TM-AC1900 with RT-Asus AC68U firmware reverted to T-Mobile firmware!

Ichinisan

Lifer
Oct 9, 2002
28,298
1,235
136
WARNING: I suggest you don't use the ASUS iOS app to update firmware if you use RT-AC68U firmware on a T-Mobile / Asus TM-AC1900 router.

I have successfully updated the firmware multiple times in the past. After I initially installed retail Asus firmware, there was basically no difference between my router and any other RT-AC68U router -- until this happened. I suppose the mobile iOS app recognized mine as a T-Mobile version by its MAC ID or something.

This really sucks. My wireless security and SSIDs reverted. Even DHCP range reverted, so some things on my home network aren't going to work.
 

sepepper

Junior Member
Jun 27, 2018
2
0
1
I had same thing just happened to me. Months ago I had reflashed a TMobile AC1900 router, converting it to the ASUS RT-AC68U. I was checking the current firmware (most recently using the one from last March 2018), and discovered on the ASUS support web page a new firmware ( RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_384_21045-gb451ba1.TRX) was issued this month (June 2018). I first tried to use the firmware update tool within the router's administration settings page (I've always used Chrome browser), but the firmware update checker was not responding (hamster wheel icon spinning forever) so I went back to the ASUS support page for the router to download the firmware update manually (to my Windows 10 PC). After getting it on my local folder, I went back to Chrome to use the manual update tool & browsed to the local folder containing the firmware update, then ran it. It gave me the announcement page on Chrome that the firmware had successfully updated, and to manually reboot the router, but the page would not refresh back to the router firmware settings page to use the reboot button, so clicked on the page's tab X to exit, then logged back into it, but only got the same announcement page on Chrome. So I went over to the router and powered it off, waited a minute then powered it back on. To my utter shock I discovered it had somehow reverted the router to the TMobile AC1900 firmware after logging into it again on Chrome. I thought that was physically impossible, since I had gone through the whole "SSH access-- CFEditor-- modify TRX file-- etc" to change it permanently in ROM on the router already. Back to Square One, I suppose.
 
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billbillw

Senior member
Jul 17, 2003
239
0
76
Well, this just happened to me and I don't know if I have the time/patience to go through all this again.

EDIT: I should mention, I was not using the iOS app to update. I was using chrome from a wired desktop. It was the same thing. Said to manually reboot and when I did, it was T-mobile again, after 2 years of running the Asus firmware. Extremely frustrating.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,516
408
126
I think that it is a mistake to use the T-Mobile TM-AC1900 (Asus AC68U).

Though it is manufactured by Asus they don't feel responsible for it.

T-Mobile use it for their own purposes and they do not feel responsible for it if it is Not used by their customers the way T-Mobile wants.

As a result who ever wants to feel free to manipulate it, Asus and T-Mobile have No obligation to who ever bought from "whatever on line marketers".

That said, as is it works very well as a secondary Wireless Access Point. As an Access Point the WAN is Not used and it stays functional and stable.


:cool:
 
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sonitt

Junior Member
Dec 19, 2018
7
0
11
I use a converted T-Mobile as an Ai-Mesh node and it seems to work okay. Haven't updated the firmware since before the summer. Thinking of just getting a cheap AC68U toget updated firmware support without having to deal with all the hassle of router reverting.
 

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,205
475
126
I use a converted T-Mobile as an Ai-Mesh node and it seems to work okay. Haven't updated the firmware since before the summer. Thinking of just getting a cheap AC68U toget updated firmware support without having to deal with all the hassle of router reverting.

well there was a process to do before it reverts to make it easier to flash fw.. but i didn't do it and have two that need to be flashed and just dont feel like doing it. almost want to give them away or see what i can do with them in tmobile mode.
 

Ichinisan

Lifer
Oct 9, 2002
28,298
1,235
136
well there was a process to do before it reverts to make it easier to flash fw.. but i didn't do it and have two that need to be flashed and just dont feel like doing it. almost want to give them away or see what i can do with them in tmobile mode.
Maybe just install Merlin firmware. If I recall correctly, you can just upload the file with no hacky stuff. Once you're on Merlin I'm guessing we won't need to worry about reverting to T-Mobile firmware. Should just update to the latest custom Merlin release.
 

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,205
475
126
Maybe just install Merlin firmware. If I recall correctly, you can just upload the file with no hacky stuff. Once you're on Merlin I'm guessing we won't need to worry about reverting to T-Mobile firmware. Should just update to the latest custom Merlin release.

99% sure it was on merlin when reverted first time. ill give it a try but i wont hold my breath. I will even be happy if i can plug a 4g modem in it for a silly traveling hotspot.
 
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lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Not entirely. I found a page with some simpler instructions for folks that experienced the reversion.

https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/

This section:

Directions for rolling back to AC68 after AC1900 rollback:

I just followed the Google Doc.

Noticed before that the FW update wasn't taking on mine, so this weekend I finally decided to get it working.

What a joy when I discovered they tried nuking them back to TM versions.

From time I picked up my USB drive till having it finished should have been just over 20 minutes. But I didn't notice that the 2nd of the FW changes in the procedure didn't go through right, so my console commands for cleaning the mdt5 data weren't working. I did discover that I'd need an additional version to use the final erase commands, so spent time hunting down some older versions as ASUS seems to have wiped as much as they could from their sources. In the end, did a lot of reading and searching, and if I had all the needed files up front I could have been done in 30 minutes, but it took me about 2.5 hours.

Now sitting at RT-AC68U again with most recent FW version. And looking forward to rebuilding all my static IP settings for everything.
 

simurg

Junior Member
Jan 1, 2019
3
0
6
Noticed before that the FW update wasn't taking on mine, so this weekend I finally decided to get it working.

