RT-AC68U: ASUS Facebook Wifi Network.

[Adrian Knight]

Do you think we will see this feature return? and further more, have it replicated to AiMess nodes?

We purchased the RT-AC68U specifically for this feature and when the AiMess feature was introduced we went out and purchased a further 2x RT-AC68Us.

Having updated to the AiMess firmware we lost the Facebook Wifi Network feature, we then also found the AiMess was very buggy. I do not see it advertised that AiMess is in public beta and we are all being used as guinea pigs ...

We put a call into ASUSTeK Computer Inc. UK Support and was told we would receive a reply in 72 hours, this was over a week ago ...

We now have 2x cases of ASUS taking our money under false pretences. Both being the product is not fit for the intended purpose, it's not like we are asking for the routers to do something which was not advertised, we are fully aware of sales law and can use the CAG to force the retailer to give us a refund, but is it really the fault of the retailer that the manufacturer has withdrawn an advertised feature and an advertised feature does not fully work and intended.

BTW: This support FAQ is interesting reading:-

https://www.asus.com/uk/support/FAQ/1016297/

mainly the text written in red.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Do you think we will see this feature return? and further more, have it replicated to AiMess nodes?

We purchased the RT-AC68U specifically for this feature and when the AiMess feature was introduced we went out and purchased a further 2x RT-AC68Us.

Nope. The ASUS FAQ implies that Facebook policy has made it no longer possible for ASUS to include Facebook WiFi in their firmware.

Since you purchased the routers for Facebook WiFi, and you are not satisfied with AiMesh (also missing Smart Connect in an all-68U AiMesh), why not return the routers and get something more suitable for your needs.

OE

 

[Adrian Knight]

Nope. The ASUS FAQ implies that Facebook policy has made it no longer possible for ASUS to include Facebook WiFi in their firmware.

As I was told by ASUS support, the actual problem is that ASUS have not submitted the new firmware to Facebook for approval, this seems not to be a major task, but like I said I am still waiting for an official reply ...

why not return the routers and get something more suitable for your needs.

Currently thinking to downgrade the firmware back to FBW compatible (via recovery) and just use normal repeater mode with the same SSID over the networks.

It's looking very much like that will be the only way out, would you happen to have any recommendations?

 

[Grisu]

Do you think we will see this feature return? and further more, have it replicated to AiMess nodes?

We purchased the RT-AC68U specifically for this feature and when the AiMess feature was introduced we went out and purchased a further 2x RT-AC68Us.

Having updated to the AiMess firmware we lost the Facebook Wifi Network feature, we then also found the AiMess was very buggy. I do not see it advertised that AiMess is in public beta and we are all being used as guinea pigs ...

We put a call into ASUSTeK Computer Inc. UK Support and was told we would receive a reply in 72 hours, this was over a week ago ...

We now have 2x cases of ASUS taking our money under false pretences. Both being the product is not fit for the intended purpose, it's not like we are asking for the routers to do something which was not advertised, we are fully aware of sales law and can use the CAG to force the retailer to give us a refund, but is it really the fault of the retailer that the manufacturer has withdrawn an advertised feature and an advertised feature does not fully work and intended.

BTW: This support FAQ is interesting reading:-

https://www.asus.com/uk/support/FAQ/1016297/

mainly the text written in red.

What do you think why I bought a RT-AC68U for much money in 2013?

Because they advertised free lifetime asus DDNS!
This was the time when previous free DNS services changed to get payed, NO-IP is no help as you have to login every month to stay alive there, mail comes while holidays and must be unswered next 7 day, just unusable!

But Asus-DDNS has not been finished and they wrote what you still can read on their pages since 2012 - 6 year development: DDNS support with private IP is under development and coming soon!!!
AiCloud private IP support is still in development, you can also add to the router's IP router port forwarding or DMZ parent list, so will be able to access the private IP address from the remote.
https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1000939/

I still need this as our modems are not able to run bridge mode! And Asus-DDNS still NOT POSSIBLE with Double-NAT (private IP).

Exactly same case as yours only 5 years ago ..., thats why I am so frustrated!

Another reason has been their good coverage, but they changed firmware 2 years later and now I need 3 WiFi routers instead of only one I had before covering every part of our house and garden.
And nobody told you that you will loose 12dB from one day to the other because of a changed firmware setting for EU and cannot even go back to previous firmware.
BTW there has never been any issue for their consisting devices in EU like it has been in US with FCC.

 

[OzarkEdge]

As I was told by ASUS support, the actual problem is that ASUS have not submitted the new firmware to Facebook for approval, this seems not to be a major task, but like I said I am still waiting for an official reply ...



Currently thinking to downgrade the firmware back to FBW compatible (via recovery) and just use normal repeater mode with the same SSID over the networks.

It's looking very much like that will be the only way out, would you happen to have any recommendations?

