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Release ASUS RT-AC87U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.382.52230 (2020/05/06)

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triple

Occasional Visitor
Version 3.0.0.4.382.52230
2020/05/06
38.93 MBytes

ASUS RT-AC87U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.382.52230
- Fixed CVE-2019-15126 (Kr00k) vulnerability.
- Fixed some UI bugs.
- Support router certificate export. After import the certificate to the computer you will not see the warning message when login with https.Please refer to https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1034294/

Please unzip the firmware file first and then check the MD5 code.
MD5: 6aa2c670b65ab9c872cbf9c3593904a7

https://www.asus.com/de/Networking/RTAC87U/HelpDesk_Download/
 
Great that they patched the known vulnerabilities. :)

382.xx though. Ugh. :p
 
I don't see anything at ASUS about known issues, which is normal. Has anyone tried this out yet? I'm rather gun-shy after my trials with 382.51939
 
No particularly bad news having surfaced I went ahead. Downloaded this FW on 21-May to a local computer and ran the update. It went very smoothly and has performed without a hitch since then.

The only odd thing was the installation instructing me to cold boot the router. Usually it only needs a warm boot Restart. I'm guessing that had to do with fixing the CVE-2019-15126 (Kr00k) vulnerability.
 
Please help for a simple question (thank you): Can I download the latest FW and jumped a few FW updates directly from Version 3.0.0.4.382.51640 to Version 3.0.0.4.382.52288 ? Using ac87u router for about 8 years, so far so good besides the AC wifi chip issue. I am always cautious of new firmwares download for reason of worrying bricking the router, as a simple casual user. My current FW is at Version 3.0.0.4.382.51640 and missed several FW updates, and now the reminder of FW update HIGHLIGHT (at top right corner of router UI) NOT showing anymore (not sure what is the reason). Will appreciate you help! Also, should I hot reboot or hard reboot the router after updating to 3.0.0.4.382.52288? I do not like to do factory reset after the update. I plan to use the AC87u as a wireless AP as I have the new cheap_good Huawei wifi6+ AX3 Pro router with global FW, purchased from Huawei shop, as I have some wifi weak spots (dinning area, concrete house 3300 square feet, two floors). Thanks again.
 
Please help for a simple question (thank you): Can I download the latest FW and jumped a few FW updates directly from Version 3.0.0.4.382.51640 to Version 3.0.0.4.382.52288 ? Using ac87u router for about 8 years, so far so good besides the AC wifi chip issue. I am always cautious of new firmwares download for reason of worrying bricking the router, as a simple casual user. My current FW is at Version 3.0.0.4.382.51640 and missed several FW updates, and now the reminder of FW update HIGHLIGHT (at top right corner of router UI) NOT showing anymore (not sure what is the reason). Will appreciate you help! Also, should I hot reboot or hard reboot the router after updating to 3.0.0.4.382.52288? I do not like to do factory reset after the update. I plan to use the AC87u as a wireless AP as I have the new cheap_good Huawei wifi6+ AX3 Pro router with global FW, purchased from Huawei shop, as I have some wifi weak spots (dinning area, concrete house 3300 square feet, two floors). Thanks again.

If the Release Notes do not have any special upgrade instructions, I would feel free to flash the latest firmware.

You should reset the firmware after you flash it. And then configure from scratch. For best results.

OE
 
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Can I download the latest FW and jumped a few FW updates directly from Version 3.0.0.4.382.51640 to Version 3.0.0.4.382.52288 ?

If the Release Notes do not have any special upgrade instructions, I would feel free to flash the latest firmware.

You should reset the firmware after you flash it. And then configure from scratch. For best results.

OE
You may want to check the release notes of the preceeding FW updates in case they carried special instructions that are now assumed to have been followed prior to 52288:
  • 51641 2019.11.06
  • 51939 2019.11.20
  • 52230 2020.05.06
  • 52288 2020.07.09
The fastest/easiest way to do this (I think) would be to DL the above from the ASUS Download Center to a local drive and take a look at the release notes for each one in sequence, 10-min tops. Don't skip any and go oldest-to-newest. If you're clear to make the jump stay near the router during the process. At minimum you will probably need a cold boot, then follow OE's tip. If you do have to take this in steps instead of one jump, you could follow OE's tip after the first one, then go pretty quickly up each step and wait to configure after the last one when you get 52288 onboarded.

Sky
 
You may want to check the release notes of the preceeding FW updates in case they carried special instructions that are now assumed to have been followed prior to 52288:
  • 51641 2019.11.06
  • 51939 2019.11.20
  • 52230 2020.05.06
  • 52288 2020.07.09
The fastest/easiest way to do this (I think) would be to DL the above from the ASUS Download Center to a local drive and take a look at the release notes for each one in sequence, 10-min tops. Don't skip any and go oldest-to-newest. If you're clear to make the jump stay near the router during the process. At minimum you will probably need a cold boot, then follow OE's tip. If you do have to take this in steps instead of one jump, you could follow OE's tip after the first one, then go pretty quickly up each step and wait to configure after the last one when you get 52288 onboarded.

Sky
Thanks for the good advices to Sky and OE.
I did download of all the required outstanding FW versions into the PC. Surely, as I was told, will read all info/instructions to begin with for every correct steps. To eliminate any doubts, I will update each FW version up to the latest version one at a time, and testing functionality of the router before another FW update.
Before the successful download, I will do a backup of the router FW settings so that I can fall back to a working older FW. For all previous auto FW upgrade, I did not experience of bad FW and my router still was working fine, and as it is now. It would be a challenging job for me as a casual user to fix bad router/FW settings, finger crossed. In a few days, I will post the outcome.

