ExtremeFiretop
Senior Member
Hello SNB Community,
We're pleased to introduce an exciting new add-on for Asuswrt-Merlin: MerlinAU (Merlin AutoUpdate).
This tool is designed to streamline and automate firmware updates, making your router maintenance simpler and smoother than ever.
What's MerlinAU All About?
MerlinAU is a sophisticated and comprehensive script designed for Asus routers running Asuswrt-Merlin firmware.
It's a collaborative effort by @ExtremeFiretop (myself) and @Martinski W. It offers an extensive range of features:
What update mechanism does MerlinAU use to Auto-Update?
MerlinAU actually implements a curl update mechanism. Curl can simulate almost all behaviors of the browser through get/post.
While hnd-write is unsafe and unpredictable, we instead use curl to simulate a browser for the router to upload the firmware through it's own GUI, which is the safest way. As discussed on the forums in length here.
Essentially the router logins to it's own WebUI like a person does, and uploads the firmware through the WebUI.
Doing this insures that the firmware checks done by the router when uploading a firmware via the webUI are not skipped, and the router can follow it's regular update process from there.
This has been tested extensively on the following devices since 388.4:
Most AC models are end-of-life and have not received updates in several years.
How to Get MerlinAU
(Edit: Feburary 3rd 2024) - NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH AMTM!
Many thanks to @thelonelycoder for including us in the AMTM family!
MerlinAU is also available for download on our GitHub repository here.
Installation and update information are provided on the same github page.
For any questions please visit our FAQ on Github here
PLEASE READ ALL THE DETAILS AND BACKUP BEFORE STARTING!
Post-Update Notes for MerlinAU Users
Again for any additional questions the FAQ was moved to Github here: https://github.com/ExtremeFiretop/MerlinAutoUpdate-Router/wiki
We're eager to hear your feedback and experiences with MerlinAU. Your suggestions and comments are invaluable in making MerlinAU even better!
MerlinAU is available under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPL-3.0).
Thank you, and enjoy a hassle-free firmware updating experience with MerlinAU!
We're pleased to introduce an exciting new add-on for Asuswrt-Merlin: MerlinAU (Merlin AutoUpdate).
This tool is designed to streamline and automate firmware updates, making your router maintenance simpler and smoother than ever.
What's MerlinAU All About?
MerlinAU is a sophisticated and comprehensive script designed for Asus routers running Asuswrt-Merlin firmware.
It's a collaborative effort by @ExtremeFiretop (myself) and @Martinski W. It offers an extensive range of features:
- Automatic router model detection and Automatic update detection.
- Automatically install updates to your router with the latest firmware from the Asuswrt-Merlin repository.
- Logic to manage cron jobs for automated firmware update checks.
- Notifications for new MerlinAU updates and download the latest version of MerlinAU
- User configurable wait periods. Wait for a set duration after a new firmware release.
- Easy Enable/Disable: A menu switch for automatic update checking.
- Easy Uninstall: A routine to cleanly uninstall MerlinAU, removing all related files and settings.
- Logging and Cleanup: MerlinAU maintains logs for its operations and includes functions for cleanup tasks.
- Blinking LEDs: A visual indicator before starting the firmware update.
- Changelog verification check: Checks the changelogs for very obvious red flags and prompts for approval.
- Checks RAM usage: Functions to check and manage available memory for firmware update operations.
- Compatible with ROG and non-ROG routers; select ROG or Pure Build for ROG routers.
- Backup the new firmware version to the USB drive. (If USB is selected for storage)
- Email notifications if you configured email options in AMTM.
- Automatic backup with BACKUPMON if installed.
- Allow or Block Alpha/Beta upgrades to Production versions of the same cycle. (388.6.alpha1 or 388.6.beta1 --> 388.6.0)
- Automatically stops all Entware services before the flash if running.
- Automatically stops diversion if installed and running before the flash.
- Unmounts any physically attached storage via USB as the last step before the flash.
- AiMesh Node Update Check from Primary Router. (No Flashing from Primary, MerlinAU needs to be on each node for flashing)
What update mechanism does MerlinAU use to Auto-Update?
MerlinAU actually implements a curl update mechanism. Curl can simulate almost all behaviors of the browser through get/post.
While hnd-write is unsafe and unpredictable, we instead use curl to simulate a browser for the router to upload the firmware through it's own GUI, which is the safest way. As discussed on the forums in length here.
Essentially the router logins to it's own WebUI like a person does, and uploads the firmware through the WebUI.
Doing this insures that the firmware checks done by the router when uploading a firmware via the webUI are not skipped, and the router can follow it's regular update process from there.
This has been tested extensively on the following devices since 388.4:
- GT-AX6000 (Tested)
- GT-AX11000 (Tested)
- GT-AXE11000 (Tested)
- GT-AX11000_PRO (Tested)
- RT-AX88U_PRO (Tested)
- RT-AX88U (Tested)
- RT-AC86U (Tested)
- RT-AX86U (Tested)
- RT-AX86U_PRO (Tested)
- RT-AX86S (Tested)
- RT-AX58U (Tested)
- XT12 (Tested)
UNSUPPORTED MODELS: (Single image models) - i.e. Any model that uses a .trx file
Blocked due to being a single image model, as well as low RAM/ROM spaceMost AC models are end-of-life and have not received updates in several years.
- RT-AC87U (Blocked)
- RT-AC56U (Blocked)
- RT-AC66U (Blocked)
- RT-AC3200 (Blocked)
- RT-N66U (Blocked)
- RT-AC88U (Blocked)
- RT-AC5300 (Blocked)
- RT-AC3100 (Blocked)
- RT-AC68U (Blocked)
- RT-AC66U_B1 (Blocked)
- RT-AC1900 (Blocked)
How to Get MerlinAU
(Edit: Feburary 3rd 2024) - NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH AMTM!
Many thanks to @thelonelycoder for including us in the AMTM family!
MerlinAU is also available for download on our GitHub repository here.
Installation and update information are provided on the same github page.
For any questions please visit our FAQ on Github here
PLEASE READ ALL THE DETAILS AND BACKUP BEFORE STARTING!
Post-Update Notes for MerlinAU Users
- Confirm your entered crons with Crontab.guru here: https://crontab.guru/ and review the below FAQ questions in the second post.
- After installing or updating MerlinAU, it's recommended to review the new settings and adjust them as per your preference.
- If using a USB drive for firmware storage, ensure it's properly connected and mounted.
Again for any additional questions the FAQ was moved to Github here: https://github.com/ExtremeFiretop/MerlinAutoUpdate-Router/wiki
We're eager to hear your feedback and experiences with MerlinAU. Your suggestions and comments are invaluable in making MerlinAU even better!
MerlinAU is available under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPL-3.0).
Thank you, and enjoy a hassle-free firmware updating experience with MerlinAU!
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