New RT-AC66U Hardware Revision - B1

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duckasylum
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 05 Dec 2017
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 22:16    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had never heard about the nvram reset before. Is it safe to do the "erase nvram" or should I go the 30/30/30 route?

Initially I upgraded from the stock firmware by putting the router to recovery mode and used the recovery.exe tool with the latest AC68U dd-wrt firmware, rebooted and had a working (sans the LEDs) and upgraded router.
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s3n0
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Slovakia

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't know what is better method. Sometimes I read that it is better to perform both of them - hardware method 30/30/30 (press and hold the buttons) before flashing the router + also the software method (via firmware dd-wrt) after flashing of the router.

In the case of the hardware method, the default configuration from the CFE bootloader will be loaded into the NVRAM memory.

In the case of the software reset method (via dd-wrt) I assume that the default configuration will be loaded directly from dd-wrt firmware (so not from CFE).

Turning off the LEDs may be related.

I hope I'm not wrong Smile. Sorry but I'm not expert (not just yet) Smile. I would only advise if I had the same router and played with them for a while. However, I can also buy the AC66U_B1 router. I plan to buy a better router Smile.

There is also something about a similar problem with LEDs (old thread forum):
https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=240404

Something about nvram reset:
https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=500621

_________________
Asus RT-N16 @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-N18U @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-AC66U-B1, H/W Ver.:B2 @ Asuswrt Merlin (384.13)


Last edited by s3n0 on Sun Dec 10, 2017 9:24; edited 1 time in total
Malachi
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 7209
Location: Columbus, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:36    Post subject: Reply with quote
You can reset it through the dd-wrt or asus GUI, using the reset button while the router is running or power it off, hold the wps button in, turn on the router, when the power led flashes, you cal jet go of the wps button and let the router boot up.
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s3n0
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Slovakia

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 11:42    Post subject: Reply with quote
The RESET button on the routers activates the DD-WRT firmware code used to reset the NVRAM memory. So it's a software RESET.

Hardware Reset is not recommended when DD-WRT has already been flashed into the router (there is a risk that the router will be bricked).

The hardware RESET (by holding the WPS down for a few seconds until the router is plugged into the power supply) causes the router settings to be read from the CFE memory block, so the firmware is also dependent on the CFE version of the router. Therefore, it is also not possible to flash into any ASUS router type (same model), always the same ASUS original firmware. Unfortunately, it depends on the HW version of the device or the CFE version.

DD-WRT firmware does not count with this. They develop a very versatile firmware that is designed for a range of models of a particular type. There is an automatic detection of specific hardware in dd-wrt, but it's never completely tuned.

In recent years, ASUS has begun producing many different HW revisions from one and the same model using a totally different CFE bootloader - based on a specific hardware element, such as: the type of flash memory used, the type of WiFi module, the changed LED function indicators, changed function of the RESET and WPS buttons for service purposes, and the like. So ASUS original firmware is directly dependent on the used CFE bootloader.

In my opinion, ASUS is trying to shake the effort of users, flash firmware of a third party.

I was reading for example that the RT-AC66U HW ver.: B0 (2015 year of production) has problems with WiFi 5GHz. It is a different hardware and a different CFE bootloader and, of course, also uses a different configuration of factory settings (different CFEs). ASUS has made a mess of labeling to completely discourage users and stop using third-party firmware. The HW router B0 is considered to be the predecessor of a new model officially called "RT-AC66U B1" and is very similar. These models (ver. B0) were produced in only a small amount.

According to the above, the standard procedure should be as follows:

1. Hardware reset (using low-end "recovery mode" will obviously also make hardware resetting with this whole thing)
2. flash dd-wrt firmware
3. NVRAM software reset via DD-WRT after successful flashing (not before, but after flashing)

_________________
Asus RT-N16 @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-N18U @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-AC66U-B1, H/W Ver.:B2 @ Asuswrt Merlin (384.13)
Malachi
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 7209
Location: Columbus, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 12:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have never bricked any of the almost 100 asus routers that I used the wps reset. Even rmerlin suggests resetting it this way.
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duckasylum
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 05 Dec 2017
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 12:41    Post subject: Reply with quote
So I have been playing around with the router for some hours now with an initial goal to flash back to the asus original firmware so that I can note down the default behaviour of the LEDS.

Jumping ahead I can tell that only the WAN LED has 3 states (red/blue/off) and though I initially told that the WAN LED does not work with dd-wrt it will turn blue if a cable with something on the other end is connected to it is plugged in. So the WAN LED looses its disconnected RED LED state.

Seems that after flashing the router with dd-wrt I cannot use the recovery.exe tool. The router goes into recovery mode, but the tool won't find it. But I can use the CFE webpage to upload a new firmware.

I did the WPS method with dd-wrt already installed. Didn't resolve the LED issue, did the reset button method and that also didn't resolve the LED issue.

