Asus RT-AC66U Firmware -- Stable release, sometime?

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Harbinger
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:01    Post subject: Asus RT-AC66U Firmware -- Stable release, sometime? Reply with quote
Bought one of these routers a few years ago with the express purpose of putting DD-WRT on it. The first version I loaded (kongac, v24-sp2 12/06/13) just worked, so I let it go without upgrading.

Then I decided to upgrade for newer features--and everything went south. Features didn't work, I couldn't connect to the internet at large (only local connections), et cetera. Form reading many posts here I find I'm not the only one who can't seem to get a stable-running version for their router.

So...what happened? Is this a case of insufficient documentation for the chipset that's hampering development? Has DD-WRT gotten so large in it's support that some routers have fallen off the development curve?

From a personal standpoint, I've seen so many of these projects that start out great, enough so that I jump in and buy hardware, then get bogged down in -whatever- and leave their users holding the bag. I hope this is not the case with DD-WRT, but I'd think given the age of this router we'd have stable firmware to run on them by now.
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ian5142
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 2318
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:05    Post subject: Upgrade Reply with quote
See the link in my signature. I mainly use Atheros now, but read some of the build threads. You may find a recent build that is stable on your router.
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Before asking a question on the forums, update dd-wrt: Where do I download firmware? I suggest reading it all.
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Some dd-wrt wiki pages are up to date, others are not. PM me if you find an old one.

Atheros:
Netgear R7800 x3 - WDS AP / station, gateway, QoS
TP-Link Archer C7 v2 x2 - WDS Station
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 v1 - WDS Station
TP-Link 841nd v8 - NU
D-Link 615 C1/E3/I1 x 7 - 1 WDS station
D-Link 825 B1 - NU
D-Link 862L A1 x2 - WDS Station
Netgear WNDR3700v2 - NU
UBNT loco M2 x2 - airOS

Broadcom
Linksys EA6400 - Gateway, QoS
Asus N66U - AP
Netgear WNDR3700v3 - not used
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UBNT EdgeRouter X - switch
rumbleroast
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 22 May 2018
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 20:51    Post subject: Asus RT-AC66U Firmware -- Stable release, sometime? Reply with quote
I bought an Asus RT-AC66U back in 2013 and kept stock firmware on it until April 2018. I wanted to get back into dd-wrt since I had fond memories of it with an old wrt54g back in 2009.

I didn't realize just how unstable dd-wrt would be on the AC66U and experienced many problems over the past few months...

However, I did eventually land on build r36645 dated 8/19/2018 which has been the most stable build of dd-wrt on this router. I only experience complaints from my wife and kids about once a week as opposed to every few hours for previous releases Smile

Its a shame that a stable version hasn't been released in a decade and it shows. r36645 is still buggy... but some progress is still progress.
Harbinger
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 2:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the info!

rumbleroast, what seems to be a common issue with many of these projects (like OS updates for older Android phones developed by 3rd parties) is that the developers lose interest in the older models because they've "moved on" to developing for newer hardware. They never finished what they were working on! Nobody wins then--devs are always chasing the latest thing (which is always changing) and get a bad rap, while users are stuck with 'almost'-functional hardware.
Per Yngve Berg
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 13 Aug 2013
Posts: 6856
Location: Romerike, Norway

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:11    Post subject: Reply with quote
Mine was stable as my main router for years. Tried out most of the new builds when they came out, except for a few bad ones.

I had a 30 Mbit/s Internet and replaced it with a R7800 for more CPU power when my ISP increased the speed to 50 Mbit/s.

Do you run it with Shortcut Forward on or off?
hebeda
DD-WRT User


Joined: 18 Sep 2006
Posts: 456
Location: Leipzig, Germany

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:37    Post subject: Reply with quote
the rt-ac66u and recent dd-wrt releases are not recommended from my point of view, too many bugs and problems with wifi, channel selection , disappearing wifi menues etc ....
i spend many hours testing dozen of different dd-wrt versions.

the good thing is, the asus routers are all very hard to brick for good , thanks to the asus firmware utility ....

i suggest asuswrt-merlin for this one ... its very close to the original firmware(including full hardware acceleration support) and it quite capeable of most tasks of dd-wrt ....

https://asuswrt.lostrealm.ca/
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 11:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
I keep writing replies and deleting the text. There is so much that could be said here, but I shall refrain. Anyhow, if you wish to check it out, FreshTomato is now out of beta status as of v2018.4 But otherwise, I would also suggest AsusWRT-Merlin.
virtualT
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Sep 2018
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:56    Post subject: Reply with quote
Note on the Merlin version for this router: it's now a fork being maintained by someone sanctioned by Merlin. I had issues with getting my ISP speed on it (374.43_2-34L3j952).

