[Fork] Asuswrt-Merlin 374.43 LTS releases (Archive)

[john9527]

If I am connected via wifi to the VPN router the speed sometimes matches my ISP, and other times I get less than 20mb.

This is a usually a function of the VPN and the server you are connected to. I use PIA VPN, and they have some servers that just won't do better than 20Mbps.

Issue two with your fork V25E8, if I logged on to the router and minimized the window, then forget about it for longer time It never logout due to inactivity even though it is enabled in the Administration>System for 30min. I changed to 20 min then to 15 min , and I still have the same issue.

I pulled the plug again and installed V26BA hoping to resolve the inactivity logout issue. Still having same issue. With V26BA, If I logged out manually, that page will freeze. Even after closing all opened windows of the browser "Chrome", reopening brand new window, I cannot get to the login page again even after clearing cache/cookies. Even tried to login to the router another workstation/ipad/iphone it just won't let me in. No errors, it is just blank page. I just enter 192.168.2.1, since this is a secondary router connected via Ethernet to the main one, progress bar shows the web page is trying to load but nothing loads. I have to wait a few minutes then it will let me in.

On V25 you should get the logout message window, but it would let you back in without re-entering your credentials (the nature of basic http authentication, once a browser session is authenticated, it is authenticated forever). I did some 'magic' in V26 beta to address this. There are some 'corner' cases where your are logging on from multiple clients that are addressed in the upcoming final V26 that aren't in the beta.

I use a mix of Chrome on Linux and FireFox on Windows to access the router gui without any problems. If you are having problems, things to check are:

• Try running without any add-ons. Many add-ons are incompatible with the router web server.
• Make sure if you are using a password manager, that the router address is excluded. There are many passwords associated with the router gui, and the managers usually get confused.
• If you are using a Virus protection package that includes 'web' monitoring, make sure the router address is excluded.
  

 

[cowst]

Which vpn provider are you using?
Another user and I are having the same dead internet connection issue with this fork as well with nordvpn.

I can have days straight without issue and then it happens every day, and then not again.
So it is hard to pin it down to any particular event

john9527, I would like to thank you for your build. All reviews on it is rock solid.

This is my first post on this forum so forgive me If I am posting in the wrong thread.

The issue I am having: I have Asus TM-AC1900, I bought it new last black friday when it was on sale for $60. I already converted it to RT-AC68U running bootloader 1.0.2. I had merlin's build on it since I got it. I kept up with Merlin's update. I run VPN on that router and I found the most stable version with merlin's is 380.66_4. With 380.66_4 I can keep the VPN connection alive for extended period of time, with later version of merlin's The VPN connections drops, even though it is showing connected in the VPN status page after I login to the router. I also lose internet access, nothing works at all. In another word, I don't have WAN access and no internet surfing. LAN access is fine. If I turned the VPN off/on without rebooting the router, the WAN gets restored again. On the other hand, I have another TM-AC1900, bought on the same deal, setup as the main router with the latest Merlin's 380.66_6. On that other main router I have enabled Trend Micro network protection.


After reading about your fork, I pulled the plug and I installed V25E8 on the other router that I have strictly for VPN. It worked fine, nice wireless coverage and speed. I always get my ISP advertised speed 55+ to 60 mb when wired. If I am connected via wifi to the VPN router the speed sometimes matches my ISP, and other times I get less than 20mb. This VPN router is overclocked to 1400,800 "CPU, Memory respectively" with active cooling. Temp when it is really overloaded with vpn traffic, watching YouTube and downloading in the background it never went above 62F, normal temp is 56f-58f. That was issue one with V25E8.


Issue two with your fork V25E8, if I logged on to the router and minimized the window, then forget about it for longer time It never logout due to inactivity even though it is enabled in the Administration>System for 30min. I changed to 20 min then to 15 min , and I still have the same issue.


I pulled the plug again and installed V26BA hoping to resolve the inactivity logout issue. Still having same issue. With V26BA, If I logged out manually, that page will freeze. Even after closing all opened windows of the browser "Chrome", reopening brand new window, I cannot get to the login page again even after clearing cache/cookies. Even tried to login to the router another workstation/ipad/iphone it just won't let me in. No errors, it is just blank page. I just enter 192.168.2.1, since this is a secondary router connected via Ethernet to the main one, progress bar shows the web page is trying to load but nothing loads. I have to wait a few minutes then it will let me in.


So, on the vpn router now I reverted back to merlin build 380.65_4 after I read that it is the most stable build. If I could how to resolve the issue with V25E8 or V26BA, I will definitely give it another try. By the way, even with merlin's 380.65._4 the logout due to inactivity still there but I installed just for stability issue and no vpn/wan drops.


