GT-Be 98 European Version. We need more Merlin-Gnuton :)

[Ouss23]

here we are https://github.com/gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases/tag/3006.102.6_0-gnuton0_alpha1
@GNUton thanks

 

[Sundraw]

I updated directly from the previous GT-BE98_3006_102.4_1-gnuton1 to alpha2 and the router loses connection. Even if I do a hard reset and import the configuration. The problem only occurs when I have DNS Director active; I can't browse.

 

[bennor]

I updated directly from the previous GT-BE98_3006_102.4_1-gnuton1 to alpha2 and the router loses connection. Even if I do a hard reset and import the configuration. The problem only occurs when I have DNS Director active; I can't browse.

The DNS Director thing might be due to the change RMerlin made a few Asus-Merlin versions back, since GNUton is based generally on the Asus-Merlin firmware.

- CHANGED: Setting DNS Director to "Router" will now always
redirect to the router's own IP. Previously it
would redirect to the first DNS server configured
on the DHCP page (which defaults to the router
itself).
If you need DNS Director to redirect to an IP
configured in your DHCP settings, use a Custom DNS
entry in DNS Director. This makes it more consistant
with what the name implies, and was also necessary
for improved Guest Network support.

 

[Sundraw]

The DNS Director thing might be due to the change RMerlin made a few Asus-Merlin versions back, since GNUton is based generally on the Asus-Merlin firmware.

I did not set the DNS to “router” but to “user defined” pointing to the Pi-hole IP on my NAS.

 

[Thermaltake]

Latest update is currently on 3006.102.4_1-gnuton1 released on June 11, 2025 for GT-BE98.

Releases · gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng

Extends the support of Merlin firmware to more ASUS routers - gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng

github.com

Ok my bad.

But still always in alpha or beta, they are not final stable versions. When i had AX88U and all other Asus routers and merlin FW on them, they were always stable as rock with final versions.

 

[raven-au]

Ok my bad.

But still always in alpha or beta, they are not final stable versions. When i had AX88U and all other Asus routers and merlin FW on them, they were always stable as rock with final versions.

Except that 3006.102.4_1-gnuton1 is not a beta or alpha.

One sure way to end up with no more support and Merlin based firmware for these devices (that Merlin himself cannot maintain because of where he lives) is to complain about the development effort.
From a developer POV one of the great things about open source (that you are not paid to do) is if anyone annoys you or complains you can can simply ignore them knowing they have no clue about how much effort goes into this and don't appreciate that some people actually have a life as well.
So if you don't like the firmware release cycle for this firmware then don't use it!

 

[Thermaltake]

Except that 3006.102.4_1-gnuton1 is not a beta or alpha.

One sure way to end up with no more support and Merlin based firmware for these devices (that Merlin himself cannot maintain because of where he lives) is to complain about the development effort.
From a developer POV one of the great things about open source (that you are not paid to do) is if anyone annoys you or complains you can can simply ignore them knowing they have no clue about how much effort goes into this and don't appreciate that some people actually have a life as well.
So if you don't like the firmware release cycle for this firmware then don't use it!

I agree with you completely. Anyone who doesn't appreciate it, don't use it.

 

[Sundraw]

Except that 3006.102.4_1-gnuton1 is not a beta or alpha.

One sure way to end up with no more support and Merlin based firmware for these devices (that Merlin himself cannot maintain because of where he lives) is to complain about the development effort.
From a developer POV one of the great things about open source (that you are not paid to do) is if anyone annoys you or complains you can can simply ignore them knowing they have no clue about how much effort goes into this and don't appreciate that some people actually have a life as well.
So if you don't like the firmware release cycle for this firmware then don't use it!

It's too easy and superficial to blame users who childishly criticize release expectations. The real question is: how many people in the future will buy any product whose custom firmware is released four months after the main version and with a few additional bugs? I am Italian and I admire the work done by Merlin and Gnuton... but let's stop clutching at straws... We all have a private life, but some carelessness is obvious. Branch 3004 is released at lightning speed. 3006 is a pregnancy...

 

[Zamula]

It's too easy and superficial to blame users who childishly criticize release expectations. The real question is: how many people in the future will buy any product whose custom firmware is released four months after the main version and with a few additional bugs? I am Italian and I admire the work done by Merlin and Gnuton... but let's stop clutching at straws... We all have a private life, but some carelessness is obvious. Branch 3004 is released at lightning speed. 3006 is a pregnancy...

I do not understand this attitude. Merlin and other custom firmware developers have absolutely no obligation to do anything at all, and certainly not on anyone else's desired schedule.

