Peplink Firmware 8.5.3 Beta 2 — Full Release Summary and Bug Fix Highlights
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Peplink has officially released Firmware 8.5.3 Beta 2 (August 13, 2025), bringing a wealth of feature enhancements, stability improvements, and critical bug fixes across its extensive lineup of Balance, MAX, UBR, B One, MediaFast, SDX, EPX, PDX, and FusionHub devices.
In this post, we’ll cover:
- Devices supported in this release
- Major improvements and new features
- Detailed bug fixes (the biggest focus of Beta 2)
- Known issues still pending resolution
Supported Devices
This beta firmware covers a vast range of Peplink hardware, including:
- Balance Series: From Balance 20X to 5000 EC
- MAX Series: Including BR1 Mini/Core/5G, BR1 Pro, BR2 Pro, HD2/HD4, MBX series, Transit series, and more
- UBR, B One, MediaFast, SDX, EPX, and PDX
- FusionHub and SpeedFusion products
Major Improvements in Beta 2
Peplink continues to expand capabilities in several areas:
- Docker Enhancements – Added
/dev/net/tunsupport for tunneling inside containers. - RADIUS Authentication – Now supports a secondary RADIUS server for Web Admin fallback.
- LAN PVID Control – PVID support added to LAN Port Settings for better VLAN management.
- GPS Priority Settings – Configure GPS source priority and view the active source on the dashboard.
- Cellular Control – IPv4-only PDP enforcement for private SIM profiles, LTE-SB firmware upgrades via Web UI, extended SMS length limits, and better Cell ID handling for 5G networks.
- eSIM Experience – Improved prompts when confirmation codes are missing.
- Security & Networking – Support for DH Group 16 in IPsec, new DPI protocols, multiple NTP servers, and SNMP enhancements.
Key Bug Fixes in Beta 2
The main strength of this release lies in its comprehensive issue resolution. Below are the major fixes:
Wi-Fi WAN Stability
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi WAN Crash — Fixed a stability problem where enabling 2.4GHz Wi-Fi WAN caused disconnects.
- Reconnect Failure — Resolved an issue where Wi-Fi WAN could not reconnect after repeated disable/enable cycles.
LAN & DNS Reliability
- DNS Proxy Resolution — Fixed a bug where the DNS Proxy failed if one of several configured DNS resolvers was unreachable.
- DHCP Issues — Corrected a bug where LAN clients failed to obtain IPs in certain configurations.
Switch Controller Enhancements
- Untagged LAN Selection — Switch Controller now supports selecting “Untagged LAN” in VLAN Trunk custom settings.
Outbound Policy
- Least Used Policy Error — Fixed misrouting when selected WANs exceeded bandwidth limits.
WAN Connectivity
- GRE WAN — Fixed GRE WAN not working in Beta 1.
- Management IP Access — Restored access on DHCP WAN after it broke in Beta 1.
Cellular & SIM Management
- 5GD Connectivity — Fixed cases where 5GD cellular devices couldn’t connect.
- eSIM Removal — Resolved inability to remove active eSIM profiles on certain 5GD/5GN devices.
- Incorrect APN Use — Corrected APN selection for some global roaming SIMs.
- Carrier Selection Retry — Ensured retries for highest-priority PLMN settings.
FusionSIM
- Connection Failures — Fixed connection issues when Auto LAN Discovery was disabled.
- Uptime Overflow Bug — Resolved FusionSIM failures caused by uptime overflows.
- Agent Memory Leak — Fixed gradual memory increase on FusionSIM farm devices.
Synergy Mode
- WAN Interface Drop — Corrected WAN drops after InControl config pushes.
- SIM Detection Issues — Fixed missing SIM Card B detection on Synergy Cellular WANs.
- Offline Display Bug — Fixed devices showing offline in InControl after losing controller connection.
Security
- CVE-2025-26466 — Patched this vulnerability across all models.
Device-Specific Fixes
- MBX Mini HW2 — PoE restored after factory reset.
- BR1 Mini 5G — Fixed cellular module detection after software reset.
- Balance One — Restored traffic forwarding on LAN ports assigned as WAN.
Known Issues in Beta 2
While this release addresses dozens of issues, a few remain:
- OSPF/RIPv2 UI — May not load correctly on FusionHub.
- Management IP on DHCP WAN — May still have intermittent issues.
- LAN IP Passthrough — Ports 1/2 may fail to obtain IP in some setups.
- Docker Limitations — Containers won’t run without an active DHCP server.
- YouTube Blocking via QUIC — May bypass filtering.
- Switch Controller PVID Changes — May not always apply.
Conclusion
Firmware 8.5.3 Beta 2 is a significant milestone in Peplink’s software evolution, with critical bug resolutions, expanded hardware support, and enhanced feature sets for enterprise, mobile, and ISP deployments. From improved Wi-Fi WAN reliability to stronger security, this release is worth testing for those who want the latest features before the final stable build.
If you rely on Peplink gear for mission-critical networking, now is a great time to trial this beta and report any issues to help refine the final release.
About the Author
Michael Ginsberg is the founder of 5Gstore.com, a trusted source for cellular routers and failover networking solutions since 2005. With a background in software and networking dating back to 1988, he writes about cellular connectivity, IoT infrastructure, network security, and fleet management. Connect with Michael on LinkedIn or reach the 5Gstore team through our contact page.
