[Solved] USB 2.0 not working on Merlin 384.5 - AC68U infused TM-AC1900

[Lord Lovaduck]

Got a really weird error!!! Unlike others who had bad USB 3.0 ports... mine works fine! It's the USB 2.0 that gives me a hard time!!!

I know, AC1900 is unsupported hw... in any case I will ask, maybe somebody has seen this before or has any ideas. The USB 2.0 port was working fine when I did the CFE flashing in fact I flashed both CFE 1.0.2.1 and Merlin 384.5 firmware from it.

Anything I plug in the USB 3.0 port is recognized. A USB hdd drive formatted with EXT2, a pen drive formatted NTFS, both work just fine. No changes if I use the compatability switch for "Reducing USB 3.0 interference".
When I try the same on the USB 2.0 port, I get these errors:

Jul 11 19:42:11 kernel: usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 6
Jul 11 19:42:11 kernel: usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -62
Jul 11 19:42:11 kernel: usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -62
Jul 11 19:42:12 kernel: usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 7
Jul 11 19:42:12 kernel: usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -62
Jul 11 19:42:12 kernel: usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -62
Jul 11 19:42:12 kernel: usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 8
Jul 11 19:42:13 kernel: usb 2-2: device not accepting address 8, error -62
Jul 11 19:42:13 kernel: usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 9
Jul 11 19:42:13 kernel: usb 2-2: device not accepting address 9, error -62
Jul 11 19:42:13 kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 2

Any ideas of what might be wrong? I am including as an attachment the full syslog fragment taken when I plug the USB pendrive into the 3.0 port; it gets properly recognized, then unmount, remove and switch to the USB 2.0 port where it fails as described.

Thanks for any comments!

 

[sfx2000]

I know, AC1900 is unsupported hw... in any case I will ask, maybe somebody has seen this before or has any ideas. The USB 2.0 port was working fine when I did the CFE flashing in fact I flashed both CFE 1.0.2.1 and Merlin 384.5 firmware from it.

Well - if you take a TM1900 and convert it... kind of on your own there...

Anyways, check the drive, looks like the file system is dirty, and go from there...

Jul 11 19:41:08 hotplug[1072]: USB /dev/sda1(ntfs) failed to mount at the first try!
Jul 11 19:41:08 usb: USB /dev/sda1(ntfs) failed to mount At the first try!
Jul 11 19:41:08 kernel: tntfs info (device sda1, pid 1082): ntfs_fill_super(): fail_safe is enabled
Jul 11 19:41:08 syslog: USB ntfs fs at /dev/sda1 mounted on /tmp/mnt/Scratch
Jul 11 19:41:08 usb: USB ntfs fs at /dev/sda1 mounted on /tmp/mnt/Scratch.
Jul 11 19:41:08 kernel: tntfs info (device sda1, pid 1082): load_system_files(): NTFS volume name 'Scratch', version 3.1 (cluster_size 4096, PAGE_CACHE_SIZE 4096).
Jul 11 19:41:09 rc_service: hotplug 1072:notify_rc restart_nasapps

 

[Lord Lovaduck]

Anyways, check the drive, looks like the file system is dirty, and go from there...

Thanks SFX2000!
I doubt the drives are the problem. I am using two different things, one is a USB 3.0 external case mounted 160GB HDD and the other is a USB pen drive. Both of them I have cleaned, initialized, re-partitioned and formatted like four times as they failed on the router, just to be on the safe side. With Windows. With Ubuntu Gparted. Created all kinds of partitioning variants. All failed.

Until I plugged the same unit in the other USB 3.0 port instead of the 2.0 port and voila, it worked just fine, both "test" drives! So the drives are OK, they show up in Windows, they mount in Ubuntu and they also mount in the Asus Router, but only on the USB 3.0 port. The other USB 2.0 port gives the same errors with both drives. It can be seen on the Syslog file. It seems clearly isolated to the USB 2.0 port. I am wondering if I have some bad NVRAM value that is causing the issue. Maybe clock speed?

In any case, I know this is unsupported HW but I am not absolutely on my own, there are others who have done it and are OK and there are also owners of the real deal who may have seen this issue, so maybe they will hop onto the discussion.

 

[kfp]

Is this HDD a spinning disk that’s not powered?

 

[skeal]

Let me get this straight. You want help for a non-asus product with an hacked illegal installation of asus firmware. This is an asus forum, find a forum that illegally supports what you are doing. The fact you are concerned about a problem with a hacked router on a make and model not supported by Asus baffles me. This thread should be locked IMHO.

 

[Grisu]

Think it gets only to less power for your devices on USB2.0 port or a supply problem at all on it (broken).
Test it with USB stick or powered HDD.

Or go back to TM-firmware and ask again, than it will be "allowed".
And you will see whether it is working with TM-firm and "only" a software problem or still broken hardware (more likely).

