Offical XT8 Firmware or Beta?

[fairmarketvalue]

It looks like there are two flavors of XT8 firmware available for me to upgrade to: 3.0.0.4.386.48706 ("Official") and 9.0.0.4.386.48966 ("Beta"). Can anyone explain in non-technical terms whether one is preferable to the other? I'm not sure I understand the difference between them, and I'd like to move to the most trouble-free of the two (if that's possible). Thanks.

 

[RMerlin]

Go with the Official release. Beta releases haven't been fully tested, and are generally meant for test purposes.

 

[Dodgydrains]

As mentioned by RMerlin, beta is usually for testing. However, sometimes it will have untested fixes for issues found in the official releases.

In other words, if you experience problems with the official (stable) release then try the beta

 

[slrt]

Specifically, the latest official release has a hideous bug that prevents the use of PSKs longer than 32 characters. In case your password is longer, I'd stay this one out. Hopefully the next official release is just around the corner (the fix is already in beta).

 

[Tech9]

longer than 32 characters

Soon after someone will complain it doesn't take passwords longer that 64 characters. Going forever hunt for properly working XT8 firmware tells me there are more serious bugs to fix. I personally never had Wi-Fi password longer than 32 characters, even in pass phrases I commonly use.

 

[Bobdobolina]

I would vote for the latest beta over the latest official. Each for their own on passphrase length but I use password managers set to default +64 char so that ruined the party for the official. Latest beta stable for me

 

[Tech9]

so that ruined the party

If you have +64 characters random Guest Network password, perhaps "ruined the party" is correct.

 

[RMerlin]

I would hate to be the one configuring a wireless printer with a 2 inches tall capacitive touch screen with that 64+ characters password. Or even configuring Wifi on a smart phone with that kind of password.

 

[Bobdobolina]

If you have +64 characters random Guest Network password, perhaps "ruined the party" is correct.

Hehe - fortunately you just share it using the QR code in the ASUS app, right!?

 

[Bobdobolina]

I would hate to be the one configuring a wireless printer with a 2 inches tall capacitive touch screen with that 64+ characters password. Or even configuring Wifi on a smart phone with that kind of password.

Well I run hardwired printers. As before ASUS let’s you share your Wi-Fi via a QR-code in the app. Configuring the first phone/iPad et al is simple as Just copy/paste the key from your pwd-mgmt sw into the Wi-Fi password field on your phone, right!? Takes… 3 seconds give or take but each for their own.

 

[Tech9]

Hehe - fortunately you just share it using the QR code in the ASUS app, right!?

Wrong. I just tell them what the password is. It's in natural human speech, like "use the right password". This type of passwords I use. No apps needed. It will be weird to flash a QR code to someone with a laptop anyway. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for some Asus router users because Asus decided the interval is not a valid symbol and it's not allowed anymore. I don't use Asus routers.

 

[Bobdobolina]

Wrong. I just tell them what the password is. It's in natural human speech, like "use the right password". This type of passwords I use. No apps needed. It will be weird to flash a QR code to someone with a laptop anyway. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for some Asus router users because Asus decided the interval is not a valid symbol and it's not allowed anymore. I don't use Asus routers.

Know this is off topic so perhaps we should stop - My recommendation is to always run visitor and Iot on a segregated network without access to the internal network. Then you can do simpler pass-phrases for that.

 

[slrt]

Guest network should naturally have a simple password to share. But that network shouldn't have access to your Intranet. The main network should be more secure.
You can argue that 32 characters are enough, but that's not the point. A regression on Stable that bricks the router for all users who happen to use a longer password signals that Asus do not even try to properly test their firmwares before releasing them.

 

[jelaware]

if they didn't want us to use more than 32 characters, the field shouldn't accept more than 32 characters

 

[Tech9]

Is this the only annoying bug in XT8 firmware?

 

[slrt]

Of course there are others. But I can work around them. This regression actually prevented dozens of existing devices from connecting to the network. That's an order of magnitude worse than any other bug.

 

[rsnhakan]

Go with the Official release. Beta releases haven't been fully tested, and are generally meant for test purposes.

I completely understand this, but 9.0.0.4.386.46980 is by far the most stable FW Asus ever released for me (XT8). With every other FW I had issues with wireless backhaul (weak connection, dropping connection, no internet). With this beta I do remember how a router should work and till now 0 issues.

 

[fairmarketvalue]

I completely understand this, but 9.0.0.4.386.46980 is by far the most stable FW Asus ever released for me (XT8). With every other FW I had issues with wireless backhaul (weak connection, dropping connection, no internet). With this beta I do remember how a router should work and till now 0 issues.

So the takeaway is to wait for the official version and hope that it remains as stable as the beta?

 

[Calkulin]

I completely understand this, but 9.0.0.4.386.46980 is by far the most stable FW Asus ever released for me (XT8). With every other FW I had issues with wireless backhaul (weak connection, dropping connection, no internet). With this beta I do remember how a router should work and till now 0 issues.

I agree, 48706 & 48966 aren't stable on my XT8 node but 46980 and below are fine. 48966 isn't stable on my GT-AX11000 either, so I think I'll skip that GPL even if it becomes the official firmware

 

[fairmarketvalue]

Based on previous experience, any idea as to when Asus might issue a new official firmware with the corrected features in the latest beta? My guess is early July, but that may be too optimistic.