DSL-AC68U 3.0.0.4.384_21126 bug ((( FIXED )))

[Grisu]

the last firmware I posted is not the recovery one but standard firmware which shall be used twice without any config between!

 

[DaVoodoo]

the last firmware I posted is not the recovery one but standard firmware which shall be used twice without any config between!

Yes, do a standard upgrade 2 or 3 times.

 

[Kevin Ingram]

Yes the last firmware is not the recovery one. The first thing I did was go to the Asus website and download the latest firmware, following the instructions to upgrade twice. This method and it was unsuccessful. That is why I have done a search and found this thread. I have uploaded the standard firmware about 30-40 times in all, following the instructions to the letter. I have also done various combinations since nothing has worked so far.

3 times using 192.168.1.1 web interface
3 times using the Asus recovery tool
3 times using recovery mode miniweb

All gave the same results - no change to the DSL.

The only reason I am asking for the old recovery firmware is that the last firmware just doesn't work for me.
I think the reason my router lost the DSL in the first place is that I loaded Merlin firmware which I now realise is for the RT version not the DSL version. I don't know if that sheds any light on this matter but my router is well and truly stuck and will not get DSL working again.

 

[Grisu]

Sure that makes things very different in your case and you should have mentioned this at the beginning!

How did you apply RT firmware on your DSL, did you change any names in CFE?
You have to revert back everything in first step.

 

[Kevin Ingram]

Hi Grisu, thanks for persevering with me. As you have probably realised I'm no expert.

I upgraded the latest Merlin RT firmware with my laptop logged into the router web interface. (http://router.asus.com/Advanced_FirmwareUpgrade_Content.asp). With a normal upgrade it normally reports back like "upgrading firmware - do not switch off" followed by a percentage complete. This time however is said something like "wrong firmware" but still had the percent counter going. When it rebooted everything looked fine but then I found the DSL no longer worked. The router didn't report it was an RT version and looked exactly like it did before except for the DSL.

I had previously only ever upgraded firmware using this method (well, with the correct firmware!) before and only recently after getting no DSL did I upgrade with 2118 recovery firmware using the Asus recovery tool method and only yesterday using the CME method since before you mentioned it I didn't even know you could do it this way. No names were changed in CME, I wouldn't even know how to change names anyway. I just pointed to the recovery 2118 firmware and it uploaded. One thing I noticed is that is upgraded the firmware much quicker using CME compared the Asus recovery and web interface.

I am just proficient enough to telnet into the router if you want some extra info.

 

[Grisu]

what do you mean with CME?
I asked if you changed the device name in CFE (=bootloader), but you probably didnt, you would need special tools and commands and hex-editor to do so.
If it shows on main-page on top DLS-AC68U then it should be ok and name has not been changed.

Did you successfully load correct DSL firmware twice with no changes in between?
Do it on normal admin-update page on router GUI and click "initialize"!
No more what I could tell you to help.

 

[Kevin Ingram]

Sorry I though you were on about using the miniweb interface. I didn't alter anything in the bootloader.

I thought it strange that the router still displays as a DSL-AC68U in every respect except it does not report the DSL firware and driver. I have reset rvram by turning on and holding the wps button as well as on the router GUI and no change so it looks like the router is screwed. It's a real shame as I thought the the whole point of having a firmware recovery tool was to restore the router to original settings. It looks like parts of my router is now bricked.

 

[Michael J]

Since you flashed Merlin you could try the DSL Merlin version for the DSL-AC68U by gnuton:

https://github.com/gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases

Which is Merlin with DSL support.

I recommend latest STABLE release: https://github.com/gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases/tag/384.12-gnuton1

But most likely it doesn't affect the DSL firmware, it's smaller size like the restoration firmwares, of which I believe don't hold the DSL firmware which you need... but who knows, doesn't hurt to try.

Mine has same issue, now upgrading the 3rd time the "fix" version, so far no firmware is mentioned under "DSL log".

Though pretty sure if you want to flash the DSL part of the firmware you need to use the GUI=webbrowser upgrade, since the restoration versions are smaller, don't mention dsl in the filename, so pretty sure it does not flash the dsl portion, that's why you need to flash the full firmware afterwards through the GUI=webbrowser.

For me the restoration tool always cancels around 40%... Think my router is bricked...

Never flashed custom firmware. Simply stopped working someday...

I live in Thailand, tropical climate, it's around 4 years old... Think got overheated, I hear rattling of plastic parts inside, pretty sure the plastic around the screws hardened and cracked / chipped off... Maybe a hardware failure...

Very dissappointed since I paid over 200 EUR for it, and the old simple routers of 10 years ago would last forever... guess that's the downside of high end hardware these days: higher spec CPU generating more heat, life span much shorter...

 

[Zhyr]

Thanks heaps for this.

Didn't want to fork out a bucket load for a new router.

 

[Zhyr]

Apparently, I can't upgrade past 21128 if I want to the DSL firmware to be there.
Very annoying.

 

[unoffices]

UPDATE from the team

Upgrade with this firmware TWICE then setup again, tested with an other user & does fix the issue

Thanks.


DSL-AC68U_9.0.0.4_384_21126-fix01_DSL_1.0.4.6.trx.zip

https://www.asuswebstorage.com/navigate/s/7CEEBB5860E54F958BAFD41FD4A5C6234

It worked with me. Finally.

Does anyone still have this file available? The link is broken and I can't find this file anywhere.

Thanks,

UNOFFICES

 

[RMerlin]

That thread is over 3 years old, and completely outdated by now as this was about the old 384 code branch. Locking it.