DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 4 388.1 BETA BUILDS?

[Papercorn]

Hello all, I wanted to download the beta 2 build of firmware 388.1 for my GT-AX11000 and I have 4 choices on the download site for my router. What is the difference between these 4?
Thnks
Peter

 

[bennor]

There is one choice for 388.1_beta2 if that is the beta firmware you want to install. The other three files are earlier versions of the beta firmware. The earlier 386.7 code base beta releases, and the initial beta 1 release of the later 388.1 code base.

GT-AX11000_386.7_beta1.zip (Jun 10)
GT-AX11000_386.7_beta2.zip (Jun 17)
GT-AX11000_388.1_beta1.zip (Nov 5)
GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2.zip (Fri at 5:35 PM) <-- latest beta version for 388.1

One can read the firmware change log, or see the dedicated 388.1 Beta thread for RMerlin's posts on the latest Beta firmware updates, to see what has been changed/updated/removed from the 388.1 Beta 2 firmware. Typically the later firmware versions will have changes or fixes or code updates the earlier version doesn't have.

RMerlin's post about 388.1 Beta 2
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...e-for-select-models.81644/page-16#post-800850

Beta 2 is now available. Changes since beta 1:

d38e529fda Update documentation
d5d74b7843 bwdpi: new cache bypass logic for BCM4912 which is now compatible with that platform (fix provided by Asus)
811f8da0d5 webui: hide WPA passphrase by default on wireless settings for the GT-AXE11000
b044136f42 webui: hide WPA passphrase by default on Wireless Settings for the GT-AXE16000
927c8513c6 webui: replace hardcoded Chinese labels with localized labels on Wireless router status pane
046227166f rc: implement inbound firewall for WireGuard clients (defaults to Block)
ec94039240 bwdpi: disable flow cache bypass by AiProtection on BCM4912 (fix provided by Asus)
cf74ee5066 lltd: fix dangling symlinks for RT-AX88U and GT-AX11000 icons
7e7ff61ceb lltd: resync with upstream
478f0b9712 libovpn: update amvpn_update_exclusive_dns_rules() so OVPNC rules are before WGC rules
595d22d6ed rc: re-apply OpenVPN exclusive DNS rules after WGC rules, so they get inserted before them
961b9f2336 rc: re-apply WG clients exclusive DNS rules on firewall restarts
3627943427 rc: webui: remove NAT type setting from HND 5.04 models
5ac92c10a7 build: enable ASD on RT-AX68U (fixes missing libasc.so needed by networkmap)
f72f313807 webui: update reference to DNSFilter on WAN page
a253718ffc webui: fix VPNDirector's edit panel location
6710f7c803 webui: remove stray <tr> fromm VPNDirector's WGC client state
cff5673d3d Bumped version to beta 2

 

[Papercorn]

There is one choice for 388.1_beta2 if that is the beta firmware you want to install. The other three files are earlier versions of the beta firmware. The earlier 386.7 code base beta releases, and the initial beta 1 release of the later 388.1 code base.

GT-AX11000_386.7_beta1.zip (Jun 10)
GT-AX11000_386.7_beta2.zip (Jun 17)
GT-AX11000_388.1_beta1.zip (Nov 5)
GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2.zip (Fri at 5:35 PM) <-- latest beta version for 388.1

One can read the firmware change log, or see the dedicated 388.1 Beta thread for RMerlin's posts on the latest Beta firmware updates, to see what has been changed/updated/removed from the 388.1 Beta 2 firmware. Typically the later firmware versions will have changes or fixes or code updates the earlier version doesn't have.

RMerlin's post about 388.1 Beta 2
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...e-for-select-models.81644/page-16#post-800850

hello Bennor,

Something is not right here. I looked under the download header "beta's" on the merlin>download site. There are 4 possibilities for downloads 388.1 beta2 for the AX11000:

fd8c0a7573b9927100c5d57dbea72cb045aad861f61e0834914083992138db55 GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_rog_ubi.w
b64b378c0bf897398ecba7e2abee95d4b4a7afd62d5186a94ee47bb3b0a7286f GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_ubi.w
8510ef04770cb163d8ed8ad3cc4f38d1ac98ba837eb720b0a1e4bd407254ebfe GT-AXE11000_388.1_beta2_pureubi.w
6e883eda51b96b7505a1faab77535945f7065be74feed27dc7e23fa3e9a8aa41 GT-AXE11000_388.1_beta2_rog_pureubi.w

So my question was: what is the difference between these 4? I now see that 2 of them are for AXE11000 so I assume I do not use these. But the other 2?
Tks
Peter

 

[ColinTaylor]

The "rog_ubi" version has the ROG gamer GUI, whereas the "ubi" version has the traditional GUI.

