[Beta] Asuswrt-Merlin 384.18 Beta / 384.13_9 is now available

[JWoo]

Super dirty flash of RT-AX58U from last alpha to the new 384.18_beta1. The new release is stunning! Awesome. Everything seems hunky dory.

 

[MDM]

Dirty Flash 384.13_9 and all is still fine

 

[RMerlin]

@RMerlin Please clarify some version details from the changelog.

Let's take RT-AC68U.

Given the following, from the changelog:

• Merged GPL 384_81918 for mainline models.
• Merged SDK + binary blobs 385_20490 for RT-AC68U (code is identical to 384_81846)

I have the following questions:

• What is the SDK (soft dev kit) component? Is it distinct from GPL releases and binary blobs? Where does it come from?
• RT-AC68U has GPL 384_81918 (which is from RT-AC86U)? Despite the lower version it's newer than 385_20433 from RT-AC68U?
  
• What does "code is identical to 384_81846" mean? Which code (GPL, SDK, blobs)? And what is the significance/implication of this equivalence?

The source code is the base, open-sourced portion. The SDK is the platform-specific content, like the kernel and the includes. And the binary blobs is everything that is closed source, like the wireless driver, or the other pre-compiled portions.

Identical code means exactly what it says: the code is the same, only the version number is different.

 

[QuikSilver]

Dirty upgrade from Alpha....took 3 tries but its going good so far.

 

[L&LD]

@QuikSilver, why three tries?

 

[Morac]

except for the RT-AC88U (no up-to-date, compatible GPL release for that model).

I don’t suppose ASUS has given you any kind of clue when they’ll update the GPL for the AC88U?

What happens if they don’t do so you plan to release?

 

[RMerlin]

I don’t suppose ASUS has given you any kind of clue when they’ll update the GPL for the AC88U?

Trying to work something out with them on this, we just couldn't get it done in time for this beta release (the GPL they sent me last night was the same I already had).

What happens if they don’t do so you plan to release?

If I can't get what I need in the coming weeks, then 384.18 will ship without the RT-AC88U. Not gonna delay 10 other models just for this one.

 

[Morac]

Trying to work something out with them on this, we just couldn't get it done in time for this beta release (the GPL they sent me last night was the same I already had).



If I can't get what I need in the coming weeks, then 384.18 will ship without the RT-AC88U. Not gonna delay 10 other models just for this one.

Well here’s hoping they do something soon. They released a new firmware for the AC-88U a couple of days ago. In the past that would mean they’d put up a GPL release in about 2 weeks, but so far this year they’ve released 2 other firmwares for the AC-88U and never uploaded a GPL for them.

 

[tyspeed42]

So far nice update, thanks @RMerlin. So issues to report.

 

[SheikhSheikha]

Dirty Flash from second Alpha. All looks fine in the desert ..... The signal coverage is 4% better than the Alpha.

 

[Jack Yaz]

Dirty Flash from second Alpha. All looks fine in the desert ..... The signal coverage is 4% better than the Alpha.

I think this might be just normal variation for you... https://www.snbforums.com/threads/384-18_alpha-builds-testing-all-variants.63954/page-27#post-593684

 

[Zastoff]

Smooth update to 384.13_9 on 87u
Thanks RMerlin

 

[tomsk]

Dirty update from 384.17 on 68u ... No crater where the router used to be...... so far so nice

 

[SheikhSheikha]

I think this might be just normal variation for you... https://www.snbforums.com/threads/384-18_alpha-builds-testing-all-variants.63954/page-27#post-593684

Indeed, it looks like that. But given the fact that I have two routers, exactly the same (except that the firmware on one is the previous version) I notice that sometimes a firmware has a far weaker signal. The current beta is in fact the one that demonstrates the best signal coverage I have ever had (and the signal is steady great). If I look at the second Alpha I see a steady but weaker signal (hence less coverage). I can only share what I observe, irrespective whether something changed/not changed on the wifi part).

 

[RAH-66]

GPL was also released for 384.9354.

@RMerlin this code is compatible between AX models?

 

[iJorgen]

All working fine here too. Upgraded to Beta 1 from previous two Alphas.

 

[grifo]

Problem free update for my AC87U. Sad to see the last update cycle for this model which could still run perfectly for a while, wishing Asus would extend its Merlin life a bit longer by providing RMerlin with suitable blobs...

 

[Hanston Dsouza]

since beta 1 works so good just a matter of time till full release ......will wait

 

[archiel]

Dirty upgrade alpha3 to beta1 AX88U and AX58U (AiMesh Node) - no problems with upgrade and looking good.

 

[Smokey613]

Both routers updated with beta1, all running smoothly. The one positive thing different is now when I select the View List button from main login screen, the devices connected to the AiMesh node now display their wireless Tx/Rx rate info. Before those devices connected to the node simply had a * in those fields.