CFE Bootloader update necessary?

[mensa]

Hello,

I bought a brand new RT-N66U today and flashed successfully that firmware using the Asus firmware restore tool: http://tomato.groov.pl/download/K26...ato-K26USB-1.28.RT-N5x-MIPSR2-102-AIO-64K.trx

When I type "cat /dev/mtd0ro | grep bl_version" on the shell of the router it says:

***
Tomato v1.28.0000 MIPSR2-102 K26 USB AIO-64K
root@unknown:/tmp/home/root# cat /dev/mtd0ro | grep bl_version
bl_version=1.0.1.2
***

So I have an old bootloader, correct?

But when I look in the webinterface overview page it says:

...
Total / Free Memory 249.74 MB / 238.37 MB (95.45%)
Total / Free NVRAM 64.00 KB / 38.33 KB (59.89%)
...

So I am wondering what is correct now? Do I really have 64 KB NVRAM? Or is only the displayed value at my overview page wrong? (Maybe that value is hard-coded into the 64k firmware I installed?)

How can I really determine if I have 64 KB or 32 KB of NVRAM?

 

[ryzhov_al]

Hi!

How can I really determine if I have 64 KB or 32 KB of NVRAM?

NVRAM is an area in flash memory used both CFE (bootloader, like a BIOS on PC) and booted Linux.

The modern stock firmwares, released on spring 2012 and later, uses 64Kb NVRAM in a Linux only. A CFE still not updated to use whole 64Kb.

Please, do not update CFE if you unsure what it's for. You may brick a router.

 

[mensa]

Ok, thanks.

Can you please tell me, if I used the correct firmware version for my router model? And can I run it withoutht problems now also without updating CFE?

 

[mensa]

Could anyone explain, which disadvantages one have without that CFE bootloader update?
Or isn’t it necessary anymore when using that firmware i have installed?

 

[lfbb]

Without the CFE being able to fully handle 64 KB, it means it won't apply any low-level setting that you might have changed in nvram. For most people this has zero impact, however it prevents advanced tweaks from working, such as overclocking of your router. See the diagnostic section of ryzhov_al's first post.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=50260&postcount=109

 

[mensa]

Thank you!

Can you please tell me, if it is also possible to check the version of the Bootloader, when the original firmware is installed on a RT-N66U?

I think I can connect by telnet. But which pass / username should I use and which command will show the version?

 

[lfbb]

Can you please tell me, if it is also possible to check the version of the Bootloader, when the original firmware is installed on a RT-N66U?

cat /dev/mtd0ro | grep bl_version

I think I can connect by telnet. But which pass / username should I use and which command will show the version?

The same you use to login into your router.

- lfbb