CFE bootloader update

[netware5]

Successfully updated my RT-N66U B1 (EU) from 1.0.1.2 to 1.0.1.4 and overclocked it to 662 MHz following the instructions in the first post. No issues so far.

 

[akbor]

Anybody an idea, what went wrong?

Now I know, what went wrong: I didn't do restore to the factory defaults. With factory defaults the upgrade was done without problems.

 

[dextor]

1) What HW revisions can be updated to 1.0.1.4 or the newest 1.0.1.9 which has also appeared?

2) Does your updating script auto-calculate CRC and correct the checksum bits?

3) In this updating is specific information like MAC preserved?

Thank you

 

[ryzhov_al]

Answers to first two questions is here.

3) In this updating is specific information like MAC preserved?

Yes.

 

[lostindark]

Hi guys, i'm using last firmware .43 with configurated services as trassmision, webcam and web server. Should i do full factory reset to upgrade from 1.2 to 1.4? Also using optware..
Thanks in advance..

 

[oversim]

Should i do full factory reset to upgrade from 1.2 to 1.4? Also using optware..
Thanks in advance..

No, "only" flash new bootloader ad restart router

 

[ryzhov_al]

I've updated scripts at first post, now it's with v1.0.1.9.

Thanks to hggomes!

I've done the exact same for 1.0.1.9 and it's working fine.

 

[Pierino]

What does this bootloader give us that 1.0.1.4 didn't?

 

[bluepoint]

I've updated scripts at first post, now it's with v1.0.1.9.

You might want to edit the tar command to 1.0.1.9. Any changelog from 1.4 to 1.9?

 

[ryzhov_al]

What does this bootloader give us that 1.0.1.4 didn't?

Good question. We know some bugs in 1.0.1.2, we know what give us 1.0.1.3 to 1.0.1.4 upgrade. As long as CFE sources for RT-N66U stays closed, all we learned was brought through an experimentation. I have no idea what changes was made from 1.0.1.4 to 1.0.1.9. While we not discovered some new bugs or new features, 1.0.1.4 and 1.0.1.9 looks the same.

You might want to edit the tar command to 1.0.1.9. Any changelog from 1.4 to 1.9?

Done. Thanks.

 

[Builder71]

Updated my RT-N66U from 1.0.1.2 to 1.0.1.4, all went fine.
I didn't use the 1.0.1.9 image because it's a US one.
I wanted to stick with an EU image.

One question: If I log into the routers GUI and check the "Network Map" page, it shows you the MAC addresses.
If I select the 2.4GHz tab it tells me the LAN MAC is the same as the 2.4GHz MAC.
Both are the same!
Is this normal?
(The 5GHz MAC is different.)

I saved the cfe.new and cfe.old files.
The cfe.old does show identical MAC's for "et0macaddr" and "pci/1/1/macaddr".
So not a problem with the update process, just my observation.

So, do we all have identical MAC addresses for LAN and 2.4GHz?

 

[hggomes]

The script will change US to EU, and all others "critital" parts.

 

[Builder71]

I guess you are 100% right on this, however the CFE is closed source so you never know.
I prefer to stick with EU version.
It's just a matter of time before someone uploads a 1.0.1.9 EU version, I'll wait for that.

Thx!

Anyone to check this please?

So, do we all have identical MAC addresses for LAN and 2.4GHz?

Edit: Seems normal watching a few boring Youtube vids about the GUI.
Edit2: And found this:

... in regard to the mac address(s).. it seems it is still being debated if the numbering scheme is by design, or a bug.

(here)

 

[oversim]

AFAIK localization is made by upper software (firmware... ) layers.. this is "only" a bootloader.. Informations about country are stored in nvram and used by firmware..

 

[RMerlin]

AFAIK localization is made by upper software (firmware... ) layers.. this is "only" a bootloader.. Informations about country are stored in nvram and used by firmware..

Not entirely accurate.

The region is encoded in the bootloader. When you erase nvram, all the lowlevel default settings are copied from the bootloader into nvram. That includes region, MACs, other hardware-related settings. After that, the firmware itself will add its own default settings that are related to functionality on top of these.

 

[bluepoint]

The script will change US to EU, and all others "critital" parts.

