Release ASUS TUF-AX4200 Firmware version 3.0.0.4.388_33965 (2025/10/23)

[fruitcornbread]

Version 3.0.0.4.388_33965
41.88 MB
2025/10/23

- Enhanced system stability.
- Enhanced input validation and refactored legacy string handling routines to ensure robust memory management.
- Mitigated security risks in AiCloud service by enforcing strict credential verification, implementing robust file path validation, and hardening command execution logic to prevent unauthorized access and manipulation of system resources.
- Implemented comprehensive validation and expanded command filtering in the web history API.
- Strengthened input validation and directory handling in the VPN configuration upload interface.
- Fixed an issue that allowed certain user settings to be bypassed, improving overall user control and protection.

ZIP SHA-256 : B4AFCAB4835802411252C05711993D3A1355BB99DE6B8274FEDCE406DDB96A97
FW SHA-256 : 90668bc95d1a5c3130e2c16bc92c3bb551e5c477ce8d3c049daf02bdda73be1f

TUF Gaming AX4200｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS Global

ASUS gaming routers provide the very best gaming experience, with an arsenal of features and tools designed to improve online gaming performance and give you the competitive edge you need to win.

www.asus.com

 

[Unhappy ASUS user]

I would like to point out the persistent problems with loading websites with this firmware 3.0.0.4.388_33965.
Sometimes pages do not load, or load slowly and without images, there is also a problem with rewinding movies, the movies stop and only help to turn off and on the movie, but only until the next rewind scene.
I bought this router on recommendation three weeks ago, since I have had it I am unhappy, the children complain about Discord outages and lag in games. It helped to switch to the older firmware 3.0.0.4.388_33506, but this is not a solution for the potential security risk that the older firmware brings. This is the worst product I have ever purchased.
Before uploading the new firmware, I performed a hard reset from the website and then via the VPS button, I performed the same reset after uploading the new firmware. I always did the settings manually, I did not use the recovery file with the settings.
I have my router set to reboot every night.

 

[Unhappy ASUS user]

Hi, I contacted ASUS support and was told that they are not experiencing any issues with page loading, internal network freezes, or other issues. This means that they are not aware of any issues and there is no plan to fix them.

 

[Unhappy ASUS user]

ASUS support wanted to send the data, so I reinstalled this firmware 3.0.0.4.388_33965, did a complete data reset and then manually set up the router. After a while, the problems started to reappear.
In more than a week since I installed firmware 3.0.0.4.388_33506, I haven't had a single problem.

 

[bingoshrimp]

I'm sorry you are having these problems on your newly-purchased router. As you might have gathered by now, the problems began with the 339xx branch of the firmware, the first of which was released back in March 2025. I have a RT-AX59U, afaik based on the same chipset as the AX4200, and before then, it was as stable as any other product I'd owned, and I would have gladly recommended it as well.

There's no telling how long these problems will persist, unfortunately. They might be gone in the next firmware update, but if what you mention is true - that they're not even aware of any problems - I wouldn't hold my breath. I've sent complaints to ASUS through the router feedback mechanism, also mentioning the MediaTek chipset specifically, so I cannot believe how they are not aware of the issues with the affected routers.

If you're not interested in throwing money at the problem, I believe you do have some options for getting a stable internet connection with the router:
- Use cabled networking only
- Install OpenWRT - from what I've gathered, there are no problems if this custom firmware is installed. And apparently, MediaTek based routers are well supported and sought-after because of this. It does require putting in the time to learn, and from what I can see it's not beginner friendly, which was what put me off from doing it.

Personally I ended up buying an access point and hooking it up to the router, completely replacing the router's built-in wifi, and, as you might have guessed, it solved the problems immediately. However, I was also in a position where I wanted to move on to something more professional grade networking gear, so buying the AP was a really meaningful first step in that direction.

EDIT:
I just discovered a post saying that enabling the Adaptive QoS feature might be a solution to the problem: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...-0-0-4-388_33965-2025-10-23.95998/post-974943. Couldn't hurt trying it out, if you haven't already.

 

[Unhappy ASUS user]

@bingoshrimp
Hi, thanks for the feedback, I'm also sorry that you have the same problems as me.
ASUS support actually wrote to me that they don't have any problems described, but it could be a defense mechanism of the company, it's always better to say that there are no problems and the customer is to blame, or they investigated the problem but didn't record the problems.
The worst part is the fact that they released four firmwares and all of them are unusable, while they must have feedback from customers that there are problems, although there are certainly many customers who have the problem, but they can point to the culprit - the ASUS router.
I solved it by installing the latest working firmware, I don't have a public IP address and I'm hidden behind a provider, so I hope the router won't be attacked.
I also read that enabling the Adaptive QoS function could alleviate the problems, but it was also written that enabling the Adaptive QoS function slows down the connection by half.
We have no choice but to wait and see if ASUS fixes these issues in the new firmware.

