Voxel Custom firmware build for R9000/R8900 v. 1.0.4.57HF & v. 1.0.4.57.1HF

[Voxel]

Continuation of:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r9000.40125/
. . .
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r9000-r8900-v-1-0-4-55hf.75544/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r9000-r8900-v-1-0-4-56hf.76160/

New version of my custom firmware build: 1.0.4.57HF.

Changes (vs 1.0.4.56HF):

1. Toolchain: Go is upgraded 1.17.5->1.17.6.
2. OpenSSL v. 1.1.1 package is upgraded 1.1.1l->1.1.1m.
3. OpenVPN is upgraded 2.5.4->2.5.5.
4. fcgi: fix possible QoS Internet Download/Upload display issue.
5. unbound package (used in stubby) is upgraded 1.13.2->1.14.0.
6. getdns package (used in stubby) is upgraded 1.5.2->1.7.0.
7. Add 'check' package ('getdns' dependency).
8. stubby package is upgraded 0.3.0->0.4.0.
9. curl package is upgraded 7.80.0->7.81.0.
10. libnl-tiny package is upgraded 2020-08-05->2021-11-21.
11. libexif package is upgraded 0.6.22->0.6.24.
12. e2fsprogs package is upgraded 1.46.4->1.46.5.
13. haveged package is upgraded 1.9.15->1.9.17.
14. expat package is upgraded 2.4.1->2.4.2.
15. dbus package is upgraded 1.13.18->1.13.20.
16. nano package is upgraded 5.9->6.0.
17. hd-idle package is upgraded 1.04->1.05.
18. Integration of 'cmddlna' script from the latest stock firmware.
19. dnscrypt-proxy-2: add UPX packing.
20. Host tools: upgrade e2fsprogs to 1.46.5.
21. Host tools: upgrade scons to 3.1.2.
22. Host tools: upgrade mkimage/u-boot to 2021.10.

[updated]

New version of my custom firmware build: 1.0.4.57.1HF.

Changes (vs 1.0.4.57HF):

1. expat package is upgraded 2.4.2->2.4.3 (fixing CVE-2021-45960, CVE-2021-46143, from CVE-2022-22822 to CVE-2022-22827).

Base Scores: 7.5, 7.8/8.1, 9.8, 9.8, 9.8, 8.8, 8.8, 8.8.​

https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat/blob/R_2_4_3/expat/Changes​

2. nano: add UTF-8 support.


The link is:

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

Voxel.

 

[KW.]

Thank you allot! Will update in the evening!

 

[Jauger]

Flawless upgrade as usual....much thanks Voxel....

 

[primitivo]

Updated R9000 to V1.0.4.57HF and everything went fine. Thanks!

 

[foo man]

As always, Thanks Voxel! Your firmware plus kamoj's addon and Aegis from HELLO_wORLD all working perfectly! Thanks

 

[Gabeomatic]

Thank you voxel! I find myself checking your website for updates unnecessarily often

 

[Voxel]

Thread is updated.

Voxel.

 

[primitivo]

Is there any reason why on 1.0.4.57HF & 1.0.4.57.1HF the memory flash is being worn out by traffic meter, causing R9000 to crash randomly at sometimes 6am o 12 pm (every 24-36 hours)? I can't remember anything like this happening on prior FW 1.0.4.56 where I had system uptime of few weeks. What is also strange is that the crashes happen at exact either 6pm or 12pm.

Disabling traffic meter resolves the issue. I know @jberry has exactly the same issue as me, so I was thinking if there is a bug somewhere in the firmware related to this?

 

[kamoj]

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r7800-will-no-longer-save-settings-after-reboot.62773/post-577021
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/k...ear-r7800-x4s-and-r9000-x10.60590/post-633106
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-77sf.64371/post-590379
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r9000-running-voxels-1-0-4-42hf-rebooting-randomly.64887/

Is there any reason why on 1.0.4.57HF & 1.0.4.57.1HF the memory flash is being worn out by traffic meter, causing R9000 to crash randomly at sometimes 6am o 12 pm (every 24-36 hours)? I can't remember anything like this happening on prior FW 1.0.4.56 where I had system uptime of few weeks. What is also strange is that the crashes happen at exact either 6pm or 12pm.

Disabling traffic meter resolves the issue. I know @jberry has exactly the same issue as me, so I was thinking if there is a bug somewhere in the firmware related to this?

 

[primitivo]

Thanks @kamoj , I am surprised then it has never manifested itself before. If the traffic meter is a real culprit here, it should be disabled by default in both @Voxel FW and your addon, while enabling it should come with a huge warning popup that it may wear your router memory and give you random headaches... reboots i meant.

