new firmware on asus site 374.257

[RMerlin]

Is there any ETA from Asus for a firmware update that will help the other wireless adapters that don't work well on 5 Ghz?

Is this a case where the Intel folks were the squeakiest wheel and they got the grease?

This is a case where something was broken starting with a very specific driver version (5.110), and it was easy to reproduce (failure to connect for anyone using an Intel card on the 5 GHz band with 40 MHz channel width, could be reproduced 100% of the time).

If there are other issues, then people will have to come up with specifics to confirm that there is really an issue with a specific wireless card model, and not something with their environment. So far, I see a lot of vague "I have issues. Please fix it!" where people don't provide exact card model and card driver version, and what steps they have taken so far to troubleshoot it. It's hard to troubleshoot anything in such cases. Quite a few of these cases are definitely NOT a problem with the router - not everyone's case is the same.

Details are critical in such cases.

 

[RogerSC]

Okay, first time that Asus factory stock firmware has connected at 450Mbps on 5GHz. in a long time for me. This is with a Linksys AE3000 network adapter, Ralink-based.

Looks just fine *smile*. Strong, fast wireless. Had to actually reboot my laptop to connect, removing the connection profile wasn't enough, but it is much better now.

Probably go back to 372.32_beta1 for the IPv6 firewall for the moment, though. Good wireless there, too *smile*.

 

[bluepoint]

What do you mean by "two way". Please explain. Are you saying that intel had to release a new wireless driver for centrino products in order for this asus firmware update to work? It's not clear what you're saying.

What I mean is, as a customer having problems with your wireless clients first thing to do is report it to asus. Tell them all that you have like, wireless mode brand, wireless drivers it's using and firmware. In other word, report the problem to asus with all the specifics. In turn if asus reproduce the problem and they find there is a need to work with the manufacturer of your wireless client they will fix the problem with them. Without reporting your problem there will be no solution.

My adapters are Broadcom chipset.

Based on your response, I'll assume you haven't been keeping up with the issue as it affects Broadcom, atheros, and Ralink chipset adapters too.

It's never been just an "Intel" brokeness issue.

I've known the issue since it first came in .354 but mostly on intel clients. My dual band Broadcom chipset wireless client does not have a problem using driver 5.100.68.48 with any asus firmware in both 2.4/5GHz bands. My wife's laptop is an Atheros wireless but single band and no problem either. Your problem I will assume is not chipset per se.

 

[jlake]

This is a case where something was broken starting with a very specific driver version (5.110), and it was easy to reproduce (failure to connect for anyone using an Intel card on the 5 GHz band with 40 MHz channel width, could be reproduced 100% of the time).

If there are other issues, then people will have to come up with specifics to confirm that there is really an issue with a specific wireless card model, and not something with their environment. So far, I see a lot of vague "I have issues. Please fix it!" where people don't provide exact card model and card driver version, and what steps they have taken so far to troubleshoot it. It's hard to troubleshoot anything in such cases. Quite a few of these cases are definitely NOT a problem with the router - not everyone's case is the same.

Details are critical in such cases.

I see. Well I have reported the "exact details" including the adapter model in several threads. I have reported the "exact details" to Jeremy months ago. The exact details are almost identical to forum member Chief_OS who also happens to have Broadcom adapter.

I had a funny feeling that this was how it was going to play out once the "Intel" folks got their fix. For intel folks, there was a legitimate problem, but for anyone else, it must be their environment or user error.

At this point, I'll give it another 30 days. If they don't have the Linksys/broadcom AE2500 working properly on 5ghz, I'll get a hold of Amazon and explain the issue with the Asus router and see if I can get a refund.

If Asus is interested in fixing it, all they would need to do is spend $20 bucks for a refurb AE2500 to test. But I don't think they do much product testing at Asus.

If the Asus firmware was broken for some intel products, why is it so hard to believe that it might be broken with other wireless adapters? Is it because you own an intel product that was broken? Maybe if you owned an AE2500, it would have gotten fixed instead of the intel product? And you would be telling the intel people that it must be their environment?

