Release Asuswrt-Merlin 386.12 is now available for AC models

[L&LD]

If you're just dirty flashing, you're not checking anything reliably.

Flash the firmware you want to use, and perform a full reset. Do not import a saved backup config file to configure it (do a minimal and manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP).

To quickly get back to where you are now:

Is it a good idea to keep up with Firmware updates?

I have had issues in the past when updating firmware and Internet speed, But it may have just been a fluke, Should I keep up with the updates? If so On all routers or the nodes as well? What about ones acting as access points? Thanks

www.snbforums.com

 

[cebu99]

If you're just dirty flashing, you're not checking anything reliably.

Flash the firmware you want to use, and perform a full reset. Do not import a saved backup config file to configure it (do a minimal and manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP).

To quickly get back to where you are now:

Is it a good idea to keep up with Firmware updates?

I have had issues in the past when updating firmware and Internet speed, But it may have just been a fluke, Should I keep up with the updates? If so On all routers or the nodes as well? What about ones acting as access points? Thanks

www.snbforums.com

yes, i know about not importing settings from old versions. i don't do that. i already performed a full reset and couldn't get it to work. strange that i'm the only one with this problem

 

[Romi]

Upgraded RT-AC88U from version 386.9 to 386.12. All seams to be ok, exept OpenVpn. It make connection to my device (smatphone) no problem as before, but there is no data transfer to my home network All setings sems to be unchanged but I can't access internall network. After downgrading back to v.386.9 all back to normall, no problems.
Any idea if I am doing something wrong or there is a bug in the latest firmvare?
Regards

 

[donut]

Yes. Anyone upgrading for the first time post-386.10 needs to run the script to remove the unused variables.

Apologies if this clarification was already made, but is this script still necessary if performing a factory reset after upgrading from 386.10 to 386.12 on AC68U?

Also, my aim is to have the cleanest possible starting point following a firmware upgrade, and these are the steps I follow. Any suggestions for improvement? e.g. Any steps to add, shift in order, or remove as unnecessary?

1. Disconnect USB Drive
2. Format JFFS
3. Firmware Upgrade
4. Factory Reset
5. Reconnect USB Drive
6. Manually Configure Settings

 

[JohnSmith]

Upgraded RT-AC3100 from V386.11 Final to V386.12 Final via dirty firmware upgrade with no issues.

 

[L&LD]

@donut, if that USB drive was used for amtm/scripts, then first format it in a PC to NTFS format first, BEFORE plugging it into the router. Or, simply don't use it at all during your testing.

It won't hurt to follow the instructions and run that script too after flashing the latest firmware to remove the unused variables.

Your steps are not 'clean', as indicated right now.

 

[RMerlin]

but is this script still necessary if performing a factory reset after upgrading from 386.10 to 386.12 on AC68U?

No. The goal of this script is to remove variables that are no longer being used. If you do a factory default reset, then you will be completely erasing your whole configuration, including the variables that would need to be removed.

Also, my aim is to have the cleanest possible starting point following a firmware upgrade, and these are the steps I follow. Any suggestions for improvement? e.g. Any steps to add, shift in order, or remove as unnecessary?

No need to format the JFFS partition. There's a checkbox next to the factory default reset button that will do the same thing at the same time the rest of the configuration is wiped out.

 

[donut]

@donut, if that USB drive was used for amtm/scripts, then first format it in a PC to NTFS format first, BEFORE plugging it into the router. Or, simply don't use it at all during your testing.

It won't hurt to follow the instructions and run that script too after flashing the latest firmware to remove the unused variables.

Your steps are not 'clean', as indicated right now.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure I fully understand what you're saying, but let me clarify...

The USB drive is an external HDD, and is only used for shared network storage via Samba. I don't run any amtm/scripts. In fact, my configuration is pretty minimal (SSID, password, time zone, reboot schedule, OpenDNS, Samba...). There are no router files on the external HDD, unless the router automatically writes something to it that I'm not aware of.

I only disconnect the drive during firmware upgrade as a precaution, because there have been so many posts pointing to it as a possible source of issues when something goes wrong. In any case, it is disconnected during the upgrade, so I'm a bit confused about how else to "simply don't use it at all during your testing"...

I don't mind adding the script if it is a necessary step, but I'd much rather understand why a reset wouldn't clear out variables that were never used in the first place, not to mention avoid unnecessary work.

Anything else you'd suggest to clean up the process?

 

[donut]

No. The goal of this script is to remove variables that are no longer being used. If you do a factory default reset, then you will be completely erasing your whole configuration, including the variables that would need to be removed.


No need to format the JFFS partition. There's a checkbox next to the factory default reset button that will do the same thing at the same time the rest of the configuration is wiped out.

Thank you for the explanation! (And of course a big thank you for your ongoing work.)

Your point on the JFFS is particularly helpful. I'd added the step after previously being advised that it may not be cleared as part of the factory reset.

