Beta Asuswrt-Merlin 386.5 Beta is now available

[ColinTaylor]

Hey Folks

I have a question. I flash this beta on my AX86u and so far so good. For some reason ,and this issue was there in the stock firmware as well , I am seeing my link rate slows down to 1200 mbps after a day. If I reboot the router it goes back to 2400 mbps and then it drops again. Is this a problem with the router hardware ? It is affecting my transfer speeds over Wifi to my NAS.

View attachment 39771

This sounds like a general WiFi question/issue. As it's not specifically related to this beta test (or even Merlin's firmware) I suggest you create a separate thread.

 

[illusion]

This sounds like a general WiFi question/issue. As it's not specifically related to this beta test (or even Merlin's firmware) I suggest you create a separate thread.

Apolgies. Yes I will , thank you !

 

[Igor]

Is there a limit on the maximum number of dropbear ssh sessions? MaxAuthTries?

dropbear[18133]: Child connection from 192.168.50.55:50598
dropbear[18133]: Exit before auth from <192.168.50.55:50598>: Max auth tries reached - user 'is invalid'

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is there a limit on the maximum number of dropbear ssh sessions? MaxAuthTries?

dropbear[18133]: Child connection from 192.168.50.55:50598
dropbear[18133]: Exit before auth from <192.168.50.55:50598>: Max auth tries reached - user 'is invalid'

No. Your username is corrupted.

This has nothing to do with this beta test, or are you saying this works with 386.4 but doesn't with 386.5 beta.

 

[rhammond84]

If anything, the AC86U has been particularly affected.

What is also strange, is that unlike the other Asus routers, the AC86 has not received any new official firmware update on the 386_46** codebase yet.

I'm continuing to get the same issues with an original Nest Indoor Cam, with an AX56u (also has not received an official Asus firmware on latest codebase).

Issue is still present with latest Merlin beta (and the alphas before). Can only assume - due to no official release - there is still a problem Asus have not been able to fix.

 

[SheikhSheikha]

Thanks for the update. There are too many variables for me to hazard a guess where the problem lies. For example, if I change my router for a different one it will get a different public IP address. This in turn might be on a blacklist whereas the previous one wasn't.

So, in a situation where you're not using the L2TP client on the router and the PC VPN is using OpenVPN then nothing is using NAT passthrough. So in this particular case that can't be the problem.

Thanks than I have to dig further to identify the culprit that disturbs my router :-D

 

[Damit1]

1. This release is already stable (as were alpha1 and alpha2 for supported routers).
2. @RMerlin will move to (another beta or) final release after any reported issues are assessed/addressed and his time allows (this is not something that pays the bills for him).

1. that makes sense to me
2. That is the answer for me, or another Beta will be issued or final release if everything is set

Thank you

 

[srkbear]

You can still install Merlin on your GT-AX11000 with the latest Asus baseline for your mesh nodes.

That’s good to know…it doesn’t introduce any compatibility issues? Do the nodes utilize the firmware settings for the main mesh router? I guess I’m unclear on the purpose of the firmwares on the nodes…

 

[visortgw]

That’s good to know…it doesn’t introduce any compatibility issues? Do the nodes utilize the firmware settings for the main mesh router? I guess I’m unclear on the purpose of the firmwares on the nodes…

The AiMesh implementation is closed-source. @RMerlin makes no changes to it.

 

[alchemy]

Updated AC86U from 386.4 to 386.5_beta1 and all seems well.
Thanks!

 

[RogerSC]

With some ISPs you have to call tech support and ask them to put the modem in bridge mode. It's worth a shot.

Not a problem for me *smile*...I've set my AT&T fiber gateway into IP Passthrough mode many times over the years, no problems. But yes, some ISP's don't want customers playing around with the stuff you rent from them. So they have their own secret password and have to make any changes for their customers...haven't run into one of those ISP's myself except for cable modems, but have heard about them.

 

[David Williams]

Updated to 386.5_beta 1 on AC3100 (node) and AX86U (master) in mesh and all working well. On AT&T Fiber 1Gig Network getting:
Download
931.02 Mbps

Upload
933.94 Mbps

Thanks

 

[shabbs]

Upload
933.94 Mbps

*drools*

 

[AntonK]

*drools*

Indeed. I've got cable, 925 down, 18 up.

