Overclocking RT-AC56U

[morinzo]

Can I downgrade the rt-ac56r 1.0.2.3 cfe to the 56u 1.0.1.9 or 1.0.2.8 cfe?

 

[fedez16]

What is the version of cfe for Overclocking rt-ac56u?

 

[Gyte]

This's my experience, I've received my brand new European RT-AC56U with 1.0.2.6 (EU) bootloader some days ago.

I've installed the latest version of Merlin (3.0.0.4.378.50), enabled the SSH and connected to it.

I run the command nvram get clkfreq the reply was 800,666 (I didn't touch anything). I suppose to received the default 800,533 but it wasn't that.

Then I tried :
- nvram set clkfreq 800,800
- nvram commit
- nvram reboot

After the reboot again ssh and checked the frequency with the command nvram get clkfreq and the reply was 800,800

Then I tried :
- nvram set clkfreq 1000,800
- nvram commit
- nvram reboot

After the reboot again ssh and checked the frequency with the command nvram get clkfreq and the reply was 1000,800

then again I tried :
- nvram set clkfreq 1200,800
- nvram commit
- nvram reboot

after even that last reboot, without any problem I received from command nvram get clkfreq and the reply was 1200,800

Then I tried the command cat /proc/dmu/temperature and reply was Cpu temperature : 75 Celsius (from the UI I can see 2.4GHZ 50 Celsius and 5.0GHZ 54 Celsius)

Then I tried the command cat /proc/cpuinfo and the result was BogoMIPS : 2398,61 (original was 1600,00 or something like that).

I've read a lot of information regarding the locked CFE (I mean for the EU router), the problem with memory speed (533 normal, 666 reachable, 800 very difficult to reach) the CPU that run standard at 800 (even here 1000 reachable, 1200 difficult to reach) and mine was set to 1200,800 out of the box and without any problem (at least for now).

There's something that I'm missing or I'm just "luck"?

Please note that for now the router is in stand-by, this means is just on with a laptop connected directly for the SSH...I'll perform some test soon.

Regarding the CPU Temperature is safe 75 or is too high already?

Thanks for everybody...

P.S. Just for reference, if I tried to reset the router with the 30/30/30 method (WPS) button the standard value for at the reboot is 800,666 (CPU,Memory).

 

[dorinspeedy]

Please, post your EU CFE for others to try, thanks. Eventually in CFE thread.

 

[TeHashX]

I want to try it...

 

[DomFel]

There's something that I'm missing or I'm just "luck"?

Please note that for now the router is in stand-by, this means is just on with a laptop connected directly for the SSH...I'll perform some test soon.

Regarding the CPU Temperature is safe 75 or is too high already?

Nope, they have probably reached a safe production stage, overclocking the AC56U is now safe. I keep mine at 1100,666 and it's on 24/7 managing a pretty big home network (laptops, tablets, phones, wifi appliances, extenders, NAS...). I tried 1100,800 but after a couple of days WiFi wasn't working anymore. Had to switch it off, let it cool down a bit, and turn it on again. Since then, went back to 1100,666.

Please, post your EU CFE for others to try, thanks. Eventually in CFE thread.

It's already in the first page.

 

[octopus]

Please, post your EU CFE for others to try, thanks. Eventually in CFE thread.

Have you looked in this thread?
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=124489&postcount=1

 

[Gyte]

@ dorinspeedy - It's the same of the thread posted by octopus.

@ TeHashX - Give a try... For now the overclock was very very easy without touching the CFE.

@ octopus - Thanks!

@ Domfel - Thanks for sharing your information. As clearly stated in my post beofre, for now, the router is just on and overclocked so maybe under pressure something can "die" specially the wifi like yours.

I've forgot to share the hardware version, that's basically the last, 2.30 and now I've moved the router to the final destination and at the moment the standby temperature is 65 Celsius

Just for test purpose I would like to make the same overclock with the DDWRT firmware

Edit :
Nothing to do with DD-WRT v24-sp2 (02/04/15) - build 26138 that basically is the latest beta (at the present) build for the Asus RT-AC56U. After i put the router in 1200,800 / commit / reboot I got a bootloop... Only the 30/30/30 (WPS) reset procedure fix the problem restoring the classic clock freq...

