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Finally got merlin FW to work on DSL-AC68U

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Great stuff.

Since a while I'm looking for a Merlin firmware for my old DSL AC68U, which is still an excellent wireless router.

Thanks for the "DSL-AC68U_384.7_Merlin.trx" file, which works very well.

Mirco said:
Hi all. I compiled the modified version from xantier, so here's a small guide so you can do it too without struggling too much (like I did eheh). I used Ubuntu 18.04 x64 on a VM.
  1. Clone the dsl branch of repository by doing
    Code: 
    git clone --single-branch -b dsl https://github.com/denizsokmen/dsl-ac68u.git
  2. Clone am-toolchains with
    Code: 
    git clone https://github.com/RMerl/am-toolchains.git
  3. Follow instructions here to download all needed libraries (follow just the apt-get part)
  4. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
    and delete the toolchains symlink file/folder
  5. Follow instructions here to configure BCM-SDK (change ~/asuswrt-merlin.382/with the name of the folder cloned at point n.1)
  6. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/shared/prebuild
    and copy-paste the RT-AC68U folder into the same directory and rename the new folder to DSL-AC68U
  7. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/rc/prebuild
    and copy-paste the RT-AC68U folder into the same directory and rename the new folder to DSL-AC68U
  8. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/httpd/prebuild
    and copy-paste the RT-AC68U folder into the same directory and rename the new folder to DSL-AC68U
  9. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/libevent-2.0.21/test/
    and edit the Makefile.am file. Replace all occurrences of $(top_srcdir) with
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/libevent-2.0.21
    (this was necessary for me to prevent file-not-found errors while compiling caused by the bad variable)
  10. Download the DSL-AC68U source from here
  11. Extract the archive, then extract GPL_DSL-AC68U tar. Navigate to the extracted folder into
    Code: 
    ./release/src/router/rc/prebuild
    and copy all files files into
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/rc/prebuild/DSL-AC68
    folder (replacing the original files).
  12. Navigate to the extracted folder into
    Code: 
    ./release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
    and copy tc_fw folder to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
  13. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/wget/
    and run
    Code: 
    autoreconf -fi
    (this was necessary for me to fix a wget compile error)
  14. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/wget/po/
    and open the file file Makefile.in.in. I had to change GETTEXT_MACRO_VERSION from 0.18 to 0.19 as I was getting errors while compiling (but that may depend on my setup).
  15. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/tor/
    and run
    Code: 
    autoreconf -fi
    (this was necessary for me to fix a wget compile error)
  16. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ./release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
    and type make clean followed by make dsl-ac68u to start the compile process.
  17. At the end, if everything went smooth you should have the DSL-AC68U_384.7_alpha1_DSL_1.0.4.6.trx image into
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src-rt-6.x.4708/image/

Everything seems to be working just fine (even the USB port which was not working for me with the RT-AC68U Merlin firmware). I leave a screenshot in attachment.

Also I leave here the unmodified compiled firmware (hope that's allowed). I swear I DID NOT MODIFIED IT in ANY WAY, but as xantier said you should just compile your own. Link: https://mega.nz/#!g4kCGQwI!DnuBw8C-FUuvU79_b74TMkja5_jFuXCLD-Pr45c0Xc0

If you have any question/issue please let me know. Also xantier please feel free to correct some steps if those are wrong. Of course, I don't take any responsibility on what may happen to your router. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
I am going to Australia (land of 3rd world internet) for Christmas, where I have a DSL-AC68U.

I might give this a try.
 
Merlin firmware works fine, unfortunately there is no DNS filtering :/ Is there any way to enable it?
 
I found DSL filtering inside LAN tab (left menu). In my RT AC68u it is located in AIProtection tab.

QOS - history does not work.
 