 

[Kanji-San]

Jumped from 386.2_6 to 386.5_beta1 without any problems
Thanks, RMerlin!

 

[RDaneel]

Just for completeness, I had tried 386.4 on my AX88U, and had the problems with a number of my Alexa-controlled devices (TP-Link WiFi light bulbs), so I reverted back to 386.3_2.

Did a so-called "dirty" upgrade to 386.5 BETA 1 two days ago, and everything is now working beautifully (yes, I know this was expected).

Thanks!

 

[ElmerFudd]

Not sure if this is a SpdMerlin issue or an issue with the 386.5 build on my AX88U, but SpdMerlin is only able to get about half (417/585/3.6ms) of my Fios 1G connection after several tests (tried Verizon, Cloudfare, and others) using the WAN port. I have no problems verifying the full connection speed on a laptop connected to an ethernet port (949/817/4ms) though and even my wireless Ookla speed tests are 919/500/6ms.

Just upgraded to Fios 1 Gig today so I have not had a chance to try it on 386.4.

 

[aex.perez]

Updated to 386.5_beta 1 on AC3100 (node) and AX86U (master) in mesh and all working well. On AT&T Fiber 1Gig Network getting:
Download
931.02 Mbps

Upload
933.94 Mbps

Thanks

Same here, except occasionally AT&T has had issues down here in S. Florida in a certain locations/areas and the impacts are felt more broadly, the dip in the 30 day view coincided with an AT&T outage a friend had that impacted the area they live in, they were told that it was related to a HW failure. An occasional dip might be as a result of the router being busy or the testing target being slammed, home network (streaming TV's, cameras and tablets) and such. A prolonged one, over a few days, is something else.

I use my PC and AT&T's "official" testing (same Ookla Speedtest) site and the Phone (Smart Home Manager) app which tests at their gateway (wireless and firewall disabled, passthrough enabled) typically with higher results than I see at the AX88U as well as the router based SPDMerlin. I measure my results and history over time for a more comprehensive and better understanding of bandwidth to minimize those CPU utilization spikes that would sway the results.

(FYI Router is only device connected at the router so prioritizing it via the Smart Home Manager app has no influence)

Screen Grabs:
AT&T (Smart Home Manager) App on the phone view

SPDMerlin 30 day view

SPDMerlin 24Hr view

I have a few apps on the router and typically these apps aren't dragging down the CPU cores on the router (HTOP load average is <3%). But if the CPU cores on the router get too busy, the routers own Speedtest and SPDMerlin results will suffer, the workstations and devices stay consistent though.

AMTM at the router

Now on b1 at the router (AX88) and the wired AIMesh nodes (AX86) for a few days now (on the A1 / A2 before that) - rock solid. On 386.4 the WAN would occasionally drop, not even a SCMerlin restart would bring it back, would have to recycle the router. The AT&T modem would be green and a wired connection I have to their modem as a backup/test connection never dropped. Also wireless was a bit spotty for the older devices, would have to cycle those to keep them stable and online. My newer Laptop 160Mhz over 5Ghz would be fine. As far as having Merlin on the nodes, SCMerlin and scheduled LED On/Off is why...

Now just waiting for AT&T 5Gb, the next generation router (Broadcomm based) and hopefully with Merlin support and then figuring how I'll change the home network to take advantage of the new bandwidth...

 

[iJorgen]

This is the best firmware yet for my AX86U with around 35 devices (wired & wireless). Went from Alpha 1 -> Alpha 2 -> Beta 1. All is running great, stable, good performance and clean log.

 

[Damit1]

After 24h with Beta1, it seems WiFi issues I had in in 386.4 are back.
The clients are well connected to the network (which in 386.4 was not the case so we got huge imporement) , but the speedtests done in Beta1, are instable for some reason.
In Alpha1 it was all solid rock in that area.
Starting Alpha2 speedtest are little bit crazy.

Got a huge jitter on every device doing speedtest, and respectively, speeds are going crazy and not stable.
The devices doing speedtest are connected to Main Unit, and in line of sight (around 5m).

WiFi 5Ghz- 160MHz bandwidth, Auto channel select- 36 is chosen.
2 Units of AX88U are chained in AiMesh Wirelesly.

Any ideas for imporement except for retriving to Alpha1?

@RMerlin