Avoiding Firefox on initial install and Windows 10 questions

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tld
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 16:49    Post subject: Avoiding Firefox on initial install and Windows 10 questions Reply with quote
I've just ordered a Linksys WRT1900ACS and plan to do my first dd-wrt install. I've been scouring through to install guides etc.

I use almost exclusively Linux, though I have a Windows 10 laptop for my work. For this reason, the ugliest part of this seems to be the fact that you apparently have to avoid Firefox for the initial flash of dd-wrt install over the factory firmware. This has raised issues that have my head spinning.

1. The instructions specify using IE. My Windows machine has Microsoft Edge. Is that OK to use?

2. I want to make sure that Compound TCP is disabled. This sent me on a three hour journey to hell, and I'm still unclear on this one when it comes to Windows 10. It appears that this can be viewed and set with powershell:

http://www.speedguide.net/articles/windows-8-10-2012-server-tcpip-tweaks-5077

However the whole mess is totally unclear. It appears this uses a property of -CongestionProvider set with the Set-NetTCPSetting commandlet, however all these properties appear to belong to specific "settingnames", and I'm not at all clear as to what that means, which one might be in use etc etc. I've never tweaked any settings on this machine, and the existing settings may well be fine, but I have no clue how to be sure.

If anyone can shed any light on this, I'd appreciate it. This Firefox limitation on the initial install is pretty awful. Does anyone know what it is that FF does wrong?

Thanks in advance!
Tom
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Malachi
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 18:15    Post subject: Reply with quote
I almost always use Firefox.
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HalfBit
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 18:22    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hit Windows Key, then type Internet Explorer. It's most likely installed, just not readily visible.
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tld
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Nov 2016
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 19:07    Post subject: Reply with quote
HalfBit wrote:
Hit Windows Key, then type Internet Explorer. It's most likely installed, just not readily visible.
Yes! Right you are. Thanks for that!
tld
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Nov 2016
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 19:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
Malachi wrote:
I almost always use Firefox.
Well...the install instructions clearly say that going forward (dd-wrt updates etc) Firefox is perfectly fine. However they expressly say not to use it for the initial flash from the factory firmware.

Now I know I have IE to use, but I'd still like to be sure that I don't have Compound TCP enabled. Like so many things Microsoft that one is an completely indiscernible, overly complex circle of hell somehow:

There are a few different "settingnames", and apparently the "InternetCustom" one (if that's in fact even what's in effect??) is the only one that can even be changed. That one would seem to indicate that CTCP might be active:

Code:
PS C:\tmp> get-nettcpsetting -settingname internetcustom


SettingName                     : InternetCustom
MinRto(ms)                      : 300
InitialCongestionWindow(MSS)    : 10
CongestionProvider              : CTCP
CwndRestart                     : False
DelayedAckTimeout(ms)           : 50
DelayedAckFrequency             : 2
MemoryPressureProtection        : Disabled
AutoTuningLevelLocal            : Normal
AutoTuningLevelGroupPolicy      : NotConfigured
AutoTuningLevelEffective        : Local
EcnCapability                   : Disabled
Timestamps                      : Disabled
InitialRto(ms)                  : 3000
ScalingHeuristics               : Disabled
DynamicPortRangeStartPort       : 49152
DynamicPortRangeNumberOfPorts   : 16384
AutomaticUseCustom              : Disabled
NonSackRttResiliency            : Disabled
ForceWS                         : Disabled
MaxSynRetransmissions           : 2
AutoReusePortRangeStartPort     : 0
AutoReusePortRangeNumberOfPorts : 0


...based on that "CongestionProvider" property. However even as administrator, and even with the InternetCustom setting name, that one is read only:

Code:
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> set-nettcpsetting -settingname internetcustom -congestionprovider default
set-nettcpsetting : Property CongestionProvider is read-only
At line:1 char:1
+ set-nettcpsetting -settingname internetcustom -congestionprovider def ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (MSFT_NetTCPSett...ystemName = ""):ROOT/StandardCimv2/MSFT_NetTCPSetting) [Set-NetTCPSetting], CimException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Windows System Error 87,Set-NetTCPSetting


I mean ffs anyway. I'd do anything to have this process not involve this horrific operating system at all. If anyone has any clue on any of that I'd appreciate it.

Tom
Alozaros
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 13:25    Post subject: Reply with quote
well i always use FF for certain reasons...i even had big issues with IE in the past...as long as you clear and reset FF every time when upgrade, no issues so far...

