Converting DSL-AC68U to RT-AC68U for use as AiMesh Node – Solved

[Six]

I’m sure there were a series of posts on the old forum about hacking a DSL-AC68U to make it into an RT-AC68U. Sadly those posts are lost and not cached on Google searches.

I believe that RT firmware can be loaded using the recovery process. Does the standard Asus RT firmware work on the DSL or is a Merlin version needed.

The aim is to use the DSL as an AiMesh node, hence the conversion to being an RT. I believe that after loading the RT firmware the DSL needs it’s ID changing. Does anyone have the commands needed to change the ID?

Thanks in advance.

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Enjoy ;) Either ASUSWRT or RMerlin firmware will work.

Note: backup original config as this maybe needed to convert back to DSL-AC68U if needed.

RMerlin (ASUSWRT-Merlin) Firmware and the ASUS DSL-AC68U (PPPoE)

Regarding Product ID: 2 options both of which I have never tried, and if you try, at your risk ;-)

1) Backup config from DSL-AC68U after it has been flashed. then via an hex editor, change router name to RT-AC1900, so new name has same number of character as original name and then load .cfg file to router and see if this does the trick ?

OR

2) Telnet to Flashed DSL-AC68U running RT Firmware (RMerlin is best and change variables  as appropriate below)

Code:
nvram set cfg_device_list=”<RT-AC68U>192.168.1.1>38:2C:4A:CA:D1:B8>0″
nvram set dms_friendly_name=”RT-AC68U-D1B8″
nvram set computer_name=”RT-AC68U-D1B8″
nvram set productid=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set lld2d_hostname=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set asus_device_list=”<3>RT-AC68U>192.168.1.1>38:2C:4A:CA
:D1:B8>0>asus>255.255.255.0>1″
nvram set wps_modelnum=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set daapd_friendly_name=”RT-AC68U-D1B8″
nvram set wps_device_name=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set odmpid=”RT-AC68U”

Let us know how this goes and good luck?

Share the knowledge

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Trying to post a guide to what I’ve done so far, keep hitting a xxxxx protection issue.

This post edited by UK Sentinel (Admin) to remove security related detail

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Thanks for the above, I found the same list of commands after a huge amount of digging elsewhere.

Need to confirm that router can find the AiMesh Node later on (main router currently in use).

Part One:

Steps taken so far:

Download and unzip latest RT-AC68U firmware from asus.com

Download, unzip and install Recovery Tool from asus.com

Factory resest DSL-AC68U

Put DSL-AC68U into Recovery Mode by holding reset while powering on and waiting for flashing power LED.

Connect to DSL-AC68U with ethernet cable and manually set IP to 192.168.1.10 and gateway to 192.168.1.1.

Run Recovery Tool, browse to find RT firmware and upload.

Wait for 5 – 10 mins.

Reboot when instructed to.

Share the knowledge

Liked by:

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Part Two:

Connect to the router which at this point will still identify as DSL-AC68U despite running RT-AC68U firmware.

Goto Administation>System and enable Telnet.

Telnet onto the router.

Enter:

nvram show

Select the output and cut and paste it into a text document as a backup.

 

 

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Part Three:

Find the entry for cfg_device_list and copy the MAC Address and replace in both instances of XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX below

Replace XXXX with the last 4 digits of the Mac Address

Enter:

nvram set cfg_device_list=”<RT-AC68U>192.168.1.1>XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX>0″
nvram set dms_friendly_name=”RT-AC68U-XXXX″
nvram set computer_name=”RT-AC68U-XXXX″
nvram set productid=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set lld2d_hostname=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set asus_device_list=”<3>RTAC68U>192.168.1.1>XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX>0>asus>255.255.255.0>1″
nvram set wps_modelnum=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set daapd_friendly_name=”RT-AC68U-XXXX″
nvram set wps_device_name=”RT-AC68U”
nvram set odmpid=”RT-AC68U”

nvram commit

Then reboot your router, it should now identify as an RT-AC68U and allow you to select the option to use it as an AiMesh Node.

 

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Guess it doesn’t like long posts.

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Six wrote:

Guess it doesn’t like long posts.

Yes, xxxxx is a struggle sometimes (but designed to stop spammers inserting very long messages or sql injection type attack’s which I am plagued with at the moment from China and Ukraine), thanks for steps and hopefully all good your end ;-)

Share the knowledge

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

OK this is not working at present, trying to find out why the nvram set commands won’t survive the AiMesh enabling reboot.

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Six wrote:

OK this is not working at present, trying to find out why the nvram set commands won’t survive the AiMesh enabling reboot.

Did you change the dms_friendly_name etc. to match you routers MAC Address last two octets ?

Also, try ‘nvram+commit’  –  worth a try?

Share the knowledge

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Yes I caught the dms_friendly_name change, just didn’t change it in the posts yet.

nvram+commit?

 

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Six wrote:

Yes I caught the dms_friendly_name change, just didn’t change it in the posts yet. nvram+commit?

Try ‘nvram+commit’ at the end rather than ‘nvram commit’ I noticed a few posts yesterday using this alternative?

Share the knowledge

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Six]

Finally done it. Need to work through the steps before I can share.

AiMesh set up and running nicely.

Share the knowledge

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Six wrote:

Finally done it. Need to work through the steps before I can share. AiMesh set up and running nicely.

 

;-)

Share the knowledge

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Note: backup original config as this maybe needed to convert back to DSL-AC68U if needed.

I had a little play with my DSL-AC68U after flashing it with ASUS RT-AC68U Stock Firmware

As above, I followed your steps 1 and 2 and then just entered the following commands via PUTTY (Telnet)

nvram set odmpid=”RT-AC68U”

nvram set asuscpeodmpid=”RT-AC68U”

nvram set asuscpecommit=1

nvram commit

and hey presto, a DSL-AC68U that looks and acts as a True RT-AC68U with AiMesh (Node) option ;-)

———————

UPDATE: Command should be………….

nvram set odmpid=”RT-AC68U”

nvram set asuscfeodmpid=”RT-AC68U”

nvram set asuscfecommit=1

nvram commit

Share the knowledge

Attachments:

1. 

   DSL-A68U-to-RT-AC68U-Conversion.jpg
   

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Author]

Posts