Issues with latest Blue Cave firmware?

[ST13]

Hi everyone.

I've had a Blue Cave for a few years now and despite what seem like mixed results for some its been rock solid for me and better performing than the 68u it replaced. In other words, I was really happy with it.

That is until the new firmware came out this month - 3.0.0.4.384.46417
It brought what appears some critical fixes including DNS exploit plugging and other improvements. After I installed it would consistently drop the connection overnight and only a continuous modem and router power recycle got it going again (not just a router reboot).

Kept going like that for a few days and finally decided to downgrade back to 3.0.0.4.384.45708 (release before last).

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with the latest firmware? I'd love to be able to run with all the security fixes that come with it but at least from my perspective something seems seriously wrong with it.

Any thoughts?

Ty!

 

[Eric1968]

Hi everyone.

I've had a Blue Cave for a few years now and despite what seem like mixed results for some its been rock solid for me and better performing than the 68u it replaced. In other words, I was really happy with it.

That is until the new firmware came out this month - 3.0.0.4.384.46417
It brought what appears some critical fixes including DNS exploit plugging and other improvements. After I installed it would consistently drop the connection overnight and only a continuous modem and router power recycle got it going again (not just a router reboot).

Kept going like that for a few days and finally decided to downgrade back to 3.0.0.4.384.45708 (release before last).

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with the latest firmware? I'd love to be able to run with all the security fixes that come with it but at least from my perspective something seems seriously wrong with it.

Any thoughts?

Ty!

Hi

Same here.
Did the firmware update yesterday, Blue Cave wouldn't restart properly, had to reset/ reboot several times. Then I couldn't finalize configuration in the Web UI, no response when setting up the SSID. Finally managed using my phone (!). And what a nasty surprise, the network map landing page showed zoomed in with no access to the different sections. Tried different browsers, cleared caches, changed from Mac to PC... Nothing... Got in eventually bypassing the default landing page using "http://router.asus.com/TrafficAnalyzer_Statistic.asp"... Thought this was over but no... Transferring files to my USB 3 SSD attached to the Blue Cave went really slow and even crashed the Finder.... That was it!
I reverted Firmware to the ASUSWRT-Merlin latest release and I'm back to normal with even added features...
What a painful experience, in confinement with kids asking every 5 mn when Internet is coming back ...

 

[Grisu]

I reverted Firmware to the ASUSWRT-Merlin latest release and I'm back to normal with even added features...

Merlin firmware for BlueCave router? I think even himself doesnt know that he is doing this.

 

[Klueless]

That is until the new firmware came out this month - 3.0.0.4.384.46417 ... After I installed it would consistently drop the connection overnight and only a continuous modem and router power recycle got it going again (not just a router reboot).

I just wanted to thank you for this. I "almost" updated, if it wasn't for your post I would have. I suspect you saved me from hours of frustration?

I also like my Blue Cave, it just works. Even better my wife likes its looks (it's not some creepy space alien looking thing with horns and stuff : -) As a result she let me move it off the floor and out of the corner so now we get decent range/performance throughout the house.

 

[Eric1968]

Merlin firmware for BlueCave router? I think even himself doesnt know that he is doing this.

Yes ! it's wizardry
https://github.com/paldier/bluecave-merlin

 

[Grisu]

Its not Merlin, but some chinese fork using parts of Merlin.

 

[Eric1968]

surely...I'm not an expert... but it works.

 

[OzarkEdge]

surely...I'm not an expert... but it works.

Asuswrt-Merlin does not support the Blue Cave router.

An expert may not trust the third party firmware you are running on your home network.

OE

 

[jg45]

Is anyone else not able to adjust the QOS settings with the latest firmware (3.0.0.4.384.46417) for the Blue Cave? In addition to the reboot not reconnecting to WAN, I have found that I cannot do anything with the QOS settings through the routers web admin.

 

[spurdog]

Is anyone else not able to adjust the QOS settings with the latest firmware (3.0.0.4.384.46417) for the Blue Cave? In addition to the reboot not reconnecting to WAN, I have found that I cannot do anything with the QOS settings through the routers web admin.

I also have exactly the same issues with my bluecave and the latest firmware. Also I have an issue with streamining 4k video over a wired connection. The stream constantly freezes for several seconds and makes the films unwatchable. I use direct play and the films are ripped to MKV passthrough. (however, if I connect via a switch then the films run just fine.) I dont have this issue with my RT AC 87U, which I have now put back in operation due to the Bluecave issues.