They do this out of generosity and it is completely on their own free time. To call something "careless" and complain about the timetable is extremely entitled and shows a lack of gratitude.

If you buy a device just because you feel the 3rd party firmware is essential, that is your own choice. You are owed nothing. If having timely custom firmware is such an important requirement, it's probably wise to choose a different vendor and device.

 

[bennor]

It's too easy and superficial to blame users who childishly criticize release expectations. The real question is: how many people in the future will buy any product whose custom firmware is released four months after the main version and with a few additional bugs? I am Italian and I admire the work done by Merlin and Gnuton... but let's stop clutching at straws... We all have a private life, but some carelessness is obvious. Branch 3004 is released at lightning speed. 3006 is a pregnancy...

Not sure if something is getting lost in translation, but am I reading this right that you are complaining about the Asus-Merlin/GNuton firmware not being released fast enough? That you feel it is "carelessness" that developers are not releasing their free firmware fast enough? Wow, just.... wow.

 

[Tech9]

some carelessness is obvious

You've got a car with known engine defect (bwdpi). It will very likely remain broken for the life of the product. It's a manufacturing defect our local mechanics can't fix. Would you buy another product from the same manufacturer in first place?

 

[Sundraw]

It's clear that many people choose this type of router solely to benefit from Merlin support, and they don't do so occasionally. It's just that every time, someone repeats the same old mantra. I also think that discussing this is simply a compliment to such excellent modders. I think that if the official Merlin (not the Gnuton versions) were released several months later, no one would ever complain. Right?

 

[Tech9]

GNUton firmware relies on RMerlin development. The delay between the releases is expected. As I mentioned earlier, you knew your router will be supported by a single person. There is absolutely nothing guaranteed since this person has his own life. In your case there is another person involved. Any one of the two dropping the development for whatever reason and you have no 3rd party firmware support. This happened before to quite popular 3rd party firmwares. There is nothing to complain about, it's a voluntary assumption of risk.

 

[bennor]

I think that if the official Merlin (not the Gnuton versions) were released several months later, no one would ever complain. Right?

Oh people have asked, questioned and a few have even complained when there was a gap between firmware releases, particularly with Asus dropping the updated 3006 firmware and when Asus-Merlin dropped it's 3006 firmware. But I don't recall anyone ever saying "some carelessness is obvious" about the developers because that firmware wasn't released when someone thought it should have been released.

It is not carelessness, RMerlin has repeatedly explained over the years how they receive the GLP firmware from Asus. At least once (possibly more) Asus has missed the dates they indicated to RMerlin that they would get the GPL's to him. For example last year:

I am still waiting for a global GPL update from Asus for 3006.102 (two previous provided ETAs were missed), so I decided to just go ahead and release firmwares for these two models by using temporary GPL releases.

From 2022:

Since they missed the previous ETAs/timetables I have absolutely no idea which model I will get and when I will get them.

And more on how he receives the firmware from Asus:

I get code directly from Asus, it's unrelated to what's released on their website. I have particular requirements that their developers need to meet when preparing the archives, like having the same code base for all models, which is rarely the case with their own firmware releases.

It depends. If you ask them for a GPL drop for a particular model, it will be for the same version that was used for that model's released firmware - which is what the GPL licensing requires them to do. The difference in my case is they build the tarballs for all models within a branch but all on the same version, so I don't need to maintain 20 parallel branches to handle 20 devices on 20 different codebase versions. Sometimes, that version will match a released firmware. Sometimes it will be a newer snapshot, depending on the point in time where they prepare those archives. But in terms of content, yes, that is the same code that is available in regular GPL drops. Just it might be from a more recent git point.

At the end of the day, if one is unhappy with the release pace for Asus-Merlin and or GNuton, one is entirely free to roll their own firmware on their own schedule.

Source Code | Asuswrt-Merlin

www.asuswrt-merlin.net

Home

Third party firmware for Asus routers (newer codebase) - RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng

github.com

GitHub - gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng: Extends the support of Merlin firmware to more ASUS routers

Extends the support of Merlin firmware to more ASUS routers - gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng

github.com

Or download the Asus GPL's for one's router direct from Asus's support page (Drivers & Tools > Other > Source Code) for the router.

 

[bennor]

Gnuton 3004.388.10_2 now available

 

[BoostOver]

Gnuton 3004.388.10_2 now available

This post is for BE98

 

[bennor]

This post is for BE98

The discussion is also about slow GNuton firmware releases in general. There is new GNuton firmware, even if it isn't for the specific router mentioned (GT-Be 98 European Version)

 

[Ouss23]

be patient https://github.com/gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases/tag/3006.102.6_0-gnuton0_beta1 thanks @GNUton