The right procedure for reverting my RT-N66U to it's original Merlin firmware?

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Melissa2008B

Melissa2008B

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Apr 28, 2008
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Per my other thread here, I updated the firmware and didn't realize that it would forcibly lower the power output of this router ( see my other thread - I won't repeat everything here ).

Long story short: I also apparently messed it up by not updating the firmware in Rescue Mode, so the router has also not been working as well since about a month ago when I did this.

So I need to make sure that I do the right procedure for reverting my RT-N66U to it's original Merlin firmware. I have the firmware downloaded here, so that part is good.

My main questions are:

Can getting the original firmware installed again, be done wirelessly from my PC, which is how I originally updated it about a month ago?

I can go into the setup utility on my PC now, but need to know that the procedure for getting the original firmware installed again, correctly, can be done wirelessly this way.

Secondly, Asus is talking about getting some kind of Rescue Utility, but when I go to their site, and enter my OS, it took me to https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTN66U/HelpDesk_Download/
and I don't see any "Rescue" utility there.

 
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ASUSWireless_Router_Rescue_Utility.jpg

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC3200/Rescue_2000.zip
 
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I didn't have much time and just thought I'd try it quickly and use the instructions in the user manual, for updating firmware. I' previously found and downloaded RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_276.trx dated 8-1-2013, which I think was the original firmware. So I went into the admin menu and tried to upload it to the router and instead, it told me "Invalid firmware upload" and didn't do it. I guess I'm lucky that it didn't, if it's the wrong firmware, but that doesn't make sense.

I want to revert to the original firmware that came with it, when I bought it a few years ago, which I THINK was actually Merlin and had the power setting where I could actually see, and set how many mw power the transmitter was set for.

Is the above the correct firmware or did I mess up with finding it?

Or is the ONLY way to do this, the procedure they gave me for getting into Rescue Mode? And then using this same stuff? OR does the Rescue Mode take me back to original firmware that's STILL stored somewhere in the actual router?
 
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From instructions on reverting to an original Asus firmware:

"Note that starting around firmware 3.0.0.4.380_3000 (and with Asuswrt-merlin 380.60), a new firmware format is used, which will reject flashing attempts of any older version than these two versions."

The RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_276.trx file, that you downloaded, is definitely older than the 3.0.0.4.380_3000 mentioned in the above quote so it will reject flashing as you have found out.
 
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SO is the only way to revert to the high powered ( 200mw ) original firmware again, to do the Rescue procedure? That wipes out the newer firmware?

Or is this router just kaput now, where I'll never be able to use it on higher power again?

I keep hearing from people, what a wonderful router this is, but I'm having a terrible time with it. I cant even watch streaming shows in my bedroom anymore, because they keep reloading, like Groundhog Day, over and over, because the router power is apparently so low and/or the firmware is messed up from the last time when I used the simple procedure.

 
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I'm getting conflicting advice from Asus on this. I need to do it wirelessly and they keep sending me instructions for using that rescue software with an ethernet cable.

Could someone please help me with how to revert to the original firmware
WIRELESSLY? CAN IT BE DONE? If so, I need a procedure for that please. Please
don't just keep telling me to do it with ethernet. My router is up on a tall
shelf and it's a big hassle to remove it and hook it to my PC.

I HAVE the Rescue software downloaded, but am not sure if that will work with
wireless, or HOW to do it.

Thank you.
...
OK, hold on...

I just went and installed the software and ran it, put in the file for the firmware, it did some stuff for a minute and then came back and told me that the router is not in rescue mode. So I shut down the rescue software.

My main concern is that everything here is now on 5GHz. If I do this wirelessly, will it be expecting 2.4 GHz or will it work with the 5GHz?

I'm just DREADING a fiasco like I had last time, that wasted about 8 hours and was a nightmare, because I didn't know exactly what to do and how to do it first.

I experimented with putting it in rescue mode, like Asus told me: I held the reset button, pulled the plug, waited 10 seconds, plugged the power back in, kept holding the reset button for 6 more seconds, then let it go. It did some stuff, nd wound up with the power light slowly flashing. But that didn't last. After a minute or so, it went back to working and connecting again.

Then I installed this rescue software. So do I start the rescue software, get it ready, then throw it in rescue mode again and run back here and try it? Will it still connect wirelessly while in rescue mode?
...
I just went and tried to start up the rescue utility again, but this time, instead of wanting to update firmware, it asks if I want to uninstall the rescue utility. Ack!
 
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Asus said it could be done wirelessly but they don't recommend it, in case the signal is lost during it, and they won't tell me how.

I just managed to make it into a boat anchor for awhile and finally got it up and running again, but despite setting up the basic CSID and passwords all over again ( it STILL has the latest firmware - the reversion didn't work! ), now I cant access http://192.168.1.1/ anymore. ( and yes, I restarted my browser ). I'm online but cant get to http://192.168.1.1/ Jeez....

I've wasted so many hours on this thing, it might be more cost effective just to trash it and buy another brand. Asus is great, MY FOOT...

The http://192.168.1.1/ just came up after awhile, but asked me to login, and it's not taking the latest password I put in!
Arghhhh!!!
 
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Did you try using the default password "admin"?
 