 

[GoNz0]

any ETA on your version of this Merlin ?

trying to curb my desire to install the standard version

 

[jim769]

Okay, first time that Asus factory stock firmware has connected at 450Mbps on 5GHz. in a long time for me. This is with a Linksys AE3000 network adapter, Ralink-based.

Looks just fine *smile*. Strong, fast wireless. Had to actually reboot my laptop to connect, removing the connection profile wasn't enough, but it is much better now.

Probably go back to 372.32_beta1 for the IPv6 firewall for the moment, though. Good wireless there, too *smile*.

Can you post a link to this new bata I cant seem to find it on the normal merlin download page.

 

[RMerlin]

any ETA on your version of this Merlin ?

trying to curb my desire to install the standard version

No ETA since I have no source code to work with yet.

 

[RogerSC]

Can you post a link to this new bata I cant seem to find it on the normal merlin download page.

Just go to the normal mediafire page, go into the firmware for your router, and then into the Beta links ("Beta" directory is at the same level as the normal firmware archive file links).

It's there for RT-N66U and RT-AC66U, I just checked *smile*.

 

[RMerlin]

I see. Well I have reported the "exact details" including the adapter model in several threads. I have reported the "exact details" to Jeremy months ago. The exact details are almost identical to forum member Chief_OS who also happens to have Broadcom adapter.

I had a funny feeling that this was how it was going to play out once the "Intel" folks got their fix. For intel folks, there was a legitimate problem, but for anyone else, it must be their environment or user error.

You are misreading what I wrote. I didn't say it WAS a user error, only that there is a step to make between "reporting" and "confirming" an issue. That step had been crossed in the Intel case, and many users with similar cards posted the same details, which is why it eventually got fixed.

I didn't see the report where you specified the adapter model, or any other where the same adapter model was mentioned. I see so many random posts about various issues that I simply cannot keep track of ALL of them. Sorry.

If you want to help getting that issue from "reported" to "confirmed", feel free to start a thread, specifying the exact model number and driver version you are using, what symptoms you have, and what troubleshooting steps you have taken. Then we'll see if other people with the same combination report the same thing, or if there are some reporting they got it to work by doing a specific configuration or driver change.

There are hundreds of network interfaces on the market, with hundreds of different combinations of OS, driver version, hardware revision, etc... Validating compatibility isn't as straightforward as people might think.

Quite frankly, the wireless market is a complete mess.

EDIT: I see already one person with a Broadcom adaptor who doesn't have any issue. That's why it's all in the details - the issue might be happening only with a very specific configuration. That configuration has to be isolated by comparing results between multiple users. Otherwise, it's possible that Asus is testing with the same settings that the person who has it working, and cannot reproduce the issue on their end.

 

[RMerlin]

Can you post a link to this new bata I cant seem to find it on the normal merlin download page.

That beta was only intended for testing the new IPv6 firewall, that's why it wasn't publicised outside of the IPv6 discussion thread. There was no change in the wireless driver in that build.

 

[jlake]

What I mean is, as a customer having problems with your wireless clients first thing to do is report it to asus. Tell them all that you have like, wireless mode brand, wireless drivers it's using and firmware. In other word, report the problem to asus with all the specifics. In turn if asus reproduce the problem and they find there is a need to work with the manufacturer of your wireless client they will fix the problem with them. Without reporting your problem there will be no solution.

I've known the issue since it first came in .354 but mostly on intel clients. My dual band Broadcom chipset wireless client does not have a problem using driver 5.100.68.48 with any asus firmware in both 2.4/5GHz bands. My wife's laptop is an Atheros wireless but single band and no problem either. Your problem I will assume is not chipset per se.

Again, like I've said many times on this forum.......the brokenness is not just with some Intel cards. That's good to know that your Broadcom chipset doesn't have problems on any of the firmware. My adapters only have problems with .3xx branch. As does Chief_OS's.

