RT-AC68 - New firmware 3.0.0.4.376_3602 (AVOID)

[hyena]

Could you explain me how can i downgrade to the former EU-cfe 1.0.1.8 ?

I had enough of this sloppiness. Made a backup of this 1.0.2.0 US-cfe (just in case) and downgraded to the former EU-cfe 1.0.1.8, reset and voilà - I got my usual 5G operation back with DFS on Merlin 376.48_1.

 

[hyena]

Yes i agree with you. I thic case i should buy another router for the deadline...

hyena,

Not even an option. What are you supposed to do with your internet / networking needs for the month or longer they'll be playing with it?

 

[tWreCK]

When downloading any new FW from the ASUS site - is there any info stating that the bootloader version will be updated as well? If there is, I can't find it. Or is that information not published so we'll just accept whatever?

My understanding of a bootloader is it's just code executed before the os. Can this really affect 5GHz performance or is the culprit the actual os code?

In any case, is there an easy method by which you can downgrade to an earlier bootloader version?

 

[Redyak]

This is the last drop. I ordered a netgear Nighthawk.
First a N66U with a broken on/off switch after 8 months and now this.
Making firmware available and after 1 day switching the text. How is possible that no one has seen this before releasing the update.
Sneaky updating the bootloader WTF



Asus persistent perfection ??? Asus for Failures

 

[L&LD]

This is the last drop. I ordered a netgear Nighthawk.
First a N66U with a broken on/off switch after 8 months and now this.
Making firmware available and after 1 day switching the text. How is possible that no one has seen this before releasing the update.
Sneaky updating the bootloader WTF



Asus persistent perfection ??? Asus for Failures

Nobody is perfect, even if the tagline suggests it.

This is more a user issue (with too eager to upgrade too quickly) than what just Asus is doing.


Good luck with the Nighthawk.

 

[hyena]

Stay away from the nighthawk!
My previous router was that.
I have a gigabit PPPOE internet connection at home and with that router the fastest data throughput was 300-400 megabit according the speedtest.net
With the ac68u its 935 megabit.
I also have several problems with the 5ghz wifi and the reboot takes too much times, i dont like the ui of that, no torrent client...
Otherwise they have some new firmwares since that maybe something changed.

This is the last drop. I ordered a netgear Nighthawk.
First a N66U with a broken on/off switch after 8 months and now this.
Making firmware available and after 1 day switching the text. How is possible that no one has seen this before releasing the update.
Sneaky updating the bootloader WTF



Asus persistent perfection ??? Asus for Failures

 

[hyena]

Yeah it would be nice an easy way how can we downgrade the bootloader.
There is no older official firmware which can downgrade that?

When downloading any new FW from the ASUS site - is there any info stating that the bootloader version will be updated as well? If there is, I can't find it. Or is that information not published so we'll just accept whatever?

My understanding of a bootloader is it's just code executed before the os. Can this really affect 5GHz performance or is the culprit the actual os code?

In any case, is there an easy method by which you can downgrade to an earlier bootloader version?

 

[DaveMishSr]

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?

If you can't get the router into rescue mode then yes, you are screwed. The only way to recover the router in that event is with a serial cable. I see a RMA with Asus taking place in your immediate future.

 

[RMerlin]

Just be patient. If a botched CFE update caused issues, I'm sure Asus will issue another update that will replace the invalid bootloader, especially since this is a quite widespread issue. If it's just a compatibility issue between the CFE content and the firmware, then they will fix it at the firmware level.

I wouldn't try to fix it yourself through manual CFE updates, unless you really know what you are doing, as it carries a very high risk of totally bricking your router.

Even I don't want to mess with the CFE. The only time I did a manual CFE update was during the RT-AC56U development, when they sent me an updated CFE as well as detailed instructions on how to flash it. And I was doing it on a development router, not on one I relied on for my daily Internet access.

All I know is that they are currently looking into the EU-specific issues caused by this recent firmware update.

