MerlinAU MerlinAU v1.1.2 - The Ultimate Firmware Auto-Updater (Now available in AMTM)

[ExtremeFiretop]

You can rest assured that 9 nodes is the "hard" limit. I don't know if there is away around the 9 node hard limit (maybe @RMerlin knows if there is a way to cheat the system).

View attachment 57581

There is I've seen it before. Let me see if I can dig up the info, I'll PM it though since it's unrelated to MerlinAU
Edit this is what I had seen:

AiMesh Router Node Maximum

Hi, Sorry if this has been posted before but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. As you may know there's a hard limit of 9 nodes in an Asus AiMesh network. Adding any more gives the error "The limit on the number of AiMesh nodes is 9. Currently your system has reached the maximum". Today I...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Diablo99]

I have a RT-AX86U with lastest Merlin fw, without SSH or any scripts / add-ons enabled.
What a the steps to try this script?

 

[L&LD]

Post 1 is a good place to start.

 

[Diablo99]

OKay, post 1 I try after reading.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

OKay, post 1 I try after reading.

And if you have any questions, please check post #2.

 

[Diablo99]

Just a question, should I disable ssh after installing successful scripts in router?

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

Just a question, should I disable ssh after installing successful scripts in router?

No need to disable, keep SSH enabled, but selected with "LAN only" access and your fine.

Edit: Enjoy MerlinAU!

 

[Diablo99]

Post 1 is a good place to start.

amtm step-by-step install guide - L&LD

This helps a Lot, Snbforums & Google also .

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

MerlinAU Version 1.1.0 released.

What's Changed/Fixed?:

PR: #179
Include AiMesh Node Versions. Long discussed, long asked. I broke some brain cells over this one.
No it does not flash the nodes from the primary, it does however check any AiMesh nodes for updates and sends a summery email for any updates available.. You still need MerlinAU for each node you wish to auto-update.
Meaning you can disable email notifications on each node, and only get one email from the primary instead of one per node.
AiMesh Nodes menu will be disabled on anything but the primary router.

PR: #183
Improvements for better estimation of "Available RAM", we identified the current method was too conservative, we now have an improved estimation. (Thanks @Martinski4GitHub)!

PR:#184
Fixes & code improvements for new AiMesh Nodes feature (Thanks @Martinski4GitHub)!

PR:#187
Code improvements to minimize the number of NVRAM calls (Thanks @Martinski4GitHub)!

Tightening up some code & general code improvements with PRs in-between.
As always, we highly recommend you update whenever possible. Enjoy the new release!

Significant screenshots:

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

FYI. I ran out of room in the second post for my FAQ. Whoops.

I'll likely have to create a Github Wiki and move it there, maybe link to it from the second post.
More work to be done.

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

MerlinAU Version 1.1.1 released.

What's Changed/Fixed?:

PR: #191
Disabling Email Notifications for "Available Updates" from Node since the primary now handles these updates notifications for the nodes.
Even if users want notifications enabled on the node for flashing, unzip errors, etc., they shouldn't be receiving the update available notifications from that device since it's now summarized at the primary.

PR: #192
Fixed "Copy&Paste" for Password Input. Fixed a bug where a "Copy&Paste" user input for password does not update the length counter. (Thanks @Martinski4GitHub)!

PR:#193
Improvements to avoid "$2" parameter errors being unset. I identified the root cause but Martinski fixed it so as always! Thanks @Martinski4GitHub!

PR:#194
Quick fix to resolve the Node Logs being populated multiple times every time the user interacts with the main menu.
Tested with success.

Tightening up some code & general code improvements with PRs in-between.
As always, we highly recommend you update whenever possible. Enjoy the new release!

Significant screenshots:
GUI and feature-set remains the same, only behind the scene bug fixes and improvements.

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

Will this script support RT-AX82U running gnuton anytime in the future?

For anyone curious about Gnuton, it's still a bit away, we had to submit a PR to Gnuton himself to resolve a small issue with his firmware update script:

Update merlin_webs_update.sh by ExtremeFiretop · Pull Request #571 · gnuton/asuswrt-merlin.ng

Allow Support for MerlinAU AMTM Addon. Currently the webs_update.sh script located on Gnuton firmware in the following directory /usr/sbin/webs_update.sh has errors which make it incompatible with ...

github.com

This means that Gnuton won't be officially supported until this fix is in the wild with the next Gnuton firmware release.
However with the help of @johndoe85

We have got a PoC (Proof of Concept) working on Gnuton found below:

More work and testing to be done, but ideally if you have a Gnuton router and would like to be apart of the testing group, please send me a PM.
Thanks!

 

[maghuro]

MerlinAU Version 1.1.1 released.

What's Changed/Fixed?:

PR: #191
Disabling Email Notifications for "Available Updates" from Node since the primary now handles these updates notifications for the nodes.
Even if users want notifications enabled on the node for flashing, unzip errors, etc., they shouldn't be receiving the update available notifications from that device since it's now summarized at the primary.

PR: #192
Fixed "Copy&Paste" for Password Input. Fixed a bug where a "Copy&Paste" user input for password does not update the length counter. (Thanks @Martinski4GitHub)!

PR:#193
Improvements to avoid "$2" parameter errors being unset. I identified the root cause but Martinski fixed it so as always! Thanks @Martinski4GitHub!

PR:#194
Quick fix to resolve the Node Logs being populated multiple times every time the user interacts with the main menu.
Tested with success.

