have any body heard of this model. Asus RT-AC68A

[trent25]

You have a different Revision, you can flash any FW manually right?

Even the ones with the firmware that doesn't allow manual flashing are 1GHz, but showing single core activity in the firmware. All are C1 hardware, and I believe someone mentioned earlier receiving a C1 68U. I doubt Asus are shipping hardware that carries the same revision number but has different components.

Anyway the BCM4708 is a dual core part. Can a core be disabled at the firmware or, boot loader level?

 

[hggomes]

Yes i guess all is possible, but i've seen before a printscreen just like yours of SSH terminal with a single core only on RT-AC68A (i will search it and post it here later), so im puzzled.

If you look at RT-AC56S and RT-N18U they are BCM4708 single core SKUs, so i believe the same is also happening with a specific RT-AC68A SKU.

 

[trent25]

Yes i guess all is possible, but i've seen before a printscreen just like yours of SSH terminal with a single core only on RT-AC68A (i will search it and post it here later), so im puzzled.

If you look at RT-AC56S and RT-N18U they are BCM4708 single core SKUs, so i believe the same is also happening with a specific RT-AC68A SKU.

There is a single core 4708, the BCM47081 https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Broadcom
The 4709 doesn't seem to have a single core variant, at least not listed on the link above.
The unit I have has BL version 1.1.1.2 which corresponds to hardware with a C0 cpurev, whatever that may mean. I am not sure if the AC68A shipping with the "crippled" firmware have the same BL or show cpurev=C0

 

[a5m]

ASUS changed their site so that you can't find the firmwares when you select a certain OS. Only when you select 'Others' do you see them listed. It wasn't like this just a few days ago.

 

[hggomes]

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/as...-verification-method.32357/page-5#post-260978

 

[mike_in_nyc]

It looks like the AC68A is back in stock at Amazon. I wonder which version they are shipping this week?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CVOLM5Y/?tag=snbforums-20

 

[RMerlin]

...Sold by RoseCityPremium...

It's most likely someone who bought a few of them at the initial pricing, and they are now reselling it with a premium.

 

[trent25]

And Amazon Warehouse getting rid of all the returns

 

[hggomes]

After confirmation there are currently 6 different HW revisions of RT-AC68U model:

A1/A2: (BCM 4708)

PA: P100 (First HW Revision)
CPU: 800 MHZ

B1/B2/V2/P: (BCM 4709)

PA: 5003
CPU: 1 GHZ

PA: 5023
CPU: 1 GHZ

PA: 85402
CPU: 1 GHZ

C1: (BCM 4709C0)

PA: 5003
CPU: 1 GHZ

PA: 5003 V2
CPU: 1.4 GHZ

 

[RMerlin]

C0: (BCM 4709)

More accurately, the HW revision is C1, not C0. And the CPU is a BCM4709C0.

 

[hggomes]

Indeed, and let me say: What a mess!

 

[L&LD]

What does 'PA:' mean? Packaged as?

 

[hggomes]

Power Amplifier

 

[L&LD]

Power Amplifier

Okay, where is my coffee? (I obviously am still sleeping)!

 

[RMerlin]

Indeed, and let me say: What a mess!

I've seen worse. WRT54G for starter. Or Cisco RV042 (some are Fast Ethernet, others are Gigabit).

 

[Rootee]

I have both the RT-AC68P, and now the new RT-AC1900P, and the 1900P performs so much better in my apartment. I have both in the same physical location, and set it up with the same f/w 3.0.0.4.380.3264, and the 1900P blows the 68P away. Speedtest in my living room, went from 50 Mbps to 120 Mbs (I have a 150 Mbps connection) on my iPhone 6, and from 120 Mbs to >150 Mbps on my laptop. I'm also noting a much faster LAN speeds over copper/RJ45, as I can totally saturate the link to my Synology DS712+ NAS, which I couldn't do with the 68P. Maybe someone here can explain the source of the speed improvements? Also, can the 1900P get a Smallnetbuilder.com retest?

 

[RMerlin]

Also, can the 1900P get a Smallnetbuilder.com retest?

If that model is a BestBuy exclusive, then most likely not.

 

[wouterv]

I've seen worse. WRT54G for starter. Or Cisco RV042 (some are Fast Ethernet, others are Gigabit).

The WRT54G was an other major milestone in wireless networking, the first reliable wonderful mix of a home router with 802.11g wireless, a 4 port switch and open source firmware. It survived long because there was for long nothing else but 802.11g for the home user. Yes similar to the RT-AC68, they used available new hardware to build the "same" router model for many years, and they even figured out the hard way that open source is a crucial selling argument (resulting in the WRT54GL).
Recently I noticed this for the WRT54GL:

No where the USB capabilities are listed, although the official marketing picture shows it
I doubt the WRT54GL you can still buy today has the same hardware as years ago, although Linksys makes one believe there is "only" a 1.0 and 1.1 hardware version.

New router models started to tumble into the market with 802.11n and even more with 802.11ac.
Router manufacturers simply follow hardware manufacturers.
Asus like all the competition have to release new router models with higher promissed speeds.
Deep in my heart I wish Asus would focus on one model, e.g. the RT-AC68 and develop that over time into the best most reliable router.

By the way, is the power switch in the RT-AC68 the same as in the RT-N66U, the one that fails over time? Or was there some enhancement at that end as well?

 

[RMerlin]

By the way, is the power switch in the RT-AC68 the same as in the RT-N66U, the one that fails over time? Or was there some enhancement at that end as well?

Only the RT-N66U and RT-AC66U shared that same switch.

 

[Biggs]

After confirmation there are currently 6 different HW revisions of RT-AC68U model:

A1/A2: (BCM 4708)

PA: P100 (First HW Revision)
CPU: 800 MHZ

B1/B2/V2/P: (BCM 4709)

PA: 5003
CPU: 1 GHZ

PA: 5023
CPU: 1 GHZ

PA: 85402
CPU: 1 GHZ

C1: (BCM 4709C0)

PA: 5003
CPU: 1 GHZ

PA: 5003 V2
CPU: 1.4 GHZ

I recently purchased a C1 with 3.0.0.4.380_1842 firmware. As per AsusWRT Merlin, the CPU speed is 1 GHz but where do I find the PA used?