RT-AX58U - Merlin 384.16 Trend Micro Parental Controls Not Working

[p-dog]

Background:
10/100 cable Arris Modem with Linksys Orbi. Bufferbloat and lack of QOS on Orbi led me to purchase RT-AX58U and put Orbi in AP only mode. This is current state.

Problem:
When using stock firmware, AIProtection Web & Apps Filters/Time Scheduling works fine. When using Merlin 384.16 Web filter and time scheduling no longer works. With stock firmware I cannot use fq_codel with QoS. Doesn't matter if I reset router with stock or Merlin, same results. Stock always works, Merlin never does. Without fq_codel (Merlin) my bufferbloat is very high. (F on dslreports). I'm trying to solve bloat problem on my network due to working from home.

Workaround?
What I really need working is time scheduling of devices and inappropriate site blocking. Orbi in AP mode does not have the option. Possibly cut Wi-Fi to clients in Orbi though ssh? Haven't checked. Since Trend Micro wants all my traffic I'm fine with using alternate methods. For example, OpenDNS for web filtering. So questions...

1. How can I enforce time scheduling of devices without Trend Micro? Cron Job? Anyone done this?

2. Anyone else having issues with AiProtection Parental Controls?

3. Any other way to solve buffer bloat problem? I've read through all of bufferbloat.net, Using QoS just forces my traffic to get bloated before other devices. Only noticeable difference has been using fq_codel and Merlin. Reduction in bloat has made a difference working remotely.

 

[L&LD]

You may want to contact @vanic (if I'm remembering correctly) for the latest stock Asus firmware for the RT-AX58U that fixes many, many issues. Do a search to find that thread on the forums here.

 

[p-dog]

Thanks. I searched around for a bit and could not find anything. Just to clear my last post.

I'm running the latest stock firmware from ASUS site.

The problem:

With stock firmware everything "works" as it's supposed to. (Until an update is released to fix it.)

With Merlin firmware, Trend Micro parental controls no longer work. No content filtering or time management.

What I want;

The ability to use parental controls that works with stock firmware, AND the ability to use queue discipline fq_codel that comes with Merlin.

Options to solve problem;

If using Merlin,

1. Update Merlin to correct. Easy to replicate. Install on AX58U, enabled web filtering, browse to porn site.
2. Use Open DNS with broken Merlin and some other way to time schedule. I would like the option to not use Trend Micro at all. Anyone know a way to control scheduling without Trend Micro?

If using Stock,

I have no queue discipline options but everything else works. I don't consider stock an option without the ability to control bufferbloat.

 

[L&LD]

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/e...8u-breaks-everything.62919/page-3#post-573128

When flashing RMerlin firmware onto the router, are you doing a full reset to factory defaults with Initialize all settings checked too? Followed by a minimal and manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP? (No saved backup config file is used).

 

[p-dog]

Thanks for link. I was reading through that thread. I think my problem is different in that the stock firmware listed in this thread and Trend Micro works. It's not until I flash with Merlin that Trend Micro no longer works. I don't see a mention in that thread of Merlin causing the issue. It seems the problem was with stock firmware the whole time.

Yes, when doing Merlin install (the second time) I reset the router to factory, cut power, restarted, configuration before flash;

*Configured separate SSIDs and disabled broadcast (Might use in future, using Orbi for now in AP mode)
*Shut wireless radios off
*Changed default network IP space
*Updated DHCP scope.
*Flipped on Trend Micro content filtering and scheduling. Validated it worked.

Then flashed with Merlin. From my perspective it looks like flashing with Merlin is how I lost functionality. If I go back to stock firmware without doing anything else, functionality returns. Working from home today, I really notice the performance difference when packets are piling up on the router.

I really need fq_codel that Merlin offers.

 

[L&LD]

You need to flash the firmware first and then do a full reset to factory defaults, including 'Initialize all settings...' too.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

You need to flash the firmware first and then do a full reset to factory defaults, including 'Initialize all settings...' too.

Who is Vanic ?? Is this firmware safe ? Is it from Asus ?

 

[L&LD]

@Kal-EL you should ask @vanic.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...king-bug-in-traffic-analyzer-statistic.28098/

 

[Deleted member 22229]

Thanks L&LD.

 

[RMerlin]

Who is Vanic ?? Is this firmware safe ? Is it from Asus ?

He's the Asus engineer who works on the QoS/Trend Micro code.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

He's the Asus engineer who works on the QoS/Trend Micro code.

Thanks Eric.

 

[L&LD]

@vanic maybe you can take the QOS code that @FreshJR built and update/improve it for all Asus users? Maybe you already have?

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...ements-custom-rules-and-inner-workings.36836/

 

[r0bbieNZ]

Background:
10/100 cable Arris Modem with Linksys Orbi. Bufferbloat and lack of QOS on Orbi led me to purchase RT-AX58U and put Orbi in AP only mode. This is current state.

