Beta Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7 Beta is now available

[Deleted member 22229]

Clean install is following your nuclear procedure to install 386.5

There is zero merit in the so called nuclear reset it does nothing that can't be done with a normal reset to factory procedure.

 

[alan6854321]

thanks - do you know what is causing the kernel panic on this model?

No. There's a lot of info on that thread I posted, including some people have been given special one-off versions of the FW to test.

 

[jata]

There is zero merit in the so called nuclear reset it does nothing that can't be done with a normal reset to factory procedure.

I understand there are different views on the procedure. What I can tell you is I did/do the following.

WPS reset
flash 386.5 firmware
minimum network config
UI reset to factory with clear settings checked
manual minimum setup on router
reformat jffs and reboot
wait 15 minutes and reboot
use AMTM to format USB and create 2GB swap
wait 15 minutes and reboot
added the one script/addon I use - nextDNS
wait 15 minutes and reboot
wait 1 hr and reboot

After a few hours and everything running well/normal I then run the following procedure on each AiMesh node

WPS reset node (no change of fw - I use latest stock on nodes)
connect node to router by ethernet
run add node from main router gui
disconnect ethernet from node and reboot node to confirm it comes up properly on wifi
move node to correct location and check all is good

repeat for node 2 and 3

 

[Aiadi]

Am I missing something here but does backup/ restore of JFFS partition not completely defeat the point of doing a full factory reset before and after upgrading any firmware? Will such process not potentially preserve and restore any problematic issues from the older firmware version? Apologies if this has been previously asked.

 

[jata]

Am I missing something here but does backup/ restore of JFFS partition not completely defeat the point of doing a full factory reset before and after upgrading any firmware? Will such process not potentially preserve and restore any problematic issues from the older firmware version? Apologies if this has been previously asked.

I totally agree that doing a restore of saved settings and/or jffs partition defeats the point of full factory reset.

I always start totally clean with manual config of all settings after a factory reset.

 

[mromero]

I totally agree that doing a restore of saved settings and/or jffs partition defeats the point of full factory reset.

I always start totally clean with manual config of all settings after a factory reset.

Are you running any scripts on the router?

 

[Tech9]

What I can tell you is I did/do the following.

You got hit by waste of time guides floating around.

 

[jata]

You got hit by waste of time guides floating around.

haha - no worries as I am getting good at doing these resets but I do appreciate that it might be overkill.

 

[jata]

Are you running any scripts on the router?

yes - just the nextDNS script for about 2 yrs and it is good/stable

 

[Tech9]

connect node to router by ethernet

This is the only workaround you have to remember with your setup, if you want Asuswrt-Merlin on the main router. I just finished playing with AX86U with AC86U as node. If AX86U runs Asuswrt-Merlin (tested with both 386.5_2 and 386.7_beta2), the wireless node discovery is broken, no matter what firmware the node runs. Only cable to the node on stock Asuswrt works. Both routers on stock Asuswrt - first attempt node discovery on wireless.

@RMerlin, I know AiMesh is closed source, but it still has issues on your firmware, not present in stock Asuswrt.

 

[crkpot]

Initially I thought that this error has something to do with a WiFi module or driver on the laptop. However, even after upgrading my laptop's WiFi with WiFi6 USB dongle from ASUS I still get this message. Now we can be sure that it is not caused by the OS type, since my errors are caused by the laptop running Windows 10, while yours - by iOS. Maybe some app causes it? BTW, do you use Skype extensively? I have some suspicions that this problem is caused by Skype.

No we don't have skype on any devices here, the only thing that would is my windows 11 pc and I uninstalled it at some point. You are definitely on to something though, my wife didn't work today so her iPhone never disconnected and sure enough no errors showing up in the router logs.

The one thing that stands out to me about this iPhone though is she has Wifi Privacy activated which uses randomized mac addresses when connected to wifi. Once it generates one the first time you connect to a network it stays the same, but it's a spoof mac address. The one that phone was using was 66:0C:58:95:20:6B and by doing a lookup online it doesn't look like that address is associated to any hardware vendor. I had her turn of the feature then back on and it generated a new mac and now the new one does come back as an Apple MAC. Not sure if or why that would cause a problem like this but never know.

 

[jata]

This is the only workaround you have to remember with your setup, if you want Asuswrt-Merlin on the main router. I just finished playing with AX86U with AC86U as node. If AX86U runs Asuswrt-Merlin (tested with both 386.5_2 and 386.7_beta2), the wireless node discovery is broken, no matter what firmware the node runs. Only cable to the node on stock Asuswrt works. Both routers on stock Asuswrt - first attempt node discovery on wireless.

@RMerlin, I know AiMesh is closed source, but it still has issues on your firmware, not present in stock Asuswrt.

Thanks for the input and help.

I have tried stock vs merlin on my nodes every 6mths or so and have found that stock is more stable on the nodes. The only real-world evidence I have is that i have connection issues with my apple homepod minis when they are connected to nodes. This issue is better (not entirely eliminated) when running stock on nodes.

I guess having apple homepods connected to nodes is a relatively 'fringe' or low volume use case but it is by far my biggest frustration with Aimesh. It drives me crazy.

If anyone can help me solve this once and for all - i will buy them a few beers

 

[Tech9]

Bug found:

LEDs on/off from AiMesh, Management -> no LAN LEDs
The same effect from Asus App. Works right from Administration, System only.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Bug found:

View attachment 42058

View attachment 42059

LEDs on/off from AiMesh, Management -> no LAN LEDs
The same effect from Asus App. Works right from Administration, System only.

oh man.... I wonder if this will impact the performance of the ethernet cables..... Wait, you did make sure you were using these cables right?

ROG CAT7 Cable

ROG CAT7 Cable, Nylon Braided,4 shielded twisted pairs (STP) of copper wire

rog.asus.com

 

[Tech9]

I agree it's cosmetic, but still a bug. Some people use Asus App to control their routers.

Not RGB enough?

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

I agree it's cosmetic, but still a bug. Some people use Asus App to control their routers.

While I can agree with you that it is cosmetic's at face value, I cannot be for certain that it isn't caused by another asus closed source component or lack there of.

For example, this description seems very very suggestive...:

and that is not to mention the RGB-Heins57

 

[Tech9]

This cable is incompatible with my router. It's a simple AX86U, not a ROG.

Wait, my mistake... I have GRB or BRG. Sorry, fixing it to RGB now. The lights may come up.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

This cable is incompatible with my router. It's a simple AX86U, not a ROG.

You didn't get the closed source memo? Simple AX has gone ROG (or ROGUE) in some of the closed source blobs....

 

[Bobcat00]

The one thing that stands out to me about this iPhone though is she has Wifi Privacy activated which uses randomized mac addresses when connected to wifi. Once it generates one the first time you connect to a network it stays the same, but it's a spoof mac address. The one that phone was using was 66:0C:58:95:20:6B and by doing a lookup online it doesn't look like that address is associated to any hardware vendor. I had her turn of the feature then back on and it generated a new mac and now the new one does come back as an Apple MAC. Not sure if or why that would cause a problem like this but never know.

I don't see any benefit for turning on private addresses for use on your own LAN. You're not tracking via MAC ID and you know what phone it is, so there's no need for privacy.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

This cable is incompatible with my router. It's a simple AX86U, not a ROG.

Wait, my mistake... I have GRB or BRG. Sorry, fixing it to RGB now. The lights may come up.

Remember to over lap the cables as well..