Tightening up some code & general code improvements with PRs in-between.
As always, we highly recommend you update whenever possible. Enjoy the new release!

Significant screenshots:
GUI and feature-set remains the same, only behind the scene bug fixes and improvements.

Regarding PR 191:
On the nodes, if I disable FW update notification, I still receive errors/success notifications? Or do I have to set them enabled?


I don't clearly understand what the script does right now regarding update available/erros/success notifications... Can you clarify the scenarios?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

Regarding PR 191:
On the nodes, if I disable FW update notification, I still receive errors/success notifications? Or do I have to set them enabled?


I don't clearly understand what the script does right now regarding update available/erros/success notifications... Can you clarify the scenarios?

Thanks in advance.

Sure I can explain more in detail no problem. I was going to work on the Wiki next anyways lol.
Basically the situation is if you have a primary router and a node, both with MerlinAU running on them.

In such a situation, MerlinAU on the primary router, and MerlinAU on the node, would both send an email to advise that the *node* had an available update if one become available.
So for example if 388.7 came out tomorrow, the primary router would detect the node being outdated and send an email, and the node itself would detect an update available and send an email also. Doubling the emails.

So while we made the primary summarize all the nodes that need an update in a single email, for people to actually see a benefit of less spam in their inbox, we need to disable the update availability notifications at the nodes as well.
That's what PR 191 is about, we are force disabling update notification emails from the node, since the primary handles it now.

You do not need to actively "disable" email notifications on the node from the Advanced options, this was a change done in the logic of the code whether or not email notifications were enabled on the node.
If the node has email notifications enabled, it will still notify when it starts flashing, or if it runs into an issue, but it will never notify of an available update, only the primary/master router will handle those notifications in multi-node environment.
If email notifications are disabled at the node, it will never advise of anything at all.. In cases of flashing, failure, etc

 

[maghuro]

Sure I can explain more in detail no problem. I was going to work on the Wiki next anyways lol.
Basically the situation is if you have a primary router and a node, both with MerlinAU running on them.

In such a situation, MerlinAU on the primary router, and MerlinAU on the node, would both send an email to advise that the *node* had an available update if one become available.
So for example if 388.7 came out tomorrow, the primary router would detect the node being outdated and send an email, and the node itself would detect an update available and send an email also. Doubling the emails.

So while we made the primary summarize all the nodes that need an update in a single email, for people to actually see a benefit of less spam in their inbox, we need to disable the update availability notifications at the nodes as well.
That's what PR 191 is about, we are force disabling update notification emails from the node, since the primary handles it now.

You do not need to actively "disable" email notifications on the node from the Advanced options, this was a change done in the logic of the code whether or not email notifications were enabled on the node.
If the node has email notifications enabled, it will still notify when it starts flashing, or if it runs into an issue, but it will never notify of an available update, only the primary/master router will handle those notifications in multi-node environment.
If email notifications are disabled at the node, it will never advise of anything at all.. In cases of flashing, failure, etc

Perfect explanation my friend!!!

So I suggest, on nodes, change the menu name from "enable fw updates notification" to "enable success/failure notifications" or something similar.... Less confusing

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

Perfect explanation my friend!!!

So I suggest, on nodes, change the menu name from "enable fw updates notification" to "enable success/failure notifications" or something similar.... Less confusing

Yes, I see what you mean! it's no longer "update" notifications for the node per se, it's just... Generic Email Notifications lol!
I'll see what we can do about that for the 1.1.2 release

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

FAQ Updated and migrated to Github = Completed.
OP Updated = Completed.
Secondary Post Updated = Completed.

Please find the FAQ in the Github Wiki here: https://github.com/ExtremeFiretop/MerlinAutoUpdate-Router/wiki
And the secondary post will now be used for changelog history.

 

[jksmurf]

Just trying this out, fabulous work!

Quick Q, I’m on 3004.388.7 alpha 2 and beta 1 has just become available, but (1) FW check does not show it yet.

How long does it take for new FW to filter down to this script (asking in case I just need to be patient or whether I need to see what I might have set up incorrectly). I have a successful router login and default check settings.

I have enabled the beta firmware option but bit confused between that option and Q 16 in the wiki which suggests it does not update to beta versions? Question 7 touches briefly on Alpha but only in terms of priority, not whether Alpha to Beta update path is available in the script?

Or it does Beta to Release but not Alpha to Beta?

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

Hey @jksmurf

Check the FAQ out on beta releases. (Question 16)

Home

Merlin(A)uto(U)pdate is a Merlin router script which allows you to remotely identify a stable firmware update for an ASUS Merlin router, and automatically download and update via an unattended meth...

github.com

I think you misread this part:

Or it does Beta to Release but not Alpha to Beta?

It does "Beta to Release" not "Release to beta" It only goes one way.

Thanks!

 

[jksmurf]

Hey @jksmurf

Check the FAQ out on beta releases. (Question 16)

I did look at that but you are right, I misread it, my apologies!

Home

Merlin(A)uto(U)pdate is a Merlin router script which allows you to remotely identify a stable firmware update for an ASUS Merlin router, and automatically download and update via an unattended meth...

github.com

I think you misread this part:

Yep.

It does "Beta to Release" not "Release to beta" It only goes one way.

Thanks!

Got it; all good. Was sort of thinking by extension from Beta to Release, if it went one way it would also do Alpha to Beta, but Q16 rules that out as you rightly point out. No worries.