Voxel Custom firmware build for Orbi RBK50/RBK53 (RBR50, RBS50) v. 9.2.5.2.17SF-HW

[Voxel]

Continuation of

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-v-2-5-0-42sf-hw.60308/
. . .
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/c...50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-2-15sf-hw.74451/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/c...50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-2-16sf-hw.75557/

New version of my custom firmware build: 9.2.5.2.17SF-HW.

Changes (vs 9.2.5.2.16SF-HW):

1. Toolchain: Go is upgraded 1.17.2->1.17.5.
2. Toolchain: gdb is upgraded 10.1->11.1.
3. Fix lacking build of 'kmod-ipt-ipset' (ipset).
4. wireguard package is upgraded 1.0.20210606->1.0.20211208.
5. lighttpd package is upgraded 1.4.61->1.4.63.
6. curl package is upgraded 7.79.1->7.80.0.
7. iproute2 package is upgraded 4.0.0->4.4.0.
8. xtables-addons package is upgraded 2.10->2.14.
9. ethtool package is upgraded 5.14->5.15.
10. iw package is upgraded 5.9->5.16.
11. ncurses package is upgraded 6.2->6.3.
12. ca-certificates package is upgraded 20210119->20211016.
13. bind package and its dependences libuv/nghttp2 are added ('dig' command).
14. Default congestion control algorithm is changed to 'highspeed'.
15. HTCP/ILLINOIS congestion control algorithms are added.
16. Slight optimization of some components.
17. Host tools: various updates.

The link is:

https://www.voxel-firmware.com (thanks to vladlenas for his help with hosting).

Voxel.

 

[gssjshark]

Thank you @Voxel! Your work is very much appreciated. Happy holidays to you and your family.

 

[NemesisXT]

Thank you! Happy Holiday!

 

[TeamZero]

Thank you !!!!

 

[Loof]

This seems like a very basic issue...
I'm struggling to install this because the Orbi keeps forcibly updating the firmware.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that even with a TFTP upload that the Orbi has to be on 2.5.x firmware for the update to succeed.
Even when I use TFTP to install the standard firmware, it is on 2.7.x when it restarts (due to automatic updates).
No matter what I do from there, if I install the voxel release it ends up soft bricked (which cycles back to the 1st step).

Is there any sane way to prevent this from install 2.7.x as soon as it reboots?
Is there any way to install the Voxel release via TFTP?

Voxel, regarding the inconsistent bandwidth issues... I'm upgrading to Fiber soon (literally waiting for it to finish getting installed) and hopefully those issues go away.
If they persist once my connection isn't suspect, then I can try to sort out a root cause

Thanks,
Max

 

[mith_y2k]

I see the changes in congestion control algorithms, what should we expect or test for?

 

[Voxel]

Is there any sane way to prevent this from install 2.7.x as soon as it reboots?

Maybe disconnecting your WAN?

Is there any way to install the Voxel release via TFTP?

Yes. The same as stock.

Voxel.

 

[Voxel]

I see the changes in congestion control algorithms, what should we expect or test for?

Something or nothing.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-90sf.76155/post-728247

Voxel.

 

[Loof]

Maybe disconnecting your WAN?


Yes. The same as stock.

Voxel.

I meant if it can be tftp flashed successfully over a device with 2.7.x instead of 2.5.x.

Thank you,
Max

 

[Voxel]

I meant if it can be tftp flashed successfully over a device with 2.7.x instead of 2.5.x.

I cannot confirm or deny. I did it once for myself and it was OK. You may try and in the case of soft brick just use TFTP by stock 2.5.x

Voxel.

 

[Loof]

I'll try again with your release directly. I tried a couple of times, but it seemed to just softbrick. If not, I'll have to try it late one night when no one is demanding the Internet be up

Thank you for your continued efforts,
Max

 

[Voxel]

I am having difficulty getting the wiregaurd to work after flashing this firmware . I followed the instructions I think and when it is connecting to my vpn provider (IPVanish). I am not entirely sure I have it set-up correctly, but in the /var/log/wireguard.log I see a message about setting up the iptables and rules and then I have no internet. Any troubleshooting or advice appreciated. And keep up the greate work. You have free'd my ORBI from the firmware hell it was in.

It is better to use latest version of my firmware. WG was updated, iproute2 was updated in this 17SF-HW.

You wore that you have no Internet. What does it mean?

Is ping to e.g. 1.1.1.1 workable after you start WG connection? Try from ssh/telnet:

ping 1.1.1.1
ping 8.8.8.8

Maybe just your DNS does not work i.e. ping google.com? It is recommended to use dnscrypt proxy-2 with WG (or stubby).

Voxel.

 

[Loof]

I managed to reflash the other router as a Satellite, so I now have 4 Sats (3 level home that still had some coverage issues).
I am noticing some odd behavior, I'm unsure what the cause is and there have been power/Internet issues due to storms in the area.
I have not had time to update to of the Sats, so they're still running the prior (*.16) Voxel release and have the same behavior.