 

[dorinspeedy]

What is the clock at defaults, mine with the same CFE defaults at 800,533. Now working at 1200,800 at 76C. With last Merlin.

 

[Gyte]

@ dorinspeedy - I've double checked right now with latest merlin. After a 30/30/30 reset the clock is 800,533 but after a little bit (I haven't check the time) the memory speed increase to 800,666 without any external action.

I've tried again the 1200,800 and it's still ok (again the router is only on without any wifi computer or something like that connected) only one computer for the ssh connection...

 

[L&LD]

Gyte, 30/30/30 reset does not work with Asus routers on RMerlin firmware.

 

[dorinspeedy]

Maybe: " mtd-erase2 nvram " (without "") from telnet or ssh then reset.

 

[DomFel]

Nothing to do with DD-WRT v24-sp2 (02/04/15) - build 26138 that basically is the latest beta (at the present) build for the Asus RT-AC56U. After i put the router in 1200,800 / commit / reboot I got a bootloop... Only the 30/30/30 (WPS) reset procedure fix the problem restoring the classic clock freq...

With DDWRT it will run about 6/7 degrees cooler. To overclock with the latest beta, save the nvram command as a startup command:
nvram set clkfreq=1200,800
under "commands" tab, click on save startup then reboot! Don't use the built-in overclocking option!!

 

[Gyte]

Gyte, 30/30/30 reset does not work with Asus routers on RMerlin firmware.

Very strange... I did that before restore the stock firmware (before upgrade to ddwrt for testing purpose) and from 1200,800 have been restore the default clock settings... Maybe I did something different

@ DomFel - I did it not from the overclock but from SSH... The router accept the new value (1200,800) but after nvram commit and reboot command, unfortunately, I got boot loop... So I did the 30/30/30 and restored the default settings and everything back to normal. In any case tomorrow I'll check with the procedure that you tell me Thanks!

Edit : DomFel it was an half success...I know this's the Merlin forum but with the DDWRT the 1200,800 doesn't work seems that 1200,666 is the right clock at least for the 04 Feb 2015 release... Again I've flashed the Merlin one and the router accept and doesn't bootloop at 1200,800...Seems that Merlin firmware win the price

In term of usage I know that's better 1200,800 vs 1200,666 but from daily point of view the overall performance comes from cpu speed or memory speed? Because if the CPU do the "tricks" I'll stick on 1200,666 otherwise 1000,800...

Let me know what you think

 

[fedez16]

I compared the RT-AC56U cfe version 1.0.2.3_eu and 1.0.2.6_eu and the only differences are these parameters :

0 pa2gw1a0=0x1b18
0 pa2gw2a0=0xfa47

0 pa2gw1a1=0x1a34
0 pa2gw2a1=0xfa24

does anyone know what they mean?

 

[DomFel]

In term of usage I know that's better 1200,800 vs 1200,666 but from daily point of view the overall performance comes from cpu speed or memory speed? Because if the CPU do the "tricks" I'll stick on 1200,666 otherwise 1000,800...

Let me know what you think

Dude, this is weird. Are you getting 2398 when you check the bogomips??? I get the same result running the router at 1100,800...
Uhm, or the bogomips calculation is wrong, or increasing the frequency above 1100 doesn't do much...

 

[TeHashX]

I compared the RT-AC56U cfe version 1.0.2.3_eu and 1.0.2.6_eu and the only differences are these parameters :

0 pa2gw1a0=0x1b18
0 pa2gw2a0=0xfa47

0 pa2gw1a1=0x1a34
0 pa2gw2a1=0xfa24

does anyone know what they mean?

I think this values enable overclocking

 

[john9527]

I compared the RT-AC56U cfe version 1.0.2.3_eu and 1.0.2.6_eu and the only differences are these parameters :

0 pa2gw1a0=0x1b18
0 pa2gw2a0=0xfa47

0 pa2gw1a1=0x1a34
0 pa2gw2a1=0xfa24

does anyone know what they mean?

Per the code, they are control registers for the 2.4GHz PA (Power Amp) for TX Chain 0 and TX Chain 1.

Now, what that really means, and if any one value is better, is completely another question

 

[fedez16]

But then, how is it that you can overclock with one and the other not?
cfe are identical.

 

[Larry]

The CFE's are not identical. Only the text inside then are identical. The hex code is different.