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With RT-AX86 U Pro Router - SkyNet loses Count & could not force Skynet update with SSH, & suggestions?

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GoldWing

Regular Contributor
Hello,

SkyNet has lost count from withing the GUI. See the "SkyNet_GUI_20230328_1204PM_IDerase.jpg" attached file.

I logged into my Asus RT-AX86 Pro router via SSH to check things out. From within SSH the suggestions were (1) update SkyNet, or (2) contact SnB Forums. So I tried to force an update to SkyNet, and there was no connectivity.

I have 388.1 Asus Merlin firmware installed in the Asus RT-AX86 Pro router. I've had this problem previously. However I did not dig into SSH to see if any fixes. Previously I did a hard factory reset, then restored my router settings and JFFS partition from my previously save router settings file and JFFS file to get things working again. In both instances I noted the VPN client on the router was not working via https://nordvpn.com/ip-lookup/ even though from within the router's GUI it showed the VPN client on which I thought was strange.

Any suggestions, or do I do another hard fact

Thank You!

Regards,

GoldWing
 

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Previously I did a hard factory reset, then restored my router settings and JFFS partition from my previously save router settings file and JFFS file to get things working again.

I've done a hard factory reset with Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 installed on my RT-AX86U_PRO, and Skynet still had "Internet Connectivity | Failed". See the "Skynet_SSH_FailedInternetConnection_20230328_801PMb.jpg" image file attached.

How can I get Skynet working again?

Thank You!

Regards,

GoldWing
 

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  • Skynet_SSH_FailedInternetConnection_20230328_801PMb.jpg
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The Internet-Connectivity failed message means that the script could not ping google.com, github.com or snbforums.com. What happens when you try to run those over ssh? What output do you get?
Code:
ping -c4 google.com
ping -c4 github.com
ping -c4 snbforums.com
 
See the "Skynet_SSH_FailedInternetConnection_20230328_801PMb.jpg" image file attached.

I'm not sure why a version dated 09/3/2023 is being installed with Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 since today is presently 3/28/2023 where I'm located??? o_O

If you enlarge the image that I've quoted above you will understand what I'm referencing.

Unless I'm missing something AMTM is possibly pointing to something in error on the install or something else is messed up.

I'm just trying to look at anything that seems unusual.

Anyone got a better ideal on how to fix the Skynet problem?

Thank You!

Regards,

GoldWing
 
What happens when you try to run those over ssh? What output do you get?
Code:
ping -c4 google.com
ping -c4 github.com
ping -c4 snbforums.com

With a slight modification to eliminate ID characteristics of my Router. :)

GoFish@RT-AX86U_Pro-Z0Z0/tmp/home/root# ping -c4 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.190.110): 56 data bytes

--- google.com ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100% packet loss
GoFish@RT-AX86U_Pro-Z0Z0/tmp/home/root# ping -c4 github.com
PING github.com (140.82.114.3): 56 data bytes

--- github.com ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100% packet loss
GoFish@RT-AX86U_Pro-Z0Z0/tmp/home/root# ping -c4 snbforums.com
PING snbforums.com (45.77.76.174): 56 data bytes

--- snbforums.com ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100% packet loss
GoFish@RT-AX86U_Pro-Z0Z0/tmp/home/root#

Regards,

GoldWing
 
The fact that pings don’t work suggests your VPN Director rules aren’t letting the router reach the internet. You might check into that.
 
Don’t be a putz, that’s March 9, 2023. The world is a big place with different date format conventions.
Oh brother, I have a couple of stories about dates being completely misunderstood and causing cascading misunderstandings during my early days of doing s/w development... but we learned the lessons quickly.

For s/w that is released & used worldwide is considered best practice to use the ISO 8601 international standard date notations "yyyymmdd" or "yyyy-mm-dd" (e.g. 2023-03-28).