Just to summarize how everything is connected: Cable modem > cat6 to the main asus tm-ac1900 router with merlin's 380.66_4>shielded cat6a cable to gigabit switch>then cat6 from the switch to the second asus tm-ac1900 "vpn router" currently with merlin's 380.65_4. Bother routers are overclocked at 1400,800 "cpu, memory respectively" with active cooling on both of them.


Any thoughts on that? I would really appreciate your input and help.

 

[john9527]

Another user and I are having the same dead internet connection issue with this fork as well with nordvpn.

The other user is on Merlin's builds, so it's not unique to this fork. It's unique to NordVPN. I posted my latest thoughts in the other thread.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ovpn-connection-loss-after-tls-re-key.40066/

 

[cowst]

Thanks John, didn't notice that thread, I am watching it now and I will try the nointeract once I am back from vacation.

I might also try to ask nordvpn as well.

The other user is on Merlin's builds, so it's not unique to this fork. It's unique to NordVPN. I posted my latest thoughts in the other thread.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ovpn-connection-loss-after-tls-re-key.40066/

 

[john9527]

Thanks John, didn't notice that thread, I am watching it now and I will try the nointeract once I am back from vacation.

Sorry, I gave you a call-out in that thread so that you would see it. Maybe it got lost somehow.

 

[cowst]

I would have done exactly the same.
I don't know where the notification went

Sorry, I gave you a call-out in that thread so that you would see it. Maybe it got lost somehow.

 

[snapieee]

Thanks john9527 for your replay, I really appreciate your quick response. I pulled the plug one more time and re-installed V25E8 again on the VPN router. I made sure to clear the nvram and reset to default after the installation was complete. As I stated previously, on this router I care about stability more than features. The primary router is on merlin's 380.66_4. On merlin's I can enable whatever feature I want and it will cover the other router which has your build V25E8.

This is a usually a function of the VPN and the server you are connected to. I use PIA VPN, and they have some servers that just won't do better than 20Mbps.

I also have PIA, but I stopped using it because of their IP change issue and this. I currently have Torguard and I am pretty happy with it. I configured the VPN router, which has your build V25E8, with Torguard per their instructions. The only change I added is the custom configuration. These are the custom configuration I added, If you have any suggestions to improve the vpn connection stability issue, which I mentioned in my last post, with your build and those custom configuration that will will be great.

tls-client
persist-key
persist-tun
remote-cert-tls server
verb 3
fast-io
sndbuf 524288
rcvbuf 524288
comp-lzo yes
comp-noadapt
auth-nocache
disable-occ
reneg-sec 0

Again, I have no speed issue whatsoever when I am wired. When connected via ethernet to the vpn router I get full ISP speed all the time with vpn on regardless the server I am connected to. When I am connected via wifi to the same router and vpn, the speed issue exists regardless the server I am connected to. That's besides the vpn connection issue I mentioned earlier.

On V25 you should get the logout message window, but it would let you back in without re-entering your credentials (the nature of basic http authentication, once a browser session is authenticated, it is authenticated forever). I did some 'magic' in V26 beta to address this. There are some 'corner' cases where your are logging on from multiple clients that are addressed in the upcoming final V26 that aren't in the beta.

I use a mix of Chrome on Linux and FireFox on Windows to access the router gui without any problems. If you are having problems, things to check are:
Try running without any add-ons. Many add-ons are incompatible with the router web server.
Make sure if you are using a password manager, that the router address is excluded. There are many passwords associated with the router gui, and the managers usually get confused.
If you are using a Virus protection package that includes 'web' monitoring, make sure the router address is excluded.

Regarding the automatic logout issue due to inactivity: I have followed your suggestions, but unfortunately no success. I tried it with Chrome in incognito mode without any addon loaded while my antivirus completely disabled even real time protection, and still having the same issue. I think I will have to manually logout from the router after any work I do with it for now. I also ttried it while in a different OS. I tried using live version of Ubuntu, Mint without nosuccess.

Due to general stability issue I will stick with your build V25E8 for now, and I will try patiently, lol , to wait for the final release of V26.

Again, I would like to reiterate my gratitude to your help.


EDIT:
I just re-did test the logout issue and, for the first time, I saw the logout message "You have logged out successfully". I did allow me to access the router without re-authentication. I guess I will have to manually logout then. Is there is a way to enable logout completely due to inactivity and force the router to prompt for authentication? Do I have to enable https in Administration>System >Web Access and then select HTTPS or BOTH? Is there a downside when using https to web access the router?