I returned to dd-wrt-36410 (07-31-2018) because of household howling. I use the 66U as a wired gateway; no wifi or virtual interfaces. It works for my purposes.

--
virtualT
studiovpc
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Jan 2015
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 7:36    Post subject: Reply with quote
So in a nutshell what is the most stable release for you guys?
I just got this router for a bargain, brand new, been waiting there for me Razz

What I found so far, 33607 is most stable for me, dating back to october 2017. I have been using it on TPLink WDR4300 for a whole year now with no issues.
Been playing with AC66U last night, and all the latest fw-s are so buggy I can't even begin to grasp the situation.

They all have wifi errors, buggy menus, etc... So I reverted AC66U to 33607 too, and so far no problems.
Most notable problem on newer builds is that guest wifi SSID is broken, and I need that function so badly.

And on the other hand I hate to have older fw because of OCD Razz (it bugs me to see that there is newer stock fw than DDWRT). And to be honest I did not see any problems with using stock except for guest wifi because I want to separate subnet for guests... Stock does not separate subnets, it just has the option to isolate clients...

Any suggestions on which build to use then, which does not have wifi errors and has guest wifi working?

Thanks
egc
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 18 Mar 2014
Posts: 12834
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
Maybe one of the latest without all those VAP issuse is 35531. Not sure though
_________________
Routers:Netgear R7000, R6400v1, R6400v2, EA6900 (XvortexCFE), E2000, E1200v1, WRT54GS v1.
Install guide R6400v2, R6700v3,XR300:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=316399
Install guide R7800/XR500: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=320614
Forum Guide Lines (important read):https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=324087
studiovpc
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Jan 2015
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:30    Post subject: Reply with quote
egc wrote:
Maybe one of the latest without all those VAP issuse is 35531. Not sure though


I will try it, I think I saw some VAP workaround posted somewhere here, has to disable nas, usb and something else at boot...
Never the less I will test it Wink
More concerning is RX/TX errors for WiFi, if that build has that sorted that will be awesome then
egc
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 18 Mar 2014
Posts: 12834
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:37    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes there are workarounds for the VAP issues. I am using one which is working
(the patch from @Quarkysg).

Broadcom wireless drivers are proprietary so devs have not much control about it, that said it can maybe work but probably needs much reworking of the DDWRT code.

Next router maybe Qualcomm/Atheros Smile

_________________
Routers:Netgear R7000, R6400v1, R6400v2, EA6900 (XvortexCFE), E2000, E1200v1, WRT54GS v1.
Install guide R6400v2, R6700v3,XR300:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=316399
Install guide R7800/XR500: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=320614
Forum Guide Lines (important read):https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=324087
studiovpc
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Jan 2015
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:39    Post subject: Reply with quote
egc wrote:
Yes there are workarounds for the VAP issues. I am using one which is working
(the patch from @Quarkysg).

Broadcom wireless drivers are proprietary so devs have not much control about it, that said it can maybe work but probably needs much reworking of the DDWRT code.

Next router maybe Qualcomm/Atheros Smile



I have one, acting as a second router, TPLink WDR-4300 v1.7
As it turns out after all, Asus will be on latest stock, and TPLink on some newer DDWRT build, and call it a day
mhegab
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 16 Dec 2018
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 20:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi. If someone is no RT-AC66U, could you tell me the kernel version for the latest build? Thanks.
Per Yngve Berg
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 13 Aug 2013
Posts: 6856
Location: Romerike, Norway

PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Linux Kernel is 3.18

I have tested up to Build 39031. They run stable. I have not been home to test the latest builds

Don't do a nvram reset on this model, the 5Ghz will be unusable. Reset in the GUI only.
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