Beta Asuswrt-Merlin 386.8 Beta is out for specific models

[Plak]

What do you mean by "cannot change the wifi modes"?

I'll need a bit more info than that if I am to do any kind of debugging...

Wireless mode.... To change from auto to AX mode or AC/N/AX mode. It simply will not make the change. Keeps being stuck on Auto on 5ghz-1 and AX mode on 5ghz-2....

 

[DJones]

@RMerlin Does this new update for specific models introduce a newer kernel? I know a few select models have moved to a newer version.

If their is a newer kernel is it something that will be in a new naming convention? HND was to distinguish the SoC Broadcom platform, but with the newer kernels it means some incompatibility until certain features get rewritten.

Also do you think they will update the kernel on devices like the non pro GT-AX11000

 

[maxbraketorque]

Hello

I download the file for my GT-AX11000.

However the file have this name "GT-AX11000_PRO_386.8_beta1.zip". Could you please confirm if the PRO in the name is normal ?

Thanks in advance

This firmware is only for the pro version of the GT-AX11000 (along with the RT-AX88U and GT-AXE16000 for which there are no pro versions).

 

[Libre.autonome]

This firmware is only for the pro version of the GT-AX11000 (along with the RT-AX88U and GT-AXE16000 for which there are no pro versions).

thanks for your answer.

However the file is in the folder GT-AX11000. Therefore this file should be deleted or replaced by the correct one.

 

[Damit1]

Or considering that the vast majority of RT-AX88U feedback so far has been positive, maybe what's buggy is your network and not the firmware. What troubleshooting steps have you done? As someone pointed out, IoT devices that have problems connecting to Wifi can very often be fixed by resetting them. IoT tends to use the cheapest wifi solutions possible, which will often have compatibility issues with anything more modern or advanced than a bog standard 6 years old 802.11n wifi network.

With all do respect, been testing your FW for last 2 years, so I know to ID a good and stable FW when I see one.

My procedure as prevously mentioned here:
AP is updated to an alpha version- wait for 5 min to see it works OK.
After 5 minutes as alpha- update to B1.

From there- 10m to see my AP node is Ok, and Router update to Alpha- waited 5 min, didnot try any WiFi optimizations- just waited to see its working.
On Alpha-> my AX58U disconnected from network, but did not bother me.

After 30m on Router as Alpha-> update to B1, and then the party started for us.

Ax58u was not IDd, at all- and Ring device did not work- even after reset.

When try to optimize ANY device connection- it just reconnected it to the Router- instead of actual optimization as I know it from 386_5 2 which work terrific.

After few optimizations trials (which not work for real)- router reboot itself, for no good reason and no reason to mention from the log.
Factory reset all nodes in the network, and load a backup- same, same.

Tried to reboot whole network- but did not help much.

Took about 3h to realize- it is not the normal network I know.

Then, I just reverted to the last known Stable for me- everything is back to normal in 10m or so which indicates as I believe it is something with new SDK or something.

Thank you
I just hope you'd debug it nothing else.

So far, for my network- 386 5 2, works the best.

 

[hancox]

My procedure as prevously mentioned here:
AP is updated to an alpha version- wait for 5 min to see it works OK.
After 5 minutes as alpha- update to B1.

Sorry, but debug your process. There is absolutely no reason to upgrade to alpha from stable, and then beta. If anything, it's likely introducing whatever problems you're having.

 

[Damit1]

Sorry, but debug your process. There is absolutely no reason to upgrade to alpha from stable, and then beta. If anything, it's likely introducing whatever problems you're having.

Well, would you mind telling me the better way to test it?

Stable- Beta staright up?
Any other suggestions?

 

[brummygit]

Upgraded from the latest Alpha to the Beta (even though I realise there are minimal changes) without issue. My RT-AX86Us are running the latest released stock firmware.

When I originally moved to the Alpha I removed and re-added the nodes to make sure they were factory reset and getting new config from the AX88U. The main router has been running the same config for numerous releases.