1) The Sats keep disconnecting randomly, the router logs indicate "Dos Attack: ARP Attack" for the Sat IP
I'm not sure if the sats are getting blocked by this, which could be why they're dropping off.
2) When one of the (far Sats) uses daisy chaining, it shows as connecting via 2.4Ghz not 5, is this normal?
3) I've caught the Sats in reset states (192.168.1.250) from time to time during this
4) I've caught the Sats stuck in DNI setup (SSID is "DNIWIFI")

I know that the router can't be factory reset with Voxel, I assume the same applies to the Sats?
Is there any way to force a configuration flush/update to the Sats?
Is there any way to re-sync the sats from the router?

Anything else I might do here to help diagnose the underlying issue and/or stabilize things?

Thanks,
Max

 

[needbrew99]

so when it reboots, the ORBI goes pink and I cannot ping by ip or name. if I look in

root@RBR50:~# cat /var/log/wireguard-client.log
Start WireGuard client. Please wait.
IP of EndPoint 205.185.209.214 is 205.185.209.214.
Restart firewall to apply iptables rules for WireGuard client.
Generating Rules...
Done!
Starting Firewall...
Done!

but the orbi appears to be not connecting to anything

 

[Loof]

I managed to reflash the other router as a Satellite, so I now have 4 Sats (3 level home that still had some coverage issues).
I am noticing some odd behavior, I'm unsure what the cause is and there have been power/Internet issues due to storms in the area.
I have not had time to update to of the Sats, so they're still running the prior (*.16) Voxel release and have the same behavior.

1) The Sats keep disconnecting randomly, the router logs indicate "Dos Attack: ARP Attack" for the Sat IP
I'm not sure if the sats are getting blocked by this, which could be why they're dropping off.
2) When one of the (far Sats) uses daisy chaining, it shows as connecting via 2.4Ghz not 5, is this normal?
3) I've caught the Sats in reset states (192.168.1.250) from time to time during this
4) I've caught the Sats stuck in DNI setup (SSID is "DNIWIFI")

I know that the router can't be factory reset with Voxel, I assume the same applies to the Sats?
Is there any way to force a configuration flush/update to the Sats?
Is there any way to re-sync the sats from the router?

Anything else I might do here to help diagnose the underlying issue and/or stabilize things?

Thanks,
Max

Once I got the other 2 sats updated to &.17... things seem to have stabilized.

Max

 

[Voxel]

so when it reboots, the ORBI goes pink and I cannot ping by ip or name. if I look in

root@RBR50:~# cat /var/log/wireguard-client.log
Start WireGuard client. Please wait.
IP of EndPoint 205.185.209.214 is 205.185.209.214.
Restart firewall to apply iptables rules for WireGuard client.
Generating Rules...
Done!
Starting Firewall...
Done!

but the orbi appears to be not connecting to anything

I am sorry but it is problematic for me to find what is the reason having no access to your router or config of this provider... checked with provider I have config and with my own WG servers. It works as expected...

Voxel.

 

[Loof]

Once I got the other 2 sats updated to &.17... things seem to have stabilized.

Max

Minor update... The same thing started happening again until I left the converted 'router to station' turned off.
When it is on, the stations blink in and out.
I changed the model/type, then flashed the sat voxel firmware... is there possibly a step I missed?

---

Also, the router seems to be running into super high kernel space/system load (enough to noticeably slow down network/UI performance).
It's unclear to me what might be causing it, the dal-scan/d2d processes are usually running when I notice this.. but not showing much user space load.
uptime shows a load average of 6 or more when this is happening. /proc/meminfo shows a decent amount of memory available 141696 kB

Here's a bit of vmstat output (no i/o blocking, but some processes are blocked/waiting)
procs -----------memory---------- ---swap-- -----io---- -system-- ----cpu----
r b swpd free buff cache si so bi bo in cs us sy id wa
6 0 0 142128 9776 40516 0 0 0 0 13722 23384 12 40 48 0
4 0 0 141480 9776 40516 0 0 0 0 10318 16803 15 64 22 0
5 0 0 142572 9776 40524 0 0 0 0 9034 14637 14 65 21 0
2 0 0 142884 9776 40536 0 0 0 0 10926 12150 6 50 44 0


Any suggestions on finding a root cause?

 

[qweasdzxc]

Hey guys…I ordered a RBR50 set to use with voxel…I flashed the voxel firmwares on them without setting it up on orbi app…now when I try to add it asks for admin password and kept saying it’s wrong. The same password works via browser…is this something anyone faced before? Do I have to start from scratch if I want to use the app on phone to connect to orbi now?

Also my satellite connects via 2.4hgz while my old setup always was on 5ghz which is odd as they are placed at the same place as old setup…any suggestions?

 

[hoserdude]

I just recently came across the Voxel firmware. So I have the RBR50 and an RBS50, but I also have satellite RBS20 in this setup.

With this setup, can I not use the Voxel firmware? Can I install it on the RBS50 and RBR50 but leave the RBS20 alone?

 

[L&LD]

Yes, of course, you can.