Is config backup file transferable between routers of the same model?

[fantom]

is it ok to reuse config backup between routers of the same model and running the same version of Merlin firmware? I think that one of the routers might have a port issue and I wanted to swap the routers in the mesh to troubleshoot.

 

[ColinTaylor]

No, the backups are not intended to be used that way. For two routers of the same model and firmware version it might work well enough for a quick test of the port but you shouldn't run like that permanently.

 

[L&LD]

It may not even be enough for a quick test, IMO. Whatever issue the original router has, a full reset to factory defaults along with a minimal and manual configuration to begin testing for hardware issues is what I would suggest being done first.

Fully Reset Router and Network

 

[joegreat]

is it ok to reuse config backup between routers of the same model and running the same version of Merlin firmware? I think that one of the routers might have a port issue and I wanted to swap the routers in the mesh to troubleshoot.

Clearly NO! Full Router backups (settings save/restore) should not be transferred as MAC-Addresses and Router-ID would be the same and will make problem (especially if the two routers are in the same network)!

User-Setting CAN be transferred - but the current version of the NVRAM Save/Restore Utility is not adopted o the latest firmware version.

 

[BosseSwede]

FWIW:
I bought a new router a while ago (ASUS RT-AC86U) to replace my older router (ASUS RT-AC68U).
Since I had a *lot* of customized settings including IP reservations for most of the devices on my LAN I researched the way to most easily transfer these to the new router.

Turns out to be real simple:
- Make sure both routers run the same firmware version (in my case 3.0.0.4.384_32799)
- Disconnect the WAN
- On the active router: Administration/Restore-Save-Upload_Settings
- Click Save and select a file name and path for the settings.
- Stop the old and start the new router and connect to it with an Ethernet cable.
- Then log in to the new router and go to the same page and click the Restore setting Upload button and navigate to the file just saved.

If you have a public IP connected to your router's MAC as I have then also do this:
- When the router has restarted go to WAN/InternetConnection
- Enter the MAC address of your old router Into the MAC address field at the bottom of the page and hit Apply.
- At this point you can connect WAN to the new router.
Now the router will look as the old router from the ISP's perspective and the public IP address lease will be used.
And the configuration from the old to the new router is transferred.

This worked very well for me.

 

[fantom]

Clearly NO! Full Router backups (settings save/restore) should not be transferred as MAC-Addresses and Router-ID would be the same and will make problem (especially if the two routers are in the same network)!

Yeah, I have just proven that to myself The router did not come up properly. Had to configure manually.

 

[L&LD]

@BosseSwede, that is exactly what you should not do.

 

[V@no]

Clearly NO! Full Router backups (settings save/restore) should not be transferred as MAC-Addresses and Router-ID would be the same and will make problem (especially if the two routers are in the same network)!

User-Setting CAN be transferred - but the current version of the NVRAM Save/Restore Utility is not adopted o the latest firmware version.

And if mac address/router-id saved in the config backup, that would mean it can be configurable, no? Otherwise what's the point storing it in the config? - it wouldn't make sense.

 

[BosseSwede]

@BosseSwede, that is exactly what you should not do.

And why?
I did this and it worked out perfectly. I got all of my customized settings transferred and after cloning the old router's MAC I also kept my public IP address from my ISP.
I cannot see anything that went wrong. It is "just working"...

 

[L&LD]

Have FIOS WAN DHCP issues been resolved in 386.4?

When I tried 386.2 my FIOS would lose its WAN IP frequently with the log "your ISPs DHCP does not function properly". I tried all the workarounds like aggressive mode etc but could not get it to resolve. So I've been on 384.19 ever since. It works great but I do have the occasional GUI lockup...

www.snbforums.com

 

[ColinTaylor]

And if mac address/router-id saved in the config backup, that would mean it can be configurable, no? Otherwise what's the point storing it in the config? - it wouldn't make sense.

The config backup file doesn't selectively backup specific data. It's just a simple dump of the entire nvram partition. As such it contains everything, whether it's needed or not, and whether it's configurable or not.

 

[RMerlin]

I cannot see anything that went wrong. It is "just working"...

One thing that will break by doing so is the use of the Asus DDNS service. If you register one using the wrong secret PIN, next time you do a factory default reset you will end up with a different PIN, and will be locked out of your original DDNS hostname.

Your router could also possibly be a different hardware revision. Flashing settings that contains the HW revision from your previous router can end up with your router not running the correct hardware handling code at the firmware level. This can lead to misconfigured power amps on the radio, or LED control not working properly, among other things.

People shouldn't reuse configs across different routers. Just because it seems to work for your doesn't mean it does fully work properly, and it can cause greater issues for other users with mismatched hardware revisions.

 

[BosseSwede]

OK, I see....
I am going to replace an older RT-AC68U with a new RT-AC86U at my summer home after we have installed fiber there. It seems like the older router is not as efficient in handling VPN connections.
So if I am to avoid the settings transfer between the two units by way of a save/load cycle then I need to somehow gain access to both the new router and the old one at the same time so I can go over all of the settings and copy them manually...
The old one sits at my summer home in a VPN connected dual LAN configuration where they use different subnets but are routed together via VPN. So if I have my PC connected at home I can open the web interface at the remote site and if I connect to the new router by WiFi I should be able to connect there too....

 

[L&LD]

You don't need both routers. Simply save each router page as a PDF (Firefox is the best for that) instead. Then you'll also have a permanent copy of your settings too.

 

[Uncle_Gadget]

I wish I had known this last year when I set up my dad's new router (AC-68U running John's Fork) . I restored the config from my backup of the same model. While things have been running fine (it's 100+ miles from my house), I would like to fix this to prevent any future problems.

Will a 'hard 'reset' restore things back to where I can start fresh properly? If not, what are my options?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Will a 'hard 'reset' restore things back to where I can start fresh properly? If not, what are my options?

Yes, but a normal factory reset is sufficient. You can do it via the GUI or via the reset button, or use the WPS method.