 

[sfx2000]

Let me get this straight. You want help for a non-asus product with an hacked illegal installation of asus firmware.

The TM-1900 is an Asus product that is developed specifically for T-Mobile

 

[sfx2000]

I doubt the drives are the problem. I am using two different things, one is a USB 3.0 external case mounted 160GB HDD and the other is a USB pen drive. Both of them I have cleaned, initialized, re-partitioned and formatted like four times as they failed on the router, just to be on the safe side. With Windows. With Ubuntu Gparted. Created all kinds of partitioning variants. All failed.

Make sure the 160GB has external power, bus power is not reliable there for a high current drive.

Blow away the partitions, and then, partition and format the drive on the router... don't use Ubuntu to do the partitioning and file system creation, as it has a newer version of those tools compared to AsusWRT.

 

[skeal]

The TM-1900 is an Asus product that is developed specifically for T-Mobile

I'm well aware that TM-1900 is built by Asus but has not been and ever will be supported by the company nor merlin.
Therefore it's a moot question that we cannot or should not be answering. It is no better than someone with a dlink router posting for help on this forum. It has zero to do with asuswrt-merlin.

 

[Grisu]

If you buy a car lets say from Skoda or Seat or Audi and your engine got a defect of course you will ask on VW forum for help as it is the same engine or chassis!
Same for Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroen and endless other lists like this for all technical products ...
Coffee machines from Krups brand built by DeLonghi, you can ask even in Philips/Saeco forum for help which are totally different and you will get help.

It should be allowed to ask, nobody is needed to give an answer!

But different to anywhere else here it is forbidden to talk about it (even PM will be watched and deleted), and that while it is sayed this forum is independent by asus, can be believed by all religious people who believes everything, sorry that I have my own opinion.

Would have no problem with it if this forum is officially related somehow to asus.
If it is sayed we only get some better support or test-units by asus if this rules are kept by all, so it shall be.

Instead we dont get an answer why it should be forbidden to change the region of a router if I move to other region and have the need for this change. Than it will come forbidden by FCC, but FCC is of no interest of all people outside US. Or everything about more transmit power what is allowed for many countries. Everyone has to act responding to his laws and regulations on his own and discussion is nothing forbidden.

 

[Lord Lovaduck]

Is this HDD a spinning disk that’s not powered?

Thanks for your kind response! The problem happens with both a flash drive and the HDD. So not power related. Also the same disk works OK on the USB 3.0 port. Don't think that's the issue. I am more inclined to think about bus speed, would look into how to set it to default...

 

[skeal]

If you buy a car lets say from Skoda or Seat or Audi and your engine got a defect of course you will ask on VW forum for help as it is the same engine or chassis!
Same for Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroen and endless other lists like this for all technical products ...
Coffee machines from Krups brand built by DeLonghi, you can ask even in Philips/Saeco forum for help which are totally different and you will get help.

It should be allowed to ask, nobody is needed to give an answer!

But different to anywhere else here it is forbidden to talk about it (even PM will be watched and deleted), and that while it is sayed this forum is independent by asus, can be believed by all religious people who believes everything, sorry that I have my own opinion.

Would have no problem with it if this forum is officially related somehow to asus.
If it is sayed we only get some better support or test-units by asus if this rules are kept by all, so it shall be.

Instead we dont get an answer why it should be forbidden to change the region of a router if I move to other region and have the need for this change. Than it will come forbidden by FCC, but FCC is of no interest of all people outside US. Or everything about more transmit power what is allowed for many countries. Everyone has to act responding to his laws and regulations on his own and discussion is nothing forbidden.

I see so you want us to support something Asus wouldn't? This is not a chat about a topic it is illegal use of Asus and Merlins efforts. AFAIK Forums for hacked anything are out there. The OP should find one.

 

[Lord Lovaduck]

Let me get this straight. You want help for a non-asus product with an hacked illegal installation of asus firmware. This is an asus forum, find a forum that illegally supports what you are doing. The fact you are concerned about a problem with a hacked router on a make and model not supported by Asus baffles me. This thread should be locked IMHO.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I respectfully disagree with your opinion though. I bought the router refurbished from Amazon, legally. I own it, completely. Didn't get anything for free from T-Mobile and it is NOT labeled property of T-Mobile.
I am not currently residing in the USA and there are no laws here that prevent me to do ANY firmware or hardware modification on it, or make it into a time portal if I could (I wish!).
The issue of support here is a policy by the Merlin author which I completely understand and respect, I am not asking him for support nor am I complaining.

 

[kfp]

Thanks for your kind respond! The problem happens with both a flash drive and the HDD. So not power related. Also the same disk works OK on the USB 3.0 port. Don't think that's the issue. I am more inclined to think about bus speed, would look into how to set it to default...

USB 3 provides more juice than an USB 2 port, that’s why I asked. If a flash drive is also failing there, then I have no idea.

