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

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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.

• This topic was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Six.

[UK SentinelModerator Posts 2181UKTechHub Skipper]

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?

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

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by UK Sentinel. Reason: Security Detailed removed

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Six.

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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.

 

 

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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.

 

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Six.

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

Guess it doesn’t like long posts.

[UK SentinelModerator Posts 2181UKTechHub Skipper]

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 ;-)

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

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Six.

[UK SentinelModerator Posts 2181UKTechHub Skipper]

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?

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

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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

nvram+commit?

 

[UK SentinelModerator Posts 2181UKTechHub Skipper]

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?

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

[SixParticipant Posts 54UKTechHub Regular]

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

AiMesh set up and running nicely.

[UK SentinelModerator Posts 2181UKTechHub Skipper]

Six wrote:

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

 

;-)

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

[UK SentinelModerator Posts 2181UKTechHub Skipper]

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

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by UK Sentinel. Reason: Update Section Added

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

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