 

[DaveMishSr]

is there an easy method by which you can downgrade to an earlier bootloader version?

The short answer is no. Yes it is possible and no it is NOT easy. In fact, it is very easy to really brick your router if you do not know what you are doing when attempting to update/downgrade the CFE. I won't even attempt it as it is not within my skill level.

Edit: Merlin's post above appeared while I was writing my reply so I just edited out the stupid parts of my post.

 

[tWreCK]

Understood - I was just curious

 

[Engineer]

CFE updates, while potentially hazardous, are no more so than flashing 3rd party firmwares of just a few years past, but I do understand and take responsibility for doing so.

Oh, and chickens!

 

[Redyak]

Stay away from the nighthawk!
My previous router was that.
I have a gigabit PPPOE internet connection at home and with that router the fastest data throughput was 300-400 megabit according the speedtest.net
With the ac68u its 935 megabit.
I also have several problems with the 5ghz wifi and the reboot takes too much times, i dont like the ui of that, no torrent client...
Otherwise they have some new firmwares since that maybe something changed.

Too late i already orderd.
I was always a fan of Draytek but they don't have a AC router when they stopped putting then a fall back line in to the router for Telephony my choices where more.
Asus 68U Netgear R7000 of D-Link 686 where the best in the tests.
Asus now finished
D-Link has strange cilinder with build in antenna's, not my cup of tee
So try Netgear then.
I am on cable/fiber with an modem from my Provider. We will see

 

[hggomes]

You are over reacting, i understand your frustration with the situation but its not a case for that, ASUS is simply better than Netgear on every level.

Take a look at Netgear GPL and see whats inside, unless you want to use 3rd party FW instead of Netgear FW then you have a router

 

[RMerlin]

CFE updates, while potentially hazardous, are no more so than flashing 3rd party firmwares of just a few years past, but I do understand and take responsibility for doing so.

Oh, and chickens!

If your firmware flash fails, you can still recover a device using the bootloader's recovery mode, or a serial connector.

A failed CFE flash however requires a JTAG connection to the pc board to revive it, and special equipment & software.

 

[hyena]

FYI

http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=93476
What a "nice company"...

Too late i already orderd.
I was always a fan of Draytek but they don't have a AC router when they stopped putting then a fall back line in to the router for Telephony my choices where more.
Asus 68U Netgear R7000 of D-Link 686 where the best in the tests.
Asus now finished
D-Link has strange cilinder with build in antenna's, not my cup of tee
So try Netgear then.
I am on cable/fiber with an modem from my Provider. We will see

 

[Engineer]

If your firmware flash fails, you can still recover a device using the bootloader's recovery mode, or a serial connector.

A failed CFE flash however requires a JTAG connection to the pc board to revive it, and special equipment & software.

On Asus routers, yet. Not all routers have (or had) recovery such as the Asus. In years past, you flashed a firmware and if you killed it, a JTAG was the only way to recover. This is no different with the CFE possibility of failure.

The way I see it, Asus is taking a chance of flashing the CFE in with the firmware. If something happens, your router is bricked by THEIR decision to do this and if your router is out of warranty, you're screwed short of a JTAG unit.

 

[hggomes]

The way they have done it it's not supposed to brick the router unless theres a power failure when CFE is updating or if something unexpected happens there, i've read that already happen so i really think it's a little bit kamikaze releasing a FW update without warning users of this CFE update, they could advise/warn to use an UPS device on this specific FW update because the procedure cannot loose power and also they could tell to wait even if process is delayed for any reason so you don't brick it by turning it off/on and try recovery mode to update the FW, that would end also on a dead device.

 

[hyena]

Today i got another answer from the asus tech support.
My issue and the details of this problem forwarded directly to the asus support center in taiwan, and they will let me know the answer.
I hope it will be a new fixed firmware

 

[RTN]

I hope it will be a new fixed firmware

FW_RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_378_2807-g5249eb6.trx