My Broadcom 2X2 maxes out at 108 Mbps just as Chief_OS's 2X2 does on his HP Probook. His works fine on .2xx branch just as mine does.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?p=65008#post65008

Not sure if I can be any clearer.

Where are you getting the false information that the brokenness is/was strictly an Intel thing? What you are saying is just not accurate.

 

[bluepoint]

Again, like I've said many times on this forum.......the brokenness is not just with some Intel cards. That's good to know that your Broadcom chipset doesn't have problems on any of the firmware. My adapters only have problems with .3xx branch. As does Chief_OS's
My Broadcom 2X2 maxes out at 108 Mbps just as Chief_OS's 2X2 does on his HP Probook. His works fine on .2xx branch just as mine does.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?p=65008#post65008
.

I've known intel cards were problematic starting with .354 since the problem is reproduceable to many. Yours and Chief_OS's Broadcom chipset cards are isolated problems since I have a Broadcom chipset wireless N600 that works and always stays 300Mbps connection link with the RT-N66u. It would mean there are other factors involved aside from Asus's firmware. These are the factors that is hard to fix if Asus can not reproduce. Suggesting asus to test it with a refurb wireless client to duplicate your environment is not a good suggestion cause it will not duplicate your environment if the refurb client is not %100. What is your wireless's driver version and date?

Not sure if I can be any clearer.

Where are you getting the false information that the brokenness is/was strictly an Intel thing? What you are saying is just not accurate.

There is no definite statement from me that the problem is only for intel clients but rather many are claiming the same specifics that is reproduceable that's why asus was able to fix the problem.

 

[jlake]

You are misreading what I wrote. I didn't say it WAS a user error, only that there is a step to make between "reporting" and "confirming" an issue. That step had been crossed in the Intel case, and many users with similar cards posted the same details, which is why it eventually got fixed.

I didn't see the report where you specified the adapter model, or any other where the same adapter model was mentioned. I see so many random posts about various issues that I simply cannot keep track of ALL of them. Sorry.

If you want to help getting that issue from "reported" to "confirmed", feel free to start a thread, specifying the exact model number and driver version you are using, what symptoms you have, and what troubleshooting steps you have taken. Then we'll see if other people with the same combination report the same thing, or if there are some reporting they got it to work by doing a specific configuration or driver change.

There are hundreds of network interfaces on the market, with hundreds of different combinations of OS, driver version, hardware revision, etc... Validating compatibility isn't as straightforward as people might think.

Quite frankly, the wireless market is a complete mess.

EDIT: I see already one person with a Broadcom adaptor who doesn't have any issue. That's why it's all in the details - the issue might be happening only with a very specific configuration. That configuration has to be isolated by comparing results between multiple users. Otherwise, it's possible that Asus is testing with the same settings that the person who has it working, and cannot reproduce the issue on their end.

Right. Not all Intel wireless adapters previously had problems either. Why would the problem go away when flashing .2xx branch? Why did your Intel 5Ghz problems go away when you flashed .2xx branch? I'm not following your logic.

Here's a post from chief_OS that describes the issue. The max link speed is 108 Mbps per second. And my max link speed is 108 Mbps.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?p=65008#post65008

As far as troubleshooting steps that I have taken..... the list would be long.

1. Removed wireless profiles and reset router to factory defaults
2. Uninstalled wireless adapters on 3 computers and reinstalled
3. Used default settings on adapter and used default settings on router
4. Used every possible combination of advanced wirleless adapter setting
5. Used every possible combination of 5 Ghz setting on the router (including default settings.
6. Used every possible "professional" setting on 5ghz on the router.
7. The problems occur on three different computers. 2 Dell and 1 HP.

To get it working properly, all I have to do is go back to .2xx branch. Logic tells me that there is a compatiblilty problem with my adapters (and chief_OS) just as logic told me that there was a compatibility problem with your intel adapter.

If find it highly unlikely that Asus has even looked at either my posts or Chief_OS posts much less even tested the adapter. I don't think anyone even bothered to respond to Chief_OS posts.

