New AC66 Firmware 3.0.0.4.376.3602--bug?

[bell2200]

New AC66 Firmware 3.0.0.4.376.3602--BUG!!!

As described in post #20 here (now reproduced in post #2 right below), there seem to be issues with 5 GHz in the most recent upgrade. There are only two control channel options that appear after the upgrade, Auto and 0.

 

[ddarko]

I'm the author of the post linked to by the OP of this thread and to avoid forcing people to go into another thread to read it, I'll reproduce it here with some edits:

There seems to be a very bad bug with firmware 3602. After I installed it, none of my devices could detect the SSID name assigned to the 5ghz network. The LED light on the router and the firmware itself indicated the 5ghz was operating but the network couldn't be seen and nothing I tried could get it to broadcast. Then I noticed that the control channel setting for the 5ghz network had only two options - Auto and 0. Channel 0 shouldn't even be an option in the USA and none of the channels that should be there (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161 and 165) were listed in the dropdown menu. I reinstalled older firmware, starting with 5517 and that restored the other 5ghz channels. I installed all the Asus official firmware from 5517 up to and including 2524 and confirmed all of them correctly broadcast all the 5ghz channels. After I got the 5ghz channels back and to test if I could reproduce the problem, I upgraded again to the new 3602 firmware and sure enough, all the 5ghz control channels disappeared - only Auto and 0 were available. I tested upgrading to 3602 from different base firmwares - from 2524, from Merlin's latest firmware 3.0.0.4.376.48_1 and from older official Asus firmware. Each time 3602 was installed, the 5ghz channels are borked.

I am avoiding firmware 3602 until this bug is fixed.

 

[bell2200]

Thanks, ddarko. I figured we should have a new and separate thread for 3602.

 

[bell2200]

I just received two replies from Asus tech. support. They are acknowledging the error in v.3602 and suggesting a downgrade to v.2525. That version, as we know, is seriously flawed as well. I suggest v.1123.

 

[ddarko]

I got an email from Asus too:

Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service.

I really apologize for all the inconvenience caused to you.

I understand that the latest firmware version 3.0.0.4.376.3602 is having bug, which completely changes the 5Ghz settings. Please downgrade the firmware version to 3.0.0.4.376.2524 to fix this issue. We will let you know once the bug fixed as soon as possible.

If any other questions arise, please feel free to contact us at any time.


Thank you very much.
Raja R

Customer Service Center.
ASUSTek Computer Inc.

 

[bell2200]

Yup-- same email that I received. Note that he acknowledges only that it affects the GUI and suggests the flawed v.2524. I received a second email stating that the problems are recognized and have been escalated.

BTW-- notice this at the bottom of those emails:

All statements, written, illustrated -graphics or any type of content/information present within these emails (s) are considered "off the record"/ confidential and not for publication. All information contained is direct privileged communication between the sender and recipient.
This content cannot be posted, used, copied or replicated in any way without direct consent from the sender.

 

[ddarko]

BTW-- notice this at the bottom of those emails:

All statements, written, illustrated -graphics or any type of content/information present within these emails (s) are considered "off the record"/ confidential and not for publication. All information contained is direct privileged communication between the sender and recipient.
This content cannot be posted, used, copied or replicated in any way without direct consent from the sender.

Thanks but those legends are completely meaningless and free to ignore. Don't let the legalese plant the suggestion that there's some validity to them (I am an attorney and I write stuff like that for a living). If you're interested, there was a decent writeup on the topic by the American Bar Association here. Unless you're 10-years-old and in a secret treehouse society, no one can make you keep a secret by telling you have to keep the secret. Things may be a little different for lawyers receiving certain types of communications where the rules and codes of professional conduct may kick in but those are special circumstances that are certainly not triggered by a tech support email.

Oh and bell2200, might be worth revising the title of the thread to remove the question mark and indicate the bug has been confirmed by Asus.

 

[bell2200]

Yes, thanks-- was just asking if you noticed that message. I thought it was amusing that they're saying that any admissions are "off the record." Thanks for the link.

Title edited!