RT-AC68 - New firmware 3.0.0.4.376_3602 (AVOID)

[roscolo]

Since a TRX image cannot contain a CFE update, I decided to unpack the actual 3602 firmware to see if I could figure out what happened. Looks like Asus inserted the CFE update right inside the firmware code itself, it must probably be done the first time the router gets booted:

merlin@mint-dev ~/fmk/trunk/376-3602-ac68/rootfs/rom/cfe $ ls
cfe_1.0.2.0.bin  cfe_1.0.2.0_esmt.bin  cfe_tmo_2.1.2.2.bin  mtd-write

I think I know why they did this tho. Currently, the RT-AC56 and RT-AC68 are running out of space on the firmware partition to add additional features (such as the new DPI engine that will be added later on). I suspect this is how they decided to implement the CFE update that will increase the size of the firmware partition to 64 MB, versus the original 32 MB partition size.

So the 3602 FW does indeed upgrade the bootloader.

Merlin, does this also apply to the RT-AC66U? Thanks.

 

[ddarko]

The 3602 firmware for the 66U also kills the 5ghz network. After installing it, the 5ghz network stopped broadcasting on any of the 5ghz channels - only Auto and 0 were selectable in the channel dropdown menu. I reverted back to firmware 2524 and that restored the 5ghz channels.

 

[RMerlin]

Merlin, does this also apply to the RT-AC66U? Thanks.

I only checked the AC68 and AC56, and so far the AC68 is the only one where Asus is upgrading the bootloader. I didn't check the AC66U, but I'd be surprised if they did it, since it isn't running out of space for the FW partition.

 

[IAAI]

Did a test and here is what happened with my ac68u

Had merlin 47 with bootloader 1.0.1.6 . Fully boot time about 18 seconds with a 0% failure rate

Updated to 3602 and got my bootloader to God Damn 1.0.2.0 . Fully boots in 2 mins if it dose boots [emoji23] (jealousy made the wifi Boot time as slow as the ac87u)

Did a restart at 3 am and wifi lights never came on , slept until 6:30 am and guess what they never came on for 3:30 hours [emoji23]

PEOPLE STAY AWAY FROM THAT FIRMWARE

 

[hyena]

I have exactly the same problems, and i sent a clam to the asus support in this case.
We will see what they will do in the next week.
I think it would be nice if all of you guys do the same, and they can see lots of people has the same issue.

I am truly horrified.

Asus have released a firmware that totally decimates my 5GHz WiFi. I am based in the UK. Firstly, the DFS support has disappeared (even after a full factory reset). The only frequencies are 36,40,44 and 48. Even if I change the channel to 48, it is still stuck on 36. And not only that, buy my link to my second RT-AC68U in media bridge mode has dropped to 117Mbits (I am not kidding) from 877Mbits.

WTF Asus?!

 

[Engineer]

You will have to contact Asus about this one, sorry. I have no idea what was actually changed in the bootloader (I can only guess that the partition size was the primary goal).

I see the TMobile CFE 2.1.2.2 in there. I know it locked down the firmwares on the TMobile branded Asus RT-AC68U's so that ONLY TM branded firmwares could be used. That along with the ability to update the firmware on those units remotely takes the ability of the user to update their firmware almost out of the picture (short of a JTAG flash).

If I owned one of the TM units and wanted future firmware upgradability, I would flash the CFE to an Asus one right now (but that's just me! ).

Thanks for your digging into this Merlin!

 

[cooler]

hello, im the new one but i have the exactly the same problem, dat update is limited my wifi connection to 400mb... nice one Asus

 

[jubae]

I think my router is bricked. I flashed it with the merlin firmware and the router rebooted now I can't get the router to respond at all. The power led stays on and I can't get it to go into rescue mode or ping it. Is there a way to fix this?

 

[IAAI]

You could flash the 1.0.1.8 cfe back to it to see if that fixes it.

I was thinking of that solution . But how ?

