RT-AC88U firmware update error

[reddevil09]

Hey guys - Pretty new to asus routers. I have been having a pretty hard time with the AC88U as compared to the ISP wireless router. I wanted something to improve my gaming experience as well as run a VPN client through the router when needed. I could not get the router to perform which led to constant disconnects on the wireless and subsequent factory resets. I decided to go for the Merlin firmware, but keeping getting the following error when trying to upload:

"Please use the right firmware file".

Eventually I realized the merlin file for my router is delivered in .trx while the builds from asus is .w. Is there anything I could do to work around this?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[octopus]

Make sure you use AC88U file and not AX88U files.

 

[reddevil09]

Make sure you use AC88U file and not AX88U files.

I checked again - and definitely downloaded the ac88u file and not ax.

 

[octopus]

I checked again - and definitely downloaded the ac88u file and not ax.

Have you unzipe files?

 

[reddevil09]

Have you unzipe files?

Yes I did - interestingly, i just downloaded the ax88u which is ".w". Is it worth trying that to see if it will work? Is it possible they mixed up the folder naming on the website?

 

[Jack Yaz]

Yes I did - interestingly, i just downloaded the ax88u which is ".w". Is it worth trying that to see if it will work? Is it possible they mixed up the folder naming on the website?

Quick question, are you sure you have an AC88U and not the AX88U? It would explain why the stock firmware is offered as a .w file.

 

[AndreiV]

Yes I did - interestingly, i just downloaded the ax88u which is ".w". Is it worth trying that to see if it will work? Is it possible they mixed up the folder naming on the website?

The Merlin files are correct and I just checked on 3 ASUS sites, the firmware for the RT-AC88U is a .trx file.

I think the confusion is at your end.
Do you have an RT-AC88U or an AX-88U ?

 

[reddevil09]

The Merlin files are correct and I just checked on 3 ASUS sites, the firmware for the RT-AC88U is a .trx file.

I think the confusion is at your end.
Do you have an RT-AC88U or an AX-88U ?

Guys thanks for your support - I just checked under the router and its a DSL-AC88U.
Is this different from the RT? I downloaded an older asus firmware file which was accepted but did not proceed as just wanted to test whether it would work. The asus file extension was .w.

 

[Jack Yaz]

Guys thanks for your support - I just checked under the router and its a DSL-AC88U.
Is this different from the RT? I downloaded an older asus firmware file which was accepted but did not proceed as just wanted to test whether it would work. The asus file extension was .w.

Yes it's quite different under the hood. The DSL variants are not supported by Merlin

 

[reddevil09]

Yes it's quite different under the hood. The DSL variants are not supported by Merlin

Well this would explain my dilemma!

I was having massive lag issues on the ps4 since getting this router. I posted a thread on this in the asus area. Anyway - thanks for your help on this, I did not realize they were that different, i.e. DSL vs RT

 

[Jack Yaz]

Do you know if your ISP modem supports "bridge mode"? If it does, you could return the DSL for an RT, and then connect the RT to the modem (in bridge mode). Then you could use Merlin

 

[reddevil09]

Do you know if your ISP modem supports "bridge mode"? If it does, you could return the DSL for an RT, and then connect the RT to the modem (in bridge mode). Then you could use Merlin

I don't think it does. Just feel like the standard firmware is not great. I will have a check though - thanks for support again everyone.