Should we be concerned, no Gl-inet Brume 2 firmware updates?

General
1

There have been no firmware updates on this router for a year.

Does this indicate a lapse in security/privacy focus by the company? It seems like most other products are constantly being updated.

Brume 2 (GL-MT2500/GL-MT2500A) Last firmware: 4.7.4 2025-03-28
Edit: tldr; update with response from gl-inet

gl-inet responded (see below)

If I read this correctly, brume 2 firmware is not being updated because the hardware is too old? They will provide patches if someone finds an issue and reports it.

“Please kindly note that certain router models run on an older OpenWrt version due to restrictions with the SDK provided by our chipset manufacturer”

Their new product is brume 3.

(please correct me if I misunderstood their response)

2

Apparently they released a beta in September, and that’s the last thing they released for it so far.

3

I can’t imagine its a good thing that the current firmware is based on openwrt 21.02 which is 3 years old and multiple major versions behind.

1 Like
4

I was just wondering about this because I got the router recently. Should i install openwrt stock?

5

You could give it a shot. OpenWrt Table of Hardware shows it has been supported since 24.10 but I do not see information about installing OpenWrt for it on the wiki so its possible you may run into issues.

6

I’ve requested guidance from gl-Inet support, asking for an answer to the lack of firmware maintenance and what they recommend as a product that they WILL keep maintained.

Does anyone on PG have a solid recommendation for an alternative? (such as Asus Routers flashed with Asus-Merlin firmware)

Brume 2 - MT-2500

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7

Here is the response from gl-inet support.
First: the question I asked them.

On Tue, 24 Mar at 9:35 PM , xxxxx gl-inet.privacy.vendetta203@simplelogin.com wrote:

We have been noticing that Gl-Inet has not been providing regular firmware updates to Brume 2, except for a Beta release last September (we try to only stay with Stable versions),

Are you recommending we change Products and purchase a different router (but similar to a Brume 2 device)? One that you ARE spending resources keeping up on Firmware?

Some on “Privacy Guides” are saying that your last stable firmware version is: the current firmware is based on openwrt 21.02 which is 3 years old and multiple major versions behind.

Here was their response:

Thank you for contacting GL.iNet Support.

While it is true the Brume 2 has not received updates in a while, pretty much everything except for EOL devices will have support at least until 2027.

On the other hand, the Brume 3 was launched recently, and it’s new hardware capabilities do allow more advanced features.

All GL.iNet router firmware is based on OpenWrt while featuring additional proprietary features and software. Please kindly note that certain router models run on an older OpenWrt version due to restrictions with the SDK provided by our chipset manufacturer.

To ensure your safety and security, we patch any security vulnerability found in such older OpenWrt version whenever used before releasing the firmware to our users. If you encounter any security vulnerability using our firmware, please let us know and we will forward to our engineers and product team to look into it.

For more information about our firmware, you may check this link: https://www.gl-inet.com/support/firmware-versions/
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8

Thats cool and all but what about all the vulnerabilities that have been found since the last firmware update? This is a pretty dissapointing response.

I think this is why its probably a good idea to only buy glinet routers that are fully supported by openwrt so when the firmware gets this old you can just flash openwrt on it…which you still might be able to do

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9

I had the same thoughts: “but what about all the vulnerabilities that have been found since the last firmware update?”

10

I just got a notification for an available update. So take from that what you will.

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11

We may have had a positive impact then!