RT-AC87U trying to upgrade from RT-AC87U_380.66_4 to RT-AC87U_380.66_6, doesn't "stick"

[GraFfiX]

I've tried three times now to apply the latest update to my RT-AC87U, I follow the same update steps I always have, I download the firmware, unzip it, then upload the trx to the router and let it do it's thing. Then I manually reboot it as instructed, but, for some reason, with this update, it's not working.

Any suggestions? I read something about unplugging all USB devices? If this is what's needed, what is causing the update to fail, is it being written to a hard drive instead of flash?

The flash says it was successful, and tells me to reboot manually, which is what it normally does, so idk.

 

[GraFfiX]

Remove usb devices,reboot (for free up memory),flash

Was hoping, just tried that, still at 380.66_4. I will try the whole process again in a bit here to see if I do it all at once I guess. It's been several hours since I flashed the firmware and rebooted at this point.

 

[joegreat]

Hi,

Had this kind of issue on my AC87U some time ago: I needed to factory reset the router and do a minimal config and then I could update firmware.

Of course you need to re-enter all the settings or you backup/restore it with John's great tool.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Usually the update includes the reboot process.
What if you don't manually reboot, is the upgraded firmware installed when it asks to reboot?
Just reloading the webpage will show the UI.

 

[GraFfiX]

Usually the update includes the reboot process.
What if you don't manually reboot, is the upgraded firmware installed when it asks to reboot?
Just reloading the webpage will show the UI.

I haven't checked, I've got a little one running around right now but as soon as he takes a nap I'm going to give it another go. I don't believe I followed Sanna1967's instructions exactly. This time, I will unplug all usb devices, then reboot, then flash. Will report back.

 

[elorimer]

I haven't checked, I've got a little one running around right now but as soon as he takes a nap I'm going to give it another go. I don't believe I followed Sanna1967's instructions exactly. This time, I will unplug all usb devices, then reboot, then flash. Will report back.

From the network map page, click on each usb device and safely remove (unmount) it. Watch the graph of the memory usage. In my case on my 87U I was using almost all of it and the upgrade wouldn't take; when I unmounted my 4TB drive, the memory usage dropped to 50% and then it took the upgrade. Saves you unmounting everything and the reboot in the middle.

 

[GraFfiX]

From the network map page, click on each usb device and safely remove (unmount) it. Watch the graph of the memory usage. In my case on my 87U I was using almost all of it and the upgrade wouldn't take; when I unmounted my 4TB drive, the memory usage dropped to 50% and then it took the upgrade. Saves you unmounting everything and the reboot in the middle.

I ended up going with a try on this method, and it worked! Considering that, I would have to say the reboot would have worked as well. So thanks everyone, it's upgraded now. I just started messing around with download master and plugged a couple drives into the router recently, I had no idea the services behind that stuff is that much of a memory hog!

 

[thelonelycoder]

From the network map page, click on each usb device and safely remove (unmount) it. Watch the graph of the memory usage. In my case on my 87U I was using almost all of it and the upgrade wouldn't take; when I unmounted my 4TB drive, the memory usage dropped to 50% and then it took the upgrade. Saves you unmounting everything and the reboot in the middle.

Since you run AB-Solution, disabling adblocking frees up some memory too, depending on the blocking file type you selected to use.

 

[GraFfiX]

Since you run AB-Solution, disabling adblocking frees up some memory too, depending on the blocking file type you selected to use.

I actually do not run any adblocking on this router. This is not my principle router, I run an intel atom d525 with pfSense as my principle router, and that's where I have my p2p blocklists etc.. Thanks for the tip, though.

 

[GraFfiX]

BTW, does anyone have any opinion as to why this router is such a, for lack of a better term, terd. I paid like $260 for this router, the last Asus router I owned was an Asus WL-500GP, which was a great router. I have to be honest, I really have had nothing but trouble with this one. The DD-WRT beta builds that are out always seem to have wireless issues. The best option I've found is MerlinWRT, which works well, I would say better than stock, but, since I've been running download master, even youtube videos seem to freeze quite often while playing on the TV I have connected to the router via ethernet.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I actually do not run any adblocking on this router. This is not my principle router, I run an intel atom d525 with pfSense as my principle router, and that's where I have my p2p blocklists etc.. Thanks for the tip, though.

Look who I quoted, i know @elorimer runs my ad-blocker.

 

[GraFfiX]

Look who I quoted, i know @elorimer runs my ad-blocker.

My apologies.

 

[Makaveli]

BTW, does anyone have any opinion as to why this router is such a, for lack of a better term, terd. I paid like $260 for this router, the last Asus router I owned was an Asus WL-500GP, which was a great router. I have to be honest, I really have had nothing but trouble with this one. The DD-WRT beta builds that are out always seem to have wireless issues. The best option I've found is MerlinWRT, which works well, I would say better than stock, but, since I've been running download master, even youtube videos seem to freeze quite often while playing on the TV I have connected to the router via ethernet.

The RT-AC87U is problematic due to the chipset it uses.

 

[thelonelycoder]

BTW, does anyone have any opinion as to why this router is such a, for lack of a better term, terd. I paid like $260 for this router, the last Asus router I owned was an Asus WL-500GP, which was a great router. I have to be honest, I really have had nothing but trouble with this one. The DD-WRT beta builds that are out always seem to have wireless issues. The best option I've found is MerlinWRT, which works well, I would say better than stock, but, since I've been running download master, even youtube videos seem to freeze quite often while playing on the TV I have connected to the router via ethernet.

I have the 87U as my main router, the others in my signature are test routers for scripts I develop.
Everytime I have a suspicion it might be the 87U playing up, I reset it and set it up from scratch. I have done this about three times in the two years I own this router. Which is not surprising as they get to see a lot of script (mis)usage around me. I am quite happy with the performance, altough I've seen a lot of bad reviews and experiences with that model.
Knowing that, I would not buy again or recommend it to others.

 

[joegreat]

Everytime I have a suspicion it might be the 87U playing up, I reset it and set it up from scratch. [...] I am quite happy with the performance, altough I've seen a lot of bad reviews and experiences with that model.
Knowing that, I would not buy again or recommend it to others.

Me too!

There are people who have issues, but the noise they make is be far too big compared to the masses of people who have no problems with the AC87U router!

 

[thelonelycoder]

Me too!

There are people who have issues, but the noise they make is be far to big compared to the masses of people who have no problems with the AC87U router!

We only hear it here when users have problems, so that might dramatize the wireless issues they have. Add to that the tinkering mentality when using alternative firmware and you have a whole lot of complaints.

 

[Zirescu]

BTW, does anyone have any opinion as to why this router is such a, for lack of a better term, terd. I paid like $260 for this router, the last Asus router I owned was an Asus WL-500GP, which was a great router. I have to be honest, I really have had nothing but trouble with this one. The DD-WRT beta builds that are out always seem to have wireless issues. The best option I've found is MerlinWRT, which works well, I would say better than stock, but, since I've been running download master, even youtube videos seem to freeze quite often while playing on the TV I have connected to the router via ethernet.

Download Master is mostly likely the issue - it's been trouble since day one. Not sure if it ever gets updated either. For Torrents you might want to consider installing Entware and then installing Transmission. DM is also using Transmission but was an older version.

I had problems with wireless radios when I first bought the router a couple years ago but that got fixed by the driver updates and I'm quite happy with this router. It is a tad finicky with firmware updates, I have to physically remove the USB key for it to update correctly, just unmounting it doesn't do the trick.