 

[bennor]

Something is not right here. I looked under the download header "beta's" on the merlin>download site. There are 4 possibilities for downloads 388.1 beta2 for the AX11000:

fd8c0a7573b9927100c5d57dbea72cb045aad861f61e0834914083992138db55 GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_rog_ubi.w
b64b378c0bf897398ecba7e2abee95d4b4a7afd62d5186a94ee47bb3b0a7286f GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_ubi.w
8510ef04770cb163d8ed8ad3cc4f38d1ac98ba837eb720b0a1e4bd407254ebfe GT-AXE11000_388.1_beta2_pureubi.w
6e883eda51b96b7505a1faab77535945f7065be74feed27dc7e23fa3e9a8aa41 GT-AXE11000_388.1_beta2_rog_pureubi.w

There are only four firmware download files in the Asus Merlin GT-AX11000 Beta folder:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/asuswrt-merlin/files/GT-AX11000/Beta/
The OneDrive Beta folder for the GT-AX11000:
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=!AJLLKAY--4EBqDo&id=CCE5625ED3599CE0!19850&cid=CCE5625ED3599CE0

The GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2 zip download file (latest beta as of this post) has TWO firmware files in it. GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_ubi.w and GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_rog_ubi.w. If one reads the Changelog-NG.txt included with the firmware file they will see an explanation for why there are two firmware files included:

- NEW: Experimental ROG UI version for GT models, as a separate firmware image within the distribution archive, with "_rog" in the filename.

As the change log indicates the ROG version (GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_rog_ubi.w) is; a "new experimental ROG UI version" and is a separate firmware file. ROG stands for "Republic of Gamers" and is a line of Asus products geared/marketed towards gamers. It apparently uses a different UI/GUI interface. Where as the other firmware file (GT-AX11000_388.1_beta2_ubi.w) has the basic traditional Asus-Merlin interface.

Edit to add: This is apparently an example of the Asus ROG router UI:

 

[Papercorn]

Hello again,
All clear now. Thanks for the explanation.
Peter

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Hello again,
All clear now. Thanks for the explanation.
Peter

yep GT-AXE is completely different than GT-AX model.

 

[Clark Griswald]

@Papercorn
I have an AC86U, and after the AX86U was introduced, I often DL'd the incorrect fw. Fortunately the incorrect fw won't load. I recently tried the rog version for my GT-AX6000, and imho I hate the rog scheme, but I'm clearly not the rog target user.
Latest beta2 working well in my environment!

 

[Keenan]

@Papercorn
I have an AC86U, and after the AX86U was introduced, I often DL'd the incorrect fw. Fortunately the incorrect fw won't load. I recently tried the rog version for my GT-AX6000, and imho I hate the rog scheme, but I'm clearly not the rog target user.
Latest beta2 working well in my environment!

Is the firmware file extension for your GT-AX6000 a "pkgtb"? I just picked up a GT-AX6000, and that extension is unfamiliar to me having used Merlin on my previous ASUS routers where it's a "ubi.w". Thanks.

 

[Crimliar]

Is the firmware file extension for your GT-AX6000 a "pkgtb"? I just picked up a GT-AX6000, and that extension is unfamiliar to me having used Merlin on my previous ASUS routers where it's a "ubi.w". Thanks.

Yes it's a pkgtb file. The only issue I've encountered with the beta is not being able to schedule spdmerlin, but that's not a biggie for me!

 

[Clark Griswald]

Is the firmware file extension for your GT-AX6000 a "pkgtb"? I just picked up a GT-AX6000, and that extension is unfamiliar to me having used Merlin on my previous ASUS routers where it's a "ubi.w". Thanks.

Yes that is correct. I was thrown off by the different extension for the 6000 fw the first time I went looking.

 

[Keenan]

^Thanks guys!