BUG and bad links! RT-AC66r

[MrSinatra]

hi all,

I am assuming that the RT-AC66r and the RT-AC66u are one and same, and both use the same FW file. my understanding is the r/u only denotes where it was sold. if this is wrong, please correct me.

first, I want to report that clicking the "manual" or "utility" link inside the routers UI (bottom of every screen) for the r model leads you to here:

http://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTAC66U/HelpDesk_Download/

confusing, since the link is inside the r model yet it takes you to a page for the u model.

now choose win7 64bit.

now notice that fw is .3626

now see this link, which I had previously saved months ago:

http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=RT-AC66R&p=11&s=2

notice its for the r.

choose win7 64.

it only has fw .3602 listed!

why are there competing webpages, and why don't they share the same info??? why not one page for BOTH the r and the u?

and here's the topper:

I have reported several times, ever since I got this router, (basically when it was first released), that the fw check does NOT work, and never has. in the router ui, go to the fw section, and tell it to check to see if updates are available. mine NEVER says there is one, even when I know there is one. it ALWAYS says the current one is the latest, even when I know it isn't.

it would be nice if that bug, seemingly a simple one, were fixed.

thanks, -mdw

 

[MrSinatra]

when I manually edit the URL, and change the U to an R, I get this third link:

http://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTAC66R/HelpDesk_Download/

and it still only has .3602!

with this fourth link, the U now only shows .3602!

http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=RT-AC66U&p=11&s=2

the problems and inconsistencies are EVERYWHERE!

 

[RMerlin]

Asus are the ones who should be told. This forum isn't officially associated with them, so nothing that any of us here can do about this.

 

[MrSinatra]

Asus are the ones who should be told. This forum isn't officially associated with them, so nothing that any of us here can do about this.

ok, how do I contact them?

but what about the bug though? the fw update check never works, is that something you can fix or only asus? (and the bad link in the router UI as well)

 

[RMerlin]

but what about the bug though? the fw update check never works, is that something you can fix or only asus? (and the bad link in the router UI as well)

It's not that it doesn't work, it's because Asus does not automatically publish all updates to the automated update server. Sometimes they wait a while to ensure that the new update doesn't have any serious issues, other times they wait for a more stable release to be ready.

 

[MrSinatra]

I hear what you are saying, but I think I have only ever seen it work once, and given all the confused and contradictory URLs I noted above, I don't have faith that what they do, they do "on purpose."

in any case, can someone please give me the direct line / email to the asus router people so I don't have to fumble my way there thru their clumsy website? thx.

 

[jegesq]

Here is a link to the ASUS Support "Contact Us" page, which itself has a number of ways to contact ASUS, including a method of IMing their support engineers.

http://support.asus.com/contactus.aspx?SLanguage=en

ASUS also has its own "official" Forum for posting messages about their wireless products (and you can filter messages by model number, so that's kind of useful). The forum is monitored by ASUS, but I find the inquiries posted to be not nearly as informative as what you'll find here at SNB (most of the people posting appear to have no clue about basic networking). Anyway, it's another resource to get through to ASUS, so here's the link:

http://vip.asus.com/forum/topic.aspx?board_id=11&SLanguage=en-us

I'm not quite sure what all the angst is about on your end with regard to firmware for the AC66R/U. Yes, as Merlin explained, ASUS just doesn't publish all versions of f/w automatically.

I am frankly surprised too that they still have the link available for the .3602 firmware, particularly given the fact that f/w had so many issues with the 5ghz band for so many people, and has now been replaced by .3626

I agree with you though that ASUS should unify their links to firmware for the AC66U/R's. I have also found different versions being offered on different webpages as the "most recent" when clearly they are not the most recent.

And this is why I have elected to use only Merlin's F/W's. They're consistent, vetted better and more well-tested (IMHO) than the official versions. And I know where to get them and always know which is the latest version. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Merlin.

Also, if you're not using many of the features found in the newer F/W versions, and have already plugged the security holes that existed with the earlier versions (i.e., you're using 374.xxx above version .37), then you're probably just as well off not doing any more upgrades to the F/W. In other words, if your router is stable and does what you need it to do already, you're probably not going to see much improvement in terms of basic performance by upgrading to a newer version F/W. At least that's been my experience.

 

[MrSinatra]

the angst is that I find this to be very annoying. the 3602 is the one everywhere, except on one link, and it doesn't show inside the router. I find that to be very problematic, as well as the URL in the router being incorrect, and/or the lack of unification of 4 webpages for one product.

I posted here:

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...d_id=11&model=RT-AC66R&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

i'll see if it gets a response, and if not, i'll further escalate.

 

[L&LD]

MrSinatra, have you heard the term 'on a wild goose chase'?

I don't think Asus will change their working processes because of any annoying angst they might cause.

These forums are a great example of why your concern is a non-issue. If there are other firmware versions around, they'll surface here if not elsewhere on the web.

 

[MrSinatra]

how about changing their process to please customers? or simply b/c its logical?

I'm not so defeatist. I'm glad these forums are here, but I don't frequent them and nor should I have to. Asus should improve, and there's no reason why they can't.

 

[L&LD]

I agree with you.

But there must be some method to their madness; some possible explanations have already been voiced.

Easier to simply use the tools available, rather than get worked up for possibly no reason at all.

Logical always depends on your perspective. If we walk a mile in someone's shoes, they become logical to us. Or at least have reasons as to why they walk the way they do.

Since I don't believe Asus is willing to lend their shoes or even tell us why they walk this walk, I'm just grateful that if needed, I could walk the way I think is correct (through this forum, RMerlin and other sources on the net).

 

[MrSinatra]

the things I describe above are demonstrably illogical and in error, and there's no real reason to debate it; this thread is now veering OT so I prefer to stick to resolving the obvious issues rather than discussing the universe. but thx anyway.

 

[L&LD]

No, some points you make are not in error and may even be logical too, if we had the reasoning behind these decisions.

But you are allowed to think otherwise, of course.

 

[MrSinatra]

yes they are, you are wrong, and again its obvious and not worth debating.

 

[L&LD]

It seems like you simply don't want to debate it. Okay.

I'm not wrong and neither is RMerlin which is who I am agreeing with.

But, you have your contact info. Go change the world.

 

[MrSinatra]

I'm not trying to change the world, just some shoddiness perpetuated by ASUS.

and you have given me nothing to debate, just vague platitudes about walking in other peoples shoes. if u care to specify what u said I'm wrong about, i'll explain.