 

[thiggins]

For the TM-1900AC, only threads discussing conversion are not allowed. This thread isn't.
Either answer the OP's question or don't. But stop debating whether the question is allowed.

@Grisu: We've discussed this in PM. You're free to go elsewhere if you don't like this forums rules. But if you post here, you'll abide by the rules.

 

[Lord Lovaduck]

If you buy a car lets say from Skoda or Seat or Audi and your engine got a defect of course you will ask on VW forum for help as it is the same engine or chassis!
Same for Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroen and endless other lists like this for all technical products ...
Coffee machines from Krups brand built by DeLonghi, you can ask even in Philips/Saeco forum for help which are totally different and you will get help.

It should be allowed to ask, nobody is needed to give an answer!

But different to anywhere else here it is forbidden to talk about it (even PM will be watched and deleted), and that while it is sayed this forum is independent by asus, can be believed by all religious people who believes everything, sorry that I have my own opinion.

Would have no problem with it if this forum is officially related somehow to asus.
If it is sayed we only get some better support or test-units by asus if this rules are kept by all, so it shall be.

Instead we dont get an answer why it should be forbidden to change the region of a router if I move to other region and have the need for this change. Than it will come forbidden by FCC, but FCC is of no interest of all people outside US. Or everything about more transmit power what is allowed for many countries. Everyone has to act responding to his laws and regulations on his own and discussion is nothing forbidden.

I reside in Patagonia... very far from the FCC. You have a completely valid point. Thanks for your comments!

 

[Lord Lovaduck]

Make sure the 160GB has external power, bus power is not reliable there for a high current drive.

Blow away the partitions, and then, partition and format the drive on the router... don't use Ubuntu to do the partitioning and file system creation, as it has a newer version of those tools compared to AsusWRT.

Thank you! Will try. But keep in mind, when placing the same USB thumb drive on the USB 3.0 port mounts it perfectly. I would expect an issue with the partition or formatting to happen with both ports.

 

[cmkelley]

If you buy a car lets say from Skoda or Seat or Audi and your engine got a defect of course you will ask on VW forum for help as it is the same engine or chassis!
Same for Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroen and endless other lists like this for all technical products ...
Coffee machines from Krups brand built by DeLonghi, you can ask even in Philips/Saeco forum for help which are totally different and you will get help.

It should be allowed to ask, nobody is needed to give an answer!

But different to anywhere else here it is forbidden to talk about it (even PM will be watched and deleted), and that while it is sayed this forum is independent by asus, can be believed by all religious people who believes everything, sorry that I have my own opinion.

Would have no problem with it if this forum is officially related somehow to asus.
If it is sayed we only get some better support or test-units by asus if this rules are kept by all, so it shall be.

Instead we dont get an answer why it should be forbidden to change the region of a router if I move to other region and have the need for this change. Than it will come forbidden by FCC, but FCC is of no interest of all people outside US. Or everything about more transmit power what is allowed for many countries. Everyone has to act responding to his laws and regulations on his own and discussion is nothing forbidden.

This forum is hosted in the United States and therefore is beholden to U.S. laws. Under U.S. law, providing instructions on how to circumvent copyright is considered essentially the same as distributing illegally copied materials. Please thank Hollywood for this madness (i.e. the DCMA). Several recent court decision have greatly increased the likelihood that forum operators may be held liable for all postings in the forum. The fact that the poster may be outside the U.S. and therefore not under U.S. law is irrelevant, the forum is hosted in the U.S. and so the owners must abide by U.S. law.

Using asuswrt, merlin's or not, on a TM-branded router is illegal under U.S. copyright law because a license has not been paid to the relevant owners of the included copyrighted materials (e..g. Trend Micro). Therefore, as described above, posting information about how to do so is considered illegal under U.S. law. The forum operators are protecting themselves from litigation by not allowing such discussions, regardless of the country of origin of the posting. I'd bet the decision to not allow these discussions on this forum came from lawyers, not from a demand or even a request from ASUS. Just responding to a lawsuit in the U.S. can be ruinously expensive.

 

[cmkelley]

I reside in Patagonia... very far from the FCC. You have a completely valid point. Thanks for your comments!

Nope, sorry, he doesn't. The forum owners are still beholden to U.S. law. If you want to discuss something that provides information on how to violate U.S. copyright law, then you'll need to do it on a forum that is not hosted in the U.S.

 

[Lord Lovaduck]

Nope, sorry, he doesn't. The forum owners are still beholden to U.S. law. If you want to discuss something that provides information on how to violate U.S. copyright law, then you'll need to do it on a forum that is not hosted in the U.S.

Maybe I violated US copyright law. I don't think so, and don't think it applies in this case, but anyways not asking how to install anything, it's already done.
Tim Higgins has given an authoritative response in any case so I would like to move back to technical discussion, I am just asking why an USB port 2.0 may not be working properly.