My broadcom adapters will work properly (300 Mbps) for a brief period (less than 24 hours) if I connect my appleTV to the 5 Ghz. But the AppleTV will eventually lock up and my adapters will fall back to 54-108 Mbps. To give further detail on "appletv locking up" when used with my adapters.........The appletv will appear connected but simply not be able to connect to the internet.

None of this adverse behavior occurs with .2xx branch.

 

[jim769]

Thanks so basicly its the same as 31_0 just added the v6 firewall ? I am trying it as we speak works good, no problem with v6 as well.

 

[milkmandan]

ELI5 - explain to me like I am five - Whats the problem with the 5Ghz band using Merlin's firmware vs the new one (374_257) that was just released on the ASUS website?

I just found Merlin's firmware for the N66U and I gave it a quick test, with extra features like OpenVPN-client (I do use PIA, would be a nice feature) and various other tweaks including naming within DHCP reservation; I am itching to using Merlins over Asus new one.

However, I almost use 5Ghz exclusively, due to better throughput and just general less interference with 2.4 devices around the house (phone system, microwave, neighbors, etc).

Plus, not sure if anyone has noticed or even had the same problem as me, but with the new firmware 3.0.0.4.374_257, the System Log no longer generates a bajillion lines of (whatever it was) when the router was idle. I had this problem with the N66U before and previous firmware versions, not sure if it was the system log, but the router would slow down and LAN to LAN, performance would slow to a crawl after 1-2 hours of a fresh reboot.

 

[RMerlin]

Right. Not all Intel wireless adapters previously had problems either. Why would the problem go away when flashing .2xx branch? Why did your Intel 5Ghz problems go away when you flashed .2xx branch? I'm not following your logic.

Firmware 2xx was based on Broadcom SDK 5.100. With 354 Asus upgraded to SDK 5.110, with a totally different wireless driver, which introduced the issue. So reverting back to FW 270 was also reverting you back to the 5.100 driver, which was working correctly.

It was a bug/compatibility issue introduced with the 5.110 driver. Everyone with a Centrino 63xx, 62xx and 5xxx were affected.

 

[jlake]

I've known intel cards were problematic starting with .354 since the problem is reproduceable to many. Yours and Chief_OS's Broadcom chipset cards are isolated problems since I have a Broadcom chipset wireless N600 that works and always stays 300Mbps connection link with the RT-N66u. It would mean there are other factors involved aside from Asus's firmware. These are the factors that is hard to fix if Asus can not reproduce. Suggesting asus to test it with a refurb wireless client to duplicate your environment is not a good suggestion cause it will not duplicate your environment if the refurb client is not %100. What is your wireless's driver version and date?
There is no definite statement from me that the problem is only for intel clients but rather many are claiming the same specifics that is reproduceable that's why asus was able to fix the problem.

It seems like you are speaking for Asus here. How do you even know that Asus attempted to reproduce the problem with my adapter or Chief_OS adapter? You don't.

This firmware fixed a Ralink adapter for one forum member. Ralink is not Intel. Several forum members beat it to death that it was just an incompatibility with "some Intel cards". That was never the case.

 

[RMerlin]

Thanks so basicly its the same as 31_0 just added the v6 firewall ? I am trying it as we speak works good, no problem with v6 as well.

There were other changes (OpenVPN and miniupnpd were upgraded). The detailed changelog will be included with the final release (you can check the README-merlin.txt file on Github if you want an idea of what was changed already).

 

[RMerlin]

I just found Merlin's firmware for the N66U and I gave it a quick test, with extra features like OpenVPN-client (I do use PIA, would be a nice feature) and various other tweaks including naming within DHCP reservation; I am itching to using Merlins over Asus new one.

However, I almost use 5Ghz exclusively, due to better throughput and just general less interference with 2.4 devices around the house (phone system, microwave, neighbors, etc).

Note that 372_31 is using the retrofitted 5.100 driver from 270, so it should work fine on the 5 GHz band.

 

[jim769]

Thanks Merlin I will check that out..