Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 0:38 Post subject: Asus RT-AC66U Support and Kernel
Hello,
I have Asus RT-AC66U. Is it supported? I can't find it in router database but it appears that there is firmware for it, so does this mean it's actually supported, or are there issues?
Any chance someone could tell me what Linux Kernel version it's using? How about stick firmware?
I would run <Kong> firmware if it were a B1 (ARM dual core). The A1 is a single core MIPS. Outside of that, my only recommendations are AsusWRT-Merlin and FreshTomato....
Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 14246 Location: Texas, USA
Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:48 Post subject:
mhegab wrote:
Thanks. It's A1.
Both Merlin and Tomato variations use Kernel 2.6.
So I imagine there is no hope of getting a firmware based on Kernel 4.x? Probably due to the unavailability issue of Broadcom drivers.
^ I am sick and tired of seeing and hearing this lie. IF there is in fact any agreement with Broadcom, then the drivers and SDK are available, and kernel version doesn't matter. Otherwise, I wouldn't have a Broadcom wireless adapter-equipped 2008 MacBook Air with working wireless on Debian 9.x with a 4.9 kernel...
Honestly, it's a router, and does kernel version really matter on a router? The Linux-MIPS and ARM communities maintained the 2.6 all the way through a couple of years ago. Individual projects (Tomato, Merlin) have probably added other patches, same for DD-WRT. Mind you, this is someone who asked the same question about a year ago... and I've done some research since then...
Well, my understanding is that older kernel will be subject to recent vurlnabilities. I don't wish to have someone hacking my router.
I don't know what lie you are referring to. But I checked Asus's recent firmware forthis router (May 2018) and it's based on Kernel 2.6. Same for Merlin, Tomato by Shibby and some other variations, and they are all on 2.6.
dd-wrt is the only firmware I found with 3.x, but I was hoping for somethnig more recent.
I would have to track down the actual information on what is in the 4.8+ kernels that fixes this and check in the MIPS community and firmware projects. Also, not sure if these folks checked older kernels for backports, but all they did was check stock firmware. I think Linksys recently patched their MIPS code, but I would have to double-check this.
I wasn't trying to disagree with you, I was just saying that the whole Broadcom code thing being kernel-version specific is bullsh*t.