Thank you guys, so I finally made my mind and flashed the modded CFE and Asus/Merlin firmware on my DIR-868L. Its working fine and really stable, but then the low throughput speed on 2.4G is still there. Its minor issue TBH because 30mbps on lecacy devices is still reliable with no hiccup.

Since im on non-Aimesh/single router setup, I also try Tomato firmware and the good news is the 2.4G speed on Tomato is much better, roughly I can get 60-70mbps on it. Also I use the full features AIO .trx images, the CFE seems solved the issue with 32kb NVRAM limit.

Flashed Merlin straight from Asus CFE Bootloader


Flashed Freshtomato (R6400 AIO image) with Asus Firmware Restoration Tool

Dear geep,

Good way to go back to Tomato from Asuswrt-Merlin.   

Interestingly, Tomato recognized the router as an Asus RT-AC66U B1 and not DLink DIR-868L. 

I suppose the firmware could only read the motherboard firmware/hardware but not the shell of the router.

Nevertheless, it is a good option for those still restricted to 2.4 GHz and wanted more performance.

BTW, did you get the firmware from freshtomato.org website?

https://freshtomato.org/

I noticed the firmware version is 2021.1.

It seems that both is using the same firmware K26ARM, which explains a lot why it worked. 

Nevertheless, the 32K NVRAM limit is still an issue if your flash straight from DIR-868L.

Unless you follow the earlier part of my original post how to overcome that or if your already flashed your DIR-868L to Asuswrt-Merlin firmware can follow like you did.

Regards,

Yes, im using the official .trx image from Freshtomato.org. It doesnt matter what .trx image i flash on it, it will boot as RT-AC66U B1.
It seems Tomato will read the pre-config data from the CFE and load the profile for RT-AC66U B1 instead.
If i have more time and courage, will definitely try to reedit the CFE for further test and observation. 

Please don't. I tried to change the odmpid to RT-AC68U and it will brick.

Then need to unbrick through the serial pins.

Thank you for alerting me, you just save my precious time.
Also glad to know that there is someone on here succeed with the serial method.

Yes there's a weird bug. Even if I change the odmpid through NVRAM (not flashing the CFE with modified values), it will brick straight away. So you can't even clear NVRAM using the WPS button.

Interesting modifying a single string will corrupt the whole bootloader.
Btw have you tried a tips from Bigxd the time you edit the odmpid?
Cuz I saw his mod CFE version and also Linksys mod version with native string.

To Remove HW_ver ?


D-link with native odmpid


Linksys version

Can you link me the tips? I don't really understand the photos

DIR-868L with Asuswrt-Merlin firmware update:

Improvements on WiFi connection performance between AiMesh router and node after installed USB cooler on both of them.

1. Before only two bars. Now three bars. This the same so far.



2. Before connection quality rating is Good or OK. Now it is Great. Same  here.



3. Physical connection rate improved. Before I was getting 234 - 351 Mbps.

This changes over time. Sometimes 351 Mbps, 468 Mbps and higher. Still an improvement than without any cooling.



So, adding the USB coolers does improve WiFi performance too.

Maybe the 2.4G and 5G radios are operating better because of the cooling.

4. OKLA Speedtest from upstairs PC connected via LAN cable to AiMesh node. Before downloads getting 90 plus Mbps. Now doubled. 



This make sense as AiMesh node is still a repeater. DL speed is usually 40-60% of PHY connection rate because of repeater mode. However, UL speed did not reduced by much.

FYI, I am having a 300Mbps DL/50 Mbps DL fiber connection to the modem.

We are using Maxis because my wife likes Astro. Astro is giving a rebate when bundle fiber internet and Astro together.

AiMesh router is connected to the modem. I am getting 290+ Mbps/46+ Mbps from the AiMesh router when tested with OKLA Speedtest on my phone. 

5. Recently, I am getting random disconnection from the AiMesh node to the AiMesh router.

My wife told me this when she was using her computer. The node will reconnect again after a few minutes.

There is no problem with the AiMesh router.

I recalled having this problem when using DLink firmware last time at the repeater node too.

I did not recalled having this with the ASUS RT-AC66U B1 firmware.

