[Release] Asuswrt-Merlin 384.14 (and 384.13_2) are now available

[unclebuk]

You right, 20mhz it's better for 2.4 because the posibles interferences from other devices not just wifi routers, for the 5 with 80mhz you should be ok, test with 80 and 60, sometimes I get better speeds with 60

60, as in reference to 5g channel bandwidth at 60 MHz? Is there a 60 MHz setting available for 5g wireless?

 

[ech]

Yes, but a number of us are now seeing this (where we hadn't before) and don't have the supposed culprits of wan status testing enabled... when we upgraded from .13 to .14, where .13 didn't show this problem and .14 does.

I think I found what's causing it (well, the high level cause though not a specific patch)... in that on the .13 firmware, the wanduck daemon is running, while on the .14 firmware it isn't at all, and that's why the link_internet nvram setting hasn't been updated.

I compiled the current .15 alpha and noticed that that firmware does get wanduck started up and running and so the problem is gone there as well, or at least I haven't seen it there.

Here's .14:

admin@RT-AC68U-77D8:/tmp/home/root# nvram show|grep link_internet
size: 56686 bytes (8850 left)
link_internet=0
admin@RT-AC68U-77D8:/tmp/home/root# ps -w|grep wanduck
3531 admin 4492 S grep wanduck
admin@RT-AC68U-77D8:/tmp/home/root#

And here's my personally compiled .15 alpha:

admin@RT-AC68U-77D8:/tmp/home/root# nvram show|grep link_internet
size: 56699 bytes (8837 left)
link_internet=2
admin@RT-AC68U-77D8:/tmp/home/root# ps -w|grep wanduck
237 admin 5096 S /sbin/wanduck
2471 admin 944 D grep wanduck

So it appears there's something in the .14 firmware (at least on the rt-ac68u with certain config?) where something is causing wanduck not to be started and this causes the internet status to be left showing "disconnected" when it's actually working fine.

 

[box4m]

Is it ok to update from 384.12 directly to 384.14?
RT-AC86U with 384.12 at the moment

Because my post ended up being the last on page 18, i think its gonna be lost in the comments.
Can someone just answer this quickly?

merry xmas

 

[Adamm]

Because my post ended up being the last on page 18, i think its gonna be lost in the comments.
Can someone just answer this quickly?

merry xmas

The general answer is, give it a try. If you notice any strange undocumented issues, time for a fresh wipe.

 

[bits]

So it appears there's something in the .14 firmware (at least on the rt-ac68u with certain config?) where something is causing wanduck not to be started and this causes the internet status to be left showing "disconnected" when it's actually working fine.

I can confirm wanduck is not currently running on my rt-ac68u on .14 also.
Should wanduck always be running normally?

 

[Val D.]

Is it ok to update from 384.12 directly to 384.14?
RT-AC86U with 384.12 at the moment

Usual advice is to reset the router and start from scratch, but my advice to you is to stay on 384.12, if you don't use AiMesh. What I got with Asuswrt 81351 and Asuswrt-Merlin 384.14 on 3 different RT-AC86U routers is heavily spammed system log with debug information, errors about missing files, warnings, etc. (none of them is critical, just annoying to see) and reduced WiFi link rates, stability and throughput (could be my clients related, but no issues with previous firmware versions). In my experience Asuswrt 45717 is the best firmware released from ASUS for RT-AC86U and this is what 384.12 is based on.

Keep a backup of 384.12, install 384.14 on top, see what happens. If something goes wrong, reset the router, install 384.14 clean and see how it behaves. If you like it, keep 384.14, test for few days though. If you don't like it, reset the router, load back 384.12, restore your backup, wait for better firmware days. I decided to get rid of the router after Asuswrt 81351, can't do beta testing anymore.

 

[protoncek]

Usual advice is to reset the router and start from scratch...

Wait a minute... do you mean that each time i upgrade FW i would need to start from scratch? You must be kidding... that means each time spending a couple of hours just to set all things up - fixed IP's, vpn, wifi..... that's just... unthinkable...?

 

[Butterfly Bones]

Wait a minute... do you mean that each time i upgrade FW i would need to start from scratch? You must be kidding... that means each time spending a couple of hours just to set all things up - fixed IP's, vpn, wifi..... that's just... unthinkable...?

RMerlin recommendation FAQ (and more)
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/faq-nvram-and-factory-default-reset.22822/

When do I need to do a factory default reset?
The first rule is to check the changelog of the firmware you are about to flash. If for a particular reason this specific firmware release requires one, it will be mentionned.