 

[supermetroid]

So I have updated my router to the latst firmware and now done a hard reset. I haven't quite noticed any issues with speed etc. Can someone advise whether its genuinely resolved the issues from before - or whether the issues will manifest itself in a short timeframe?

 

[bingoshrimp]

@supermetroid
I don't have the exact same model router as you, but nevertheless one that seems to be suffering from the exact same issues. And, no, my issues weren't fixed with the latest 33965 update; I think I updated the router in the evening and saw no problems, but in the morning, 7-8 hours later, one of the AP clients reported seeing the same issues again. But of course we didn't actively use the wifi thought the night, so the actual timeframe could be smaller.

 

[supermetroid]

@supermetroid
I don't have the exact same model router as you, but nevertheless one that seems to be suffering from the exact same issues. And, no, my issues weren't fixed with the latest 33965 update; I think I updated the router in the evening and saw no problems, but in the morning, 7-8 hours later, one of the AP clients reported seeing the same issues again. But of course we didn't actively use the wifi thought the night, so the actual timeframe could be smaller.

Thanks for this update - since the update earlier this week, I've not had any issues come up. Not sure if all is ok, or something is slowly bubbling over :S Part of me wants something to happen so that I can just know!

 

[supermetroid]

Ok a quick update - I've now started to see some random issues which are occassional and not always easy to replicate. For e.g. streaming accounts starting to take noticeably longer to load, some social media posts not loading (when on home view), and some websites taking a little longer. Very random occurences.

 

[bingoshrimp]

That does indeed sound like the same issue. If you have the chance, you could try hooking up via cable to see if the problems are still there; if they're not - meaning the problems are only noticeable on wifi - I'd say it's almost certain the firmware bug in action.

 

[supermetroid]

So when trying through a cable, I found the internet to be noticeably faster. There was one issue where it displayed a similar issue - but couldn't be sure as my cable may have been loose.

TBH its a frustrating issue given that the actual product is really good and has great features and a great price. A real shame

 

[bingoshrimp]

I really wanted to like this router. But during my time with it, asus has screwed up regularly with the firmware updates. E.g., once they pushed out an update that rendered ipads and chromecasts unable to connect to wifi. A week or so after, they - rightly - pulled the firmware from the site and the update feature in the router... but then the same faulty file was uploaded again a while later, as an extra smack in the face to the users who had downgraded the firmware and waited eagerly for a fix. It's also tiring to look at the B/G Protection checkbox setting on the wifi page that is set to on or off randomly; I spent quite some time correcting the setting and restarting the router, only to realize at long last that it made absolutely zero impact whatsoever. Same with the DFS channel checkbox setting in wifi that also randomly appears / disappears for whatever reason. That goes for the RT-AX59U router, at least.

But the above is nothing compared to the trick they've pulled with the 339xx firmware versions, though, which seems to make some if not all their products based on the specific MediaTek chipset unreliable for browsing/casting/viewing videos and probably more - basically everything the majority of people spend their time on on the web. And that's been going on for 8 months now, with no indication of getting fixed anytime soon.

I'm sorry but that's inexcusable. I'm not buying anymore asus networking stuff, and I'm recommending everyone I know to think twice before doing so.

 

[supermetroid]

I wonder if its better to stay away from asus routers that use mediatek chips. I've returned my router and got another one that doesn't have a mediatek chip. Fingers crossed it's all ok!

 

[Unhappy ASUS user]

@supermetroid so you ended up having the same problems as everyone else?
What other router did you buy?

 

[beyondtool]

I am replying here to confirm other experiences with this Firmware regarding wifi dropouts happening randomly. I have also contacted ASUS technical support who asked me to follow their standard troubleshooting process https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1030641/, which I had already done. They said if the problem persists to return the device to my retailer. They did not seem to be able to confirm this problem was widespread, nor that it was caused by the firmware since March, which was highly disappointing. I haven't bought an ASUS device in over a decade due to their shenanigans in the past, and it seems I just can't cut a break with them.

I've just turned on QOS as a last-ditch effort to resolve issues.