Installing Merlin Firmware on ASUS GT-AXE11000

[lujaniii]

I'm going to install the Merlin Firmware on my Asus router but on all the tutorials I've watched, they say to pick the .w file. When I extracted the software, I only found .pkgtb files. I also found two with almost the same name but slightly different. They are GT-AX11000_PRO_388.1_0_nand_squashfs and GT-AX11000_PRO_388.1_0_rog_nand_squashfs, each ending with .pkgtb. Are these the correct ones and which one do I install? Thanks

 

[Tech9]

You don't need to extract any software. The firmware files for your router are here. Unzip the archive, the *.w file is inside.

Asuswrt-Merlin - Browse /GT-AXE11000/Release at SourceForge.net

Alternative firmware for Asus wireless routers

sourceforge.net

The file with ROG in the name is with the red GT models GUI, the other one is standard blue RT models GUI. Your choice.

 

[Tech9]

Please, remove the "Release" tag. You are not releasing anything. It's used for new firmware or scripts versions. Thank you!

 

[Wisiwyg]

@lujaniii 'AXE11000' and 'AXE11000 Pro' are different routers. Make sure you pick the correct firmware for your router.

 

[lujaniii]

@lujaniii 'AXE11000' and 'AXE11000 Pro' are different routers. Make sure you pick the correct firmware for your router.

I don't see Pro anywhere anywhere in the AXE models so I'm downloading the AXE11000 firmware because mine is an AXE model which supports Wi-Fi 6e.

 

[lujaniii]

You don't need to extract any software. The firmware files for your router are here. Unzip the archive, the *.w file is inside.

Asuswrt-Merlin - Browse /GT-AXE11000/Release at SourceForge.net

Alternative firmware for Asus wireless routers

sourceforge.net

The file with ROG in the name is with the red GT models GUI, the other one is standard blue RT models GUI. Your choice.

Oh, I see now! I'm used to always extracting any software that ends with a .zip so that's what I was also doing in this case. I see the .w files when not extracted. I had been extracting and then deleting the .zip file so that's why I never saw .w files.

 

[lujaniii]

You don't need to extract any software. The firmware files for your router are here. Unzip the archive, the *.w file is inside.

Asuswrt-Merlin - Browse /GT-AXE11000/Release at SourceForge.net

Alternative firmware for Asus wireless routers

sourceforge.net

The file with ROG in the name is with the red GT models GUI, the other one is standard blue RT models GUI. Your choice.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Unzip the archive, ..." because when I do that "Unzip" is the same as "Extract" in Windows 11, I no longer see the .w files but rather, they're back to .pkgtb files. Very confusing unless you meant to leave the .zip file alone and don't Unzip or Extract?

 

[L&LD]

Unzip/Extract the files.

Use the .pkgtb file to flash the router.

 

[lujaniii]

Unzip/Extract the files.

Use the .pkgtb file to flash the router.

Ok, thanks! I was confused because on the couple of videos I watched demonstrating this, they used the .w file to flash the router.

 

[Tech9]

I no longer see the .w files

Windows 11, double click on the ZIP file, contents:

What *.pkgtb files you see I have no idea. It's a standard ZIP archive.

they used the .w file to flash the router

There is nothing else to use to flash the router in this archive. Can't be more simple than that.

 

[lujaniii]

Windows 11, double click on the ZIP file, contents:

View attachment 47655

What *.pkgtb files you see I have no idea. It's a standard ZIP archive.



There is nothing else to use to flash the router in this archive. Can't be more simple than that.

Yes, what I was doing wrong is that I was extracting the .zip file like I've done for many years for any other .zip file. Once extracted, they look like this:

I'm guessing that were supposed to leave the .zip file alone and find the file using the router interface for the .w file.

 

[Tech9]

There is nothing to guess. The ZIP archive contains the files above. You need the *.w file to flash the router. Your router's interface won't recognize any other file as valid firmware file. I don't really understand what's the issue here.

 

[Woymfsu03]

Yes, what I was doing wrong is that I was extracting the .zip file like I've done for many years for any other .zip file. Once extracted, they look like this:
View attachment 47656
I'm guessing that were supposed to leave the .zip file alone and find the file using the router interface for the .w file.

Download the file from the merlin website. Open the zip file. Extract the zip file to your desktop for easier connivence. Log in to the router Go to Administration > Firmware Upgrade > Select Manual Firmware upgrade. Browse to the Desktop (or wherever you extracted all the files) and select either the pureubi.w or rog_pureubi.w file, same firmware just different skin (ROG looks like Official). Wait 3-5 minutes and you're done upgrading.