Also, if jumping more than one revision, check the changelog of past release. If going from 376.40 to 376.45, and 376.43 required a factory default reset, then you must also do so with the 376.45 flash.

As a general rule, if you are jumping more than 2-3 revisions, it's often safer to do a factory default reset. If you want to try out without doing a factory default reset, go ahead and try it. But at the first sign of problem, be prepared to do one.

Here is a static DHCP Client list utility to do the bulk of lifting.
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/dhcp_staticlist-and-dhcp_hostnames-utility.58957/

 

[Val D.]

Wait a minute... do you mean that each time i upgrade FW i would need to start from scratch? You must be kidding... that means each time spending a couple of hours just to set all things up - fixed IP's, vpn, wifi..... that's just... unthinkable...?

This particular router wasted hours of my life in firmware upgrades, testing and monitoring. Once I fully setup my new network I'm going to perform the most satisfying totally destructive quick disassembly of RT-AC86U using a 5kg sledge hammer. May upload a short video of this last "firmware upgrade" process. No more reset and reboot required.

 

[protoncek]

I never, really never did a factory reset after FW upgrade (except first time when i bought a device) and i've been using Merlin FW since good old RT-AC66U years ago. I only did a factory reset when it was explicitly told that it's mandatory (major FW change). Always thing went fine, except this time, but Huawei problems are not related, since router is new, so i did a factory reset after first change from stock to Merlin.

BTW... thanks for DHCP script, it will sure come handy.
Merlin would have to comment on that one.

 

[CaptainSTX]

This particular router wasted hours of my life in firmware upgrades, testing and monitoring. Once I fully setup my new network I'm going to perform the most satisfying totally destructive quick disassembly of RT-AC86U using a 5kg sledge hammer. May upload a short video of this last "firmware upgrade" process. No more reset and reboot required.

Weren't you at one time a big proponent of this router so much so you recommended it to nine of your neighbors and relatives? What happened? The AC86 gremlins start to bite you or them in the butt?

You are correct that the AC86 doesn't carry forward the legacy of reliability of the ASUS N66 or AC68.

 

[podkaracz]

Is asus merlin firmware more secure than original firmware ? I want objective statement not bias.

 

[RMerlin]

Is asus merlin firmware more secure than original firmware ? I want objective statement not bias.

There is no correct answer to that question. Sometimes I fix security issues before Asus does, and sometimes Asus does before I do (since I have to wait on them releasing new GPL code and to spend time integrating it into my next release).

 

[podkaracz]

There is no correct answer to that question. Sometimes I fix security issues before Asus does, and sometimes Asus does before I do (since I have to wait on them releasing new GPL code and to spend time integrating it into my next release).

And what about 384.14 vs latest official relesase im not sure if i should upgrade or not and security is factor that will decide.

 

[Val D.]

Weren't you at one time a big proponent of this router so much so you recommended it to nine of your neighbors and relatives?

Indeed. None of them will auto update though, none of them is going to manually update, none of them has any fancy configuration and they are all relatively close to my location... so I'm good. People with >100... extremely happy customers with scripts and swap files on a cheap USB to think about it.

 

[Zonkd]

Is asus merlin firmware more secure than original firmware ? I want objective statement not bias.

Yes. Nuff said.

 

[FTC]

Is asus merlin firmware more secure than original firmware ? I want objective statement not bias.

Well, at first I would say that Merlin, based on the original firmware is *at least* as secure as the official, but it can in fact be configured to be much more secure, because it has more configuration flexibility and you can disable or use some features that potentially could imply security risks like, for instance, the asusnat tunnel, or using the Openvpn (vs default pptp vpn) , or the extended DNS security,... besides, Merlin tends to use much more newer versions of software like samba or others which incorporate newer security patches.

 

[Val D.]

I'm going to perform the most satisfying totally destructive quick disassembly of RT-AC86U using a 5kg sledge hammer.

Change of plan...

Someone else wants to play with my RT-AC86U. Full transfer price of CAD100 goes to @RMerlin.
Thank you, Eric! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Wishing you all the best in 2020!

 

[killer23d]

Change of plan...

Someone else wants to play with my RT-AC86U. Full transfer price of CAD100 goes to @RMerlin.
Thank you, Eric! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Wishing you all the best in 2020!

If it is working, then I will take it off from your hands. What do you think?

I spend a lot of time here, but rarely posts.

 

[Val D.]

What do you think?

Router gone, donation done. Please, continue with Asuswrt-Merlin 384.14 discussion. Happy Holidays to everyone!