 

[kamoj]

I agree 100%.
"I just thought everyone know this."
No, I've been stupid.
We should have a thread here about how to setup the router for "starters"!
Sorry. Excuse me!
Sincerely sad,
kamoj

Thanks @kamoj , I am surprised then it has never manifested itself before. If the traffic meter is a real culprit here, it should be disabled by default in both @Voxel FW and your addon, while enabling it should come with a huge warning popup that it may wear your router memory and give you random headaches... reboots i meant.

 

[primitivo]

I agree 100%.
"I just thought everyone know this."
No, I've been stupid.
We should have a thread here about how to setup the router for "starters"!
Sorry. Excuse me!
Sincerely sad,
kamoj

It's not about thread for starters. I have read posts from your links provided above where @HELLO_wORLD goes into more technical details of possible improper implementation of traffic meter by Netgear itself. To me if something is broken or not properly implemented, should be disabled in first place. I read @Voxel readme file and it says absolutely nothing about traffic meter being a culprit which should be disabled. Also what is strange is that all of the sudden this issue has happened to me & @jberry almost at the same time (after upgrading FW and your addon), so we thought at first this could be due to some FW or addon related bug.

 

[Voxel]

I read @Voxel readme file and it says absolutely nothing about traffic meter being a culprit which should be disabled.

You know, maybe it is a bit obvious for me and (as far as I can guess) for e.g. @kamoj. So it is difficult to understand that not everyone understand such stuffs. By default this traffic meter is disabled. And it is not clear for me what for to enable it... At least in my environment.

As a rule I try to avoid in my changes any use of internal nand for write operations (nand killers). Moving such stuffs to RAM or so. For example DNSCrypt is using only RAM. Stubby too. Some changes in cron to avoid such write. But a lot of people do like all these NG 'cookies' such as traffic meter or ReadyCLOUD, or kwilt or Circle/Armor (Orbi), etc... So I do leave such stuffs. Adding the possibility to disable them. Up to users.

P.S.
If your router works too long time w/o any hardware damage it is out of manufacturer's (NG) interests . They are interested you buy new products. So traffic meter, ReadyCLOUD, Kwilt, Circle etc.

Voxel.

 

[primitivo]

You know, maybe it is a bit obvious for me and (as far as I can guess) for e.g. @kamoj. So it is difficult to understand that not everyone understand such stuffs. By default this traffic meter is disabled. And it is not clear for me what for to enable it... At least in my environment.

Thanks, that's interesting. I have never enabled it myself, so I don't know why it was enabled in first place.

 

[jberry]

By default this traffic meter is disabled. And it is not clear for me what for to enable it... At least in my environment.

Yes, for me in the Netgear settings it is disabled (Traffic Meter), never had this problem before, only when I upgraded to the latest Voxel Firmware and Kamoj (beta). Then I noticed my router (R9000) auto rebooting at 6am, 12pm, sometimes 6pm. I never touched it before. Only when I actually chose disable traffic meter in Kamoj settings is when my R9000 is now stable, now over 5 days no rebooting. Maybe it enables itself by accident? when installing Kamoj add on?!?

 

[kamoj]

Thank you for bringing this up, I've checked the code and there really is a bug in the addon.
It was introduced as part of refactoring (clean-up) of the "switch-off things code".

So, if the addon was used without setting Traffic Meter on in the addon Settings, it would become on.
Very sorry for this and other bugs through the years.
I'll make an add-on update for those who still want to use the addon.

If you want to fix it yourself you can patch it with:

sed -i '/is1=0/d' /usr/bin/addons.sh
nvram set kamoj_disable_traffic_meter="1"
nvram set endis_traffic=0
nvram commit

PS
Even if you disable the Netgear Traffic Meter setting, Traffic Meter is still running!
That's why you need to take further action.

PPS
Every time you upgrade the Netgear/Voxel firmware you get a "flash-wear".
Also note that there are several different types of flash memory in the router,
and they have different formats and are more or less sensitive to wear.
There is much information about it available in/from the addon: System Information: flash info

Yes, for me in the Netgear settings it is disabled (Traffic Meter), never had this problem before, only when I upgraded to the latest Voxel Firmware and Kamoj (beta). Then I noticed my router (R9000) auto rebooting at 6am, 12pm, sometimes 6pm. I never touched it before. Only when I actually chose disable traffic meter in Kamoj settings is when my R9000 is now stable, now over 5 days no rebooting. Maybe it enables itself by accident? when installing Kamoj add on?!?

 

[jberry]

Thank you for bringing this up, I've checked the code and there really is a bug in the addon.
It was introduced as part of refactoring (clean-up) of the "switch-off things code".

Ah okay! Thank you for checking!!

If you want to fix it yourself you can patch it with:

I will just update to the latest beta (b19)

Every time you upgrade the Netgear/Voxel firmware you get a "flash-wear".
Also note that there are several different types of flash memory in the router,
and they have different formats and are more or less sensitive to wear.
There is much information about it available in/from the addon: System Information: flash info

Thank you for the info!