Does T-Mobile/ASUS TM-AC1900 (RT-AC68U) Support Merlin?

[tsaltzma]

First two MAC's are the same. I would enter the one on the back into the first two. As for the other, you could take a guess (or pull one from an old router in the house). You could also just change the last two digits (as that seems to be the pattern anyway - off by a few digits).

That's what I figured, thanks for the confirmation. Then I assume for the 'secret' code it's just the WPS pin from the back of the router?

 

[Engineer]

That's what I figured, thanks for the confirmation. Then I assume for the 'secret' code it's just the WPS pin from the back of the router?

Yep!

 

[tsaltzma]

CFE went in fine, everything checks out, trying to upload new firmware by asus util, or by mini CFE, both fail. The highest it made it was 70%. I've tried uploading 380.58(51%), 380.55(52%), 376.43(70%). It seems to cancel right around the same percent each time.

 

[tsaltzma]

Finally got it working. Had to flash to a small older version of Tomato, was successful, then flashed to 380.58 from within Tomato. Up and running now. Thanks a bunch for your assistance.

 

[Joseph230]

I am on Merlin 380.59 and repeater mode is not working as it should.
Here is what's happening:

1- The issue is that 68U connects to the main router. (under diagnostic page, router shows pings are working on google.com)
2- Wireless devices (Tv, phone, laptop) do not get IP address from the router!
3- In couple occasions, laptop was connecting to the router and was showing "no internet".
4- Being connected to the main router (not the 68U in repeater mode) I could easily access the GUI page of 68U.
5- While connected to 68U (which is in repeater mode), GUI page was not accessible!

Note: I have the repeater mode in default setting; getting IP from main router (also I tried static IP with correct sub-net setting); either way I could not get it working.

While searching for a solution, I noticed some people say that repeater mode is broken in some specific builds (Asus and Merlin) and is working on specific builds. If you have it in repeater mode working, please let me know the version you are running. Also if you see any possible issue that I am overlooking, please advise.


Thanks

 

[BobbyFlobby]

I am on Merlin 380.59 and repeater mode is not working as it should.
Here is what's happening:

1- The issue is that 68U connects to the main router. (under diagnostic page, router shows pings are working on google.com)
2- Wireless devices (Tv, phone, laptop) do not get IP address from the router!
3- In couple occasions, laptop was connecting to the router and was showing "no internet".
4- Being connected to the main router (not the 68U in repeater mode) I could easily access the GUI page of 68U.
5- While connected to 68U (which is in repeater mode), GUI page was not accessible!

Note: I have the repeater mode in default setting; getting IP from main router (also I tried static IP with correct sub-net setting); either way I could not get it working.

While searching for a solution, I noticed some people say that repeater mode is broken in some specific builds (Asus and Merlin) and is working on specific builds. If you have it in repeater mode working, please let me know the version you are running. Also if you see any possible issue that I am overlooking, please advise.


Thanks

Hi Joseph,

I have 2x 68U routers, one is to the modem, the other is in repeater mode, I am currently using merlin 58 for the main router, and the repeater is using 55.

I have tested almost every firmware version and setting, but if I move away from the 55 for the repeater I have dropouts and failure to connect issues across devices.

 

[Joseph230]

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the reply. I will give 55 version a try.
Through trial and error I ended up at 54 (skipped 55 I think) and it works in repeater mode. The problem is that the latency of the connection through repeater is insane.

When I am connected to the main router, it is super fast, but as soon as I switch to the repeater (68U) it takes 10 seconds or more for any interaction to startup (page load, new url lookup, ...)

Is there any way to resolve the issue of latency?

Thanks,
Joe

Hi Joseph,

I have 2x 68U routers, one is to the modem, the other is in repeater mode, I am currently using merlin 58 for the main router, and the repeater is using 55.

I have tested almost every firmware version and setting, but if I move away from the 55 for the repeater I have dropouts and failure to connect issues across devices.

 

[BobbyFlobby]

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the reply. I will give 55 version a try.
Through trial and error I ended up at 54 (skipped 55 I think) and it works in repeater mode. The problem is that the latency of the connection through repeater is insane.

When I am connected to the main router, it is super fast, but as soon as I switch to the repeater (68U) it takes 10 seconds or more for any interaction to startup (page load, new url lookup, ...)

Is there any way to resolve the issue of latency?

Thanks,
Joe

Hi Joe,

I setup my routers according to these settings http://www.rickygao.com/tuning-the-asus-wireless-router-to-best-performance/ and have had excellent results. maybe give them a try?

 

[Sandog]

I m looking to upgrade the stock firmware on my TM AC1900 ... I'm on 3.0.0.4.376_3169.. Can someone help me out on the best FM to use and how to do it and if its worth the trouble.. Thanks

 

[Ajay1685]

I m looking to upgrade the stock firmware on my TM AC1900 ... I'm on 3.0.0.4.376_3169.. Can someone help me out on the best FM to use and how to do it and if its worth the trouble.. Thanks

I would flashthe CFE first. It will change the router family to Asus RT-AC68U from TM AC1900. Afer that you can flash Asus firmware , or merlin.

Experts in the forum here please correct me if I am wrong.

