 5GHz band that is resolutely stuck on channel 36 that is the issue.

In my area, channel 11 is clear and free - vast majority of traffic is on channels 1 + 6. Switching on to 40MHz just changes channel to 1 and locks it there. It used to work on 40MHz, but not with the latest firmware.

I only stumbled across these issues as I wanted to experiment with 5GHz, which I notmally leave off.

 

[DrTeeth]

374.37 was the last build not using the EM driver.

I cannot seem to find that version on your MediaFire site.

If that version has reduced range issues than it looks as if I may realistically have to drop back to the SDK5 drivers for the 5GHz problem.

 

[ANJ9686]

Is my temperature normal ?

2.4Ghz running at 55 degrees
5Ghz running at 60 Degrees

Everything is on default settings



ASUS RT-AC66U F/W: 374.41

 

[Builder71]

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

Thx.
I understand it's some kind of SDK6 branch.

This is what the logging shows if I restart WiFi.

Apr 21 16:19:11 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)
Apr 21 16:19:11 kernel: eth2: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)

 

[Builder71]

... It is the 5GHz band that is resolutely stuck on channel 36 that is the issue.
...

Because you keep asking I tested it on my N66U.

I can select:

Control Channel:
- "Auto-36-40-44-48" @ 20 MHz bandwith
- "Auto-36-40-44" @ 40 MHz bandwith

For "Extension Channel" only the option "Auto" is available.

Whatever option I select, it's working fine.
Checked with inSSIDer 2.1.

If I leave all at default, 20/40 - Auto - Auto, it uses channel 44+48.

Maybe wait for that new router to arrive and test again?

 

[Builder71]

Is my temperature normal ?

2.4Ghz running at 55 degrees
5Ghz running at 60 Degrees

Everything is on default settings



ASUS RT-AC66U F/W: 374.41

Perfectly normal.

 

[Dmitry_N]

RMerlin,
Hi,

Newbie here, so, sorry if I am being dumb a bit

After upgrading to the 19 April release, my Philips TV (DLNA client) cannot play any of my 3D movies from USB disks connected to my RT-AC66U router. It just plays _some_ of the files it sees on the disks, but when trying to play others, especially 3D movies, playback just won't start, and the TV says "missing". Just one word.

The latest ASUS firmware also has this problem.

Downgrading to 374.40 fixes the issue.

Also, if you have a few minutes to give a piece of advice, I kindly seek your help regarding my ASUS N550JV laptop not seeing my 5 GHz Wi-Fi network for some reason (it used to work fine a few weeks ago; then I connected it to the cable, but now I kind of need to use Wi-Fi again.
I think I tried everything excluding restoring my PC to factory settings. It used to see the 5 GHz some time ago, but now it just won't.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I have done that and have no prob with it. It is the 5GHz band that is resolutely stuck on channel 36 that is the issue.

In my area, channel 11 is clear and free - vast majority of traffic is on channels 1 + 6. Switching on to 40MHz just changes channel to 1 and locks it there. It used to work on 40MHz, but not with the latest firmware.

I only stumbled across these issues as I wanted to experiment with 5GHz, which I normally leave off.

I can confirm this behaviour on both 374.40 and 374.41 (and probably all other versions!). It is caused by changing the regulation domain from EU to GB.

The GUI shows all the extra channels for GB but it is in fact stuck at channel 1 (for 2.4GHZ/40MHz) and 36 (5GHz).

Changing the domain back to EU makes everything work as expected but with fewer channels and less power.

 

[DrTeeth]

Because you keep asking I tested it on my N66U.

I can select:

Control Channel:
- "Auto-36-40-44-48" @ 20 MHz bandwith
- "Auto-36-40-44" @ 40 MHz bandwith

For "Extension Channel" only the option "Auto" is available.

When you change channel in the GUI, and I can do that, hovering the cursor over the wireless icon shows channel 36 is still selected and does not change with GUI input.

New router here and waiting to be commissioned. Will experiment with the current one too.

My router is set to the GB locale.

 

[DrTeeth]

I can confirm this behaviour on both 374.40 and 374.41 (and probably all other versions!). It is caused by changing the regulation domain from EU to GB.

The GUI shows all the extra channels for GB but it is in fact stuck at channel 1 (for 2.4GHZ/40MHz) and 36 (5GHz).

Changing the domain back to EU makes everything work as expected but with fewer channels and less power.

If changing locale for legitimate reasons breaks the functionality, then the driver must be broken. I do not what to cripple my WiFi by using an inappropriate locale. I'll try the SDK5 drivers too as well as the Asus stock firmware.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I can confirm this behaviour on both 374.40 and 374.41 (and probably all other versions!). It is caused by changing the regulation domain from EU to GB.

The GUI shows all the extra channels for GB but it is in fact stuck at channel 1 (for 2.4GHZ/40MHz) and 36 (5GHz).

Changing the domain back to EU makes everything work as expected but with fewer channels and less power.

I've done some more testing with inSSIDer. With the GB domain set, not only does the wireless log show the 5GHz channel fixed at 36 but it is in fact not broadcasting at all - despite what the log says. Now, that might be an issue with my laptop's wireless card but with the domain set to EU channels 36, 40, 44 & 48 are detected fine.

 

[Builder71]

When you change channel in the GUI, and I can do that, hovering the cursor over the wireless icon shows channel 36 is still selected and does not change with GUI input.

New router here and waiting to be commissioned. Will experiment with the current one too.

My router is set to the GB locale.

I just looked and the wireless icon switches fine with the channel I select.
Tested on 2.4 and 5 GHz.

Of course you need to click on "Apply" after selecting a channel.
But I assume you know and did.

My Time Zone is (GMT+01:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern.
Because that is correct for where I live.

I didn't change regulation domain or other related settings, using telnet or ssh.

 

[DrTeeth]

I've done some more testing with inSSIDer. With the GB domain set, not only does the wireless log show the 5GHz channel fixed at 36 but it is in fact not broadcasting at all - despite what the log says. Now, that might be an issue with my laptop's wireless card but with the domain set to EU channels 36, 40, 44 & 48 are detected fine.

Thanks for those results. Pretty poor show on the part of those who wrote the driver. I wonder if it will ever get reported and fixed.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Thanks for those results. Pretty poor show on the part of those who wrote the driver. I wonder if it will ever get reported and fixed.

It might not be a software problem. I've had other wireless routers (I'm looking at you Buffalo) where the regional settings were "baked in" to the hardware. You could poke it all you liked with software and it just ignored you.

 

[Builder71]

Thanks for those results. Pretty poor show on the part of those who wrote the driver. I wonder if it will ever get reported and fixed.

Hehehe, sure, you can file a report. (First test with Asus latest FW.)
But be prepared, they will lie to you and tell all is fixed in the latest firmware.
They will not take you seriously and think you are stupid.

I know, tried it myself.
Asus support sucks, RMerlin rulezzz.

 

[DrTeeth]

It might not be a software problem. I've had other wireless routers (I'm looking at you Buffalo) where the regional settings were "baked in" to the hardware. You could poke it all you liked with software and it just ignored you.

Things are not getting ignored in that I am getting the extra channels showing up and get the higher pwer. It is just that the implementation is borked. I could set my locale to the USA and see if that is broken too, but I am a licensed radio ham and do not operate radios illegally. Setting to the US gets higher power and more channels too.

 

[baggyrinkle]

A couple of simple questions.
Before up grading I used to see the individual usb drives, but now I only see the individual folders, in win explorer. I would like to map each drive. I did not do a factory reset. should I have? Everything else is working ok.
Also, should one unmount the drives before doing a reset?

thanks
hal