RT-n66u B2

[speedlever]

I just ordered one of these to replace an aging wrt54g. I assume I will get a ver B2 unit and thought I'd go to the Asus site and snag the latest firmware. I was surprised to find a listing for B1, but nothing for B2.

Where else would I find the latest Asus firmware for the B2 version?

Also, I noted RMerlin mentioned in a post on the latest build for the B1 version that B2 versions require special support from the firmware to work. Can someone elaborate as to what this means?

Would the B2 version also have special requirements related to Tomato?

 

[wouterv]

I just ordered one of these to replace an aging wrt54g. I assume I will get a ver B2 unit and thought I'd go to the Asus site and snag the latest firmware. I was surprised to find a listing for B1, but nothing for B2.

Where else would I find the latest Asus firmware for the B2 version?

Also, I noted RMerlin mentioned in a post on the latest build for the B1 version that B2 versions require special support from the firmware to work. Can someone elaborate as to what this means?

Would the B2 version also have special requirements related to Tomato?

Asus firmware 3.0.0.4.272 and in parallel 3.0.0.4.372 were released in 2013 to support both the B1 and B2 hardware, since then the newer RT-N66U firmware up to the latest is compatible with both B1 and B2 versions.
Merlin followed the line.
Older firmware only supports the B1 version.
I don't know about other third party firmware and B2 compatibility.

 

[speedlever]

Thanks wourterv. It was confusing to me because support.asus.com directs me to a page that spells out the B1 version but does not mention B2. That seems pretty specific to me.

 

[wouterv]

Do not shoot the messenger
I believe to know that the RT-N66U first long ago was released in small numbers in some beta version (the A version?) for demonstration and performance testing.
The first formal release was the B1 hardware.
Longer ago Asus removed the older "B1 only" firmware from the download sites.
More recent they also removed the older non-FCC compliant firmware.

 

[speedlever]

No shots fired here!

Hey, you guys are the experts on this, and I trust your info. But I'm curious if/where Asus ever provided any info on the B1/B2 firmware differentiation. It just bugs me that they have B1 distinctly spelled out, and yet no mention at all of B2. If the currently offered firmware covers both models, why put that B1 disclaimer on there?

Sigh. One of life's mysteries, I suppose.

And it will all be moot if I receive a B1 model.

And besides, I already snagged Merlin's 376.44 release and should be good to go regardless.

 

[RMerlin]

The B1 and B2 firmwares are the same, as long you don't try to run a much older firmware which didn't have support for the B2 flash memory yet (that means stick with firmwares higher than 3.0.0.4.300_xxxx).

B1 is labeled that way not because of B2, but because of the (never mass-produced) A1 revision, which had a cooling fan.

 

[speedlever]

Thanks Merlin. Is B2 the only model still in production?

 

[RMerlin]

Thanks Merlin. Is B2 the only model still in production?

Should be, but that doesn't imply that there isn't any inventories with the B1 revision.

 

[speedlever]

FWIW, I received my RT-N66U from Amazon today. The tag on the box says it's B1 with F/W3.0.0.4.374. DOM is 2014.

Haven't had a chance to play with it yet.

 

[sm00thpapa]

B2? I have yet to see one.

 

[speedlever]

Since this product is pretty mature, I made the assumption that if Asus made a hardware change, B2 would most likely be available from inventories. Apparently not.

 

[F5ing]

FWIW, I received my RT-N66U from Amazon today. The tag on the box says it's B1 with F/W3.0.0.4.374. DOM is 2014.

Haven't had a chance to play with it yet.

Since this product is pretty mature, I made the assumption that if Asus made a hardware change, B2 would most likely be available from inventories. Apparently not.

DOM 2014 (date of manufacture?)? I would have assumed as well that as long ago as they started the B2 line that you wouldn't see a B1 manufactured as late as this year. Wonder if that's really a B1 inside that box.

Maybe they had an inventory of components they needed to use up.

 

[speedlever]

I'm curious if anyone has a B2 build.

Yes, DOM = date of manufacture.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Anyone with a B2 build please post a pic of the bottom sticker. Thank you.