factory reset to ensure all the latest security enhancements are properly applied???????????

[tiomiguel]

Hre is last firmware for RT-AX55/57

I have three in AP mode. Have I to perform a factory rest??? Is not enough updating the firmware?
Because I have them in floor connected at WAN wired. If I perform a factory reset I am not able to access them by wan connection.

ASUS RT-AX55 Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386_53244

Version 3.0.0.4.386_53244

65.79 MB

2025/06/20

SHA-256 ：F6E15444C9F16D4D08568199EDFD623CAF1CE5C006D74AAF69AF5698C0EE49FB

We recommend updating to this firmware version and performing a factory reset to ensure all the latest security enhancements are properly applied.

-Improved login password policy with a new minimum requirement of 10 characters, strengthening overall access security.
-Reinforced communication protocols between the mobile app and the router firmware to ensure more secure interactions.
-Optimized system stability for more consistent and reliable performance.
-Enhanced validation during parameter transmission to improve configuration integrity.
-Optimized routing stability under specific network conditions.
-Implemented security improvements for Dropbear.

 

[degrub]

What firmware are you upgrading from ?

 

[bbunge]

Hre is last firmware for RT-AX55/57

I have three in AP mode. Have I to perform a factory rest??? Is not enough updating the firmware?
Because I have them in floor connected at WAN wired. If I perform a factory reset I am not able to access them by wan connection.

ASUS RT-AX55 Firmware version 3.0.0.4.386_53244

Version 3.0.0.4.386_53244

65.79 MB

2025/06/20

SHA-256 ：F6E15444C9F16D4D08568199EDFD623CAF1CE5C006D74AAF69AF5698C0EE49FB

We recommend updating to this firmware version and performing a factory reset to ensure all the latest security enhancements are properly applied.

-Improved login password policy with a new minimum requirement of 10 characters, strengthening overall access security.
-Reinforced communication protocols between the mobile app and the router firmware to ensure more secure interactions.
-Optimized system stability for more consistent and reliable performance.
-Enhanced validation during parameter transmission to improve configuration integrity.
-Optimized routing stability under specific network conditions.
-Implemented security improvements for Dropbear.

No real need to factory reset an AP after upgrade. There is not a lot of security involved and the reboot following upgrade should take care of new wireless drivers if they were upgraded in the firmware. Even a device used as a router does not need to be reset following an upgrade most of the time.

 

[tiomiguel]

What firmware are you upgrading from ?

from last stock before this

 

[Justinh]

Reset after upgrade is the best you can do.

 

[Tech9]

from last stock before this

Asus recommends restore to factory default after every firmware update. Part of user experience.

[Wireless Router] How to update the firmware of your router to the latest version ? (WebGUI) | Official Support | ASUS Global

"It is recommended that you restore the router factory default settings after updating the firmware."

 

[degrub]

Sometimes the bits are not in the same place that the previous version used. Can give unexpected issues. Factory reset means you start with a clean memory. Restoring from a saved config file should not be used also. Manually config. Does not mean you can't get away with it for both. But if you get issues after upgrade of firmware, then these will be the first steps so you get back to a known good memory and config.

 

[bbunge]

Asus recommends restore to factory default after every firmware update. Part of user experience.

[Wireless Router] How to update the firmware of your router to the latest version ? (WebGUI) | Official Support | ASUS Global

"It is recommended that you restore the router factory default settings after updating the firmware."

OK, so they recommend a reset. Big deal! They upgrade thousands of their routers via automatic upgrade which never get reset and reconfigured and those routers work perfectly well. So, their recommendation is a bunch of hot air and you, deep in your heart, know that. It is the real world and not one that is micro managed by a dedicated technician or knowledgeable hobbyist.

 

[Tech9]

I know that for sure and was always wondering why Asus recommends factory reset after firmware upgrade and Auto firmware upgrade enabled at the same time. It doesn't make sense at all.

When factory reset is in the changelog though - better do it. Not sure how important is for devices in AP Mode, but for Router Mode perhaps Asus knows best what is the right upgrade procedure.

 

[tiomiguel]

OK, so they recommend a reset. Big deal! They upgrade thousands of their routers via automatic upgrade which never get reset and reconfigured and those routers work perfectly well. So, their recommendation is a bunch of hot air and you, deep in your heart, know that. It is the real world and not one that is micro managed by a dedicated technician or knowledgeable hobbyist.

I think doing a reboot is enough

 

[tiomiguel]

Perhaps now I have a doubt.

