Asuswrt-Merlin 3.0.0.4.374.38 is out

[KGB7]

You might want to try to retest the new version after you've experimented with new antenna positions or channels - how far apart are your routers from each other? Is this a 2.4 or 5GHz bridge?

Thanks for the added info.

The are 3 physical floors between two routers. On a 2.4ghz band. I've tested and tried everything there is to test and try.

It works in the mean time, so that's all I care about.

 

[L&LD]

KGB7, the only reason I mention it is that a few people have noticed an ~10db increase in the 5GHz band and greater throughput at long range - and thought that a 're-setup' and 're-testing' of your hardware with the new firmware would bring tangible results for the better for you?

If it works, don't break it - but if you can improve on what you have? ...

 

[sinshiva]

The are 3 physical floors between two routers. On a 2.4ghz band. I've tested and tried everything there is to test and try.

It works in the mean time, so that's all I care about.

i understand that the only variable in your tests is likely the firmware and it's unfortunate you've experienced this drop in performance, but I am curious as to what kind of results you get if you had the antennas of both APs in a horizontal position?

 

[TeMpL]

Trying to mounnt "ext3" HDD stil reboots router....Ext4 works fine...

 

[geops]

The are 3 physical floors between two routers. On a 2.4ghz band. I've tested and tried everything there is to test and try.

It works in the mean time, so that's all I care about.

If your antennas are at 90 degrees with the floor then your signal plane is covering the floor and not propagating downwards/upwards. You can have much better signal if your antennas are parallel to the floor but then you'll loose floor propagation. Seems like you're in a pickle. If you do not need high-speed transfers on the floor the AP is on then you might try to move at least one of the antennas parallel to the floor on the AP and all 3 antennas on the media bridge. Here's how a simple omni antenna propagates(notice the small vertical angle):

 

[pepeEL]

Steath Mode
I create on /jffs/scripts

ledsoff.sh:

#!/bin/sh
nvram set led_disable=1
service restart_leds

ledson.sh:

#!/bin/sh
nvram set led_disable=0
service restart_leds

and in /jffs/

services-start:

#!/bin/sh
cru a lightsoff "0 22 * * * /jffs/scripts/ledsoff.sh"
cru a lightson "0 8 * * * /jffs/scripts/ledson.sh"


and after restart afetr type

cru l
i dont see anything.
When manual run scripts ledson and ledsoff this works perfect. On my old RT-AC66U alle works OK but on RT-AC68U didnt work.

 

[peterg21]

I have been running 374.36_beta1-sdk5 on my N66U. I changed over now to the 374.38_0-em and at least with 5Ghz I am seeing no diminishment at all when testing with my HTC One. From 5 feet away I am seeing the same -36dBm - -39dBM as with sdk5 and from 40 feet away (direct line of sight -45 dBm) which actually is a few dBs better than with sdk5. Very preliminary, but this is the first non-sdk5 build that I feel really comfortable with in terms of signal strength. I have not tested the regular .38 build so clearly I am not going to be as useful as I could be. Very happy with this and I will try out the regular build in a few days once I find out if this build is really stable for me.

Edit - I just wish to add that I measured my signal strength on my HTC One with the Android App Wifi Analyzer.

 

[amorak]

Rmerlin:

I see a file for the N66U uploaded a few hours ago on your mediafire:

RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_374.38_1

Is this good/safe to use? I am currently on 3.0.0.4.374.34_2

 

[lindvalll]

Are you using Chrome browser for the UI? Try with something other than Chrome, such as Firefox or IE. I've found that Chrome has some sort of bug that will not allow me to add accounts either, it does the exact same behavior you described, using Firefox solved the problem.

WOW! Thank you so much . Can't believe I didnt think of that, stupid Chrome!

Tried it in Safari and it worked like a charm.


Thanks again.

 

[jim769]

Looking at the change log i believe so it shows he fixed the cmd issue. I think I will try this firmware even though my n66 workers flawlessly on 374_35_4 sdk5

 

[bluepoint]

The EM version is definitely an improvement over the previous Sept. SDK6 driver that's for sure. I am not the right person to say it's enough to obsolete SDK5 builds though since I have not used SDK5 for awhile and SDK6 is just fine around my small house. When I have time I'll test the range of this driver and let you know but my estimation, EM is very close to SDK5.

Update:
Okay this morning I had a chance to test .38em from a distance. I have a two story house and the N66 @80mW power is in the middle of the upper floor. With my iPhone I can get a good working signal in front of the house and across the street. What's impressive aside from the 2.4GHz, the 5GHz has a good signal at the same distance of about 150-200 ft. with two walls in between, that's wow. I wasn't able to measure the RSSI but relied only on the signal icon and tested both band's speedtest. My service is 50/25 which test in the house @58/39Mbps.

a. 5GHz 43/18Mbps
b. 2.4GHz 45/20Mbps

Those are good speeds at that distance. Looks like the new SDK6 with Merlin's EM switch brings back the SDK5 range. Next week I'll see if the plain .38 has the same range but from my first impression of it, it's inferior to this one. I'm curious, maybe Merlin can share the switch he employed with the em version.

 

[sinshiva]

Rmerlin:

I see a file for the N66U uploaded a few hours ago on your mediafire:

RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_374.38_1

Is this good/safe to use? I am currently on 3.0.0.4.374.34_2

hot damn, that's awesome. thank you so much, merlin, i use this feature a lot

(gotta wait a couple hours before i'm allowed to break the net, stupid homework. em version up?)

 

[jim769]

Will there be a 374_38_1 EM or just the standard? I see some are saying the EM build is good as far as signal range has any tested the standard against EM ?

 

[WET]

Will there be a 374.38_1-em?

Will there be a 374.38_1-em to port the 374.38_1 fixes to the -em version?

 

[jim769]

I guess we will have to wait till Merlin posts again for that answer.

 

[sinshiva]

finally had a moment to check for myself; it appears the em version is not up, yet. i suspect merlin hasn't announced 38_1 yet for this reason

 

[lindvalll]

Found another bug in Chrome In traffic control - Traffic Monitor - when selecting anything other than Internet, it jumps right back to Internet resulting in not being able to view traffic for wired/wireless.

Don't know if this is the right thread to post bugs, but since browser related behavior already been brought up it can't hurt to add this

 

[Brian A]

I have an RT-AC66U. Everything worked great running 3.0.0.4.374.36 Beta 1, but when I upgraded to 3.0.0.4.374.38_0 I found two problems:

1. My USB printer (HP882C) is no longer operational. On the Netwok Map, it appears as "undefined undefined".

2. The iTunes server does not seem to work anymore. My shared music library no longer appears in iTunes.

Thanks for all your hard work.

 

[i3luefire]

i am using an RT-AC66R with 3.0.0.4.270.24 fw and i am trying to upgrade it but it keeps getting errors and not upgrading. i have restored factory defaults and this still doesnt work. help please.

 

[admiral2145]

The channel issue is fixed in the ac66u on the 2.4ghz band with the 38.1 firmware

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