Maybe I did not noticed because I was running this firmware only for a few weeks before I moved to Asuswrt-Merlin firmware.

Anyone having similar random disconnections from the AiMesh node?

Just wondering whether it is a hardware thing for DLink DIR-868L router to behave this way? It seems that changing the firmware did not resolve the issue.

Other than that, I am quite satisfied with the AiMesh system in my home. Performing better and more stable when compared to DLink's factory firmware.

I think gary_cheah85 is right in saying that Asuswrt-Merlin firmware is quite solid and stable.

So far so good.

Regards,

Updated 14 March 2021

Please don't. I tried to change the odmpid to RT-AC68U and it will brick.

Then need to unbrick through the serial pins.

Thank you for actively suggestion fisherman!

Wondering how can I use the serial pins? ( I googled like having different type of USB -TTL adapter)

And after I got the adapter, could you advice how I can proceed ya? (Currently I am stuck at recovery loop of my dir868l and also failed using Asus Firmware Restoration too)

Thank you misk94 for all the effort and preparation! And yes I manage to turn into Asus router
Unfortunately, I wanted try to rollback original DLINK firmware by flashing 'RT-AC68U-ddwrt' (thinking to have the 'mtd' to write the boot.bin) and now stucked at recovery loop.

Wondering what is the correct process incase I want to roll back to original DLINK firmware?

Is it the 2 lights flashing one after another repeatedly?

If so, have a look at this

https://koolshare.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthre...ghlight=dir868l

Because now it's bricked and can't flash a new correct CFE, what you need to do is to stop the boot process immediately before it even tries to boot into bootloop. Then "nvram set" all the correct CFE values. Then it will boot and then you can enable SSH and flash the correct CFE again and do a nvram erase.

You need to specify clearly 2 things, what do you mean by recovery loop, and why need to flash back to dlink firmware ?

I have never seen stucked at recovery loop for asus or ddwrt firmware flashing. You will always be in either dlink recovery firmware page (see post #3 on page 1) or asus recovery firmware page (post #9 on page 1), and this is called the miniweb screen. You need to press reset (hold) and power on, until power led flashes for 5-10 secs, then release reset, and you will be in miniweb. Repeat this if you can not get to this.

An easier/simpler way is to use asus recovery.

If you want to change to ac68u in asus, you just need to reflash cfe, there is no need to go back to dlink firmware

Thank you fisherman10 advice!
Yes, 2 lights flashing one after another repeatedly after I switch on DIR868L
(without and with hold RESET 15 seconds).

e.g.: INTERNET LED light up (GREEN) ~3 seconds then off and continuously
        until 10 minutes later POWER LED light up (AMBER) ~3 seconds then off another 10 minutes or no light up anymore.

It's supposed to be like this.

Immediately after turning on, Top LED flash once bottom LED flash once then stop. After 30 seconds then top LED flash once bottom LED flash once. And it keeps repeating.

It doesn't sound like your example. Perhaps yours isn't a hard brick yet. Maybe take a video to show?

Thank you for reply BTS1501!
Sure, lemme specify clearly.

recovery loop
Switch on DIR868L router with and without holding RESET,
the INTERNET LED (GREEN) will light up ~3 seconds on and off.

Then switch off and on router again, its still having same light behavior.
Next, I directly use the Asus Firmware Restoration (AC66U_B1/ DDWRT/ FreshTomato and etc...) and it able to flash,
yet it will be failed with an status something like "Failed update/ recover firmware".

flash back to dlink firmware
Just incase wanted back original DLINK for stable purpose.
So thinking to have a rollback to the original state.

Ok, I will try advice above to reach the miniWeb (because I tried 1 or 2 times still not able to get the miniWeb shown)

Sure fisherman10
I think I might need change my statements (3 seconds) instead of 30 seconds...

Here is my video start up with hold reset (30 seconds)
https://youtu.be/mZPENORbJpA

Appreciate your effort 1st!

saw the video, you still in asus cfe, not dlink. In this case just use the asus restore method. you can also use the reset+ power on if you want. remember PC must be in static IP.

Also, asus firmware is most updated/stable + mesh (stable for ethernet), I don't see the point of going back to dlink firmware again.