New FW: ASUS RT-N66U Firmware Version 3.0.0.4.372 (2013.07.16 update)

[WeekendWarrior]

All,

As just discovered this morning in the Netherlands, a new FW (?):

SUS RT-N66U Firmware Version 3.0.0.4.372
Fixed:
1. Fixed AiCloud vulnerability related bugs.
2. Underline "_" can now be acceptable in device name and computer name.
3. Hide Broadcast option in PPTP VPN server when it is disabled.
4. Fixed multicast IPTV related issues in PPPoE/PPTP/L2TP connection.
5 .Fixed parental control offset issue in IE.
6. Fixed 3G dongle related issue.
7. Hide ASUS DDNS description when selecting 3rd party service.
8. Fixed script error 'invalid argument on IE'
9. Fixed smart sync JS error
10. Fixed JST time zone issue.

Added:
1. Upgraded the wireless driver and supported 5GHz explicit Tx beamforming.
2. Disk scan feature. It is in external USB disk status tab in network map.
3. Support Sandisk Cruzer flash drive with both CD-ROM and flash disk interface.
4. Auto adjust time zone in internet setup wizard process.
5. PPTP VPN server status GUI
6. Recognized .rmvb files as video format in media server.
7. Show more detail information in USB application install process.

IPv6
1. Fixed PPP IPv6 global address retrieval
2. added DHCP-PD option
3. Added LAN DHCPv6 server
4. Added network status GUI.
5. Added option domain name if available

3G/4G dongles
1. Support Yota LTE dongle LU150
2. Support ZTE LTE dongle MF821
3. Support 3G dongle Q110

 

[GoNz0]

I installed it this morning, seems good so far. I cannot see any settings about the 5ghz beamform settings though, is it automatic?

 

[Bad Teddy]

I seem to recall Merlin or someone mentioning that there doesn't seem to be any actual settings available for beamforming, if it's actually working at all.

Also, if anyone who was having problems with the 5GHz frequency sees an improvement here, please post up. Fortunately I'm not on an Intel chip which seemed to be the most problematic ones, but nontheless my Atheros chip pretty much has halfway hated the new driver. I'm out of town at the moment so I can't load this up and check right now, but I'd love to know whether it's worth bothering at all.

 

[boxst]

For the first time since updating lots of different firmware, this actually appeared to brick the router.

Couldn't do anything. In the end I had to actually dig out the CD and use the firmware utility.

 

[dsring]

On the new .372 firmware, 5 GHz at 40 MHz is a no-go for me. Unstable with less signal strength. That is even with Asus' very own EA-N66. 2.4 GHz seems good though. Come on Asus you can do better than that. Even with all the documented problems with 5 GHz on the previous firmware, there are still problems with this release? I am back to Merlin's 3.0.0.4.372.30_2, and it is working very well for me.

 

[RogerSC]

On the new .372 firmware, 5 GHz at 40 MHz is a no-go for me. Unstable with less signal strength. That is even with Asus' very own EA-N66. 2.4 GHz seems good though. Come on Asus you can do better than that. Even with all the documented problems with 5 GHz on the previous firmware, there are still problems with this release? I am back to Merlin's 3.0.0.4.372.30_2, and it is working very well for me.

Same here, I'm back on 372.30_2 as well, after striking out with Asus's new .372 on 5GHz...what really surprises me is to hear that Asus apparently isn't testing even with their own wireless clients (EA-N66). If they're not doing even that much testing, to test with their own products, their level of testing must be really low. Disillusioning, to say the least.

 

[sm00thpapa]

I wonder if Asus even tests the 5 Ghz band before release. My Xbox 360 upstairs and Toshiba Blu-ray player upstairs connects fine to the 5 Ghz band but my Edimax EW-7733und does not. Went back to Asus .271.

 

[bluepoint]

I wonder if Asus even tests the 5 Ghz band before release.

I could not resist installing .372 which I was trying not to but in short, it appears this firmware are the same drivers as of .354/370 firmwares that's why the intel bug still exist. It's probably a release to fix AICloud security bug. Like as before my Broadcom chip 5GHz wireless client works with these drivers @40MHz.

eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 5.110.27.20012
eth2: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 5.110.27.20012

Added Link Scores from inSSIDer showing better links on both 2.4GHz/5GHz after 5 hours.

RT-N66U

 

[jlake]

Thus far (24 hours) I'm not experiencing the issues with 5Ghz that I did with .354 and .370.

