Unable to flash Merlin on RT-AX58U

[vanzi]

Hey! I've just upgraded my old TP-Link router to an ASUS RT-AX58U and wanted to flash it to Merlin right away.

So I've downloaded the firmware (RT-AX58U_386.3_2_cferom_pureubi.w), verified the SHA256 hash with certUtil, uploaded the file via ASUS admin panel (connected via Ethernet), waited the 3 minutes for the progress bar to finish... and I'm still on the stock firmware. No errors, no nothing, as if it was completely ignored.

I've tried a number of reboots, unplugging it from power, doing a factory reset with WPS button, and every time the result is the same -- still on stock firmware with no error message or anything. I've even looked up some videos to make sure I'm not missing some obvious step, but it didn't look like that.

Everything is on stock settings, no USB device connected, no other clients than my PC in the network. Using Chrome to perform the upgrade.

The router is currently running 3.0.0.4.386_45518 firmware. Any idea what else I can try?

---
update 03.12.2021: this turned out to be a V2 revision of the RT-AX58U router, which uses BCM6756 chipset, instead of the BCM6750 found on V1

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @vanzi.

The current firmware installed is newer than the firmware you're trying to use. But you should still be able to do so.

Use a different browser. Or use your browser with no extensions enabled.

You may want to try flashing one of the available Alpha's from RMerlin too (and then downgrade to the version you want.

In any case, after flashing the firmware you want, be sure you do a proper setup as outlined in the link(s) below.

[Wireless] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset | Official Support | ASUS Global

Fully Reset / Best Practice Setup / More


And some further info you may find helpful in the future.

Almost all L&LD Links

 

[vanzi]

Still no luck... I've tried Chrome (disabled extensions), Firefox and Edge (no extensions), I've tried upgrading from Ubuntu notebook also with Chrome and Firefox - same thing.

I've tried upgrading to the alpha version (RT-AX58U_386.4_alpha2-g952c6bdecc_cferom_puresqubi.w) and also tried to download some older stock firmware from last year (3.0.0.4.384.10177), but it's still refusing to do anything other than just make me wait 3 minutes. The HTTP request for the upgrade looks okay, it returns 200 and some javascript code to trigger the progress bar, but since the upgrade seems to happen asynchronously, I'm a bit lost at what's actually going on...

 

[vanzi]

I've looked at the back of the router again and noticed this "V2" in the router model that does not show up in the GUI. Could this be causing the problems?

 

[L&LD]

It may. @RMerlin?

 

[nexttime]

I've looked at the back of the router again and noticed this "V2" in the router model that does not show up in the GUI. Could this be causing the problems?

Sure!

According to ASUS there are 3 hardware revisions of this router
The most important difference for you is the amount of the flash memory:
RT-AX58U: 128 MB Flash
RT-AC58U V2: 16 MB Flash (your case)
RT-AC58U V3: 32 MB Flash

So lucky you!

 

[vanzi]

According to ASUS there are 3 hardware revisions of this router
The most important difference for you is the amount of the flash memory:
RT-AX58U: 128 MB Flash
RT-AC58U V2: 16 MB Flash (your case)
RT-AC58U V3: 32 MB Flash

This is actually a different router than the one you linked, it's RT-AX58U. I can't even find the spec for the V2 on ASUS website, only the main version exists.

 

[nexttime]

Oops, my mistake
Indeed, these are different models...

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Hey! I've just upgraded my old TP-Link router to an ASUS RT-AX58U and wanted to flash it to Merlin right away.

So I've downloaded the firmware (RT-AX58U_386.3_2_cferom_pureubi.w), verified the SHA256 hash with certUtil, uploaded the file via ASUS admin panel (connected via Ethernet), waited the 3 minutes for the progress bar to finish... and I'm still on the stock firmware. No errors, no nothing, as if it was completely ignored.

I've tried a number of reboots, unplugging it from power, doing a factory reset with WPS button, and every time the result is the same -- still on stock firmware with no error message or anything. I've even looked up some videos to make sure I'm not missing some obvious step, but it didn't look like that.

Everything is on stock settings, no USB device connected, no other clients than my PC in the network. Using Chrome to perform the upgrade.

The router is currently running 3.0.0.4.386_45518 firmware. Any idea what else I can try?

