From Tomato to Merlin (or Merlin fork)

[chrisexv6]

Want to flash over to a more simpler firmware on my RT-N66U router.

Is it just a matter of using the Upgrade page in the Tomato GUI to flash the new firmware? Should I do a factory reset first (through the GUI) then do the Upgrade?

Thanks in advance.

-Chris

 

[martinr]

I'm confident it is as you say: the Upgrade page in the Tomato GUI, then point it to the downloaded Merlin firmware file and upgrade.

As to when to do the restore to factory default settings (factory reset), it is AFTERWARDS, for the reasons RMerlin outlines here:


http://www.snbforums.com/threads/faq-nvram-and-factory-default-reset.22822/

One user (at least) has recommended doing it before and afterwards:

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/asuswrt-merlin-378-50-is-out.22627/page-30#post-168959

However, I'd follow Merlin's advice and just do it afterwards. In the extremely unlikely event that you run into a problem you could always try the restore-upgrade-restore method. One thing's certain: after upgrading to Merlin, you won't want to revert back.

 

[tokyo_networking]

I prefer not to do a factory reset before changing the firmware, but I always do a reboot before flashing any firmware.

 

[martinr]

I prefer not to do a factory reset before changing the firmware, but I always do a reboot before flashing any firmware.

Sounds like excellent advice; both items through bitter experience or simply best practice?

 

[tokyo_networking]

Sounds like excellent advice; both items through bitter experience or simply best practice?

I know the router is properly running at the time I want to change the firmware; I don't want to introduce unknowns by reseting the configuration. Rebooting would clean memory and anything else which may be running. Just feels that it increases the chances of a successful firmware install. Fortunately, I never had any bad experience with firmware upgrades on the Asus (RT-AC66U and RT-AC66N).

 

[lepa71]

Are any of you did it this way? I would look at tomato fw forum and see if there are any advice.

 

[mstombs]

Most flavours of Tomatousb (and dd-wrt I recall) have a checkbox on new firmware load screen to "After flashing, erase all data in NVRAM memory". This ensures new firmware has a chance to start with a clean sheet. Tomato and Asuswrt use quite a few nvram names in common due to history, but they may now have slightly different use so important not to try to work with a dirty flash.

 

[chrisexv6]

Thanks everyone.

I went ahead and rebooted the router, then flashed the latest Merlin fork, using the Upgrade function in Tomato (along with checking the box to Erase NVRAM after upgrade complete) and everything is now up and running on the Merlin fork!

Thanks again.

-Chris