Asuswrt-Merlin 384.14 regressions

[fatsplat]

Thanks to Merlin for creating this firmware.

Upgrade to 384.14 displays the following regressions:

1. Attempts to switch "Enable the DDNS Client" to "Yes" crash httpd. (Can be restarted with "service restart_httpd" on cli.)

2. Router has internet, but internet status always shows as "disconnected".

3. Router system time is wrong: it won't pull time from the NTP server.

Relevant background: network monitoring is switched off; VPN client is active. Router is AX88U.

Happy to roll back to a previous version. Is any particular version recommended?

 

[QuikSilver]

What firmware did you have previously? With that many issues you may need to document your settings and start over. Also some of those (item 2) I know have been touch on in their own threads. May want to look in their instead of starting a new one. Also welcome to the forums.

 

[Vexira]

I would start with a factory reset and a manual re configure.

 

[scjr]

2. Router has internet, but internet status always shows as "disconnected”

I agree with @Vexira. Do the factory reset and manually configure your settings. If you already have a backup for 384.13, it’s easy enough to roll back if you have to. I had the second issue you mentioned running the 384.14 test builds and a reset fixed it for me. Good luck.

 

[Mutzli]

I manage two AX88U and have none of your issues with 384.14. Like others said, probably a bad flash with some settings from a previous firmware.

 

[RMerlin]

2) is because some routers are somehow having an nvram set that claims they are in manufacturing/debugging mode, so a recently added check for that mode prevents the WAN monitoring from starting. No idea how that flag came to be set for some router owners. Resolved on my end by removing that new check.

3) typically means a DNS or NTP configuration issue on your end.

 

[fatsplat]

Thank you for your replies. I reverted to an older firmware (314.10.2) but the issues persisted. So, I will factory reset and reconfigure, as suggested.

All the best for 2020.

 

[fatsplat]

Reporting back:

* I re-uploaded the 314.14 firmware.
* I saved the settings.
* From Administration I did a "Factory default" with the checkbox ticked for "Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History".
* At the fresh startup screen I uploaded the settings file which I had just saved.

All three issues persist. The reset and re-upload of settings hasn't shifted my position.

1. Was I supposed to reset by pressing the button in the back of the machine for five seconds, or is the factory default reset from the webpage equivalent?
2. Was I supposed to manually restore all settings, i.e. by writing everything down and then typing it in again? (I hope not: it would take a day.)
3. I'm beginning to wonder if this might be hardware problem, or at least some kind of deep misconfiguration that a factory reset can't touch.

 

[fatsplat]

All good.
Manual reset of settings cleared problems. To my initial alarm the issues persisted for a while, but then matters seem to have just settled of their own accord.
Thanks for the help.

 

[QuikSilver]

* At the fresh startup screen I uploaded the settings file which I had just saved.

All three issues persist. The reset and re-upload of settings hasn't shifted my position.

Put your settings in manually and test. By restoring your settings you may be restoring your issues as well.

 

[Striker317]

Reporting back:

* I re-uploaded the 314.14 firmware.
* I saved the settings.
* From Administration I did a "Factory default" with the checkbox ticked for "Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History".
* At the fresh startup screen I uploaded the settings file which I had just saved.

All three issues persist. The reset and re-upload of settings hasn't shifted my position.

1. Was I supposed to reset by pressing the button in the back of the machine for five seconds, or is the factory default reset from the webpage equivalent?
2. Was I supposed to manually restore all settings, i.e. by writing everything down and then typing it in again? (I hope not: it would take a day.)
3. I'm beginning to wonder if this might be hardware problem, or at least some kind of deep misconfiguration that a factory reset can't touch.

The actions of your fourth bullet point negated all the work you did in the previous three bullet points. you restored your problem!

Step number two that you listed is the realization of your solution.

 

[L&LD]

@fatsplat it seems like you got it working as you need for now?

For future reference, you may want to see the M&M Config and the Nuclear Reset guides in the link below.

https://www.snbforums.com/members/l-ld.24423/

 

[fatsplat]

Yes, thank you. I photographed all relevant screens, reset, and manually reentered settings. The router is now performing normally.

Thank you for the links:
M&M Config
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/n...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573
Nuclear Reset
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/major-issues-w-rt-ac86u.56342/page-4#post-495710