[SOLVED] RT-AC68R no aimesh in gui

[wah00kid]

I bought a used rt-ac68r on eBay. I am having trouble getting it onto my existing aimesh network. When trying to set up the ac68r there is no option in the quick setup or even after I go through the setup manually. Basically the aimesh is not in the GUI like on this thread:


https://www.snbforums.com/threads/merlin-384-4_2-on-ac68r-no-radar-no-aimesh-menus.45955


I have download the players latest firmware for the rt-ac68r.


Version 3.0.0.4.384.81049

2019/09/0440.08 MBytes

ASUS RT-AC68R Firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.81049


It installed no problem but I have no aimesh in the GUI.


I had the idea to install Merlin and the install the stock Asus rt-ac68u firmware but I tried to install Merlin but it just goes all the way through and then gets to 100% and just stops.


I have cleared nvram via the wps button. I have used the miniweb cfe to clear nvram and load firmware. I have used the GUI to restore factory defaults. None of all of this has worked.


I have seen this thread:


https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac68w-with-fw_rt_ac68w_300438410007-no-aimesh-in-gui.44012



About trying to wipe the CFE but I feel I should be able to do this without those steps.


In short despite mostly knowing what I'm doing and going through a few threads I can't seem to fix my problem.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Also there is nothing to suspect the device is not working in any other way. It is not a tm1900 as evidenced by branding on front and back of router.

 

[Grisu]

strange as it even refuses Merlin to fully load even after factory reset.
You could try to load it via Asus FW restauration tool.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I bought a used rt-ac68r on eBay. I am having trouble getting it onto my existing aimesh network. When trying to set up the ac68r there is no option in the quick setup or even after I go through the setup manually. Basically the aimesh is not in the GUI like on this thread:


https://www.snbforums.com/threads/merlin-384-4_2-on-ac68r-no-radar-no-aimesh-menus.45955


I have download the players latest firmware for the rt-ac68r.


Version 3.0.0.4.384.81049

2019/09/0440.08 MBytes

ASUS RT-AC68R Firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.81049


It installed no problem but I have no aimesh in the GUI.


I had the idea to install Merlin and the install the stock Asus rt-ac68u firmware but I tried to install Merlin but it just goes all the way through and then gets to 100% and just stops.


I have cleared nvram via the wps button. I have used the miniweb cfe to clear nvram and load firmware. I have used the GUI to restore factory defaults. None of all of this has worked.


I have seen this thread:


https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac68w-with-fw_rt_ac68w_300438410007-no-aimesh-in-gui.44012



About trying to wipe the CFE but I feel I should be able to do this without those steps.


In short despite mostly knowing what I'm doing and going through a few threads I can't seem to fix my problem.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Also there is nothing to suspect the device is not working in any other way. It is not a tm1900 as evidenced by branding on front and back of router.

Are both WiFi radios broadcasting a signal?

OE

 

[wah00kid]

strange as it even refuses Merlin to fully load even after factory reset.
You could try to load it via Asus FW restauration tool.

I can try tomorrow

 

[wah00kid]

Are both WiFi radios broadcasting a signal?

OE

Yes they both are no problems

 

[follower]

I bought a used rt-ac68r on eBay. I am having trouble getting it onto my existing aimesh network. When trying to set up the ac68r there is no option in the quick setup or even after I go through the setup manually. Basically the aimesh is not in the GUI like on this thread:


https://www.snbforums.com/threads/merlin-384-4_2-on-ac68r-no-radar-no-aimesh-menus.45955


I have download the players latest firmware for the rt-ac68r.


Version 3.0.0.4.384.81049

2019/09/0440.08 MBytes

ASUS RT-AC68R Firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.81049


It installed no problem but I have no aimesh in the GUI.


I had the idea to install Merlin and the install the stock Asus rt-ac68u firmware but I tried to install Merlin but it just goes all the way through and then gets to 100% and just stops.


I have cleared nvram via the wps button. I have used the miniweb cfe to clear nvram and load firmware. I have used the GUI to restore factory defaults. None of all of this has worked.