FWIW I have 5 Ring devices on my WiFi that are happy spread across my router and nodes without issues. In fact I would say they are performing the best they ever have - Live View is almost instant to start

 

[PR3MIUM]

From Official Asus Beta (https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...0-0-4-388-20477-2022-08-02.80143/#post-781913) in the morning to:
Hard Reset -> 386.8_beta1 -> Reformat JFFS and reboot -> Hard Reset.

Adding the first AiMesh Node ends up in no connection:

(seems to me that before adding a AiMesh Node that the 5 GHz is not available -> white second LED was missing on start of sync/adding).

Errors so far:

Aug  6 12:54:04 kernel: ^[[0;33;41m[ERROR mcast] bcm_mcast_netlink_process_snoop_cfg,884: interface 22 could not be found^[[0m
Aug  6 12:56:25 kernel: CFG80211-ERROR) wl_cfg80211_add_virtual_iface : Recvd application provided mac address:xo:7p:3n:00:81:29
Aug  6 13:24:46 kernel: CFGP2P-ERROR) wl_cfgp2p_find_ndev :  p2p inactive
Aug  6 13:24:46 kernel: CFG80211-ERROR) wl_add_remove_eventmsg : Get event_msgs error (-19)
Aug  6 13:25:42 kernel: CFG80211-ERROR) wl_notify_connect_status : Invalid ndev status 4

currently on channel 1/20MHz and channel 52/160 MHz
(WPA2/3)

will switch to WPA3 with Main and all 2 Nodes and have a look if I get some more Errors over the Night,
but currently its only after flashing and/or if you using WPA3 and then adding Nodes with WPA2/3 in your Settings

EDIT:
switching from WPA2/3 with Main+2Nodes to WPA3 is giving out the Error:

Aug  6 13:58:56 kernel: CFG80211-ERROR) wl_cfg80211_add_virtual_iface : Recvd application provided mac address:xo:7p:3n:00:81:29

so maybe something wrong about kernel/interface

 

[Damit1]

For about 12H its all good.
So, should I do Beta straight away when I mix AX88U and AX58U?

Any suggestions?

 

[PR3MIUM]

Would suggest stay on your current or switch to the latest RT-AX88U_386.8_alpha1-ge365a66780 from OneDrive (Alpha but very Stable !).
Current Beta 1 has some Bugs with the Kernel as it seems to me after testing the official beta from Asus and the Merlin, for me it seems that Asus is messing arround the new Linux kernel
(new hard CVE patch but not stable in other words ^^).

 

[Damit1]

Would suggest stay on your current or switch to the latest RT-AX88U_386.8_alpha1-ge365a66780 from OneDrive (Alpha but very Stable !).
Current Beta 1 has some Bugs with the Kernel as it seems to me after testing the official beta from Asus and the Merlin, for me it seems that Asus is messing arround the new Linux kernel
(new hard CVE patch but not stable in other words ^^).

Oh, that sounds like a plan!
Will try to move to Alpha and stay there for a while and test it, that is more helpful answer.
Thank you pal!

 

[hancox]

Well, would you mind telling me the better way to test it?

Stable- Beta staright up?
Any other suggestions?

Normally, you're either testing the alpha, or the beta, so no reason to progress through both.

Normally, i would also try reverting to defaults on beta prior to rolling back to alpha or prior stock.

All that said, if there is a commit between alpha and beta impacting you, by all means, roll back, but i would still try a defaults-only beta attempt, even as a testing point for Merlin.

 

[Damit1]

Tried my router on Alpha release, lost my AX56U again, WIFI optimization still not working.

Ring actually work on Alpha and straight away..

Another thing, did not mention- IPv6 obtain takes about few minutes in both Alpha and Beta (not the same in 386 5 2, takes 1-1.5m since boot to obtain) it affects few services in my network as well.

Reverting back 386 5 2 for now, thanks for all the efforts!

 

[JemTheWire]

Dumb question:

Is this beta good for all hardware variants of the AX88U or just latest? I have a v1.0 and wonder if it would be OK to test this beta.

