RT-AC88U Firmware Update (2020/03/30)

[AntonK]

Version 3.0.0.4.384.81790

ASUS RT-AC88U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.81790
1. Update Adaptive QoS categories: Help you to prioritize the mission-critical applications
Those people who work-from-home & learn-from-home will greatly benefit from this new feature with optimized streaming experiences.
New Supported Categories & Apps:
- Video conferencing, including Microsoft Teams®, ZOOM®, Skype®, Google Hangouts®, BlueJeans®
- Online learning, including Khan academy®, Udemy®, Coursera®, TED®, VIPKiD®, 51Talk®, XDF®, Xueersi®
- Streaming, including YouTube®, Netflix®, HBO NOW®, Amazon Prime Video®, Disney+®, ESPN®, MLB.com®, iQIY®
- Indoor training, including Zwift®, Peloton®, Onelap®
Stay tuned and more apps are coming to the list soon!

2. Support Mobile Game Mode
- One-click prioritizing your mobile device to the highest and ensure you the best mobile gaming experiences.
- Install/Update ASUS Router App (Android supports later than 1.0.0.5.44; iOS supports later than 1.0.0.5.41)

3. Bug fixs
- Fixed CVE-2019-15126 (Kr00k) vulnerability.
- Fixed a DDoS vulnerability.
- Fixed Let's Encrypt related bugs.
- Fixed folder creating bugs in Samba.​

Anton

 

[Squall Leonhart]

hopefully this one shows all 2.4G devices.

 

[Ryu Connor]

Getting broken behavior out of this release in Media Bridge mode.

The wireless radio and the switch ports just keep resetting over and over again every few minutes.

Apr  1 03:15:05 kernel: EMF_ERROR: Interface wl1.1 doesn't exist
Apr  1 03:15:10 kernel: Register interface [wl1.1]  MAC: redacted
Apr  1 03:15:10 rc_service: psta_monitor 282:notify_rc restart_wlcmode 0
Apr  1 03:15:10 FTP Server: daemon is stoped
Apr  1 03:15:11 Samba Server: smb daemon is stoped
Apr  1 03:15:11 kernel: gro disabled
Apr  1 03:15:11 kernel: rtk port_phyEnableAll (off) ok
Apr  1 03:15:19 kernel: rtk port_phyEnableAll (on) ok
Apr  1 03:15:19 RT-AC88U: start https:8443
Apr  1 03:15:19 RT-AC88U: start httpd:80
Apr  1 03:15:19 rc_service: psta_monitor 282:notify_rc restart_wireless
Apr  1 03:15:22 kernel: EMF_ERROR: Interface wl1.1 doesn't exist
Apr  1 03:15:22 kernel: EMF_ERROR: Interface wl1.2 doesn't exist
Apr  1 03:15:22 kernel: EMF_ERROR: Interface wl1.3 doesn't exist
Apr  1 03:15:26 kernel: dpsta_register: null dpsta_ifnames!
Apr  1 03:15:26 kernel: dpsta_register: null dpsta_ifnames!
Apr  1 03:15:27 kernel: Register interface [wl1.1]  MAC: redacted
Apr  1 03:15:27 kernel: Register interface [wl1.2]  MAC: redacted
Apr  1 03:15:29 kernel: Register interface [wl1.1]  MAC: redacted
Apr  1 03:15:30 rc_service: psta_monitor 1121:notify_rc restart_wlcmode 1
Apr  1 03:15:30 FTP Server: daemon is stoped
Apr  1 03:15:30 Samba Server: smb daemon is stoped
Apr  1 03:15:30 kernel: gro disabled
Apr  1 03:15:32 kernel: rtk port_phyEnableAll (off) ok
Apr  1 03:15:36 watchdog: restart httpd
Apr  1 03:15:36 rc_service: watchdog 278:notify_rc stop_httpd
Apr  1 03:15:36 rc_service: waitting "restart_wlcmode 1" via psta_monitor ...
Apr  1 03:15:38 kernel: EMF_ERROR: Interface wl1.1 doesn't exist
Apr  1 03:15:39 kernel: rtk port_phyEnableAll (on) ok
Apr  1 03:15:43 kernel: Register interface [wl1.1]  MAC: redacted
Apr  1 03:15:43 RT-AC88U: start https:8443
Apr  1 03:15:43 RT-AC88U: start httpd:80
Apr  1 03:15:43 kernel: Register interface [wl1.3]  MAC: redacted
Apr  1 03:15:46 rc_service: watchdog 278:notify_rc start_httpd
Apr  1 03:15:46 RT-AC88U: start https:8443
Apr  1 03:15:46 RT-AC88U: start httpd:80

If you're a Media Bridge user, this firmware is more than just hostile, it's downright toxic.

ETA:
Yes, I factory reset.
Yes, I tried uploading the firmware a second time on the unlikely chance of TFTP/UDP corruption.
Yes, rolling back the firmware restored stability.

Breaking the switch ports is a new low for their firmware releases. The only scenario worse than this is corrupting the CFE and bricking the unit.

 

[Squall Leonhart]

i would never insult an 88u by making it a media bridge client.