I have seen this thread:


https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac68w-with-fw_rt_ac68w_300438410007-no-aimesh-in-gui.44012



About trying to wipe the CFE but I feel I should be able to do this without those steps.


In short despite mostly knowing what I'm doing and going through a few threads I can't seem to fix my problem.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Also there is nothing to suspect the device is not working in any other way. It is not a tm1900 as evidenced by branding on front and back of router.

You got a used AC68R from Ebay. I think the seller modified CFE. The seller thought AC68R as TM-AC1900. I saw some people did it with AC68U, AC68R, AC68W, AC1900P. I also saw some people who modified CFE for Tx power adjustment. There are many strangers.
You need to rewrite an origial correct CFE for AC68R.

 

[wah00kid]

Okay all I've had time to play with this.

I have tried the asus firmware restoration utility and it fails : failed to upload firmware file ... it basically goes slowly all the way to 100% then fails. Just as if I upload via the GUI

I have tried to use the telnet interface to explore CFE options:

I can only use telnet as ssh is not enabled in the GUI

I used telnet to copy existing CFE to a usb stick attached to router. I am unable to use the CFE-editor web utility to get a new CFE as the upload of the existing CFE fails it reports CFE missing values.

So where I am at now is that I have a copy of the current CFE I just don't know what to do with that.

Any tips

 

[ColinTaylor]

Can you post a picture showing the information on the back of the router? FCC-ID, model number, hardware version, etc. Maybe that will give us a clue what it's original hardware/firmware version was.

Apart from the lack of the AiMesh option is everything else working as normal?

 

[wah00kid]

Yes everything else is working as normal. The gui responds as normal the wifi bands broadcast. I havent hooked it up to my modem to see if I could use it as its own router but everything does seem to be working just fine.

You can see it all on the ebay page here:

I can get any and all nvram values from the telnet if helpful but again I don't know where to go with this.

 

[wah00kid]

Asus serial number reports:

• Wireless-AP
• RT-AC68R
• DBIRGO000191
• Out Of Warranty
• 2015/11/26

 

[wah00kid]

oh man actually in exploring firmware... it seems that I did not get any update to apply.

I am actually at 3.0.0.4.374_205

I might be experiencing this:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac68u-firmware-stuck-at-205.14341/

 

[wah00kid]

Well the solution there doesn't work at least when I try to upload the latest firmware or the oldest firmware available on https://www.asus.com/supportonly/RT-AC68R/HelpDesk_BIOS/

well I have solved the problem of why i don't have aimesh... i am running firmware from before that upgrade.

Now I guess if that person in that post got the 501 update to work maybe I can get that one to work and then move up from there-- assuming rt-ac68r follows the same firmware numbering as the rt-ac68u

Anyone know where to get legacy rt-ac68r firmwares?

 

[dave14305]

I don’t know if this is usable advice or not (never stopped me before) but you could try flashing John’s fork and then going for Merlin or stock after that.

If you have nothing to lose...

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/fork-asuswrt-merlin-374-43-lts-releases-v39e3.18914/

 

[Grisu]

This could help, its a too old firmware, you have to use the transistion firmware 376-3626 or Merlins equivalent based on it: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac68u-unable-to-upgrade-firmware.28162/
and here #11: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/new-ac68-firmware-version-3-0-0-4-376-3626.20861/

 

[ColinTaylor]

You can see it all on the ebay page here:

Well that eBay listing clearly says in the title...

EDIT: Sorry, eBay redirected me to a different listing that showed a hacked CellSpot router.

But try flashing the intermediate firmware anyway.

 

[wah00kid]

Thanks Grisu!

Keying me in on the 376-3626. Since I am using a rt-ac68r I wanted to get that version which I found here:

https://drivers.plus/de/asus-rt-ac68r-router-firmware-3-0-0-4-376-3626/233429/

I had to vpn to Germany to download it but once I uploaded that in the gui it took and then I was able to go to the latest 384-81049 off the asus website!

Great community and thanks for not making me feel like an idiot when I thought I was on latest firmware originally!