Did you try the newest stock firmware first?

RT-AX58U｜WiFi 6｜ASUS USA

www.asus.com

Version 3.0.0.4.386.45898

2021/10/07 53.31 MBytes

ASUS RT-AX58U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386.45898
1. Fixed AiMesh web page multi-language issues.
2. Fixed Let's encrypt issues.
3. Fixed Stored XSS vulnerability.
4. Fixed CVE-2021-41435, CVE-2021-41436.

 

[vanzi]

Did you try the newest stock firmware first?

Yes, I did, stock firmware 3.0.0.4.386.45898 is ignored by the router just like the Merlin firmware.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I've looked at the back of the router again and noticed this "V2" in the router model that does not show up in the GUI. Could this be causing the problems?

Does it have a FCC-ID number on it?

 

[vanzi]

Does it have a FCC-ID number on it?

I don't see it, but it's an European model so I'm not sure they even use that here.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't see it, but it's an European model so I'm not sure they even use that here.
View attachment 37591

My guess is that this is a new hardware revision and you'll have to wait for the GPL support for it to filter through to future Merlin builds.

I can find no reference to the existence of your currently installed firmware version. The number would suggest it's from September this year. Does the GUI say that there's a more recent version available?

 

[vanzi]

Does the GUI say that there's a more recent version available?

It says it's the latest version.

I've already contacted ASUS support to ask about their most recent stock firmware not working with this model (and also about the hardware differences in V2), but got no response so far.

To be honest, I'm considering returning this router to look for a V1, but that might be hard since almost no store here advertises this kind of details

 

[John Fitzgerald]

It says it's the lastest version.
View attachment 37595

I've already contacted ASUS support to ask about their most recent stock firmware not working with this model (and also about the hardware differences in V2), but got no response so far.

To be honest, I'm considering returning this router to look for a V1, but that might be hard since almost no store here advertises this kind of details

There will be no reference to V1, ((no designation)). I have 2, AX58U's they have different power adapter jacks, one thin the other fat.

Firmware should be universal regardless of "V"ersion #, they could have dropped a capacitor supplier and are using some other parts internally. (there have been class action law suits lately about/regarding some capacitor manufacturers)

Wait for the reply from ASUS. We will all be curious as to the results.

 

[vanzi]

According to the ASUS support, the main difference is the chipset:

V1 uses BCM6750
V2 uses BCM6756

They also said that the tech spec and firmware page is being worked on and should be published soon.

Looking at https://wikidevi.wi-cat.ru/Broadcom/SoC the difference seems quite significant (triple-core vs quad-core), but I guess this also means that Merlin support is likely to be quite far away?

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I can't find the ...6756 on Broadcom site. They list the ...6755.

old: https://www.broadcom.com/products/wireless/wireless-lan-infrastructure/bcm6750

new: https://www.broadcom.com/products/wireless/wireless-lan-infrastructure/bcm6755

There are some improvements in the core.

If It were me I would be inclined to keep the unit.


EDIT: Does your unit say anything about being, 6E?

 

[vanzi]

EDIT: Does your unit say anything about being, 6E?

Hmm not that I can see, the box says operating frequency is only 2.4GHz and 5GHz (same as in the web GUI):

They do mention Broadcom Quad Core 1.7GHz though (the BCM6755 you linked is 1.5GHz):

 

[RMerlin]

You will not see Wifi 6E on a dual band product, unless a manufacturer decides to replace the 2.4 GHz band with it.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

You will not see Wifi 6E on a dual band product, unless a manufacturer decides to replace the 2.4 GHz band with it.

I asked the OP due to the link he posted:

BCM6756	ARM (Cortex-A7) Quad-core	1.7 GHz	4	abgn+ac+ax	2x 2x2:2 AX2400	(Q3' 2021)	Wi-Fi 6E, DB 2.4/5/6GHz, MU-MIMO, 1024QAM RGMII, 1x 2.5GbE PHY, 1x USB 3.1, 1x USB 2.0 Chipset: BCM6756 + BCM6715, Neon, 512K L2

The chip does not show on the Broadcom site.

1) What are your thoughts on support given that ASUS has not posted a link for support yet, given they are selling it?

2) Could the V2 be so different that they will designate different firmware from the Original Release Version?