John

 

[D2theZ]

Well there is another new firmware. This one supposedly fixes the QoS and network map issues but mentions nothing of the WAN problem. I upgraded and can confirm WAN still acts screwy.

 

[jg45]

Well there is another new firmware. This one supposedly fixes the QoS and network map issues but mentions nothing of the WAN problem. I upgraded and can confirm WAN still acts screwy.

It fixed the ability to save the traditional QoS settings, but seems to have caused other issues with QoS. Now running a speedtest with QoS enabled is less than half of what it is with QoS disabled. At the same time, one of the CPU cores maxes out and I think that could be the limit.
Also, what happened to Adaptive QoS? It was in the firmware prior to 3.0.0.4.384.46417.
One final thing I noticed is that the changes I had to make for the last firmware to reconnect to the internet after a reboot, I had to revert back to get this firmware to reconnect after a reboot.

 

[jg45]

It fixed the ability to save the traditional QoS settings, but seems to have caused other issues with QoS. Now running a speedtest with QoS enabled is less than half of what it is with QoS disabled. At the same time, one of the CPU cores maxes out and I think that could be the limit.
Also, what happened to Adaptive QoS? It was in the firmware prior to 3.0.0.4.384.46417.
One final thing I noticed is that the changes I had to make for the last firmware to reconnect to the internet after a reboot, I had to revert back to get this firmware to reconnect after a reboot.

Disregard it fixing the reboot issue. It did not.

 

[bluefoxreg]

Its the latest firmwares, both

3.0.0.4.384.46468 and 3.0.0.4.384.46417

has this issue where if the router reboots/restarts/upgrades/scheduled restart, the WAN would become disconnect.

To manually fix the issue, you can simiply visit your router's WAN settings, and click save settings (with nothing changed). This apperently fixed the WAN and everything goes back to normal.

http://router.asus.com/Advanced_WAN_Content.asp

If your connection or the lease is short/not stable, I'm using an older version of the firmware, which seems to be able to reconnect after restart. 3.0.0.4.384.45708

Here's the asus official link that you can get all the firmware. I suggest you download all the ones you needed before you try flashing, save your configurations before trying

https://www.asus.com/Networking/Blue-Cave/HelpDesk_BIOS/

 

[jg45]

Version 3.0.0.4.384.45708 seemed to be really stable and worked well. The only reason I updated was because of the vulnerabilities the new ones said they fixed. I'm finding more issues with this latest around time blocks for devices. Added to the other issues, I am considering rolling back to the 45708 version.

 

[Martin Winiger]

I am using the next version of the firmware 3.0.0.4.384_46468 on two blue caves (AImesh setup). The WAN issue remains. I fix it by unplugging and repluggin the WAN cable, like with the previous firmware versions. I hope ASUS will fix this soon. Will report this to them today.

 

[ricky124]

I am using the next version of the firmware 3.0.0.4.384_46468 on two blue caves (AImesh setup). The WAN issue remains. I fix it by unplugging and repluggin the WAN cable, like with the previous firmware versions. I hope ASUS will fix this soon. Will report this to them today.

I am not sure what Asus did but they upgraded in the firmware and then broke something along the way. Since, I don’t have auto restarts, once I get it going I leave the router as is. However, it is a troublesome when I have restart both of my router & modem, and troubleshoot them to get them in sync to work.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I am not sure what Asus did but they upgraded in the firmware and then broke something along the way. Since, I don’t have auto restarts, once I get it going I leave the router as is. However, it is a troublesome when I have restart both of my router & modem, and troubleshoot them to get them in sync to work.

Boot your modem first. Then your router. That makes a difference here sometimes.

OE

 

[DH32]

Now that I think of it, I was also having issues with the modem/Internet when upgrading to 3.0.0.4.384.46417. I think that I finally rebooted the modem, and then the Blue Cave, then it was ok. I remember rebooted one more time after just to be sure. Upgraded to 3.0.0.4.384.46468 couple days ago, and yeah, wouldn't connect to the modem/Internet.

Another is that there is no easy way to check on the guest wireless devices. You have to use the wireless log to match the DHCP leases.

 

[rakali]

I am surprised this doesn't have more coverage. I also had to revert after updating and tearing my hair out for a couple of days.

Have you guys contacted ASUS? How do you go about reporting?

I am not brave enough to install the chinese merlin...