[SOLVED] ASUS RT-AC68U problem

[maraxion]

Hello.
Iv had this asus router im media bridge for a couple of years, good speeds and nice.
Today I was in the settings on in and pressed the firmware button, and there was a new oone which I accepted.

The problem is that after this upgrade the media bridge does not work anymore. Further the whole GUI(interface) of the router has changed to this "easy access" things so I cannot acces the settings anymore.
To mae things worse, the only place I can then try to downgrade the firmware dont accept the firmware files... Anyone had this problem?

 

[Lutfij]

Can you verify which firmware version you're on at the time of writing? The router has a reset button on the rear, have you tried pressing that and seeing if the reset alleviates the issue?

 

[maraxion]

Can you verify which firmware version you're on at the time of writing? The router has a reset button on the rear, have you tried pressing that and seeing if the reset alleviates the issue?

Iv tried reset, and all normal networking means to get it back to work. I can reset it, but the new GUI(wizard) is limited, and putting it in to bridge mode doessent work anymore.
When i login after a reset the new gui doessent accept the trx files for firmware, so cant downgrade.
As of which FW im running, I dont know. Due to the new GUI I cannot even locate that, but most likely the newest Version 3.0.0.4.386.46065.
Iv also tried Asus firmware restoration, but it dossent seem to work. Im guessing its because the unit is working, and the tool is for when its not.

 

[Ralston18]

This router?

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC68U/NA8104_RT-AC68U_QSG_v2.pdf

Verify that I have identified the applicable User Manual.

Regarding: "Further the whole GUI(interface) of the router has changed to this "easy access" things so I cannot acces the settings anymore. "

Are you being forced to configure the router using some wizard/QIS via the Asus website?

Or are you able to directly access the router's administrative screens by using a browser and the router's IP address?

Reference physically numbered pages 14 and 15 in the User Manual.

And especially the NOTE at the bottom of Page 14.

Use the router's default IP address (192.168.1.1) to access the router directly.

 

[maraxion]

Yea im using the ip, but it jumps to router.asus.com.
When in the wizard GUI the media bridge does not work. The only way I found now is to set it up as router, then I finaly get access to normal asus router page. There I can change the firmware as normal.. I dont get it, its been dead stable for years and Iv never seen this new added wizard GUI, and its stuck even when downgrading firmware???

EDIT: iv now manage to get it in media bridge with old firmware 3.0.0.4.385_10000. The GUI is still there, not udnerstanding why and why newer firmware dont work with media bridge, The newer firmwares has a lot more settings aswel it seems.

 

[maraxion]

This is weird.
So iv now tested and found something but not a clear answer.
Firmware Version 3.0.0.4.385.20633, datet 2020/08/14 works with media bridge.
The next version the Version 3.0.0.4.386.40558 from 2020/11/05 does not. This is also the first version where the FW had a major change and a lot of settings are added. Its also the first FW where the router asks you to manually restart the router after the upgrade.
It wil show that its connected in bridge, but dont work.

Ater that there are 6 neweer firmware evrsions, latest now at 2022/01/27 , but they seem to not work on media bridge.

Anyone have any idea what could be wrong? like routers not speaking to eachother, statics ip etc something that might be problematic?

 

[kanewolf]

Hello.
Iv had this asus router im media bridge for a couple of years, good speeds and nice.
Today I was in the settings on in and pressed the firmware button, and there was a new oone which I accepted.

The problem is that after this upgrade the media bridge does not work anymore. Further the whole GUI(interface) of the router has changed to this "easy access" things so I cannot acces the settings anymore.
To mae things worse, the only place I can then try to downgrade the firmware dont accept the firmware files... Anyone had this problem?

With that router, I would always recommend MERLIN firmware -- https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/

 

[Alabalcho]

With that router, I would always recommend MERLIN firmware -- https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/

Have this exact router with latest Merlin, can confirm you can switch it to "Media Bridge"

 

[maraxion]

I agree Merlin is a better build, have used it before but not on this one.
So I went and got the merlin latest build and flashed. I get the exact same problem as the newer asus ones. Il try to explain:

I flash the rom easily, reboot and choose operation mode and media bridge. The router restarts but no link to the computer. If I have the site 192.168.1.1 open at the time the login to the router wil appear and I can log in, but after around 20 seconds the login drops out and I cannot find the router any longer on that nor any other IP. It says connected on media bridge, but only with 1 client. But as I said im not getting any Ip or anything. try reseting on the back and factory reset in the router to no avail before or after flash. Se picture and note the speed:



If i flash with the old 633 firmware doh,the computer connects, gets Ip and all is good. The speed increases alot and all the clients on the network is there showing its connected:



My network is standard. The bridge connects to the primary router that has this asus locked on a fixed IP. Other than that there is nothing special. Dont understand why it seems to connect, but dont in a way.
Iv tried to remove the static IP on the main router, even added static on the asus, but nope no difference.
The main router is a generic not asus, can it be some limitation after a certain FW update it cant take like a security thing etc?

 

[Alabalcho]

By a chance - could it be that your media bridge' IP address clashes with some other device?

My Dutch / Swedish (not sure) is not that good , but it seems your media bridge gets WiFi connection. If you login to the AC68U, and go to "Network Tools -> "Network analysis" can you ping random hosts like 1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8, google.com etc? Ifyou enable SSH, and SSH into the AC68U, can you do the same?