As you can see I don't know much about bootloader, is it normal to see versions with a big gap(from .4 to .9)? There was a pattern before .1, .2, .3, .4 why the gap now?

 

[hggomes]

Yes, that's perfectly normal.

Probably because they fixed alot more things and released a higher version then or just because we are missing 1.0.1.5, 1.0.1.6, 1.0.1.7 and 1.0.1.8 versions

 

[DrTeeth]

The script will change US to EU, and all others "critital" parts.

This stuff is over my head, so bear with me with a noob question. Can the script be used to change the regulatory domain to a real one? The EU is not that at all and the only European country that uses the same four channels is Austria. The rest of us lose out on many 5GHz channels to Asus laziness. In my case, I miss out on 13 extra legal channels.

 

[thaui]

RT-AC56U CFE UPGRADE

RT-N66U (B1) 1.0.1.4 CFE UPGRADE:
========================

1. Install RMerlin FW and connect a storage USB device. (Mounted on /tmp/sda/pen in my case)

2. Go to "http://192.168.1.1/Tools_Sysinfo.asp" and check for your Bootloader (CFE) version.

3. Backup your current CFE and download the new CFE 1.0.1.4 version:

http://www.4shared.com/zip/luaT_AhNce/rt-n66u_b1_1014.html

Use one of this commands to backup your current CFE via Telnet/SSH (enable it on the router):

cat /dev/mtd0 > /tmp/sda/pen/original_cfe.bin
(change your path if that's the case)

dd if=/dev/mtd0 of=/tmp/sda/pen/original_cfe.bin
(change your path if that's the case)

4. Unmount your USB device via http://192.168.1.1 webpage and remove it from the router.

5. Use an Hex Editor software (i use HXD) and open your backup Bootloader (CFE) file "original_cfe.bin" and the new CFE "rt-n66u_b1_1.0.1.4.bin".

6. Search (CTRL+F) on both files for "mac" word to find the three entries that we need, use F3 key to go the next one:

et0macaddr=XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
macaddr=XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
macaddr=XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX

You should also compare these two entries on both CFE to make sure they match your region:

regulation_domain
regulation_domain_5G

Where you see XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, these are the three MAC Address entries we need to change, just copy them from your "original_cfe.bin" (select only the MAC Address and copy it with CTRL+C) to the new CFE file "rt-n66u_b1_1.0.1.4.bin" (select only the MAC Address and paste it with CTRL+V) and double check that you have not changed any other part.

NOTE: YOUR BACKUP CFE FILE "original_cfe.bin" HAS YOUR DEVICE REAL MAC ADDRESS AND THE NEW CFE FILE "rt-n66u_b1_1.0.1.4.bin" HAS XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX FOR REFERENCE ONLY, YOU SHOULD REPLACE IT WITH YOUR REAL DEVICE MAC ADDRESSES.

7. After MAC Address replacement save the new file with a new name "new_cfe.bin" and copy it to your storage USB device.

8. Connect the storage USB device to the router and go to the directory where "new_cfe.bin" is located and use this command to update CFE:

mtd-write -i new_cfe.bin -d pmon

9. Reboot your router and enjoy your new CFE version.

10. Go to "http://192.168.1.1/Tools_Sysinfo.asp" and check for your NEW 1.0.1.4 upgraded Bootloader (CFE) version.

WARNING:

IF THESE METHOD IS DONE EXACTLY HOW EXPLAINED YOU WILL EASILY UPDATE YOUR CFE WITHOUT A PROBLEM, DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

BE AWARE, IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH UPDATE YOU WILL BRICK YOUR ROUTER AND THE ONLY WAY TO RECOVER IT IS VIA JTAG.

Is the Merlin Firmware mandatory? or can I use this procedure also for the stock firmware. I got a new RT-AC56U unit and like to have the US CFE file on it because I want increase TX power from 100mW (EU) to 125mW (US) on the 2,4GHz band. The headline is saying RT-N66U but is the procedure the same on RT-AC56U and the other ASUS routers mentioned on the first page?

 

[ryzhov_al]

Is the Merlin Firmware mandatory? or can I use this procedure also for the stock firmware.

Yes, you may use quoted procedure on stock firmware.

The headline is saying RT-N66U but is the procedure the same on RT-AC56U and the other ASUS routers mentioned on the first page?

First post includes utilities for RT-N66U only.