ASUS RT-AC87U AsusWrt-Merlin Firmware 384.12 Beta 2

The AsusWrt-Merlin firmware was developed with the primary goal of boosting the original ASUS firmware, fix bugs and also add new improvements. This package includes a customized firmware targeted at ASUS routers that brings various changes without modifying the interface of the original firmware.

Changes:

- NEW: Added WS-Discovery support. This allows Windows clients to detect the router's shared USB drives even if SMBv1 support is disabled.
- NEW: Re-added option to extend the WAN's TTL (from stock firmware, was previously disabled as it used to be broken)
- UPDATED: RT-AC3200 and RT-AC87U to 382_51634/51636 binary blobs (with a few exceptions for 384_xxxx compatibility)
- UPDATED: Merged GPL 384_45717 (except for RT-AX88U)
- UPDATED: Nano 4.2.
- UPDATED: OpenSSL-11x to 1.1.1c.
- UPDATED: OpenSSL-10x to 1.0.2s.
- UPDATED: curl 7.65.0.
- UPDATED: miniupnpd 20190604.
- CHANGED: Local clients will be shown by their hostname on the Classification page.
- CHANGED: Reworked handling of up/down events in OpenVPN. Server instance will now also use its own updown script, which will handle firing up openvpn-event (if present).
- CHANGED: Inbound traffic sent to you through an OpenVPN client will now be dropped by default. This can be changed through the new "Inbound Firewall" parameter found on the OpenVPN client page. You should only change this to "Allow" if running a site2site tunnel with a trusted remote server, or if you do expect traffic to be forwarded to you through the tunnel.
- CHANGED: The router will now use ISP-provided resolvers instead of local dnsmasq when attempting to resolve addresses, for improved reliability. This reproduces how stock firmware behaves. This only affects name resolution done by the router itself, not by the LAN clients. The behaviour can still be changed on the Tools -> Other Settings page.
- CHANGED: Randomize the serial number of certificates generated by the router for its httpd. If using a router-generated certificate, then it's recommended to generate a new one.
- CHANGED: Allow USB idle values up to 9999.
- CHANGED: Replaced Network Analysis and Netstat pages (under Network Tools) with new versions based on Asus's Netool daemon for non-HND models, but based around the more limited traceroute busybox applet. RT-AC86U and RT-AX88U still use the newer traceroute executable.
- CHANGED: Reworked how some services are started when the WAN interface comes up to prevent deadlocks between the WAN completing its initialization, and the clock getting set. These could result is fairly long boot time for some ISPs.
- FIXED: openvpn-event script not launching if the client was configured in Secret Key auth mode.
- FIXED: IPv6 on RT-AX88U - backported accept_ra fix from 45717 (themiron)
- FIXED: Memory leak in erp_monitor process.
- FIXED: Page redirection failing to apply at boot time if WAN was down.

Installation Notes:

- This custom firmware can be applied like any regular update.
- You should not need to reset to factory defaults.
- You can revert back to an original ASUS firmware at any time.
- Do not load a saved copy of your settings. 

About Router Firmware:

Before you consider downloading this firmware, go to the system information page of the router and make sure that the currently installed version isn't either newer or matching this release.

Due to the large variety of router models and different methods for upgrading the device, it is highly recommended that you read and, above all, understand the installation steps before you apply the new firmware, even if you are a power user.

In theory, these steps shouldn't be much of a hassle for anyone, because manufacturers try to make them as easy as possible, even if they don't always succeed. Basically, you must upload the new firmware to the router through its administration page and allow it to upgrade.

If you install a new version, you can expect increased security levels, different vulnerability issues to be resolved, improved overall performance and transfer speeds, enhanced compatibility with other devices, added support for newly developed technologies, as well as several other changes.

If you're looking for certain safety measures, remember that it would be best if you perform the upload using an Ethernet cable rather than a wireless connection, which can be interrupted easily. Also, make sure you don't power off the router or use its buttons during the installation, if you wish avoid any malfunctions.

If this firmware meets your current needs, get the desired version and apply it to your router unit; if not, check with our website as often as possible so that you don't miss the update that will improve your device.