New firmware - RT-ac68u - Version 3.0.0.4.374.454

[Jaded]

ASUS RT-AC68R Firmware version 3.0.0.4.374.454
Fixed:
1. Improved 2.4Ghz speed.
2. Fixed OpebVPN manual client setting UI issues.
3. Changed Time machine and VPN client FAQ URL link.
4. Fixed port forwarding issues in dual wan load balanced mode.
5. Fixed dual wan UI issues.
6. Updated descriptions in VPN server.
7. Fixed VPN client unable to get DNS response issue.

IPv6
1. Allowed LAN stateful auto configuration while DHCP-PD enabled.
2. Fixed DHCPv6 related issues.

Add:
1. Added RSSI/PSM/SGI/STBC information in wireless log.

 

[Arp]

download master

Doesn't seem like anything has been done with the torrent upload-seeding part of download master? Thought it was going to work in the upcoming firmware release. Perhaps download master has a separate release cycle?

 

[KGB7]

I just checked Asus site and the firmware is not there.

 

[Arp]

I just checked Asus site and the firmware is not there.

Windows 7 64 bit doesn't seem to display firmware 3.0.0.4.374.454. Try 32 bit or other platform and it should show.

 

[KGB7]

Windows 7 64 bit doesn't seem to display firmware 3.0.0.4.374.454. Try 32 bit or other platform and it should show.

Got it.

Thanks.

 

[maylyn]

Direct download link ~> http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC68U/FW_RT_AC68U_3004374454.zip

 

[virtueme]

That hid well. Was hoping for new RT-AC66U/R firmware, but not this time.

 

[KGB7]

2.4Ghz signal has gotten a bit better in some parts of the house and a bit worse in other parts of the house.

2.4Ghz speed has gone down the toilet.


WAN-LAN speed has went up; 0.5Mbps/down and 0.5Mbps/up. Using Xfinity website for speed test.
Ping has went down from 14ms to 10ms

Downloading same Ubuntu torrent as a test, the speed is all over the place. Before this firmware, same torrent would max out my WAN speed in under a minute with a PC connected via WiFi. Will test again later today.

 

[Arp]

Odd now it disappeared from the Windows 7 32 bit list, but still exist for platforms like Windows 2003 64 bit etc. Wonder if it's official or just some database magic?

 

[KGB7]

Quick update;

After a few resets and reflashes, I got most of the speed back on 2.4Ghz on the PC upstairs.

By Disabling Explicit and Implicit Beamforming, it greatly improves WiFi signal on 2.4Ghz band.



Update 2;

By having ONLY Implicit beamforming Enabled, I now have a perfect balance between signal range and speed on 2.4Ghz band. Its not as good as it was on .371 firmware, but it works for now.

 

[Asusnet]

Firmware 3.0.0.4.374.454 has an updated SDK, so it is a good idea to go ahead and perform a factory reset after updating.

The servers may not be fully synced yet. If you do not see the firmware a available today, check by tomorrow. If it is still not up, let me know.

 

[ronan_zj]

Firmware 3.0.0.4.374.454 has an updated SDK, so it is a good idea to go ahead and perform a factory reset after updating.

The servers may not be fully synced yet. If you do not see the firmware a available today, check by tomorrow. If it is still not up, let me know.

I am on 454 now, but I still have problem to set my bandwidth to 20/40MHz, anyway to solve it? I have tried to set to either 40 or 20/40, but I couldn't save it, and it still shows 20.

 

[ikoul]

Quick update;

After a few resets and reflashes, I got most of the speed back on 2.4Ghz on the PC upstairs.

By Disabling Explicit and Implicit Beamforming, it greatly improves WiFi signal on 2.4Ghz band.



Update 2;

By having ONLY Implicit beamforming Enabled, I now have a perfect balance between signal range and speed on 2.4Ghz band. Its not as good as it was on .371 firmware, but it works for now.

You have options for 2.4Ghz implicit beamforming on this firmware?

 

[KGB7]

You have options for 2.4Ghz implicit beamforming on this firmware?

Sir, yes sir.

 

[elpibe10]

Sir, yes sir.

I don't have that on the 2.4GHz band too.

If you're coming from .371, you'll need to perform a factory reset after updating.

 

[Smedley]

I don't have that on the 2.4GHz band too.

If you're coming from .371, you'll need to perform a factory reset after updating.

I upgraded the firmware, from 371 to 454, but did not do a factory reset. It appears to be working fine. Why is the factory reset necessary?

 

[Kris404]

..Why is the factory reset necessary?

Because sometimes, the nvram settings don't carry over well into the next firmware, especially when the firmware is built on new SDK. Same reason why you should not restore settings from a backup CFG file. Instead, set everything up manually from scratch.

 

[elpibe10]

I upgraded the firmware, from 371 to 454, but did not do a factory reset. It appears to be working fine. Why is the factory reset necessary?

To prevent weird issues from your router.

It's basically a 'must-do' if the firmware uses a different SDK (WiFi firmware/driver).

I know it's a pain having to re-key in all the settings (especially stuff like port forwarding and MAC addresses) but trust me, that inconvenience is nothing compared to the frustration one has to go through trying to solve a weird issue that's practically impossible to be resolved due to the change in SDK within the firmware until the factory settings have been reset.

 

[Smedley]

Because sometimes, the nvram settings don't carry over well into the next firmware, especially when the firmware is built on new SDK. Same reason why you should not restore settings from a backup CFG file. Instead, set everything up manually from scratch.

I'm just trying to understand the mechanics... Please let me know where my logic is off. When the router is restarted, the bootloader runs and sets a bunch of parameters into nvram (memory/clock speeds, etc.), and then loads the firmware.

If the 371 firmware had the ability to change the nvram in a way that was somehow incompatible with the newer version(s), why wouldn't/couldn't the
new firmware change those very same setting to the way it wanted to see them.

I was under the impression, the factory reset simply loaded the default configuration and was useful to restore the router's config to the state in which it was shipped.

Further, I thought the saved configuration file just set the configuration settings/parameters into whatever firmware was running. I could understand the mismatch that would occur if the new firmware was missing parameters or had additional settings that were not in the saved version, but otherwise what would be the problem restoring the saved config settings?

Please let me know where my understanding is flawed. Thanks.

 

[wacko]

I'm just trying to understand the mechanics... Please let me know where my logic is off. When the router is restarted, the bootloader runs and sets a bunch of parameters into nvram (memory/clock speeds, etc.), and then loads the firmware.

If the 371 firmware had the ability to change the nvram in a way that was somehow incompatible with the newer version(s), why wouldn't/couldn't the
new firmware change those very same setting to the way it wanted to see them.

I was under the impression, the factory reset simply loaded the default configuration and was useful to restore the router's config to the state in which it was shipped.

Further, I thought the saved configuration file just set the configuration settings/parameters into whatever firmware was running. I could understand the mismatch that would occur if the new firmware was missing parameters or had additional settings that were not in the saved version, but otherwise what would be the problem restoring the saved config settings?

Please let me know where my understanding is flawed. Thanks.

nvram, as it's name suggest, retains all information when powered off. hence I do not thing your first assumption is correct, that a restart of the router reloads the nvram. my best guess is that a firmware flash doesn't resets nvram (since all pertinent settings in the GUI still persist), hence it is sometimes advised that resetting to factory defaults (equivalent to clearing nvram?) after certain firmware flashing.