What a joy when I discovered they tried nuking them back to TM versions.

From time I picked up my USB drive till having it finished should have been just over 20 minutes. But I didn't notice that the 2nd of the FW changes in the procedure didn't go through right, so my console commands for cleaning the mdt5 data weren't working. I did discover that I'd need an additional version to use the final erase commands, so spent time hunting down some older versions as ASUS seems to have wiped as much as they could from their sources. In the end, did a lot of reading and searching, and if I had all the needed files up front I could have been done in 30 minutes, but it took me about 2.5 hours.

Now sitting at RT-AC68U again with most recent FW version. And looking forward to rebuilding all my static IP settings for everything.

I tried several approaches but cannot get the firmware downgraded. I followed the instructions here.

Everything worked and mtd-write2 completes without any error but when I perform nvram reset, I still see the latest TM firmware on the router. On my first attempt, I was able to get the CFT and uploaded the old firmware but that also fails. It seems like I am stuck at the first step of downgrading the firmware. How come after completing the mtd-write2, (no error given by the execution) and performing nvram, I still have the latest TM firmware?
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
I tried several approaches but cannot get the firmware downgraded. I followed the instructions here.

Everything worked and mtd-write2 completes without any error but when I perform nvram reset, I still see the latest TM firmware on the router. On my first attempt, I was able to get the CFT and uploaded the old firmware but that also fails. It seems like I am stuck at the first step of downgrading the firmware. How come after completing the mtd-write2, (no error given by the execution) and performing nvram, I still have the latest TM firmware?


I did the NO CFE USB Instructions from that and other than needing to find an additional version to load to do the erase before going to current version, I had no issues with the instructions.

Anyone else reading this, do note that if you are downgrading and incrementally upgrading the other version of the mtd5 erase is the one to use as you only get some of the command functions available as you go to a newer versions.
 
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simurg

Junior Member
Jan 1, 2019
3
0
6
I also followed the NO CFE USB instructions line by line and did it twice. It is weird that mine didn't pick up the old firmware, TM-AC1900_3.0.0.4_376_1703-g0ffdbba.trx. From instructions, I expected it to work but I guess I am unlucky.
 

simurg

Junior Member
Jan 1, 2019
3
0
6
I figured it out what the issue is, my script actually didn't run, I am supposed to get

+ mtd-write2 /tmp/mnt/USB/3.trx linux
linux: CRC OK

but I got blank which I interpreted as success. Anyhow, the issue was that my drive name was causing the script to be too long. When I was reading the instructions, I noticed that. I renamed the volumne name something shorter like USB and filename to 3.trx and that fixed the issue.

I had no idea what you were telling about incremental upgrade but now I know. mtd-erase fails for older versions of router. So I first upgraded to Asus firmware version to 384.20308 . Then followed the instructions to erase mtd5. Finally upgraded to the latest version. It worked fine. I found the firmware on Softpedia.
This is mentioned in the comments of :
https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
I figured it out what the issue is, my script actually didn't run, I am supposed to get

+ mtd-write2 /tmp/mnt/USB/3.trx linux
linux: CRC OK

but I got blank which I interpreted as success. Anyhow, the issue was that my drive name was causing the script to be too long. When I was reading the instructions, I noticed that. I renamed the volumne name something shorter like USB and filename to 3.trx and that fixed the issue.

I had no idea what you were telling about incremental upgrade but now I know. mtd-erase fails for older versions of router. So I first upgraded to Asus firmware version to 384.20308 . Then followed the instructions to erase mtd5. Finally upgraded to the latest version. It worked fine. I found the firmware on Softpedia.
This is mentioned in the comments of :
https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u


Yep, that's it!

If I had known about the incremental upgrade and had the extra firmware file at start this is relatively simple, less than a 30 minute task.

Much longer to rebuild my DHCP and port forward settings.
 

Goatsac

Junior Member
Feb 6, 2019
1
0
6
I recently discovered the google doc and have been attempting to follow it. I have been having measured success up until the last step. I am getting an error that says something to the effect of:

+ mtd-write2 /tmp/mnt/USB/3.trx linux
tmp/mnt/USB: file too small (0 bytes)

I have tried it with the file name as stated in the directions and 3.trx. Neither having any luck.

I have two of these routers, one from a friend, that we’re both successfully flashed per the directions on the bayareatechpros but were accidentally upgraded to 3199 recently.

I have repeated the process many times and keep getting the same result. I have verified that the files are being written and that the .trx files are on the flash drive. I haven’t tried a new drive yet but I am out of ideas.

Anybody have any thoughts on what steps I can take next?
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
New firmware out from asus. Anyone see reports yet on whether it's safe to update?
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,200
126
I just re-flashed four AC68U-class routers (two AC68R, two AC1900P), and set them up in an AiMesh configuration. I updated all of them (thanks to @mxnerd for support and helping me), and used the oldest firmware that's still available on their web pages, and then flashed to the newest, which was apparently released the day I started on this project. Didn't even notice it was that fresh. So far, so good. Mesh works great, 500Mbit/sec speedtests on FIOS Gigabit internet connection.

I'm using all fours of them, in only two rooms, on the same floor though, so mine is probably a best-case scenario. I used to have wired gigabit LAN, but due to apt. inspection, they nixed the idea of running cables over the carpet.

Edit: This post is in response to a query about the newest 2019-03--29 RT-AC68U firmware update. I don't own any TM-1900 routers, only verifying that the newest Asus firmware, works OK on some Asus 68U variants.
 
Last edited:

bula

Junior Member
Apr 11, 2019
1
0
6
New firmware out from Asus (RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_384_45713-g0f2983e). Anyone reported yet on whether it's safe to update? Thank you