 

[jrmwvu04]

I just re-did test the logout issue and, for the first time, I saw the logout message "You have logged out successfully". I did allow me to access the router without re-authentication. I guess I will have to manually logout then. Is there is a way to enable logout completely due to inactivity and force the router to prompt for authentication? Do I have to enable https in Administration>System >Web Access and then select HTTPS or BOTH? Is there a downside when using https to web access the router?

You would have to clear the browser's cache, or reset, or whatever it's called on your browser of choice.

As for https, the two downsides of that are that it will nag you about the https/auth unless you set up the certificates, and it's noticeably slow. If you don't mind those, you'll be fine with it.

 

[cybrnook]

Yes.....it should also cover the AC1900P. You game? Will send you a link to the code just in case.

Shooting you a PM with a status update.

 

[snapieee]

As for https, the two downsides of that are that it will nag you about the https/auth unless you set up the certificates, and it's noticeably slow. If you don't mind those, you'll be fine with it.

You are right. I think i'll stick with http for now, thanks

 

[ls3c6]

Is the n66 using this firmware still the range leader? anyone using higher gain antennas or waste of money/effort?

 

[Builder71]

Is the n66 using this firmware still the range leader? anyone using higher gain antennas or waste of money/effort?

- yes
- not worth the trouble

 

[dlandiss]

Is the n66 using this firmware still the range leader?

The AC68/AC1900 series may offer marginally better bandwidth at the edge of its usable zone, but you may not even notice it.

anyone using higher gain antennas or waste of money/effort?

That depends on your needs. The antennas will help both send and receive if you understand the tradeoff of concentrating the available signal into a donut-shaped radiation pattern at right angles to the antennas, by re-focussing power that would otherwise be directed above and below that axis.

 

[thelonelycoder]

@john9527 just noticed:

user@RT-AC66U:/tmp/home/root# uname -o
ASUSWRT-Merlin-LTS

THANK YOU!

Now, AB-Solution can properly detect your fork:

 checking your routers firmware
 ASUSWRT-Merlin-LTS detected, continuing...

 checking firmware capability: dos2unix
 dos2unix is available, continuing...

 checking firmware capability: LAN IP port 80
 router listens only on LAN IP port 80,
 continuing...

 

[cybrnook]

@john9527

The force login after time out, just noticed it's a real nuisance on my Nexus phone.

If I go to router.asus.com and receive the login prompt. If I hit cancel, it persistently keeps asking to login. It should give a 401 and tell me not authorized.

Really makes it hard to close the tab...

 

[cybrnook]

I'm really interested to know how it goes with the RT-AC1900P and the LTS ?

So far so good. Been running it in AP mode for about a week, no issues to report.

Hope to switch it over and test as my main router soon.

 

[john9527]

@john9527

The force login after time out, just noticed it's a real nuisance on my Nexus phone.

If I go to router.asus.com and receive the login prompt. If I hit cancel, it persistently keeps asking to login. It should give a 401 and tell me not authorized.

Really makes it hard to close the tab...

I can't recreate this on the 'release' level for V26 on Firefox or Chrome....I get the 401. There were some additional changes over the Beta so give it another try there.

Having said that.....a little background. With http authentication, there is no api to cause a 'logout'. Once you authenticate, that browser session is authenticated forever. So what I do in the background is send a '401' message to the browser, which should cause it to re-authenticate. It's possible that android behaves similar to IE, in that it essentially ignores the 401 if you've already been authenticated. In that case, there's probably nothing I can do.

 

[LiLCruz]

Hello guys need some advice I want try original merlin build what safest way go to Asus merlin? I'm using N66U on the latest fork installed.

 

[cybrnook]

I can't recreate this on the 'release' level for V26 on Firefox or Chrome....I get the 401. There were some additional changes over the Beta so give it another try there.

Having said that.....a little background. With http authentication, there is no api to cause a 'logout'. Once you authenticate, that browser session is authenticated forever. So what I do in the background is send a '401' message to the browser, which should cause it to re-authenticate. It's possible that android behaves similar to IE, in that it essentially ignores the 401 if you've already been authenticated. In that case, there's probably nothing I can do.

I will upgrade the main unit to the release from the beta asap.

And I will, at the same time, just re-enable ssh via password to get an NVRAM backup, and migrate to the 1900P. Hope you're ready

 

[john9527]

I will upgrade the main unit to the release from the beta asap.

I hope to have the final up later today.....I needed a break and just need to finish up the release notes.

]And I will, at the same time, just re-enable ssh vi password to get an NVRAM backup, and migrate to the 1900P. Hope you're ready

I've also been running it in 'backwards compatibility' mode on my main router for a couple of weeks now, without any problems. Not to scare everyone...but here are the stats just for the new SDK support (and why it was a challenge)....
6914 files changed, 1268836 insertions(+), 500464 deletions(-)