RT-AX86U Skynet fails to start

[Exist2Resist]

Skynet banner info:

╔═════════════════════ System ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Router Model         │ RT-AX86U                                                                           ║
║ Skynet Version       │  (23/02/2026)                                                                      ║
║ └── Hash             │ 86f6ba6f297c4a79487319cfd67d19e0                                                   ║
║ Install Dir          │ /tmp/mnt/datatrvlr/skynet                                                          ║
║ FW Version           │ ASUSWRT-Merlin v388.11_0 (Kernel 4.1.52) (Dec 26 2025)                             ║
║ iptables             │ iptables v1.4.15                                                                   ║
║ ipset                │ ipset v7.6, protocol version: 7                                                    ║
║ Public IP            │ xxx.x.xxx.xxx                                                                      ║
║ WAN Info             │ eth0 - dhcp                                                                        ║
╚══════════════════════╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Mounted flash drive: /dev/sda1 14.2G 2.8G 10.7G 21% /tmp/mnt/datatrvlr

I have a USB flash drive mounted and connected to the router. I am using a kingston data traveller 16GB drive.
During the installation I created the recommended 2GB swap fire that skynet requests.
After installation I rebooted the router.
The only other thing that I have installed via entware is AdGuardHome

Here is the debug tests, 11/18 are successful

╔═══════════════════════════════════╦═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Test Description                  ║ Result                                                                ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════╬═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Internet-Connectivity             ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Public IP Address                 ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Write Permission                  ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Config File                       ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Firewall-Start Entry              ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Services-Stop Entry               ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Service-Event Entry               ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Profile.add Entry                 ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ SWAP File                         ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Cron Jobs                         ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ NTP Sync                          ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Log Level 7 Settings              ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Duplicate Rules In RAW            ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ IPSets                            ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ IPTables Rules                    ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ Local WebUI Files                 ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ Mounted WebUI Files               ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ MenuTree.js Entry                 ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════╩═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ 11/18 Tests Sucessful                                                                                     ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

I manually had to add the profile.add file to jffs/configs folder, there is nothing in the file however.
I am not sure why that file was not created during install and I am not sure what I need to put in it.
I gave it 777 permissions and reinstalled skynet but it is still failing.

admin@RT-AX86U-D000:/jffs/configs# ls -la
drwxr-xr-x    2 admin    root             0 Feb 25 10:10 .
drwxr-xr-x   15 admin    root             0 Feb 25 10:23 ..
-rwxrwxrwx    1 admin    root             0 Feb 25 10:10 profile.add

When I remove the file and reinstall this is what I get.

╔═══════════════════════════════════╦═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Test Description                  ║ Result                                                                ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════╬═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Internet-Connectivity             ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Public IP Address                 ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Write Permission                  ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Config File                       ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Firewall-Start Entry              ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Services-Stop Entry               ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Service-Event Entry               ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Profile.add Entry                 ║ grep: /jffs/configs/profile.add: No such file or directory
[Failed]                                                              ║
║ SWAP File                         ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Cron Jobs                         ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ NTP Sync                          ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Log Level 7 Settings              ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ Duplicate Rules In RAW            ║ [Passed]                                                              ║
║ IPSets                            ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ IPTables Rules                    ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ Local WebUI Files                 ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ Mounted WebUI Files               ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
║ MenuTree.js Entry                 ║ [Failed]                                                              ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════╩═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ 11/18 Tests Sucessful                                                                                     ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

[danhorner1982-oss]

Hello, I've used these routers for a while and first thing is those USB flash drives will burn up unless you get a cord extender and even then the memory is sometimes subpar. I use a full size SSD with an adapter cord. Something cost effective like a Kingston 128 GB with USB A to SATA works great.

So with the physical items mentioned, the swap file is pretty small. I'll see if I can get you some settings.

1. Working with a ton of country blocks, had this on your model before updating.

Router Model │ GT-AX11000
║ Skynet Version │ v8.0.10 (23/02/2026)
║ └── Hash │ 86f6ba6f297c4a79487319cfd67d19e0
║ Install Dir │ /tmp/mnt/SSD/skynet
║ FW Version │ ASUSWRT-Merlin v388.11_0 (Kernel 4.1.51) (Dec 26 2025)
║ iptables │ iptables v1.4.15
║ ipset │ ipset v7.6, protocol version: 7
║ Public IP │ I'm here :)
║ WAN Info │ eth5 - dhcp
║ Banned Countries │ ru cn kp ir iq sa ae pk af az ba bg hr cu cz eg ee ge va hu id in il kz kw kg lv + ║
╚══════════════════════╧══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
31172 IPs (+0) -- 48681 Ranges Banned (+0) || 32483 Inbound -- 309 Outbound Connections Blocked!

2. Router
   Make sure Firewall & IP6 Firewall are (ON) @ Tab 1 of firewall main router page, Tabs 2,3,4 are off and the Skynet GUI is on tab 5. Also it appears you are using shell and cli with Putty or other terminal. So you need shell (LAN ONLY) and I would lock it down to just a couple of devices on your network for security. Also in the Administrator/System tab, make sure at the bottom in basic config that JFFS custom scripts and configs are on. You hopefully are logged into shell with PuTTy or Bitvise and are installing with an updated AMTM and Entware. You should be able to access your Adgaurd from your web browser as well. Skynet will pull info from Levelblue when you click on links but hopefully you can get that going, I killed a couple of USB fobs in my day, ARMs get hot! Should look something like this, notice the swap file....... You have less RAM than this 11000 and I still go into swap file running the PURE GUI. You might be doing everything perfect and just don't have the horsepower however this is commercial grade blocking between Skynet and Adgaurd's application blocking. I used to pay Sophos a grand a year for this at work.
   GT-AX11000 (aarch64) Kernel-4.1.51
   FW-3004.388.11 @ 192.168.15.1
   Operation Mode: Wireless router
   Wed Mar 25 17:53:47 DST 2026

amtm - the Asuswrt-Merlin Terminal Menu

/mnt/SSD Size 109.5G Used 13.8G (13%)

2 open Skynet 8.0.10

8 open MerlinAU 1.6.0

j3 open scMerlin 2.5.48
j4 open spdMerlin 4.4.18

ag open AdGuardHome 1.9.3

wg open WireGuard Mgr v4.18

ep manage Entware packages

sw manage Swap file /mnt/SSD 10.0G

cj show all cron jobs
au edit Automatic scripts update
i show available scripts

amtm options

u update rr reboot
e exit t theme r reset a about

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