Just a few ancillary ones:

o Don't trust ASUS marketing.

o IMO, relying on a built-in third party feature like Facebook WiFi can always prove problematic over time. I'd look for a more general solution with less lock-in, if possible, or just skip public login (?).

o The current 68U firmware is missing Smart Connect node band steering; so you should use separate SSIDs; so you may want to simplify to only using 2.4 GHz for public access (?). Or, use a router (86U) that supports Smart Connect for the AiMesh root node... this functionality should then extend to all nodes (?).

o Holding at a firmware version to retain a feature could forego security updates and defect fixes, so may not be advisable.

OE

 

[RMerlin]

o Don't trust ASUS any marketing.

Fixed that for you.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Fixed that for you.

Yeah, my bad... Thanks!

OE

 

[SeeSawSam]

Do you think we will see this feature return? and further more, have it replicated to AiMess nodes?

I trust you're equally upset with Facebook, right? I mean, at least ASUS is telling you its not supported. I see that Facebook is carrying on as if facebook wi-fi is still possible via an ASUS router. See below:

https://www.facebook.com/business/facebook-wifi
and
https://www.facebook.com/help/109150235937957?helpref=faq_content

where you'll find:
ASUS: Log into the web GUI. Select Guest Network > Facebook Wi-Fi and enable Wi-Fi.
and that ASUS RT-AC68U, RT-N18U, DSL-AC68U and DSL-AC68R are supported routers
​

I'd read that and buy a few RT-AC68U's today, if I was in the market for such a feature.

 

[Adrian Knight]

I trust you're equally upset with Facebook, right? I mean, at least ASUS is telling you its not supported. I see that Facebook is carrying on as if facebook wi-fi is still possible via an ASUS router. See below:

https://www.facebook.com/business/facebook-wifi
and
https://www.facebook.com/help/109150235937957?helpref=faq_content

where you'll find:
ASUS: Log into the web GUI. Select Guest Network > Facebook Wi-Fi and enable Wi-Fi.
and that ASUS RT-AC68U, RT-N18U, DSL-AC68U and DSL-AC68R are supported routers
​

I'd read that and buy a few RT-AC68U's today, if I was in the market for such a feature.

Thank you for that, to me it makes it even more plausible that the breakdown in on the Asus side.

 

[Adrian Knight]

Does anyone have a link for RT-AC68U 3.0.0.4.380.7743_FBWIFI, seem to have lost the trx and cannot find a live link anywhere.

 

[Grisu]

Does anyone have a link for RT-AC68U 3.0.0.4.380.7743_FBWIFI, seem to have lost the trx and cannot find a live link anywhere.

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC68U/FW_RT_AC68U_30043807743_FBWIFI.ZIP

 

[Adrian Knight]

Further Update

Still no official reply from Asus support on the FBWifi situation, seems 72 hours turned into 2 weeks more, put a call into Asus support and was told the matter is still being looked into, looks to me like I will never get an official reply on this.

Decided to return my over 3 years old RT-AC68U to the retailer and advise them that it is not fit for the purpose intended due to Asus removing an advertised feature, they accepted this without too much trouble, it is a shame that UK sales law protects the manufacture, since the contract of sale is with the retailer not the manufacturer. This law need to be changed, why should the retailer be penalised for the manufacturers actions?

I was offered a full refund or an exchange for a model more suited to my needs, I decided to take the RT-AC86U, to my amazement the retailer did not ask for any more money and did a straight swap, now I have the RT-AC86U and a new receipt so 3 more years warranty.

I'll hang on to the other 2 RT-AC68Us and return them in future when something else better comes along

I would urge anyone who is not happy with a feature being removed or a feature not working as intended to return the item and do something similar, this way the manufacturers will start to listen and do something about the problems.

 

[ColinTaylor]

it is a shame that UK sales law protects the manufacture, since the contract of sale is with the retailer not the manufacturer.

The retailers will have their own commercial agreements with their suppliers or the manufactures because they are buying in volume, unlike end users. Those agreements will include the ability to return defective products for refunds or credit.

 

[Adrian Knight]

The retailers will have their own commercial agreements with their suppliers or the manufactures because they are buying in volume, unlike end users. Those agreements will include the ability to return defective products for refunds or credit.

You are correct, but I would rather personally sue the manufacturer, than risk an innocent party losing out.

The retailer can also lodge a complaint but this may need to be with a distributor or re-seller, since I would doubt the retailer buys direct from the manufacturer too.

 

[jerry6]

If you ask me Asus did you a favour , saying Facebook wifi is a feature is like saying VD is a feature of sex

 

[Grisu]

and now they even pulled the link for FB-firmware completely ...

 

[Adrian Knight]

and now they even pulled the link for FB-firmware completely ...

Sure they did that after a few days of your post, which actually helped strengthen my case with the retailer since I had no firmware regression possibility.