 

[Mikael]

Version 3.0.0.4.384.81790

ASUS RT-AC88U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.81790
1. Update Adaptive QoS categories: Help you to prioritize the mission-critical applications
Those people who work-from-home & learn-from-home will greatly benefit from this new feature with optimized streaming experiences.
New Supported Categories & Apps:
- Video conferencing, including Microsoft Teams®, ZOOM®, Skype®, Google Hangouts®, BlueJeans®
- Online learning, including Khan academy®, Udemy®, Coursera®, TED®, VIPKiD®, 51Talk®, XDF®, Xueersi®
- Streaming, including YouTube®, Netflix®, HBO NOW®, Amazon Prime Video®, Disney+®, ESPN®, MLB.com®, iQIY®
- Indoor training, including Zwift®, Peloton®, Onelap®
Stay tuned and more apps are coming to the list soon!

2. Support Mobile Game Mode
- One-click prioritizing your mobile device to the highest and ensure you the best mobile gaming experiences.
- Install/Update ASUS Router App (Android supports later than 1.0.0.5.44; iOS supports later than 1.0.0.5.41)

3. Bug fixs
- Fixed CVE-2019-15126 (Kr00k) vulnerability.
- Fixed a DDoS vulnerability.
- Fixed Let's Encrypt related bugs.
- Fixed folder creating bugs in Samba.​

Anton

Not sure about this one. Updated yesterday and today we have had a lot of problems with the network, which worked nicely before. No more in depth analysis of the router yet, but it sure looks like the firmware is unstable.

Anyone else seen anything odd going on with this one?

 

[Squall Leonhart]

Firmware is solid, probably jank in your config.

 

[Mikael]

Firmware is solid, probably jank in your config.

Perhaps, but the same config worked nicely and was very stable with the previous firmware.

 

[Coyrr]

26 devices working ok from 3/30 , stressed for quarantine

 

[snovvman]

Not sure about this one. Updated yesterday and today we have had a lot of problems with the network, which worked nicely before. No more in depth analysis of the router yet, but it sure looks like the firmware is unstable.

Anyone else seen anything odd going on with this one?

I have two AC88Us running as nodes as part of AiMesh. They have been working trouble-free. With the 81790 update, devices have been disconnecting randomly. Resetting the node helps, but they disconnect again. I have back-rev'd back to 81116 for now. We'll see.

 

[Mikael]

I took a step in another direction and flashed Merlin firmware. Seems it is based on an older version though as it does not include the new QoS profiles that the new stock firmware did, i.e. 81790.

 

[snovvman]

I took a step in another direction and flashed Merlin firmware. Seems it is based on an older version though as it does not include the new QoS profiles that the new stock firmware did, i.e. 81790.

Reverting is working well for me. No more random disconnects.

 

[Mikael]

Reverting is working well for me. No more random disconnects.

Yesterday Merlin got updated but still lacking the new QoS profiles so perhaps still based on older stock firmware. And I still have problems with it, having to reboot the router every now and then.

 

[L&LD]

@Mikael are you doing a full/proper reset after switching back and forth between firmwares?

 

[Mikael]

Yes, I do a factory reset, but then I restore the configuration from the settings file I saved before the reset.

 

[Grisu]

and load all faults again with it ...

 

[Mikael]

and load all faults again with it ...

Based on what? If I start with a working firmware and config. I then do a firmware update, factory reset and upload the previously working config. What "all faults" am I then introducing to the setup?

 

[Grisu]

Why would you factory reset if you load previous safed config back, same to just load new firmware and let it go.
If there are problems they are safed in your config and wont dissolve as long as you use it.

A corrupted Win-installation wont get better if you make a system image and load it back again.

 

[jass]

Based on what? If I start with a working firmware and config. I then do a firmware update, factory reset and upload the previously working config. What "all faults" am I then introducing to the setup?

I agree it sounds ok, but it's not...

If you are having a working configuration on a particular firmware and plan to try out another one. Take a backup of your configuration. This is ONLY meant to be used if things not work out with the new firmware, because then you can go back to your original fw, and then load your backupfile. NEVER read in a backupfile from another/previous fw if you don't want to introduce all sorts of problems.

The only way to check out a new firmware is to flash it, wait for a bit, factory default it with the initialize box checked, and then manually configure it from scratch. I know it's a bit cumbersome, but it is the way it is with Asus routers.

The approach you've described might work on a pfsense setup, but will give you all sorts of strange behavior/faults in the Asus world.

 

[Mikael]

I agree it sounds ok, but it's not...

If you are having a working configuration on a particular firmware and plan to try out another one. Take a backup of your configuration. This is ONLY meant to be used if things not work out with the new firmware, because then you can go back to your original fw, and then load your backupfile. NEVER read in a backupfile from another/previous fw if you don't want to introduce all sorts of problems.

The only way to check out a new firmware is to flash it, wait for a bit, factory default it with the initialize box checked, and then manually configure it from scratch. I know it's a bit cumbersome, but it is the way it is with Asus routers.

The approach you've described might work on a pfsense setup, but will give you all sorts of strange behavior/faults in the Asus world.

ok, I understand and suppose that is what I need to do. Whish there was an easy way to list all the settings that I have (or have changed) in order to remember to do them all with the new firmware.

Would you also go through this same procedure upgrading from one Merlin to the next, or only do the reset in case you face problems after the upgrade?

 

[Grisu]

only in case of strange problems. But if you change from stock to Merlin or back might be better anyway.