Help - updating gnuton firmware on Asus XT 8 (RT-AX95Q), ver 1 hardware

[calamity]

Hi - I have XT8, version 1 - one router, one mesh node. Back in 2023, I flashed the firmware from stock Asus to Gnuton, using RT-AX95Q_3004_388.4_0-gnuton1_puresqubi.w . I have not updated the firmware since then.

I would like to update now. Is RT-AX95Q_3004_388.8_2-gnuton1_puresqubi.w the file to use?

And I'm confused about the steps to take, and would appreciate help. If possible, please be as step-wise and specific as possible, and assume I know nothing. (I remember almost nothing of what I did the first time.) Please include steps for flashing both the router and the node, and any preliminary backup steps. Like, do I have to reset the router to factory defaults first, if I'm updating from one Gnuton version to another? Is there any point to trying to save my current settings? (I read that you should not restore settings from a different firmware version.) There are SO many settings, and I have very little idea of what most of them are.

Also, I seem to have some wifi problems. I have almost no cell signal strength at home, and need to use wifi calling, but lately, calls have been dropping. I read in the FAQ that the wireless driver comes from Asus. Does that mean I would have to reset to factory defaults, update the Asus firmware, and then re-install Gnuton??

Thanks so very much!

 

[Katana1074]

Hi - I have XT8, version 1 - one router, one mesh node. Back in 2023, I flashed the firmware from stock Asus to Gnuton, using RT-AX95Q_3004_388.4_0-gnuton1_puresqubi.w . I have not updated the firmware since then.

I would like to update now. Is RT-AX95Q_3004_388.8_2-gnuton1_puresqubi.w the file to use?

And I'm confused about the steps to take, and would appreciate help. If possible, please be as step-wise and specific as possible, and assume I know nothing. (I remember almost nothing of what I did the first time.) Please include steps for flashing both the router and the node, and any preliminary backup steps. Like, do I have to reset the router to factory defaults first, if I'm updating from one Gnuton version to another? Is there any point to trying to save my current settings? (I read that you should not restore settings from a different firmware version.) There are SO many settings, and I have very little idea of what most of them are.

Also, I seem to have some wifi problems. I have almost no cell signal strength at home, and need to use wifi calling, but lately, calls have been dropping. I read in the FAQ that the wireless driver comes from Asus. Does that mean I would have to reset to factory defaults, update the Asus firmware, and then re-install Gnuton??

Thanks so very much!

latest firmware for XT8, https://github.com/gnuton/asuswrt-m...on2/RT-AX95Q_3004_388.9_2-gnuton2_puresqubi.w

would be the file to use, you do not have to backup nor reset, prior to flashing a new firmware, I wouldn't recommend restoring a backup from older firmware as this can lead to issues, as to your wifi issues, this would likely not change regardless of what firmware you flash,

however this could be looked at (I use a simple android app to scan for networks) after you flash to the latest firmware....

 

[calamity]

Thank you!

 

[calamity]

I wanted to update the FW on the node first, so that, just in case something goes wrong, I can still access the internet. But I don’t know how to get the gnuton file, which I downloaded to my computer, to node.

If I click the node’s Manual FW update upload button, that seems to take me to Asus’ website instead of letting me browse files on my computer - I see this:

(And I’ve been scared to click the green upload button, because I don’t want to upload stock Asus FW.)

Whereas, if hit the upload button for the router, it lets me select files from my computer, so that I can get to the downloaded gnuton file.

Can someone please tell me how I can upload the gnuton file to the node? Thank you!

(Note: Since I am currently running 388.4, I have to manually update to 388.8 (at least) before I can install the MerlinAU add-on.)

 

[jksmurf]

I wanted to update the FW on the node first, so that, just in case something goes wrong, I can still access the internet. But I don’t know how to get the gnuton file, which I downloaded to my computer, to node.

If I click the node’s Manual FW update upload button, that seems to take me to Asus’ website instead of letting me browse files on my computer - I see this:
View attachment 68066
(And I’ve been scared to click the green upload button, because I don’t want to upload stock Asus FW.)

Whereas, if hit the upload button for the router, it lets me select files from my computer, so that I can get to the downloaded gnuton file.

Can someone please tell me how I can upload the gnuton file to the node? Thank you!

(Note: Since I am currently running 388.4, I have to manually update to 388.8 (at least) before I can install the MerlinAU add-on.)

It's just the same, click, login, navigate to and select the EXTRACTED file, away you go.

 

[calamity]

So, just to confirm, I DO click the green Upload button, and that just lets me browse my computer files to where I've downloaded the gnuton file? It won't upload Asus stuff into my node?

Thanks for the very speedy reply!

 

[jksmurf]

So, just to confirm, I DO click the green Upload button, and that just lets me browse my computer files to where I've downloaded the gnuton file? It won't upload Asus stuff into my node?

Thanks for the very speedy reply!

Yes. You choose where you want the file uploaded from and which file ... assuming of course it is the correct one, for your exact model...

 

[calamity]

Thanks for the help! The FW upgrade went smoothly. Now, I’m struggling with my DNS settings, so I’ll go start a new thread.