Hi.
I've download the DSL-AC68U source from https://www.asus.com/ua/Networking/DSL-AC56U/HelpDesk_Download/
Because link https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/DSL-AC68U/GPL_DSL_AC68U_300438421128.zip posted by Mirco not working.
After extracting the archive I can't find folder ./release/src/router/rc/prebuild
Where is my mistake?

Mirco said:
Hi all. I compiled the modified version from xantier, so here's a small guide so you can do it too without struggling too much (like I did eheh). I used Ubuntu 18.04 x64 on a VM.
  1. Clone the dsl branch of repository by doing
    Code: 
    git clone --single-branch -b dsl https://github.com/denizsokmen/dsl-ac68u.git
  2. Clone am-toolchains with
    Code: 
    git clone https://github.com/RMerl/am-toolchains.git
  3. Follow instructions here to download all needed libraries (follow just the apt-get part)
  4. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
    and delete the toolchains symlink file/folder
  5. Follow instructions here to configure BCM-SDK (change ~/asuswrt-merlin.382/with the name of the folder cloned at point n.1)
  6. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/shared/prebuild
    and copy-paste the RT-AC68U folder into the same directory and rename the new folder to DSL-AC68U
  7. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/rc/prebuild
    and copy-paste the RT-AC68U folder into the same directory and rename the new folder to DSL-AC68U
  8. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/httpd/prebuild
    and copy-paste the RT-AC68U folder into the same directory and rename the new folder to DSL-AC68U
  9. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/libevent-2.0.21/test/
    and edit the Makefile.am file. Replace all occurrences of $(top_srcdir) with
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/libevent-2.0.21
    (this was necessary for me to prevent file-not-found errors while compiling caused by the bad variable)
  10. Download the DSL-AC68U source from here
  11. Extract the archive, then extract GPL_DSL-AC68U tar. Navigate to the extracted folder into
    Code: 
    ./release/src/router/rc/prebuild
    and copy all files files into
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/rc/prebuild/DSL-AC68
    folder (replacing the original files).
  12. Navigate to the extracted folder into
    Code: 
    ./release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
    and copy tc_fw folder to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
  13. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/wget/
    and run
    Code: 
    autoreconf -fi
    (this was necessary for me to fix a wget compile error)
  14. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/wget/po/
    and open the file file Makefile.in.in. I had to change GETTEXT_MACRO_VERSION from 0.18 to 0.19 as I was getting errors while compiling (but that may depend on my setup).
  15. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src/router/tor/
    and run
    Code: 
    autoreconf -fi
    (this was necessary for me to fix a wget compile error)
  16. Navigate to
    Code: 
    ./release/src-rt-6.x.4708/
    and type make clean followed by make dsl-ac68u to start the compile process.
  17. At the end, if everything went smooth you should have the DSL-AC68U_384.7_alpha1_DSL_1.0.4.6.trx image into
    Code: 
    ~/dsl-ac68u/release/src-rt-6.x.4708/image/

Everything seems to be working just fine (even the USB port which was not working for me with the RT-AC68U Merlin firmware). I leave a screenshot in attachment.

Also I leave here the unmodified compiled firmware (hope that's allowed). I swear I DID NOT MODIFIED IT in ANY WAY, but as xantier said you should just compile your own. Link: https://mega.nz/#!g4kCGQwI!DnuBw8C-FUuvU79_b74TMkja5_jFuXCLD-Pr45c0Xc0

If you have any question/issue please let me know. Also xantier please feel free to correct some steps if those are wrong. Of course, I don't take any responsibility on what may happen to your router. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Andrii said:
Hi.
I've download the DSL-AC68U source from https://www.asus.com/ua/Networking/DSL-AC56U/HelpDesk_Download/
Because link https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/DSL-AC68U/GPL_DSL_AC68U_300438421128.zip posted by Mirco not working.
After extracting the archive I can't find folder ./release/src/router/rc/prebuild
Where is my mistake?
Click to expand...
Unlike the DSL-AC68U which has almost exactly the same hardware as its RT- equivalent, the DSL-AC56U has completely different MediaTek hardware. So I would imagine the source code is completely different and contains none of the AC68U components.
 