Asus firmware has ssh access so looked what "nvram show | grep gpio" shows and the results are below:
Code:

admin@RT-AC66U_B1:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep gpio
size: 64080 bytes (1456 left)
led_lan4_gpio=255
btn_rst_gpio=4107
led_lan2_gpio=255
reset_gpio=11
gpio7=wps_button
gpio9=usbport1
led_usb_gpio=255
btn_wps_gpio=4103
led_2g_gpio=255
led_usb3_gpio=255
led_logo_gpio=255
btn_led_gpio=255
led_wan_gpio=5
led_5g_gpio=255
led_lan3_gpio=255
led_wps_gpio=4096
led_lan_gpio=255
led_lan1_gpio=255
btn_radio_gpio=255
pwr_usb_gpio=4105
led_all_gpio=255
have_fan_gpio=255
fan_gpio=255
btn_wltog_gpio=255
led_pwr_gpio=4096
pwr_usb_gpio2=255


as a comparison I have an output of the same command from dd-wrt on the same router with 68U firmware:

Code:

root@gw:~# nvram show | grep gpio
size: 35689 bytes (29847 left)
reset_gpio=11
gpio7=wps_button
gpio9=usbport1


No idea if the GPIO info is anyway useful to anyone.

Going to try a new dd-wrt install with wps reset, dd-wrt flash and a soft reset next.
s3n0
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Slovakia

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 17:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
Malachi wrote:
I have never bricked any of the almost 100 asus routers that I used the wps reset. Even rmerlin suggests resetting it this way.


DD-WRT and AsusWrt-Merlin can not be compared with each other.

Asuswrt-Merlin is primarily focused on the ASUS Router brand and only on certain router models. New versions of the Asuswrt-Merlin "382" will only be developed for ARM processors. For MIPS, the author plans to quit from the new version. Asuswrt-Merlin firmware is not based on pure DD-WRT, but on the original firmware. Asuswrt-Merlin even has its discussion forum.

Hardware reset in this case can not hurt. Asuswrt-Merlin is not a pure DD-WRT. Since Asuswrt-Merlin is primarily intended for ASUS router only, it does not have any problems with the NVRAM structure. The same applies to CFE bootloaders. There is even a special thread on the discussion forum for CFE issues (downgrade CFE version to use a particular Asuswrt-Merlin firmware on the device).

AsuswrtMerlin walks a whole different path than the DD-WRT. Smile

Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Universal DD-WRT can be used almost everywhere. Thanks to its popularity and versatility, it has a very wide use - which is then used by other firmware makers ... even direct router manufacturers. The router manufacturers then modify the code, lock and declare it as their own. Since the DD-WRT is versatile, the problem with NVRAM resetting is a normal thing.

For example, for my current Asus RT-N16 router, there is also a special flash process for DD-WRT firmware - https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=305461 . All this just for CFE. So far I use Tomato Shibby firmware, but Shibby supposedly uses the old SDK and that's not good.

_________________
Asus RT-N16 @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-N18U @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-AC66U-B1, H/W Ver.:B2 @ Asuswrt Merlin (384.13)
s3n0
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Slovakia

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 23:49    Post subject: Reply with quote
duckasylum wrote:
Hello

The result I get is

Code:
root@gw:~# nvram get bl_version
1.1.2.2

Hi again,

finally I also own the Asus RT-AC66U-B1 router (2017). It's HW ver. B2 and CFE v1.1.2.2.

I tried flashing the latest dd-wrt (12-14-2017-r34080) and everything worked, except the LED for the 5GHz radio. The light is off, but 5GHz WiFi apparently worked correctly. I tested dd-wrt unfortunately for only a few hours, so I can not judge how it works, but maybe correct.

I have returned to using Asuswrt-Merlin (382.2_aplha2 test version for RT-AC68U).

_________________
Asus RT-N16 @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-N18U @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-AC66U-B1, H/W Ver.:B2 @ Asuswrt Merlin (384.13)
taggg
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 22 Jun 2018
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:29    Post subject: December Beta Worked; June Beta Didn't Reply with quote
Model: RT-AC66U B1
H/W Ver: B1

  1. Received the router.
  2. Updated to the latest Asus-blessed firmware.
  3. Tried to flash dd-wrt using the Asus firmware, but got a certification error:
    Quote:
    To comply with regulatory amendments, we have modified our certification rule to ensure better firmware quality. This version is not compatible with all previously released ASUS firmware and uncertified third party firmware. Please check our official websites for the certified firmware.

  4. Put the router in rescue mode (using the reset button).
  5. Flashed the latest dd-wrt beta for RT-AC68U (06-20-2018-r36168).
  6. Router console never came back - lights seemed to indicate a boot loop.
  7. Put the router back in rescue mode.
  8. Set a static IP address of 192.168.1.10 for my computer. (I guess DHCP doesn't work in rescue mode?)
  9. Flashed the dd-wrt beta confirmed by s3n0 above (12-14-2017-r34080).
  10. dd-wrt came up and is working great, except for the 5GHz LED.

