Does T-Mobile/ASUS TM-AC1900 (RT-AC68U) Support Merlin?

[Trexx]

_50 January 2015 Merlin firmware runs fine on the TMobile TMAC1900. Also overclocking to 1200,800 would probably work great for you if you can tolerate risking hurting your router.

ipV6 sites on Internet also work fine with Cincinnati Ohio Time Warner cable.

Expect some cosmetic oddness in the counts of clients, on the clients lists on the status pages.

Will second that the beta seems to be running fine (as beta's go anyway). Running ASUS CFE 1.0.2.0 w/_50 beta. Overclocked to 1200,800 (only for a do or so as of late).

Haven't ran ipV6 yet, but otherwise seems to run ok.

W/Adaptive QoS on, DL speeds are noticeably slower (by about 1 - 1.5MB/s) on 50/10Mb connection (even when setting the device to HIGH QoS priority).

With QoS off, seems like might be a shade slower in WAN performance vs. Tomato Shibby v124 firmware (w/QoS on).

Did notice though with Adaptive QoS on though, could stream ESPN on xbox while heavy download was running with no visible impact so that was a nice surprise.

Only wish that Asus/Merlin had more robust connection tracking/filtering options of Tomato vs. netstat dump.

 

[Schuby]

Will second that the beta seems to be running fine (as beta's go anyway). Running ASUS CFE 1.0.2.0 w/_50 beta. Overclocked to 1200,800 (only for a do or so as of late).

Haven't ran ipV6 yet, but otherwise seems to run ok.

W/Adaptive QoS on, DL speeds are noticeably slower (by about 1 - 1.5MB/s) on 50/10Mb connection (even when setting the device to HIGH QoS priority).

With QoS off, seems like might be a shade slower in WAN performance vs. Tomato Shibby v124 firmware (w/QoS on).

Did notice though with Adaptive QoS on though, could stream ESPN on xbox while heavy download was running with no visible impact so that was a nice surprise.

Only wish that Asus/Merlin had more robust connection tracking/filtering options of Tomato vs. netstat dump.

I'll have to try it later. Really regretting having to re-do my settings but it isn't so bad I guess.

 

[rubik]

Finally getting around to converting my old (ordered when it first came out -- October-ish?) TM-AC1900 to an RT-AC68 and I have a couple of quick questions.

Assuming I'm at CFE 2.1.2.1 with the original firmware (3.0.0.4.376.1703) and I want to put on Merlin's latest stable (3.0.0.4.378.50), do I still need to flash an intermediate RT-AC68 firmware, or can I go straight from what's on there now to Merlin's? (after I do the hex edits and flash CFE to 1.0.2.0 and verify that it's been converted to an RT-AC68)?

I believe I read something about a partition size change or similar somewhere along the way -- would flashing 378.50 take care of that or do I need to flash some older (376.xx, was it?) firmware first?

Also, is CFE 1.0.2.0 still the one to use these days or can I go with 1.0.2.1? Or is there something "wrong" with 1.0.2.1?

Thanks much in advance!

 

[utamav]

I got the TM-AC1900 when it was first launched and upgraded it directly to Merlin. I was able to upgrade it to 376.49_5. Now I am difficulty upgrading it further. I keep getting an error that either the connection was lost or the file is incorrect.
Was there some upgrade in the firmware that now looks to see if I am actually using a RT-AC68U?

 

[RussellInCincinnati]

Have upgraded multiple Tmobile routers to your version, and also taken those same units beyond your version, without incident. what is your CFE version?

 

[Trexx]

Agree.. sound like a CFE version issue.

 

[Engineer]

I got the TM-AC1900 when it was first launched and upgraded it directly to Merlin. I was able to upgrade it to 376.49_5. Now I am difficulty upgrading it further. I keep getting an error that either the connection was lost or the file is incorrect.
Was there some upgrade in the firmware that now looks to see if I am actually using a RT-AC68U?