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I just hooked up ethernet, went through the whole procedure they emailed me from Asus, set the tcp4, etc, started the Rescue utility, put the router in rescue mode WITH the power light slowly blinking, then tried to upload any and ALL firmware that I had here, to try to get this thing working again. All it did was spin for about 30 seconds, then tell me it wasn't in the rescue mode, and I had to quit.

The most recent user and password that I put into the wireless http://192.168.1.1/ by wireless, does not work anymore, so the unit is pretty messed up, with no way to rescue it. Asus' detailed email instructions do not work! I followed them to the letter, WITH ethernet hooked up. Any ideas on how I can save this thing now?

We have basic internet working now, but only at 5 megs download speed, when we have Xfinity 25 meg service, so we cant even watch streaming now. This thing is hosed and I really need your help if there's any way to save it.
...
Oh wait, I tried a different username and pass than I thought I had. Thought I had set it to admin1 and admin1, but it was actually admin and admin1. Whew, I'm in. Let me see what's up...

Looks like I still have the newest firmware that I put in 2 months ago: 3.0.0.4.380_7378
Wasn't able to change it because of the rescue software saying it wasn't in rescue mode.
...
Ok, I went back to trying the plain wireless update, without rescue mode, and was able to get the latest Merlin in there successfully ( it looks like ). But I was reading up on some tweaks and changed the channel bandwidth from auto to 40, and it's been "applying settings" for about 15 minutes now, so I'm getting concerned...

Just had to hit reload & it was fine. Odd...
 
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Oh, the slow speed thing appears to be Comcast. We pay for 25 meg service. It was at least 20 megs until 2 weeks ago, then fell to 5 in the speed tests. They sent a tech out 5 days ago, who made excuses. It went up. Then these past few days, it went down again. I THINK they're having increased demand in the neighborhood and are throttling us. It's been a real pain watching streaming, and it's like GroundHog Day - it keeps reloading and running back a bit, so I can never get the episode watched.

So I called them tonight and it was SHAMELESS excuse making. Well we use wireless instead of wired, so it must be that. But we've been using wireless for YEARS and it was fine. We use 5GHz and 5GHz is only good for 2 FEET! So it must be that. But we've been using 5GHz for 2 YEARS and it was fine. Why do we have our own modem and router - it must be that! Because we didn't want to PAY $120 a YEAR for them. But we've been using our own for YEARS and it was fine. JUST SHAMELESS!

THEN, WHILE I'm talking to her, I'm running speed tests too, and the speed suddenly jumps from 5 megs to 20! A MIRACLE!

They finally say they'll send another tech out on Sunday - PROBABLY to make more excuses and ask the same questions all over.
 
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It's slow all over the house now - not signal strength. That firmware update I did, to the latest Merlin, may have botched everything up. I couldn't do a firmware roll back by setting it to rescue mode - that failed. I actually put the router in rescue mode - the power light was flashing slowly, but when I used the rescue utility, it tried uploading the original firmware for about 30 seconds, then said the router wasn't in rescue mode, which made no sense. So I had to use the simple upload for the firmware, in the user manual, and updated it to the latest Merlin instead of the original that I wanted, which would have let me specify the power setting, like I used to. Since then, the speed on both pc's has been all over the place, from 7 megs to 500kb, when we have 25 meg service here.

Being we have multiple issues here, with seemingly insoluble firmware mess and the signal strength, BECAUSE I haven't been able to revert to the original firmware which let me set the power to 200mw, I'm about ready to trash this router and just go get one of the new TP-Link AC1900's or the Nighthawk AC1900, both of which I understand have much higher power that isn't crippled by firmware updates ( I HOPE ), as well as beamforming and simultaneous dual band, which would really help too. That seems like the cure for all of this. I'm so sick of the problems with this router and have wasted so much time.

THEN I have Comcast hassling me every time they come out, because I bought my own TM822 and they want the rental fees instead, so they're claiming that the TM822 may be causing this "because it's older and may not be working right anymore, because it gets weekly updates and it may not work so well anymore". SO I have to deal with THAT too, as they want ( of course ) to put in all their own equipment and change me $120 a year for it.
 
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This is interesting. When I was trying to watch streaming, it keeps getting a black screen and running back to several minutes before that. The Comcast guy who came here today, said that was buffering. He said the speed if fine, but we ran speed tests while he was here and they were all over the place - sometimes good, sometimes VERY bad.

So, based in suggestions from someone here, I just ran http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest and looked more carefully at the results at the bottom.

THAT test appears to render the minimum speed, rather than the maximum speed that these companies PREFER you to see, by cherry picking their speed test sites - OFTEN THEIR OWN.

So: 3.1 megabits down, 5.3 megabits up. Overall: D Bufferbloat: F! Quality: C

Does that explain the buffering that's ruining my streaming shows? I've been trying to get through the same episode of one show on Hulu Plus, for 2 DAYS now! It's like Groundhog Day! Keeps going back, over & over!

Now I'm running my own TM822 as an EMTA and Rt-N66U as a wifi router.

I don't know much about this buffer bloat thingie, but one site says it's easy to fix, but then doesn't say HOW.

Is there a setting in the router?
 
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Just found this: http://bluegadgettooth.com/best-dd-wrt-router/

SO it seems that I need a dd-wrt router to fix the bufferbloat thing, and also an AC router with high power ( 700-900mw? ) for our long house, beam forming and simultaneous dual band.

Trying to find the transmitter power specs for that Linksys AC1900 they recommend ( the blue one ) but cant find it on the web.
 
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