Upgrade from old firmware

Hello, my apologies if this has been answered, but my searches came up short. Does Merlin firmware always incorporate all previous firmware changes? I found an AC68U (HW ver A1 with 800MHz CPU) at a garage sale and thought it would be nice to have a spare or maybe tinker with AiMesh. I reset...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Pergola Fabio]

Upgraded RT-AC88U from version 386.9 to 386.12. All seams to be ok, exept OpenVpn. It make connection to my device (smatphone) no problem as before, but there is no data transfer to my home network All setings sems to be unchanged but I can't access internall network. After downgrading back to v.386.9 all back to normall, no problems.
Any idea if I am doing something wrong or there is a bug in the latest firmvare?
Regards

i upgraded from 386.5 to 386.12 , no issues here with openvpn, when i connect, i have access to al local devices

 

[heywire]

After upgrading from 386.11 to 386.12 on my AC86U main node, I have experienced intermittent connection drops (about 2-3 a day, for a few minutes) on my AC66U_B1 Aimesh node (on stock firmware).

I set the logging level to "notice" in the System Log page, but still could not see any messages around the time when the connection drops happened.

I cannot verify whether it affected the whole network, or only the AC66U_B1 node, because I do not have physical access to it, and the users there may not experience- or report those small intermittent connection drops 2-3 times a day in the short run.

Back on 386.11 now, I will report back if the connection drops persist. But it was not a problem before upgrading to 386.12.

After some more testing and rolling back of versions, it seems like the issue happens across several versions, both 3.86.11 and the latest official firmware for me.

So either something has been persistently f*ed up requiring a WPS reset which i unfortunately cannot afford because of the network enviroment (less likely), OR there are some client issues.

Just wanted to put it out there anyways, in case somebody has similar experiences, but this seems to not be the case.

Very weird, and, unfortunately, very typical Asus. In previous episodes of such hair-pullingly hard to isolate issues (no log entries, no rhyme or reason), they have been fixed after a firmware update/rollback. This time might be different. Will report back if I discover more.

 

[DTM]

ok, rebooted and it worked for awhile. now i found out that after i get logged out of the web ui due to inactivity and log back in, it stops working again. i did not have this problem in previous versions.

edit: flashed back to 386.11, and it's working correctly again. guess i'll stick with this version

I have the same issue with the AI Mesh Topology page. I have to manually log out of the router and back in again to get it to display the nodes.

 

[martinr]

Smooth update yesterday on an RT-AC68U, updating from 386.10

NVRAM size initially 60908/65536

NVRAM after running the vpn client clean-up script 58144/65536

NVRAM after a day after installing 386.12 59179/65536

Thank you, Merlin.

 

[Howard_inGA]

3 days since the dirty upgrade for me...SMOOTH is the only word that describes my experience!
Thanks, Eric!

 

[diabolyk]

3 days since the dirty upgrade for me...SMOOTH is the only word that describes my experience!
Thanks, Eric!

Dirty update ?
Which router ?
Thks

 

[L&LD]

Dirty update ?
Which router ?
Thks

Have a look at the signature.

If you're using a phone, try holding it sideways to see it.

 

[diabolyk]

Have a look at the signature.

If you're using a phone, try holding it sideways to see it.

Yes sorry i'm on phone...

 

[heywire]

On 386.11 Network Map was still buggy for me (going back as far as I can remember, it's a known issue). 386.12 seemed to improve the Network Map a lot from what I saw.

it's the other way around for me. was working fine on 386.11. broken on 386.12

Some updates on this:
After flashing back and forth to try and figure out an issue (which was most likely client related), the Network Map is no longer working reliably. Wireless clients pop up on other Aimesh Nodes with a LAN icon (meaning they're not connected to that node), slow updates and clients status not updating etc. For a while, they were actually working better as the post above indicates. No longer the case...

 

[DTM]

Some updates on this:
After flashing back and forth to try and figure out an issue (which was most likely client related), the Network Map is no longer working reliably. Wireless clients pop up on other Aimesh Nodes with a LAN icon (meaning they're not connected to that node), slow updates and clients status not updating etc. For a while, they were actually working better as the post above indicates. No longer the case...

If you have clients set to use a fixed IP address, make sure you have set the LAN DHCP IP Pool Starting address above all fixed IP addresses. I mention this because a factory reset I did cleared my starting IP Pool address and created all sorts of issues before I discovered the problem.

 

[maxbraketorque]

Some updates on this:
After flashing back and forth to try and figure out an issue (which was most likely client related), the Network Map is no longer working reliably. Wireless clients pop up on other Aimesh Nodes with a LAN icon (meaning they're not connected to that node), slow updates and clients status not updating etc. For a while, they were actually working better as the post above indicates. No longer the case...

Awesome that it was working reliably for you at one time. Has never worked for me.