New AC68U firmware available on Asus Site -3.0.0.4.374.371

[DaveMishSr]

Connect to your router with a lan cable
Log into router
Go to administration
Enable telnet
Download a free software called putty
Enter your router ip
Login with your router login and password in the screen that comes up.
Type
mtd-erase2 nvram
nvram commit

Then power cycle

Then enter settings.

You may want to try rebooting by telnet first. Same process with Putty except you enter "reboot" instead of the clear nvram command. For some reason I have found rebooting with telnet to clear up some issues. Not always but it is the first thing I try. I would also make sure that your preamble length on both bands is set to short as you appear to have a lot of network traffic.

 

[assassindk]

You may want to try rebooting by telnet first. Same process with Putty except you enter "reboot" instead of the clear nvram command. For some reason I have found rebooting with telnet to clear up some issues. Not always but it is the first thing I try. I would also make sure that your preamble length on both bands is set to short as you appear to have a lot of network traffic.

It doesnt seem to reset the router and this is what I have done:

1. Enable Telnet on router
2. Connect to the router with the buildin telnet in Windows
3. Run the command: reboot
4. reconnect when the router was ready again
5. Run the command: mtd-erase2 nvram
6. Run the command: nvram commit
7. Turn of the router and unplug it from the power in 3 minutes
8. Plug the power back in
9. When the router was up and running - access it by IP
10. All settings are the same as before - they havent resat.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[luka_w]

isn't much easier clearing nvram with holding wps+power button for 10 seconds?

 

[DaveMishSr]

It doesnt seem to reset the router and this is what I have done:

1. Enable Telnet on router
2. Connect to the router with the buildin telnet in Windows
3. Run the command: reboot
4. reconnect when the router was ready again
5. Run the command: mtd-erase2 nvram
6. Run the command: nvram commit
7. Turn of the router and unplug it from the power in 3 minutes
8. Plug the power back in
9. When the router was up and running - access it by IP
10. All settings are the same as before - they havent resat.

What am I doing wrong?

Nothing as far as I can see. However, with Putty the window will close with a successful reboot. It will also close with a success in running the clear nvram command.

 

[DaveMishSr]

isn't much easier clearing nvram with holding wps+power button for 10 seconds?

Yes it is. However, I have had issues that would not resolve with a reboot unless I performed it via telnet. Go figure.

 

[RMerlin]

It doesnt seem to reset the router and this is what I have done:

5. Run the command: mtd-erase2 nvram

This erases the nvram partition in flash

6. Run the command: nvram commit

This writes back the cached content onto the partition you just erased.

Most reliable way to do it (beside using the reset button) is to use mtd-erase, and then immediately power cycle the router. That way you will be certain to be starting with a blank nvram.

 

[kaiserskier]

is it just me or 2.4 GHz range is better?

The higher the frequency, the lesser the range for a constant power input. That's physics. So yes 5GHz has lower range than 2.4GHz but it is also much less crowded so one thing should sort of compensate for the other.

 

[kaiserskier]

I noticed a new and very annoying bug that has survived all the way from version 3.0.0.4.374.205 to 371:

When you have port forwarding activated and directing to a broadcast address (like 192.168.0.255 on a 255.255.255.0 subnet), which is generally useful if you want to have WAKE ON LAN functionality, the router will direct all outgoing connection attempts (ie, www.google.com) to 10.0.0.1, thus rendering connections impossible.

I have used this feature in my old trusty D-Link router for years with no problems. Please fix this. Thank you.

 

[tl2k2]

is this firmware got pulled again or something? can't download from asus anymore, said file not found.

 

[luka_w]

The higher the frequency, the lesser the range for a constant power input. That's physics. So yes 5GHz has lower range than 2.4GHz but it is also much less crowded so one thing should sort of compensate for the other.

what I ment was comparing 2.4 to 2.4 on previous FW version

 

[dmorales023]

is this firmware got pulled again or something? can't download from asus anymore, said file not found.

You are right, it's gone now. I think some people posted a link to download it from their dropbox accounts at the beggining of this post. Hopefully this means they are about to release a new update (crossing my fingers on 2.4 fixes!!!)

 

[SoCalReviews]

The higher the frequency, the lesser the range for a constant power input. That's physics. So yes 5GHz has lower range than 2.4GHz but it is also much less crowded so one thing should sort of compensate for the other.

For unobstructed line of sight outdoors or shorter distances indoors where it can bounce off and around objects 5Ghz radios can have good range and work really well... but yes due to physics the longer 2.4Ghz radio waves they do much better going through objects possibly with the exception being water. The energy from 2.4Ghz radio waves tend to be absorbed by the molecules of water which causes it to heat up. This is why a 2.4Ghz frequency radiation of 1000W or more is used for microwave cooking ovens. While there isn't current evidence that using low power 2.4Ghz 100mw radios is a much of a health risk for the human body the option of using higher frequency 5Ghz radios in a home environment instead of 2.4Ghz may help alleviate some of those concerns.

 

[DaveMishSr]

You are right, it's gone now. I think some people posted a link to download it from their dropbox accounts at the beggining of this post. Hopefully this means they are about to release a new update (crossing my fingers on 2.4 fixes!!!)

I have uploaded 374.371 to my MediaFire account. Here is a download link for you weekend warriors:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/15vakbdjbd865o8/RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4.374.371.trx

 

[ronan_zj]

i can still download it from asus website.

 

[assassindk]

This erases the nvram partition in flash


This writes back the cached content onto the partition you just erased.

Most reliable way to do it (beside using the reset button) is to use mtd-erase, and then immediately power cycle the router. That way you will be certain to be starting with a blank nvram.

Just tried that and now it is resat, but sadly still unstable as hell on Wireless, guess I have to return it Wonder if the AC66U is more stable that this expensive no-good router - guess I have to make a thread about which router to buy then..... but thx for the help so far to sijuthomas98 and RMerlin

 

[dmorales023]

i can still download it from asus website.

It is back today for some reason. Guess my hopes of new release just vanished...

 

[Asusnet]

Hi All,

Just a quick update.

We are going to release another update soon for the RT-AC68U and RT-AC56U aiming to address those affected by the slow down on 2.4Ghz. We are aiming to release it by the end of this week or by next week.

Meanwhile, the workaround for some cases is to set the channel bandwidth to 20Mhz only and set the channel manually preferably close to 1 or 11.

 

[sijuthomas98]

Hi All,

Just a quick update.

We are going to release another update soon for the RT-AC68U and RT-AC56U aiming to address those affected by the slow down on 2.4Ghz. We are aiming to release it by the end of this week or by next week.

Meanwhile, the workaround for some cases is to set the channel bandwidth to 20Mhz only and set the channel manually preferably close to 1 or 11.

Even after manual setting to 20mhz there is an issue of 2.4ghz dying every 7-12 hours(clients are kicked out and unable to reconnect). Has to be reset to another channel to restart.

 

[ronan_zj]

my device can only set to 20Mhz for 2.4G on AC68U. There is no change to set to 40MHz and 20/40Mhz.

 

[sijuthomas98]

my device can only set to 20Mhz for 2.4G on AC68U. There is no change to set to 40MHz and 20/40Mhz.

I am able to set 20 or 40Mhz . On all firmwares so far, currently on .371, problem is a slew of devices connected to 2.4ghz have erratic speed 1mbps to 2mbps on any and all setting, on a 100mbps internet plan, I'm working around by using RT-AC68 U for 5Ghz and using an RT-AC66U as an AP
For the 2.4Ghz clients. Performance is extremely good on 2.4Ghz