Internet Status: Disconnected?

[Ola Larsson]

So it seems there may be a chance that some routers shipped with manufacturing mode left enabled, despite what I was told about it. Really odd.

So, what's left to do:

If you have actually replaced your bootloader, then please flash back the original bootloader (you DID keep a backup, right?), as who knows what else this custom bootloader might be breaking (I know that WAN monitoring is NOT the only thing affected by it...).

If you have a non-Asus router that you hacked and are running an illegal firmware build on it, then go away. You're on your own.

If you bought it and it truly came that way, and you are sure it wasn't refurbished or sold on the grey market after being region-modded, then the best suggestion I can make is to flash back the stock firmware (must be 384_81351 or newer), confirm that the issue still exists with stock firmware AFTER a factory default reset (Internet showing as disconnected), then ask for an RMA on the grounds of that issue. Asus should replace it/fix it under warranty.

If it's out of warranty and/or you don't want to RMA, then I don't know what else to tell you. Yes, it's possible to fix it, but it requires a procedure that is not publicly available. Any post discussing that method will be deleted, because that information can a) be used to cause MORE issues if misused, and b) can be used to break local laws by also messing with the router region, and therefore falls under the forum-wide ban on discussing such procedures.

I will evaluate my own options. I can skip that mode check so at least WAN monitoring will work normally, however I cannot guarantee that you won't also suffer from OTHER issues. So, it would just be a band-aid at best, and anything else can potentially break in the future if Asus keeps adding more checks throughout the firmware code.

Thank you for taking your time investigating this! Really appreciate it! I will follow your advice about flashing it back to stock and make an complaint at the store.

 

[Grisu]

Change only this HEX-byte from 1 to 0 with any hex-editor and try your cfe again (search for atemode in it).

 

[bits]

I can't find my CFE backup, it was maybe 4-5 years ago since I last touched the CFE and the device hasn't missed a beat since then.

It seems very unproven what I see stems from any altering of the bootloader many years ago as other users get the exact same result with no bootloader altering.
To me it seems just as likely I got to this point via the exact same path as users that didn't touch their CFE, which is ASUS got our device to this state.

 

[Grisu]

Anyway, safe your recent cfe, edit this one bit only and upload again.

 

[jonasitanga]

Hi..

I just checked my cfe version as I started reading about that.
It returned version number like it was a US version according to an other site. Think it was 1.0.2.0, could that be true?
Could this mean mine rt ac66 b1 is home imported by the guy I bought it from? And in that case does it matter to my "faulty" router?

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[Grisu]

RT-AC66U_B1 has been published very cheap 2 years ago, there has never been a reason to modify anything on those routers (for resellers, maybe the owner changed region for more radio power).

 

[RMerlin]

It seems very unproven what I see stems from any altering of the bootloader many years ago as other users get the exact same result with no bootloader altering.

Not everyone is affected for the same reason. Quite a few clearly confirmed that they did download and flash a bootloader that they had downloaded from somewhere, and that bootloader turned out to have been set for manufacturing mode.

Compiling your own bootloader from the GPL code will also have the same effect - compiled images are set to manufacturing mode (since typically this is the only time Asus would need to compile and flash a bootloader).

Whether just editing the bootloader in-place can trigger a switch to manufacturing mode, I have no idea. The source code manipilating all of this is closed. But I stand by my advise that people should never mess with their bootloaders. Changing region code is illegal in most areas. Increasing the CPU clock carries the risk that if it fails to boot, it will be bricked permanently. Changing the wrong byte will also prevent the device from booting, and brick it permanently.

JUST DON'T. It's been my stance for years, and it remains so.

And it's also possible some routers may have accidentally shipped in that mode. I have no way of confirming or denying this theory.

 

[HolyRoses]

I downloaded some of the RT-AC68U firmwares from CFE editing web sites and also from other sites when these were being shared years back and they have ATEMODE=1 in the firmware. So thats probably where the majority of issues are coming from.

I can't believe it was maliciously set that way. No one would have bothered to do that, sure there is much more nefarious things could have been done. I would imagine these firmwares were pulled from their routers as is and thats just the way it was set.

 

[RMerlin]

I can't believe it was maliciously set that way.

Not malicious. Just ignorance on the part of the people sharing these.

 

[Grisu]

Still have backups of my previous 68U and 86U and both are set to ATEMODE=0, maybe my other 68Us, DSL-68Us and 86U (china import) had been set differently, only saved one backup of them.
And I know I changed region on all 68Us with asuscfe command, so cfe has been changed and ATEMODE still =0.

 

[L&LD]

@RMerlin maybe this post is useful for you and this issue?

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/384-15_alpha-builds-testing-all-variants.60731/page-6#post-537445

 

[Ola Larsson]

Thank you for taking your time investigating this! Really appreciate it! I will follow your advice about flashing it back to stock and make an complaint at the store.

Just wanted to say that I got a replacement router today and everything is working fine! So maybe it was just this one that came out wrong from the factory?

 

[jonasitanga]

Hi..

The latest firmware has fixed the wan issue.

But if I where going to enlighten Asus about this?

@RMerlin or any one else, do you think Asus is aware of this allready and/or do you think they already know what the problem is?

I gladly file a report to them, but is it worth it right now?

Regards
Jonas



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[ARKASHA]

Not everyone is affected for the same reason.

Just for the sake of discussion in my router it appears to be related to DOT and specifically when I select an IPv4 443 server. Then back to 1.1.1.1 WAN turns to connected.

 

[L&LD]

@jonasitanga, which 'latest firmware'? For which router?

 

[jonasitanga]

Ac66 b1 and Asus last and second last firmware.
Or Merlin ...14 firmware version.

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[L&LD]

@jonasitanga, that doesn't help any. 'face-palm'

Details are important here.

 

[jonasitanga]

My main question is if asus knows about the problem stated in the Op.

It is a very specific problem regarding checks if router is in manufacturing mode or not. And wanduck being started due to that.

As stated before it's only regarding ac 66 b1 and ac68.

So thats why I did not give more info about my set up.

So my question is is it worth sending a ticket to asus about it or not?


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[L&LD]

I have no doubt Asus knows about this issue by now. Not limited to the RT-AC66U_B1 or the RT-AC68U either.

Any additional data points/'ticket' you send to them can only help resolve this issue faster.

 

[jonasitanga]

Thanks for correcting me.

What do you think is the most plausable sollution asus would do to fix the issue?

- Don' care cous they think it's due to people messing with cfe?

- Can they send a update whitch changes the flag in cfe (manifactory mode)?

- Turn off the check for the flag in next firmware?

It's an academic question cous I'm not very familar with the router world and I'm curious.

Jonas

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