Virtual servers config lost

[dCrypt]

Hi,

As I have not found how reproduce this error, and I can't find info about filling a report error, I post here just to let you know.

I own a couple RT-AC86U, 384.15 latest Merlin fw version since beginning of February. However, a couple days ago I noticed a message from BT sites stating that a firewall prevented accessing my BT client. I investigated, and found that all my configured virtual servers were lost (~15). I don't know if any other config parameter has been lost, but the rest seem ok.

How can I help debugging this issue?

BR

 

[Martineau]

I own a couple RT-AC86U, 384.15 latest Merlin fw version since beginning of February. However, a couple days ago I noticed a message from BT sites stating that a firewall prevented accessing my BT client. I investigated, and found that all my configured virtual servers were lost (~15). I don't know if any other config parameter has been lost, but the rest seem ok.

How can I help debugging this issue?

Schedule a cron job to dump the NVRAM variable to Syslog?

logger -t "DEBUG" "$(nvram dump | grep vts_rulelist)"

and you should hopefully be able to pinpoint/identify the activity leading up to the point at which the NVRAM variable goes AWOL.

 

[dCrypt]

So, I noticed with the update to v384.16 from yesterday that both the virtual servers configuration and the DHCP manually assigned IPs were lost during the firmware upgrade.

BR

 

[john9527]

Check your nvram utilization on the tools page.....if you are running low on space a lot of strange things can happen.

 

[dCrypt]

Yesterday I had to config again the virtual servers and the DHCP static IPs. Restarted the router and it didn't work, as if those parameters were not configured. I checked the NVRAM usage size, it seemed ok (64kb out of 128kb). However, those parameters were not really lost, they were present in the CFG file I saved, and they showed up again after resetting and loading the CFG. So, the only difference after the restart is JFFS, which I didn't restore. The JFFS file I had backed up could be too big (45kb compressed out of 48kb available size). The biggest files in the backup file are .sys/nc/nc_center.db and .sys/TrafficAnalyzer/TrafficAnalyzer.db, more than 43Kb together. Howeve, TrafficAnalyzer.db is disabled and I don't know which option nc_center.db belongs to, so I don't know how to clean the JFFS partition.

BR

 

[L&LD]

If you have never performed a full M&M Config (reset to factory defaults with 'Initialize all settings...' and followed with a minimal and manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP) on your router(s), this would be the perfect time to do so.

For more details on getting your router(s) to a good/known state, see the link in my signature below.

 

[john9527]

Two things to ponder....

I checked the NVRAM usage size, it seemed ok (64kb out of 128kb).

The fact that it's at 64k makes me wonder. Since the previous gen routers maxed out at 64k, I'm wondering if there is a check somewhere that doesn't realize you really have more space.

he JFFS file I had backed up could be too big (45kb compressed out of 48kb available size).

Since nvram and JFFS are now 'coupled' this could be something. I've seen a few recent posts on people trying to reduce the JFFS utilization.

 

[dCrypt]

In fact, inside the JFFS backup file, inside the folder nvram, there are copies of some variables, such as vts_rulelist and dhcp_hostnames. I bet there was a problem with JFFS, I will monitor its stautus and the NVRAM variables during the next days.

However, it remains to be explained how to free up space in JFFS regarding the TrafficAnalyzer and nc_center DBs if they grow up in the future. Still stable with the following sizes, although NVRAM is growing a bit:

NVRAM usage 66556 / 131072 bytes
JFFS 1.46 / 48.00 MB

BR