If you've not updated your CFE to an Asus CFE (such as 1.0.2.0), that may be your problem. However, if you have updated your CFE to an Asus CFE, try upgrading to Asus firmware 376.3626 first. This will adjust your rootfs partition from 32M to 64M. Once complete (give it plenty of time), reset NVRAM and then try to update to the newer firmwares. 376.49_5, IIRC, was the last Merlin firmware that ran on a 32M rootfs partition.

Guide to flashing CFE should you need one: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=73690012&postcount=3895

 

[RussellInCincinnati]

If you've not updated your CFE to an Asus CFE (such as 1.0.2.0), that may be your problem. However, if you have updated your CFE to an Asus CFE, try upgrading to Asus firmware 376.3626 first. This will adjust your rootfs partition from 32M to 64M. Once complete (give it plenty of time), reset NVRAM and then try to update to the newer firmwares. 376.49_5, IIRC, was the last Merlin firmware that ran on a 32M rootfs partition.

Guide to flashing CFE should you need one: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=73690012&postcount=3895

Thanks Engineer, as usual.

 

[Engineer]

Thanks Engineer, as usual.

You're welcome RIC!

Also, a final note...if anyone is on the TMobile CFE 2.1.2.1 and tries to run 376.3626 (or any of the newer firmwares from Asus or Merlin) that updates rootfs, it will also check your CFE version and update if necessary. In this case, it will update your CFE from 2.1.2.1 to 2.1.2.2, which will lock you out of non TMobile branded firmwares and also disable Telnet functionality (can be fixed via webpage edit of the GUI or a downgrade of TMobile firmwares to an older version).

 

[utamav]

If you've not updated your CFE to an Asus CFE (such as 1.0.2.0), that may be your problem. However, if you have updated your CFE to an Asus CFE, try upgrading to Asus firmware 376.3626 first. This will adjust your rootfs partition from 32M to 64M. Once complete (give it plenty of time), reset NVRAM and then try to update to the newer firmwares. 376.49_5, IIRC, was the last Merlin firmware that ran on a 32M rootfs partition.

Guide to flashing CFE should you need one: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=73690012&postcount=3895

Thanks, it could be the CFE. I updated the router to Merlin when T-Mobile/Asus had not locked the GUI based upgrade. So I never had to update the CFE. Looks like finally Asus will make me. Oh well....

Also, thanks for an excellent guide on slickdeals. One suggestion, won't it be easier to get the mac address info using nvram show | grep mac

 

[Engineer]

Thanks, it could be the CFE. I updated the router to Merlin when T-Mobile/Asus had not locked the GUI based upgrade. So I never had to update the CFE. Looks like finally Asus will make me. Oh well....

Also, thanks for an excellent guide on slickdeals. One suggestion, won't it be easier to get the mac address info using nvram show | grep mac

Possibly but there are 3 MAC addresses to replace in the CFE (2 of them the same) and as long as you can line up the information from the command to what you're finding in the Hex editor, it will be fine. I would use the editor search to make sure that I'm lined up mac for mac.

 

[Fnords]

I'm trying to get a just received Cellspot running merlin and having a heck of a time - hoping some of the experts here can take a look.

It started out with T-Mobile's latest bootloader, which wouldn't let me enable Telnet. I used the HTML editing trick to fix that, then used Engineer's excellent instructions to get the CFE changed. I copied the three MAC addresses and secret in the process and believe it worked:
admin@ASUS:/tmp/home/root# nvram get bl
1.0.2.0
admin@ASUS:/tmp/home/root# nvram get boardrev
0x1100
admin@ASUS:/tmp/home/root# nvram get HW_ver
170
I used the ASUS recovery utility to download/sidegrade to FW 3.0.0.4.376_1703. I verified this is running using the main web page, which also now allows me to enable telnet w/out HTML tricks.

I used the WPS button to reset the NVRAM. I believe this worked because telnet flopped back to disabled (which I prompt re-enabled).

