Release Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 is now available for all supported Wifi 6 models

[Skeptical.me]

Can't say one way or another, the issues with the 388.1/AX86u that permeate this thread may or may not be part of my issue overall but certainly play a big part. You'll see many recomendations about picking specific channels for WiFi, that has certainly helped. Certainly reccommend wired backhaul to get the most out of AiMesh. Mixed bag on 160Mhz/DFS, some people have been fine, some haven't, for me the channel kept changing, dropping both 160Mhz and DFS. But since rolling back, it's been stable. Some people have reported problems with adding a mesh node, but for me adding them either via the iPhone app or GUI have been problem free. My issue with the 5Ghz radio not coming up after a reboot, the router/node will scan for RADAR interference if DFS is enabled before the radio turns on. Monitoring the Wireless log, this takes about a minute or so. After 5 minutes and the 5Ghz radio not turning on, even toggling the radio off/on in the GUI, I rebooted the AX86 mesh node to bring it back.

Long story short, if it works for you, great!
If not, you got options...

Okay, thanks. Sounds like I’ve got a lot to learn.

 

[noidea]

Hi, I've had problems with this new update (388.1) on my AX88U... after the update my WebGUI is really slow and keeps crashing, I've tried it via Chrome and Edge and just get timeout errors; I also have found that the Mobile App is the same and very slugish. I've tried leaving for a couple of hours but still the same.
I've rolled back to 386.8 and everything is back to normal with usual login speeds and navigation around the GUI.

I've never had any issues with any updates before... any suggestions as to what this can be?

 

[Ripshod]

Hi, I've had problems with this new update (388.1) on my AX88U... after the update my WebGUI is really slow and keeps crashing, I've tried it via Chrome and Edge and just get timeout errors; I also have found that the Mobile App is the same and very slugish. I've tried leaving for a couple of hours but still the same.
I've rolled back to 386.8 and everything is back to normal with usual login speeds and navigation around the GUI.

I've never had any issues with any updates before... any suggestions as to what this can be?

Did you do a full factory reset after flashing?

 

[JarleH]

Did you do a full factory reset after flashing?

Can it be that some people use some functions in the firmware that triggers the problems?

 

[Ripshod]

Often it's fine flashing similar, like 386>386, but 386>388 really needs a reset due to subtle (and not so subtle) differences in the jffs and nvram partitions.
I have the same hardware and did the same firmware upgrade, but I did the full reset and don't experience your symptoms. It's worth totally rebuilding the system and not attempting to restore a backup.

 

[noidea]

Thanks for the reply's, so do I update to 388 and then just push the reset button?
Thats a lot of pain to go through having to then resetup all my wifi devices!

 

[Ripshod]

My method:

• Flash 388.1
• Reboot -pulling the plug when all the lights go out
• Hold in the wps button while powering on until the power light goes out.
• Pull the plug, wait 10 seconds.
• Reapply the power and boot as normal.

Yes it may seem like a lot of work, but to have anything left on the router that produces any anomalies will be worse. Mine takes ~40 minutes from first boot to everything installed and setup.

 

[Swammy]

Hi, I've had problems with this new update (388.1) on my AX88U... after the update my WebGUI is really slow and keeps crashing, I've tried it via Chrome and Edge and just get timeout errors; I also have found that the Mobile App is the same and very slugish. I've tried leaving for a couple of hours but still the same.
I've rolled back to 386.8 and everything is back to normal with usual login speeds and navigation around the GUI.

I've never had any issues with any updates before... any suggestions as to what this can be?

I have had luck using the router ip address when web page slows down rather than default asus.router.com.

 

[RogerSC]

Another person here that did a full factory reset after flashing, and things are going well. I've been having trouble moving forward using Asus firmware in the "388" firmware family. After having to revert several times with the GT-AX6000 and various new Asus firmware versions (386 -> 388 -> 386 ... etc.), finally flashed this firmware. No problems, good speed, solid connections. Very happy so far.

I do have a simple router configuration here, though. No jffs use, nothing other than router stuff, very vanilla. I do have the repeater in the garage for the security cameras and the media bridge upstairs for the Tablo, etc., and all that infrastructure is also working well. Yay!

 

[JIPG]

Dirty upgrade to 388.1 with an RT-AX88U, without any problem.
As usual, I switched OFF the router after the update, and everything reconnected quickly after switching ON again.
No slow GUI, no problems (disconnections) with the wifi (fixed channel in both 2.4 and 5 GHz radios).
As a note, I have a simple setup (no AiMesh, no addons).

Thank you RMerlin for your endless effort and have a nice new year 2023!

 

[przemekwawa]

Short update about dropping devices:
At the end I reverted to 386.7_2 firmware and reverted factory defaults+reconfiguration. Still had problems with IoT devices disconnecting with 5GHz channel set to auto. After changing it to static channel everything runs well (on 388.1 even with static channel I had drops). AiMesh node is currently on older stock firmware. On 2.4GHz I disabled Wifi 6 mode, but have no idea if it changes anything related to those problems.

 

[skeal]

Hi, not sure if it is okay to report here. I am running 388.1 on both router, connected with LAN cable but it show as disconnected actually it is working. Small bug to report here nothing big deal.
View attachment 46808

View attachment 46809

Put Asus stock firmware on the node and it will show connected, that is if you want. The update in the GPL will eventually make it to Merlin firmware.

 

[jj22038]

I cheated.

Clean upgrade from 386.3_2 to 388.1_0. Then I copied dhcp_staticlist, vpn_serverx_clientlist, and custom_clientlist from the old /jffs/nvram (which I saved before upgrade) to the 388 /jffs/nvram. Then I didn't have to re-enter the static, the vpn, or the mac/hostname/icon information (I don't have any custom icons).

Everything is running fine with minimal additional configuration.

DON'T DO THIS if you don't have configuration and /jffs/nvram backup, if you are afraid of Linux command line, if you don't understand 'ls -l' and 'cat' to look at files and contents to see if it might be reasonable to keep the old version, or if you don't understand 'scp' to copy your files to the router.

 

[Skeptical.me]

It’s not a necessity for me, but do you think the TUF-AX3000 will be added to the list of supported devices at any stage?

 

[RMerlin]

It’s not a necessity for me, but do you think the TUF-AX3000 will be added to the list of supported devices at any stage?

asuswrt-merlin.ng

Extends the support of Asus Merlin firmware to more routers

gnuton.github.io

 

[Skeptical.me]

asuswrt-merlin.ng

Extends the support of Asus Merlin firmware to more routers

gnuton.github.io

Thanks for that.

 

[BreakingDad]

I have teenagers home,

I feel your pain.

 

[noidea]

Thanks for your advise / support so far; I did the update to 388.1 and then the factory reset; all worked great; no performance related issues on the GUI.
Then readded my two Asus RP_AX56 access points via AIMesh - GUI has now slowed right down making it nearly immpossible to navigate (using the IP address to login)... never saw any of these issues with 386 update.

Whilst the nodes are connected and working; I can't manage the router by the GUI or the Mobile App.

 

[sztraik]

Just replaced an AC86U with and AX86U Pro as the router in my wired AIMesh set up (AC86U & AC68U nodes), all with the latest Merlin FWs as of today. Everything is currently working fine and LEDs on AX86U Pro seem to behave normally.

 

[bbender716]

Good to be back. About 10 or so years ago I was running Merlin on my AC68U. After years with Netgear, a Google wifi pro, I've come back to Asus in no small part because of Merlin and this community.

Hoping that ET12 is supported soon. Thanks for all you do!