Trust me Flashing merlin is worth every minute of your time. Merlin is the reason I keep buying Asus router and have my friends and family get the same ones too. I am currently on merlin 380.59 on my T-Mobile AC1900.



Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[munchy_cool]

Happy Thanksgiving peeps.

I have the T-Mo version of this router, I replaced the CFE with Asus one (1.0.2.0) . I have flashed the Asus 3626 version twice, but my rootfs (JFFS) still shows as 32M. Right now I am running Johns Merlin fork , but want to run the latest merlin which requires a 64M rootfs.

The steps I followed twice to flash Asus 3626 version were.

NVRAM reset. Wait for 5 minutes.
Set static IP.
Flash Asus 3626 , wait for 5 minutes.
NVRAM reset. Wait for 5 minutes.

Also, do we have a way of checking rootfs before we try flashing latest merlin, custom firmwares show JFFS in Tools section but can we see the size using some command?

Did flash Tomato 124 ARM version after first Merlin try, read oinn Engineers post at slickdeals that flashing that Tomato version helps sometimes, so it was flash Tomato, flash Asus 3626 , flash Merlin..still stuck at 32M rootfs.



Thanks

 

[cybrnook]

Happy Thanksgiving peeps.

I have the T-Mo version of this router, I replaced the CFE with Asus one (1.0.2.0) . I have flashed the Asus 3626 version twice, but my rootfs (JFFS) still shows as 32M. Right now I am running Johns Merlin fork , but want to run the latest merlin which requires a 64M rootfs.

The steps I followed twice to flash Asus 3626 version were.

NVRAM reset. Wait for 5 minutes.
Set static IP.
Flash Asus 3626 , wait for 5 minutes.
NVRAM reset. Wait for 5 minutes.

Also, do we have a way of checking rootfs before we try flashing latest merlin, custom firmwares show JFFS in Tools section but can we see the size using some command?

Did flash Tomato 124 ARM version after first Merlin try, read oinn Engineers post at slickdeals that flashing that Tomato version helps sometimes, so it was flash Tomato, flash Asus 3626 , flash Merlin..still stuck at 32M rootfs.



Thanks

Re-read the post 1 directly above yours again

They seem to suggest Merlin 55_0 will accomplish this as well.

EDIT: I want to say my /jffs did get expanded on the 3626 build, but I flashed that image once from webserver, then again while within the webgui for good measure.

 

[munchy_cool]

Re-read the post 1 directly above yours again

They seem to suggest Merlin 55_0 will accomplish this as well.

EDIT: I want to say my /jffs did get expanded on the 3626 build, but I flashed that image once from webserver, then again while within the webgui for good measure.

just did that, now i cant connect to router using ethernet, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.29.1. Also tried switching Adapter to automatic IP.

ipconfig shows Lan default gateway as 192.168.1.1

 

[cybrnook]

Just be sure to clear nvram (hold WPS while booting), try a refresh browser, and as good practice restart your pc. IP will be 192.168.1.1, and once you clear nvram it should automatically take you to the setup wizard.

 

[munchy_cool]

Just be sure to clear nvram (hold WPS while booting), try a refresh browser, and as good practice restart your pc. IP will be 192.168.1.1, and once you clear nvram it should automatically take you to the setup wizard.

yeps, did all that again ..still no go ..

 

[munchy_cool]

Looks like we have a brick, cant putty from Windows telnet. Cant connect using browser, can get it into rescue mode but cant get it to Asus CFE ..any ideas?

Strange
I can see the Wifi networks, and all lights on front work.

Edit
Ping to 192.168.1.1 works. Just cant telnet using putty, or access via browser.

Edit
Got into Asus CFE, flashed Johns Merlin. Lets hope it works

Edit.
that worked, still 32Mb JFFS.Will look into it over the weekend.

 

[john9527]

Edit.
that worked, still 32Mb JFFS.Will look into it over the weekend.

jffs space is not the rootfs. 32M for jffs is correct.

If you are on my fork (V18 or greater and with CFE 1.0.2.x) you have the expanded rootfs and can directly go to any ASUS/Merlin level if you want.

 

[munchy_cool]

jffs space is not the rootfs. 32M for jffs is correct.

If you are on my fork (V18 or greater and with CFE 1.0.2.x) you have the expanded rootfs and can directly go to any ASUS/Merlin level if you want.

Aah , well then someone just passed me wrong information about jffs being rootfs size.

I am on your latest build, CFE is 1.0.2.0 ..any way for me to check the rootfs partition size.

 

[cybrnook]

I would be curious as well.... Would be good we are not chasing our tails

It surely can't just be checking the size of /, right

 

[john9527]

I would be curious as well.... Would be good we are not chasing our tails

It surely can't just be checking the size of /, right

cat /proc/mtd

It won't show exactly 64M, I think due to some overhead in setting up a separate boot partition during firmware upgrade, but it's close (this is on my fork, the latest merlin will be slightly different)

admin@AC68P-00000:/tmp/home/root# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "boot"
mtd1: 00180000 00020000 "nvram"
mtd2: 03e00000 00020000 "linux"
mtd3: 03c57a1c 00020000 "rootfs"     (= 63,275,500)
mtd4: 04000000 00020000 "brcmnand"
mtd5: 02000000 00020000 "jffs2"