By the way, does anyone know if we need to worry about VPNFilter with this router? If so, what's the solution?
s3n0
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Slovakia

PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
@taggg:

I did not try new versions of dd-wrt on my router, but why would not they work? You may have used a bad procedure (for example, forgetting "nvram clear" before flashing dd-wrt firmware or failing "factory reset" after flashing dd-wrt firmware - which often helps). If the router does not boot after the dd-wrt firmware flash, do not be desperate. It happens often. It is necessary to try a new reboot and also a "factory reset" since there is already a new dd-wrt and it needs a new nvram memory format.

VPN configuration is a matter of a particular service in the appropriate firmware. This does not apply to a specific device (router). You can also find a lot of information here if you use a search for "VPN filter" or simply "VPN".

_________________
Asus RT-N16 @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-N18U @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-AC66U-B1, H/W Ver.:B2 @ Asuswrt Merlin (384.13)
deslatha
DD-WRT User


Joined: 12 Jul 2016
Posts: 187

PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:55    Post subject: Reply with quote
Connected to router by telnet uses terminal in mac or wifi serial in android or teraterm in window.
code
nvram show // display al info of setting your router
nvram show | grep board. //display board data of router
dd if=/dev/mtdblock0 | hexdump -C. //display in text your cfe router.
dd if=/dev/mtdblock1 | hexdump -C // display in text your nvram router
cat / proc/mtd //display mtd of router
cat /proc/partitions //display layout your nand layout
cat / proc/cpuinfo //display all cpu of router
then copy all for back up to usb devices.
df -h. // display volume of router.
cp /dev/mtdblock0 /tmp/mnt/sda1/mtd0_bk.bin //copy wholeblock of mtd0 to usb storage and so on.
wl -a ethx revinfo // info your router'wireless
wl ledbh x // info and adjust speed of led of wireless modules.
wl help // display all command that you can used.
hope can help.
For easy and quick after install new fw, simple replace nvram bk to where it support to be then you all set.
raker1000
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 05 Apr 2018
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bought one of these and when I tried to install the firmware, I got the same message described by taggg.
I don't have a windows computer, so I could not run the "Firmware Restoration" software described on the Rescue Mode page at the Asus site.

I found a blog entry https://chrishardie.com/2013/02/asus-router-firmware-windows-mac-linux/ with info that the "Firmware Restoration" software is only a simple wrapper for tftp. I was able to use a linux tftp client to upload DD-WRT v3.0-r34080 (12/14/17) as shown here:

me@home:~/Downloads$ tftp 10.1.1.5
tftp> bin
tftp> put asus_rt-ac68u-firmware.trx
Sent 27172864 bytes in 99.5 seconds
tftp>

About 5 minutes after that it rebooted itself and came back up with ip 192.168.1.1.
So the AC-RT66a_B1 is now running DD-WRT and calling itself a RT-AC68U C1.
s3n0
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Slovakia

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:44    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice... BTW, the tFTP is also possible to do in Windows. If the tFTP is not installed in Windows, it can be installed through "Windows components".I once saved one ASUS router booted into recovery mode and via tFTP in Windows ... and successfully.
_________________
Asus RT-N16 @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-N18U @ Fresh Tomato (2019.3.118)
Asus RT-AC66U-B1, H/W Ver.:B2 @ Asuswrt Merlin (384.13)
taggg
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 22 Jun 2018
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 22:19    Post subject: Reply with quote
s3n0 wrote:
I did not try new versions of dd-wrt on my router, but why would not they work?

I'm not sure why, but bugs do creep in sometimes, e.g. https://svn.dd-wrt.com/ticket/6743, confirmed here.

s3n0 wrote:
VPN configuration is a matter of a particular service in the appropriate firmware. This does not apply to a specific device (router). You can also find a lot of information here if you use a search for "VPN filter" or simply "VPN".

VPNFilter is malware named after an intermediate file it uses. It has nothing to do with VPN. Here's a better thread.

raker1000 wrote:
I don't have a windows computer, so I could not run the "Firmware Restoration" software described on the Rescue Mode page at the Asus site.

You don't actually need that software. I've created a wiki detailing the procedure to install DD-WRT via rescue mode.
mikeinnc
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 22 Jun 2018
Posts: 25
Location: Perth, Western Australia

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:10    Post subject: Asus RT-AC66U-B1 Reply with quote
I've recently purchased one of these routers, and something drastic seems to have changed. Following the very comprehensive wiki proved totally fruitless. I was unable to get any connection to the router at all, let alone see a 'CFE web UI', So, I downloaded the Asus Firmware rescue application, as suggested at the bottom of the wiki. The first attempt at loading the dd-wrt firmware (and I used one of the recommended 68U versions mentioned in the wiki) was not successful. I then tried a standard Asus firmware upgrade and that worked OK. Back to rescue mode and the Asus app - and this time, it appeared that the dd-wrt firmware loaded successfully. However, when the router rebooted, I was unable to access it at all. Luckily, I was able to recover the router to the Asus firmware using the Asus app. Of course, using this app - which now appears to be the only method by which the dd-wrt firmware can be downloaded - there is no way to 'restore default NVRAM values' Could this be the problem? Any assistance very welcome!!
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