This avoids any possible confusion & misunderstandings among our users, clients & partners across all continents, especially if we were to use instead dates like "01-03-2023" or "02-03-2023" because "2023-03-01" has now only one possible & clear meaning. Using this international standard is especially important in all our written communications. In fact, we also use the metric system in our s/w & documentation for the same reasons: to avoid ambiguity & promote clarity.
 
Last edited:
The fact that pings don’t work suggests your VPN Director rules aren’t letting the router reach the internet. You might check into that.

Yes.

I had thought that Skynet was working with a Double Open VPN client configuration. Either I'm wrong or possibly NordVPN have changed their configuration. Not sure!

You are correct because the Open VPN Client I was using with the RT-AX86U Pro had a Double server provided by NordVPN when Skynet was not able to connect using SSH. When I switched to a single Open VPN server client Skynet was able to connect using SSH. For some reason recently the RT-AX86U Pro has re-booted in the last week a few times. I may have had the Open VPN Double server to start on re-boot. Nothing wrong with a little experimenting only sometimes things can go astray.

With the frustration looking for a solution I actually started from scratch after seeing Asus's more recent version 3.0.0.4.388.22525 firmware. I installed the most recent firmware, then did a hard factory reset. Afterward I loaded Asuswrt-Merlin 388.1 firmware, and then SSH into the router loading Skynet.

Things seem to be working now. I'll see how things go.

Thanks for your help!

Regards,

GoldWing
 
The fact that pings don’t work suggests your VPN Director rules aren’t letting the router reach the internet. You might check into that.

Yes.

I had thought that Skynet was working with a Double Open VPN client configuration. Either I'm wrong or possibly NordVPN have changed their configuration. Not sure!

What I can say for SURE is that the VPN Director rules for both NordVPN's Double OpenVPN server client and the Single OpenVPN server client are the SAME.

See the "RT-AX86U_Pro_388_1_VPNDirector_20230329_243PM_IDerase.jpg" attached file.

So either the NordVPN has the 2nd server in the Double OpenVPN configuration setup differently than the single, or the simple fact there are 2 servers in the VPN connection prevents Skynet from connecting. Unless I'm missing something has to be one or the other. FWIW IIRC I do think Skynet was working previously using a Double OpenVPN server client connection. I have no way to prove since I do not track my different connections that closely.

I've been experimenting with NordVPN's Double servers since last year, and had a chat conversation with their support. I have noticed that over the few years while using NordVPN that their configuration options have increased, hence the experimentation with the different options.


Regards,

GoldWing
 

Attachments

  • RT-AX86U_Pro_388_1_VPNDirector_20230329_243PM_IDerase.jpg
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So either the NordVPN has the 2nd server in the Double OpenVPN configuration setup differently than the single, or the simple fact there are 2 servers in the VPN connection prevents Skynet from connecting. Unless I'm missing something has to be one or the other. FWIW IIRC I do think Skynet was working previously using a Double OpenVPN server client connection. I have no way to prove since I do not track my different connections that closely.

Hello,

Apparently Skynet connects differently when connecting SSH'ing into the RT-AX86U Pro. Using a Single NordVPN server AMTM > SkyNet connects no problem SSH'ing into the router. When I connect to a Double NordVPN server AMTM > Skynet can NOT connect to the Internet. Both the Single and Double are using the same parameters on the VPN Client tab from within the GUI. The counts in the GUI Firewall > Skynet tab always update after clicking the "Update Stats" button when thinking out loud probably because the stats are driven by the Swap file.

For the record see the "Skynet_SSH_SnglTCPNordVPN_20230331_518PM.png" attached file for when SSH'ing using a Single NordVPN server connecting no problem.

For the record see the "Skynet_SSH_DblUDPNordVPN_20230331_512PM.png" attached file for when SSH'ing using a Double NordVPN servers NOT connecting.

Regards,

GoldWing
 

Attachments

  • Skynet_SSH_SnglTCPNordVPN_20230331_518PM.png
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  • Skynet_SSH_DblUDPNordVPN_20230331_512PM.png
    Skynet_SSH_DblUDPNordVPN_20230331_512PM.png
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