At this point however I am stuck. I am trying to update to FW_RT_AC68U_30043763626.trx because I understand it expands the root partition, but no matter how I try to do so it fails. If I use the web GUI it fails almost immediately with "FIrmware upgrade unsuccessfully. It may result from incorrect image or error transmission. Please check the version of firmware and try again.". If I use recovery mode, it fails at 33%. I tried to upload merlin FW directly and had similar issues (both RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_376.49_5.trx and RT-AC68U_378.54_2.trx).

A couple interesting points I've observed:
* The AP is still using 192.168.29.1
* The SSIDs advertised are still Cellspot_2.4GHz_E868 and CellSpot_5GHz_E868

Finally, I've never let this AP connect to the Internet, always connecting an offline PC directly to LAN port 1 for all operations.

Any ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated!!

EDIT: Trying the CFE MiniWeb server allowed an upload to go to 100%. Now it is running ASUS 3.0.0.4.376_3626. Once that was done, upgrading to latest Merlin with the web GUI worked.

Thanks everybody for all your posts - took some reading but I got it all working

 

[Authority]

Hello all - new member, enjoyed the thread but it's become a bit long and convoluted. Is there an up-to-date guide anywhere on doing this? Fnords is awfully close but I don't know where to get everything...

 

[Engineer]

Hello all - new member, enjoyed the thread but it's become a bit long and convoluted. Is there an up-to-date guide anywhere on doing this? Fnords is awfully close but I don't know where to get everything...

Lots of information (including video) is listed in the Wiki at SD: http://slickdeals.net/f/7193262-t-m...r-postpaid-25-deposit?p=70386382#edit70386382

(File links also).

The guide to modify your CFE bootloader is here (including links to needed files): http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=73690012&postcount=3895

 

[wildgoose]

I just successfully converted a TM-AC1900 running 3.0.0.4.376_3002 with CFE 2.1.2.4 into a RT-AC68U. This router was connected to the internet with latest t-mobile locked firmware.

I downgraded the t-mobile firmware to 3.0.0.4.376_1703, updated the CFE to 1.0.2.0, and using the asus recovery utility to flash directly to Merlin RT-AC68U_378.54_2.trx. All seems to work without a glitch. The jiffs partition also have changed from 32M to 64M.

 

[vivithemage]

I just found out I can get three of these, BUT they will want it back. You think they would want it back flashed to their firmware? haha...

 

[wildgoose]

It should be easier to flash back to the tmobile image. You should have the saved CFE for each of the unit (so no hexedit needed). From merlin or official asus firmware I'd assume you can flash to the locked t-mobile firmware no problem. So first write back the old CFE, then reset and flash back to t-mobile firmware, I think.

 

[Engineer]

It should be easier to flash back to the tmobile image. You should have the saved CFE for each of the unit (so no hexedit needed). From merlin or official asus firmware I'd assume you can flash to the locked t-mobile firmware no problem. So first write back the old CFE, then reset and flash back to t-mobile firmware, I think.

Just turn it in as is with the Asus or Merlin firmware on it. TMobile will send it back (probably to Asus) to have it re-certified for their use (if they even do anything it at all - maybe gang sale them on eBay! )

 

[vivithemage]

Just turn it in as is with the Asus or Merlin firmware on it. TMobile will send it back (probably to Asus) to have it re-certified for their use (if they even do anything it at all - maybe gang sale them on eBay! )

Sounds about right, and I have a feeling at some point they just wont want them back, haha. I'll grab one, see how it goes. Any chance I can just throw tomato on it, I prefer it over merlins. I like a few of the logging/stat features tomato has.

 

[Engineer]

Sounds about right, and I have a feeling at some point they just wont want them back, haha. I'll grab one, see how it goes. Any chance I can just throw tomato on it, I prefer it over merlins. I like a few of the logging/stat features tomato has.

If you change the CFE to an Asus CFE (per the guides on SlickDeals), yes, you can throw Tomato ARM by Shibby (or Victec's or Toastmans versions also) on it. Runs pretty well. Don't think IPv6 has the bugs ironed out yet. I'm running it on this router as well as an R7000 Netgear.