Thanks for the "DSL-AC68U_384.7_Merlin.trx" file, which works very well.
Anyone care to compile the new image? :)
 
The posted trx file does indeed work well. However, I have also worked through to compile the code, but unfortunately the link for the DSL-AC68U source code is broken. Only other links I can find are for the RT-AC68U which will not work for the DSL-AC68U variant. If anyone can locate the correct source and post a working link in this thread, I would be more than happy to compile and test.
 
Pak Kriss said:
Great stuff.

Since a while I'm looking for a Merlin firmware for my old DSL AC68U, which is still an excellent wireless router.

Thanks for the "DSL-AC68U_384.7_Merlin.trx" file, which works very well.
Click to expand...

I am going to bite the bullet and try the FW on my DSL-AC86U. I will be trying VDSL mode - not sure if it has been tested before.

I'm leaving tomorrow, so if it all goes wrong, it's just a problem for another day :)
 
princi said:
I am going to bite the bullet and try the FW on my DSL-AC86U. I will be trying VDSL mode - not sure if it has been tested before.

I'm leaving tomorrow, so if it all goes wrong, it's just a problem for another day :)
Click to expand...

I'm using VDSL mode on mine (Aussie NBN network using iiNet). Works a treat.
 
When looking for GPL archives simply go to Asus's support site, and select "Others" for Operating System. There will be a category called Source Code.
 
KXD said:
Thanks. Downloading now. see how the compile goes later and report back.
Click to expand...

Did you succeed? Keen to know as I have a DSL-AC68U and would enjoy to flash it with the most recent workable build.
 
KXD said:
I'm using VDSL mode on mine (Aussie NBN network using iiNet). Works a treat.
Click to expand...

No joy with the binary provided earlier in this thread on mine.
I kept getting repeated [every few seconds] watchdog???:notify_rc-start_cfgsync.
No amount of resets / initialize / clear nvram etc helped - so reverted to stock firmware.

Would enjoy an update on whether you managed to compile from more recent Asus /Merlin firmware ???
 
I took a leap of faith and tried this build. Initially, I was getting the watchdog notify_rc-start_cfgsync errors too.

So I went the whole hog and did a factory reset.

I needed my ISPs help to redo the VDSL PVC, but after a reboot ...

IT WORKED!

I installed the Astrill Router applet and it’s working just like my other Asus routers. :D:D:D

The only problem is that the version is 384.7_alpha1 :(:(:(

Thanks to the OP who put in the hardwork to make this build happen. It makes my short trips to Australia all the more bearable.
 
princi said:
I took a leap of faith and tried this build. Initially, I was getting the watchdog notify_rc-start_cfgsync errors too.

So I went the whole hog and did a factory reset.

I needed my ISPs help to redo the VDSL PVC, but after a reboot ...

IT WORKED!

I installed the Astrill Router applet and it’s working just like my other Asus routers. :D:D:D

The only problem is that the version is 384.7_alpha1 :(:(:(

Thanks to the OP who put in the hardwork to make this build happen. It makes my short trips to Australia all the more bearable.
Click to expand...

Lucky you - I tried the same process twice - but never managed to clear the watchdog message recurrences.
I had taken a screen grab from the stock firmware on VDSL settings and re-applied those - because the firmware binary above didn't make it through the Internet Connection Wizard to identify the connection type and settings.

Hanging in there in the hope that anyone with compiling experience will have a go at the more recent [non-alpha] firmware releases for this router :).
 
I think the reference to Alpha1 relates to Xantier’s build / compile.

The GPL releases for the DSL-AC68U don’t occur very often. It’s even possible we won’t see another one for this old model.

Expecting all the latest Merlin features on an old code base is unreasonable.

You would probably be satisfied if you could just get this build working. Maybe it only works on V1 units.
 
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