Although I like one jump for reason of less chances of making mistakes, but believing in standard good practice is the one of the ways. Thanks again to all. :)
 
If the Release Notes do not have any special upgrade instructions, I would feel free to flash the latest firmware.

You should reset the firmware after you flash it. And then configure from scratch. For best results.

OE
OE, thanks for supporting. I like one jump. A simple user like me, will have difficulty is doing troubleshooting. Resetting FW and reconfiguring router is another challenging job. Hoping all will work out. Appreciating of your help, thanks again. Looking forwards for a simple success. :)
 
OE, thanks for supporting. I like one jump. A simple user like me, will have difficulty is doing troubleshooting. Resetting FW and reconfiguring router is another challenging job. Hoping all will work out. Appreciating of your help, thanks again. Looking forwards for a simple success. :)

Me, I would quickly review the online release notes for each firmware version. If no special upgrade instructions, I would install the current version, reset it, and configure it. If there is a defect you can't live with, then I would downgrade a version and try again. Downgrading is not typically required... and even less likely required with firmware that has been released for some time and is considered to be ok.

OE
 
Me, I would quickly review the online release notes for each firmware version. If no special upgrade instructions, I would install the current version, reset it, and configure it. If there is a defect you can't live with, then I would downgrade a version and try again. Downgrading is not typically required... and even less likely required with firmware that has been released for some time and is considered to be ok.

OE
Good advice. I like to take this as a learning exercise to build up router knowledge. Would like to understand:
1. In this case, will the latest FW update, in one go, include all (not yet updated) previous versions features and bugs fixing. And knowing that the latest FW may have new bugs (that is another story). If yes, I will jump from older versions FW to the latest. If no, I need to update one at a time, to build full FW latest operational features. I will backup of one previous operational FW version before updating, as a good practice.

2. New query: If I setup AC87U router as a wireless AP (two routers: main and AP to cover two floors), will I lose the 87U main router configuration settings, or in other words: will the 87U router still keep the router settings when switch to AP mode new settings? If main router settings are not kept, then I need to take many pics of the setting pages so that I can revert smoothly.
TQs
 
Good advice. I like to take this as a learning exercise to build up router knowledge. Would like to understand:
1. In this case, will the latest FW update, in one go, include all (not yet updated) previous versions features and bugs fixing. And knowing that the latest FW may have new bugs (that is another story). If yes, I will jump from older versions FW to the latest. If no, I need to update one at a time, to build full FW latest operational features. I will backup of one previous operational FW version before updating, as a good practice.

2. New query: If I setup AC87U router as a wireless AP (two routers: main and AP to cover two floors), will I lose the 87U main router configuration settings, or in other words: will the 87U router still keep the router settings when switch to AP mode new settings? If main router settings are not kept, then I need to take many pics of the setting pages so that I can revert smoothly.
TQs

1. Firmware installation is not accumulative. Each firmware is standalone code. You only need to install the one firmware you want to use, typically the latest and the greatest. The latest firmware may even omit earlier firmware code that is no longer needed or wanted.

2. Assume that changing the router mode of operation will change and not preserve its existing configuration... as it should.

When changing the router mode of operation, I recommend you clean install it... flash firmware (if different), reset, configure, reboot, test WAN security, use.

Use the router 'save/restore configuration' utility to save the current configuration to file and to restore that configuration later to the same router hardware (in reset/default state), same router firmware version. This method is useful for disaster recovery and for experimenting... it allows you to return an existing router to a previous state. This method is not useful for performing a clean install of an existing configuration to different hardware and/or different firmware. You can try it, but you may encounter weirdness. For the later case, configure from scratch using your own hard copy record.

This is my hard copy record shared with others:

OE
 
Last edited:
Very educational explanation, is building up the confidence. TQs

Now knowing a better way to handle the FW updates. Important is to do the right things right for the first time, and read carefully (understand it) before implementing. Also read forum comments for special situations to be avoided.

I will take a longer time to succeed it. I think I will choose to progressively update all FW versions, for reason that if I pass on this 8 years old router to a friend, it would be a "good" functional router. But I think I will keep it for good use, as it is a good old router (strong n speedy), although the 5G chip is not perfect. Thank you to all again. :)
 
Nothing special, but a note: I have been using USB fans to cool at the bottom of this router since day one. Without the fans, it is not very hot (but "warming hot"), so far so good.
 
Now I have successfully updated to latest FW 52288, and thank you for the helpful advices. My experience:

1.) To read carefully of the info and procedures, found out that on the FW update page, it said the latest FW covers all changes of previous varies older FW.

2.) After uploading the latest FW from PC drive, received a message saying successful upload. It took about 3 minutes.

3.) All settings of my router remained undisturbed after the update, only that the uploaded FW changes applied, I believed.

4.) Required a manual reset of router and I did. But "could not" find manual reset "button" in GUI as the procedure indicated. So an alternative manual hard power off and on.

so far, it seems working fine. TQs..... :)

Note: I was struggling without success (for not knowing the way of doing it, like using cmd:\ commands) to verify for the MD5 code and MS verification app is only version 1 (latest v2.05). So I took the chance without verification and updated. The FW 52288 was downloaded from Asus center, so I was not worry.
 
Using ac87u router for about 8 years, so far so good besides the AC wifi chip issue.
What is the AC wifi chip issue that you are talking about? I have been using it for a while on the latest version (3.0.0.4.382_52288) and haven't encountered any issues so far. My AC devices connect fine and I see downloads/uploads in the 400+ Mbps range out of a 500/500 Mbps line.
 

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