Problem:
When using stock firmware, AIProtection Web & Apps Filters/Time Scheduling works fine. When using Merlin 384.16 Web filter and time scheduling no longer works. With stock firmware I cannot use fq_codel with QoS. Doesn't matter if I reset router with stock or Merlin, same results. Stock always works, Merlin never does. Without fq_codel (Merlin) my bufferbloat is very high. (F on dslreports). I'm trying to solve bloat problem on my network due to working from home.

Workaround?
What I really need working is time scheduling of devices and inappropriate site blocking. Orbi in AP mode does not have the option. Possibly cut Wi-Fi to clients in Orbi though ssh? Haven't checked. Since Trend Micro wants all my traffic I'm fine with using alternate methods. For example, OpenDNS for web filtering. So questions...

1. How can I enforce time scheduling of devices without Trend Micro? Cron Job? Anyone done this?

2. Anyone else having issues with AiProtection Parental Controls?

3. Any other way to solve buffer bloat problem? I've read through all of bufferbloat.net, Using QoS just forces my traffic to get bloated before other devices. Only noticeable difference has been using fq_codel and Merlin. Reduction in bloat has made a difference working remotely.

Just letting you know im on GNUton's Merlin and aiprotection / time scheduling works fine - make sure NAT acceleration is disabled and your clients are pointing to the router as DNS?

 

[p-dog]

I flashed 384.17_beta1 over latest stock. Turned off QoS. Still have the issue. Revert back to stock firmware, no issue. No special resets needed, just upload and done. My environment is described in first post. It seems clear to me the problem is with the firmware. If I need to reset, "initialize all settings" (whatever that means), telnet and run this and that, can someone explain why? Why is it as easy as reverting back to stock to work and when I flash it breaks? Is there some setting that is flipped on with Merlin that might be causing the issue? At this point, I would be grateful for anyone that could just break it down for me. Rather than digging through threads trying to find hints of what to do here and there, what should I do step by step? BTW I did, flash with Merlin and reset router by pressing the button, then reconfigured with no impact. I don't know what else to do besides take screenshots of every page before and after and start digging.

I can solve the problem this way as well... Use DNS to filter and skip Trend Micro. I'm fine with that. I would just need another way to do time scheduling. Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

At least for now if want it to work your gonna have to go back to stock or use Vanic's beta for the AX58. Merlin's code is 3 releases behind Asus for the AX58U. That is i believe he is using code based on 348.8137. That firmware is not even offered any longer on Asus AX58 support site.

 

[L&LD]

@p-dog flashing from stock to RMerlin firmware by itself isn't helpful. The assumptions, variables, and settings from stock firmware are what is running (or trying to run) on the RMerlin firmware that was just flashed.

A full reset to factory defaults isn't optional, particularly when you want to test a new firmware fully, or when issues like yours arise.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/faq-nvram-and-factory-default-reset.22822/

Needing to reset to factory defaults and then minimally and manually configuring the router to secure it and connect to your ISP when glitches and bugs appear is just how things are right now. You may find a combination of future firmware that seems to work with just a simple flash, but that doesn't mean anything was fixed better. Just that the old settings were properly overwritten and integrated to be used by the firmware that now seems to 'work'.

You can take a look at the M&M Config and Nuclear Reset guides found in the link in my signature below. Also, have a look at the following link too to fully reset the router after flashing to the firmware you want to test.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ax88-packet-loss.62891/#post-563326

The steps and the order are all important. It won't take long to go through them all properly. Hope this gives some success for your issues.

 

[p-dog]

@Kal-EL This could explain it. Do you have a copy of 348.8137? Does anyone? Curious if I flash with that if my problem returns. Does Vanic's beta include fq_codel? If so, I'll try that.

@L&LD Thanks. I'll try those suggestions if the above does not get me anywhere.

Also, can anyone confirm that filtering adult content when using latest Merlin firmware actually works on the AX58U?

Appreciate everyone's input.

 

[p-dog]

Ok. There's this as well, https://www.classactionlawyers.com/puma6/

I'm using the Arris TM1602. Must be why packet control at the router is making such a big difference.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

@Kal-EL This could explain it. Do you have a copy of 348.8137? Does anyone? Curious if I flash with that if my problem returns. Does Vanic's beta include fq_codel? If so, I'll try that.

I do not have a copy of 8137. But a few people said the Vanic beta fixed the issue and other issues as well. I am running the beta right now and it works good here. Although i do not use Trend Micro.

 

[p-dog]

I'm going to pursue @L&LD suggestions. Thank you for the links. I'm also going to get a new modem without the Puma6 chipset.

I would like to know if anyone else can test/confirm Parental Controls and Time Scheduling with Merlin on a AX58U. Would be really helpful to know