What is still left from the old ASUS firmware?

[Tech9]

then the GUI is faulty.

Again, this page doesn't exist in Australia region GUI. Please, read post #7 carefully.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Again, this page doesn't exist in Australia region GUI. Please, read post #7 carefully.

If you are trying to say that the "appending /UUAccelerator.asp" is allowed (as in post #7, Australia) in a non China Region then that is also a Firmware blemish.

 

[Tech9]

Most Asuswrt pages can be called by address even when not available in GUI options or completely irrelevant to selected operation mode.

 

[RMerlin]

If you are trying to say that the "appending /UUAccelerator.asp" is allowed in a non China Region then that is also a Firmware blemish.

You are accessing a page that is NOT made available to the user. Your logic is just as flawed as if saying "If I switch my router to Repeater Mode then why can I see the DHCP page if I manually type in that URL?"

The file cannot magically self-erase itself when the bootloader is set to a non-Chinese location. The menu will hide the page if you are in a non-supported region, and that is perfectly fine that way.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Most Asuswrt pages can be called by address even when not available in GUI options or completely irrelevant to selected operation mode.

You are accessing a page that is NOT made available to the user. Your logic is just as flawed as if saying "If I switch my router to Repeater Mode then why can I see the DHCP page if I manually type in that URL?"

The file cannot magically self-erase itself when the bootloader is set to a non-Chinese location. The menu will hide the page if you are in a non-supported region, and that is perfectly fine that way.

I'm saying hiding it is insufficient and that it should be deactivated based on region. My thinking is that it would be safer that way. And by deactivated I mean locked so it's not accessible.

 

[Tech9]

There is nothing unsafe. You have to be past the login safety already in order to access any GUI page. Not done the best way, but this is what we have. Not the only Asuswrt GUI blemish. Lack of dependencies allowing completely contradicting settings is worse.

 

[RMerlin]

I'm saying hiding it is insufficient and that it should be deactivated based on region.

Why is that insufficient? What specific issue would be caused by someone deliberately accessing a page that is not otherwise offered to the user?

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Why is that insufficient? What specific issue would be caused by someone deliberately accessing a page that is not otherwise offered to the user?

I think you and @Tech9 are taking this discussion in a direction that is contrary to post#1. The complaint being that I'm seeing Chinese when I don't want to and is that a problem and why is it that way?
So it looks like something is wrong and it was not called from a hidden menu.
That's why I'm saying it's a problem and should not be occurring. Something is broken.

 

[Tech9]

The complaint being that I'm seeing Chinese when I don't want to and is that a problem and why is it that way?

Valid complaint only if you live in China, your router is set to region China, you want to use this service badly… but unfortunately you don’t speak Chinese. You may want to address the issue to Asus Support. Official language in Taiwan (or officially Republic of China) is obviously Chinese and after they stop laughing may eventually do something for you in a future firmware update.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Valid complaint only if you live in China, your router is set to region China, you want to use this service badly… but unfortunately you don’t speak Chinese. You may want to address the issue to Asus Support.

It's not my complaint, it's the OP's.
By the way the problem was presented I don't believe they are in a China Region. I don't see that said anywhere, only that they suspect a grey market router.
Why do you believe they are in a China Region?
And the OP doesn't want the router "calling home" / (to China).
How many back doors?

 

[Tech9]

I don’t know the OP’s location, but the router they have is obviously China region version. This router may have Region Change in settings and setting it to anything different than China will make UU option in GUI disappear. Not sure about backdoors, but this UU service is built into Asuswrt, it’s Gaming related and most likely inactive when not used.

 

[RMerlin]

The complaint being that I'm seeing Chinese when I don't want to and is that a problem and why is it that way?

It`s just text in an HTML file... The service will refuse to even start unless your bootloader is set to China.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I don’t know the OP’s location, but the router they have is obviously China region version. This router may have Region Change in settings and setting it to anything different than China will make UU option in GUI disappear. Not sure about backdoors, but this UU service is built into Asuswrt, it’s Gaming related and most likely inactive when not used.

You have said numerous times the the firmware is universal so why would it not be able to change regions as you use the word "may" above? Are the China versions limited differently from the rest of the world?

How does the OP change the bootloader option as I suspect that's what they want. Will it stick? I'm guessing something is different about their model or it's an oversight.

 

[Tech9]

Identical model routers are identical hardware (and not manufactured by Asus, by the way), but run on different software. The firmware we download online is just part of it. The rest is pre-loaded at the factory and usually remains unchanged for the life of the device, with some exceptions. Some Asia region Asus devices do have Region Change setting in Wireless Professional GUI section. I did use "may" because I don't know if this particular device has it. So yes - devices sold in different regions are in fact different even if the model number is exactly the same. The reason I often ask about what region the conversation is about. The differences may be significant.

 

[RMerlin]

Some Asia region Asus devices do have Region Change setting in Wireless Professional GUI section.

The availability of this option is determined by the bootloader's region code. The firmware code is 100% identical regardless of the region, it just checks the region code variable stored in flash, and will show or hide region-specific settings such as GearUp or the wireless country code setting on the webui.

 

[Tech9]

Yes, correct. I've played with this some time ago, but I don't remember if China region displays the region options in GUI.

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I apparently have the "grey market" (probably from mainland China) RT-AC86U 386.14_2 firmware. After installation there are still some suspect items in Chinese: 383

Should be easy to identify the product region, in a telnet/SSH session on the router run -

nvram get territory_code

If the resultant value is 'CN' then I'm sure it was intended for the Chinese market.

 

[ttbf_n]

If the resultant value is 'CN' then I'm sure it was intended for the Chinese market.

Yes, it is CN. At the time of purchase I was actually told it was for China market, and I purchased it at the time and for the purpose that did not suggest to worry.

 

[Ripshod]

Install official merlin. Add skynet. Block China. Ignore that menu option. Good to go.

 

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Yes, it is CN.

From an old thread on this same subject, but I've no idea if changing the territory_code will work and persist (post #20) -

Can I remove OEM plugin and ensure a clean system?

Hi, Thanks for this awesome project! I just got my RT-AC86U from a local retailer today and have successfully flashed Asuswrt-Merlin. However, I found that an OEM plugin seems to be there: It translates as "Netease UU Accelerator", and does not go away after a hard reset (using Method 2)...

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