As my two RT-AX57 working in AP mode -never will use AIMESH due to channel overlap- They are wire connected to WAN PORT. If I perform a reset in any of these, I shall not be able to access it after reset, because are wired to WAN PORT.
Perhaps if wired to a LAN port, LAN access will be avaible after reset, so, Is better wired to the LAN or the WAN port????

 

[bbunge]

Perhaps now I have a doubt.

As my two RT-AX57 working in AP mode -never will use AIMESH due to channel overlap- They are wire connected to WAN PORT. If I perform a reset in any of these, I shall not be able to access it after reset, because are wired to WAN PORT.
Perhaps if wired to a LAN port, LAN access will be avaible after reset, so, Is better wired to the LAN or the WAN port????

There is a very good reason for you not doing a factory reset of the AP's. When you do a factory reset the router will be set back into router mode (yes, you will loose AP mode!) With the Ethernet connected to the WAN port you will not be able to manage the router to set it to AP mode. With the Ethernet connected to a LAN port you will have conflicting DHCP servers, your main router and the reset AP which now is a router, too. Thus, you will not be able to configure the former AP back to an AP without connecting a computer to another LAN port and disconnecting the other Ethernet cable.

However, if you have the system set up for AiMesh you can reset an AiMesh node and connect it to the mesh after reset even if the Ethernet is connected to the node WAN port. You may want to give this a try. AiMesh does work...

 

[Tech9]

Perhaps now I have a doubt.

Just update the firmware and reboot. Or if everything is working properly at the moment simply do nothing since there is no routing on an AP. Whatever makes you happy. If you reset the routers you'll need physical access to restore the AP Mode. Using LAN port is not a solution because the routers will start in Router mode after reset with the same LAN IP address and you'll end up with 3x DHCP servers on your network. It will disturb the entire network and you won't be able to get to the individual device setup screen anyway.

 

[tiomiguel]

There is a very good reason for you not doing a factory reset of the AP's. When you do a factory reset the router will be set back into router mode (yes, you will loose AP mode!) With the Ethernet connected to the WAN port you will not be able to manage the router to set it to AP mode. With the Ethernet connected to a LAN port you will have conflicting DHCP servers, your main router and the reset AP which now is a router, too. Thus, you will not be able to configure the former AP back to an AP without connecting a computer to another LAN port and disconnecting the other Ethernet cable.

However, if you have the system set up for AiMesh you can reset an AiMesh node and connect it to the mesh after reset even if the Ethernet is connected to the node WAN port. You may want to give this a try. AiMesh does work...

AImesh has a very big problem: All devices work in the same channel. IAmesh sould work in different channels for not overlapping. Trasnsition between nodes can be done in different channels. I think this option should be avaible

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

If I perform a reset in any of these, I shall not be able to access it after reset, because are wired to WAN PORT.

Won't you be able to access it via one of its wireless radios (default SSIDs/password of course)

 

[Tech9]

AImesh has a very big problem

First - AiMesh, no AI there. Second - none of the consumer mesh systems offer such control. They are all made for convenience with auto fail back to wireless if wired backhaul is unavailable. None of them was made to scale above specific number of nodes, pods, satellites, etc. so reusing of wireless channel is acceptable for convenience. If you have above consumer products requirements you perhaps have to look at more business application oriented hardware vendors. You can do there whatever you want with every AP.

 

[Tech9]

Won't you be able to access it via one of its wireless radios (default SSIDs/password of course)

Possible solution and there is no default password. Initial setup SSIDs are open. Current WAN port connection is actually better in this case. It will prevent unwanted initial same LAN IP and multiple DHCP servers on the network. AP Mode setup after is 1min configuration.

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

there is no default password. Initial setup SSIDs are open.

You may be correct, but my RT-AX86U_Pro has the default password printed on its label (and in nvram setting 'wifi_psk').

 

[laxfunctor]

factory reset didn't work for me, went through the steps a few times. reconnect to the aimesh and still no clients connect to it.

 

[laxfunctor]

Okay, I was never able to get the most recent firmware version to work. For whatever reason, the user interface also disallowed me from uploading an older firmware version.
The fix, however, was surprisingly "simple."
I performed a soft reset on my AX57 router. Then, I set it up as a new network, not as an AiMesh node or in Access Point (AP) mode. From that fresh setup, I was able to downgrade the firmware. I then reset the router again, which allowed me to reconnect it to my AiMesh system.
I have also disabled the automatic firmware upgrade feature.