 

[IAAI]

I think my router is bricked. I flashed it with the merlin firmware and the router rebooted now I can't get the router to respond at all. The power led stays on and I can't get it to go into rescue mode or ping it. Is there a way to fix this?

Have you tried the WPS Reset ?

 

[Engineer]

I was thinking of that solution . But how ?

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=70991738&postcount=2576
(This is to convert the TMobile version of the RT-AC68U router to a full RT-AC68U but can be used to convert to another version for the RT-AC68U).

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=124458&postcount=519 (different router but same idea).

 

[IAAI]

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=70991738&postcount=2576
(This is to convert the TMobile version of the RT-AC68U router to a full RT-AC68U but can be used to convert to another version for the RT-AC68U).

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=124458&postcount=519 (different router but same idea).

Thanks . Will give it a try

 

[Engineer]

Thanks . Will give it a try

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=17793
(CFE collection)

 

[jubae]

Yep, I tried the reboot while holding WPS method and holding reset. The power light stays on and I can't even get into recovery mode. If I use the wireless discovery tool it doesn't even show up. I have tried to fix it for hours and it just does the same thing. The power light stays on then after about a minute the lan lights flash and starts all over again. I'm not sure how I can fix this.rebo

 

[IAAI]

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=17793
(CFE collection)

I don't know if i did something wrong , but i tried 2 times to downgrade to 1.0.1.6 (US) coming from 1.0.2.0 and didn't succeed

Changed 3 Mac's in bin file + secret_code

tried to use these 2 ,each one separately

MTD-Write v1 => *Original version (v1) from ASUS*
MTD-Write v2 => *New version (v2)

Rebooted + Erased NVRAM

and still with the stupid bootloader

nvram get bl_version = 1.0.2.0

Used Merlin's Build 48-1

 

[Engineer]

I don't know if i did something wrong , but i tried 2 times to downgrade to 1.0.1.6 (US) coming from 1.0.2.0 and didn't succeed

Changed 3 Mac's in bin file + secret_code

tried to use these 2 ,each one separately

MTD-Write v1 => *Original version (v1) from ASUS*
MTD-Write v2 => *New version (v2)

Rebooted + Erased NVRAM

and still with the stupid bootloader

nvram get bl_version = 1.0.2.0

Used Merlin's Build 48-1

So when you ran the mtd-write command, it took a few seconds and then returned to the prompt (at which point you rebooted and did an NVRAM reset)?

By the way, did you download and use the mtd-write versions from the guide that I linked and there is no way that the version included with the BETA is the one running? The reason that I ask is that the mtd-write that comes with the new Asus BETA firmware may be locked in some way. Asus just re-added the mtd-write command to that firmware after removing it some time ago, IIRC.

 

[IAAI]

My attempts to downgrade bootloader are now over this thread , I don't want to flood this one

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=20641

 

[AndreaS]

a partly off-topic question.
I'm still stuck with the very first version of the cfe because I red that in the newer ones the overclock was disabled. I currently run my router at 1000,800 and I am glad with it's performance.
Upgrading to a newer cfe will prevent me to increment the clock of the cpu?
There are any known incompatibilities among hardware revision and cfe versions?

Thanks in advance

 

[IAAI]

a partly off-topic question.
I'm still stuck with the very first version of the cfe because I red that in the newer ones the overclock was disabled. I currently run my router at 1000,800 and I am glad with it's performance.
Upgrading to a newer cfe will prevent me to increment the clock of the cpu?
There are any known incompatibilities among hardware revision and cfe versions?

Thanks in advance

did that yesterday , upgraded to 3602 , then back to merlin's 48-1 then overclocked it to 1000,800 and it worked file . But I advise you to Stay away from this Firmware 5Ghz sucks

 

[AndreaS]

did that yesterday , upgraded to 3602 , then back to merlin's 48-1 then overclocked it to 1000,800 and it worked file . But I advise you to Stay away from this Firmware 5Ghz sucks

So loading Merlin's builds solves the 5GHz problem, even with the new CFE?