 

[Dedel66]

It is good for ALL hardware versions.

 

[RMerlin]

thanks for your answer.

However the file is in the folder GT-AX11000. Therefore this file should be deleted or replaced by the correct one.

Something must be wrong with my deploy script, it uploaded it to both folders. I will have to investigate the upload process.

Wireless mode.... To change from auto to AX mode or AC/N/AX mode. It simply will not make the change. Keeps being stuck on Auto on 5ghz-1 and AX mode on 5ghz-2....

I'll have to see if I can reproduce it.

Note that this beta firmware is actually less broken than Asus' own latest release for the Wireless settings page. Asus' Wireless Professional page were showing the 2.4 GHz settings on the 5 GHz settings. I had to rewrite a good portion of the code handling radios on that page, and sent the code for Asus to include in a future release. So while t here might still be webui issues left, this beta release's webui works better than the latest stock firmware.

@RMerlin Does this new update for specific models introduce a newer kernel? I know a few select models have moved to a newer version.

The two new models both share the same HND 5.04 SDK as the GT-AX6000 and Zen Wifi Pro XT12. HND 5.04 uses kernel 4.19.

Also do you think they will update the kernel on devices like the non pro GT-AX11000

Broadcom does not update kernels in existing SDKs. Newer SDKs will have newer kernels, and these new SDKs are tied to newer hardware.

Would suggest stay on your current or switch to the latest RT-AX88U_386.8_alpha1-ge365a66780 from OneDrive (Alpha but very Stable !).
Current Beta 1 has some Bugs with the Kernel

Zero changes between that alpha and the beta there. There were only two changes, and both are related to the webui:

merlin@ubuntu-dev:~/amng$ git log e365a66780~1..HEAD --oneline
94f03c3a29 (HEAD -> master, tag: 386.8-beta1, origin/master) Bumped revision to beta 1
60aed66fc5 Updated documentation
d2ced26107 webui: switch to UTF8-compatible qrcode.js fork
e365a66780 httpd: report MU-MIMO and STBC support for AX clients

 

[Plak]

Something must be wrong with my deploy script, it uploaded it to both folders. I will have to investigate the upload process.

I'll have to see if I can reproduce it.

Note that this beta firmware is actually less broken than Asus' own latest release for the Wireless settings page. Asus' Wireless Professional page were showing the 2.4 GHz settings on the 5 GHz settings. I had to rewrite a good portion of the code handling radios on that page, and sent the code for Asus to include in a future release. So while t here might still be webui issues left, this beta release's webui works better than the latest stock firmware.

That's good to know and thanks for all the amazing work. Yea asus latest release wasn't really exciting.

 

[DJones]

Something must be wrong with my deploy script, it uploaded it to both folders. I will have to investigate the upload process.

I'll have to see if I can reproduce it.

Note that this beta firmware is actually less broken than Asus' own latest release for the Wireless settings page. Asus' Wireless Professional page were showing the 2.4 GHz settings on the 5 GHz settings. I had to rewrite a good portion of the code handling radios on that page, and sent the code for Asus to include in a future release. So while t here might still be webui issues left, this beta release's webui works better than the latest stock firmware.


The two new models both share the same HND 5.04 SDK as the GT-AX6000 and Zen Wifi Pro XT12. HND 5.04 uses kernel 4.19.


Broadcom does not update kernels in existing SDKs. Newer SDKs will have newer kernels, and these new SDKs are tied to newer hardware.


Zero changes between that alpha and the beta there. There were only two changes, and both are related to the webui:

merlin@ubuntu-dev:~/amng$ git log e365a66780~1..HEAD --oneline
94f03c3a29 (HEAD -> master, tag: 386.8-beta1, origin/master) Bumped revision to beta 1
60aed66fc5 Updated documentation
d2ced26107 webui: switch to UTF8-compatible qrcode.js fork
e365a66780 httpd: report MU-MIMO and STBC support for AX clients

Thanks!

 

[eclp]

No problems whatsoever on my AX88U.
Thank you RMerlin!