Using Broadcom wireless adapters.

I'll have to give it a couple more days.

Make sure you remove your old wireless profiles from your computer.

 

[sm00thpapa]

After a factory restore it seems the 5 Ghz band is working flawlessly on all my devices. I'll give it a few more days and will post an update.

 

[Bad Teddy]

Hrm... seems like whether or not they actually fixed anything is up in the air. I'll be home tomorrow, and I'll go ahead and install it and see how it goes with my Atheros chip.

 

[RMerlin]

Hrm... seems like whether or not they actually fixed anything is up in the air. I'll be home tomorrow, and I'll go ahead and install it and see how it goes with my Atheros chip.

The core of the issue was specific to Intel Centrino devices.

 

[Bad Teddy]

The core of the issue was specific to Intel Centrino devices.

Yeah, it seemed like most of the people reporting problems were Intel users, but as myself and a few others pointed out, the new driver caused problems with more than just Intel chips. I'm not sure what specific Atheros chip my laptop uses, as it's branded as a Killer N1202, but the underlying architecture is Atheros. Regardless, the new driver is extremely unstable with my chip. So even if they only intended to fix the issue for Intel users, hopefully they accidentally fixed the driver for the rest of us as well.

I won't be too horribly upset if it's still broken, but it would be nice to have a fully functional 5GHz network before November (Xbox One release month). When I move my Xbox 360 to a non-HD TV, it'll be more or less irrelevant that it can't achieve full speed if I ultimately have to downgrade to .272.

 

[bluepoint]

If it will make a difference for you, this firmware has removed the "enhanced interference management" option for the 2.4GHz. So maybe .372 "EIM" is disabled, how it affects the 5GHz radio I don't know. I don't know if I'm hallucinating but the firmware feels snappier than the previous versions.

 

[RMerlin]

Yeah, it seemed like most of the people reporting problems were Intel users, but as myself and a few others pointed out, the new driver caused problems with more than just Intel chips. I'm not sure what specific Atheros chip my laptop uses, as it's branded as a Killer N1202, but the underlying architecture is Atheros. Regardless, the new driver is extremely unstable with my chip. So even if they only intended to fix the issue for Intel users, hopefully they accidentally fixed the driver for the rest of us as well.

I won't be too horribly upset if it's still broken, but it would be nice to have a fully functional 5GHz network before November (Xbox One release month). When I move my Xbox 360 to a non-HD TV, it'll be more or less irrelevant that it can't achieve full speed if I ultimately have to downgrade to .272.

I have a working solution since 372_30, as I managed to downgrade the wireless driver back to the SDK 5.100 version.

 

[Bad Teddy]

I have a working solution since 372_30, as I managed to downgrade the wireless driver back to the SDK 5.100 version.

Really? I thought I remembered reading that the Optimize for Xbox function doesn't actually work under that version though. Is that not accurate?

 

[sm00thpapa]

I haven't noticed anything with the Optimized for xbox on. With or without it my videos play fine. What exactly is it supposed to do?

 

[RMerlin]

Really? I thought I remembered reading that the Optimize for Xbox function doesn't actually work under that version though. Is that not accurate?

That's correct. I was only referring to having the 372 codebase with the 270 driver, so at least devices can connect.

 

[Bad Teddy]

I haven't noticed anything with the Optimized for xbox on. With or without it my videos play fine. What exactly is it supposed to do?

Effectively, the Xbox 360's maximum speed is severely crippled without the OfX option enabled. Assuming your internet connection is fast enough for it to be noticeable.

Simplest way to see the difference is with Netflix (outside of trying to find a good high-quality, high bitrate HD image to stream to the Xbox). Without OfX enabled, you can damn near guarantee that you'll never reach a speed that will allow Netflix to feed you an HD image. With it enabled, you should be getting close to, if not full, speeds to your Xbox 360 on your network, which allows you to achieve the "HD" signal strength in Netflix.

The issue many of us have had ultimately comes down to this:

We could use the newer driver and have the ability for the Xbox 360 to function properly BUT not have a stable 5GHz connection

-or-

We could use the older driver, have a stable 5GHz connection, but have the Xbox 360's speeds severely crippled.

I'm about to try out the newest FW in HOPES that my router will finally function properly on all fronts. I'll post back in a few days after testing it out.

 

[RMerlin]

@all: Expect a new RT-N66U update from Asus in the (very) near future.