CTCP is not and issue as long as you are updating via web.
CTCP needs to be off only for TFTP flash procedures if im not wrong..


To disable CTCP:
Open an Elevated Command Prompt (cmd "Run as Administrator") then type:

netsh int tcp set global congestionprovider=none

Reboot your system for the changes to take effect...

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tld
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Joined: 26 Nov 2016
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 15:08    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alozaros wrote:

To disable CTCP:
Open an Elevated Command Prompt (cmd "Run as Administrator") then type:

netsh int tcp set global congestionprovider=none

Reboot your system for the changes to take effect...
That doesn't work in Windows 10 (or 8 apparently). Here's a thread with seemingly the entire world trying to figure this one out:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/f55027d7-f4cf-4681-96b5-b530c9dab7e0/cant-set-netsh-int-tcp-set-supplemental?forum=w8itpronetworking

Looking at the replies from user gsilva (from Microsoft), especially the post regarding use use of Get-NetTcpConnection to see which of the connections from Get-NetTcpSetting is active etc, it appears that a) the "Internet" connection is the connection in use, b) it in fact does have CTCP enabled, and c) CANNOT be changed!! I mean FFS anyway.

EDIT: After reading that Microsoft thread more thoroughly it appears that you can only change those settings on server versions. Unless I'm missing something, CTCP can't be disabled on Windows 10. If you'll notice MS stopped replying to that thread when users started asking why desktop versions are crippled in this manner.

This is just plain nuts. Having all these Windows gray areas with something that can brick my new router is ridiculous.

Alozaros wrote:
as long as you clear and reset FF every time when upgrade, no issues so far.

I'm getting very very tempted to just do this from Linux with FF using a new clean FF profile. I hate the idea of doing something the install instructions expressly tell you not to do...but then again, it appears I can't follow the instructions anyway if I can't disable CTCP under Windows.

Does anyone know for sure if Compound TCP is an issue for browser installs? For that matter, does anyone know what they supposed issues are doing with Firefox?


Last edited by tld on Sun Nov 27, 2016 15:42; edited 1 time in total
Malachi
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Location: Columbus, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 15:30    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like I said, I flash mine using ff, including my wrt1900ac.
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tld
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Nov 2016
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 15:38    Post subject: Reply with quote
Malachi wrote:
Like I said, I flash mine using ff, including my wrt1900ac.
Thanks for the reply! Did you do the initial flash from the factory firmware using FF?
Malachi
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Posts: 7209
Location: Columbus, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 16:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes.
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tld
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 19:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks! That's definitely what I'm going to do. The further I can stay from Windows the better.

In any case, this thread may serve as a good reference for anyone looking to disable CTCP on newer Windows systems. As far as I can tell, on Windows 10 (and possibly 8 though I'm unclear if it's enabled at all by default), you simply can't change it. Amazing.
Alozaros
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Posts: 6408
Location: UK, London, just across the river..

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:22    Post subject: Reply with quote
tld wrote:
Thanks! That's definitely what I'm going to do. The further I can stay from Windows the better.

In any case, this thread may serve as a good reference for anyone looking to disable CTCP on newer Windows systems. As far as I can tell, on Windows 10 (and possibly 8 though I'm unclear if it's enabled at all by default), you simply can't change it. Amazing.


Sorry to hear that Win 10 is crap, in fact i do support that idea too.... after all day spent to understand and stop most of the spying stuff and re-arrange the security, in a week it was back to spying and shit keylogging, Cortana got back to active and spaying all my networks just to have better connectivity with my devices !!?? got back to Win 7 and 8

Nothing bad with FF, i always use it, never failed, i actually have FF only for flashing so i keep it clean...

CTCP is problem only if your TFTP client/host is heaving a troubles to connect, even with CTCP on, you can still TFTP flash but it depends witch TFTP client you are using...

So go flash your device via WEB interface and make sure you ve read the flashing instructions...

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tld
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Joined: 26 Nov 2016
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 2:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yahoo! Everything worked like clockwork using firefox from Linux.

The thing that threw me off the most was that I wanted to leave my old router in place connected to my cable modem while I did this, and had to figure out how to bypass the Linksys auto setup crap. I finally discovered that in the welcome screen where you accept the terms an conditions, there's a link to configure manually, rather than the "Next" button which insists that the router is connected to the Internet.

All very very cool. I've been wanting to go the dd-wrt route for some time.

Thanks for all the help!

Tom
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