Three tabs, three levels of risk
GL.iNet's firmware download center at dl.gl-inet.com sorts each model's builds into tabs. GL.iNet's own definitions are short: Stable is "the official release for everyday use and recommended for most users", Beta is "the pre-release version that is still undergoing development", and Snapshot is "the daily build that includes the latest updates". Beta and Snapshot are only offered for certain models. [1]
The download center's own data labels these builds with stage names, and the file paths match. On 30 October 2026 the Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) list showed one build of each kind. [4] The table below uses those real entries, so you can see how the labels line up with the version numbers.
| Tab | GL.iNet's description | Stage label in download data | Flint 2 example on 30 Oct 2026 | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stable | Official release for everyday use, recommended for most users [1] | RELEASE | 4.11.0, file mt6000-4.11.0_release3-1147-0924-1790238424.bin, released 28 Sep 2026 [4] | Everyone by default, and anyone travelling with the router |
| Beta | Pre-release still under development, certain models only [1] | TESTING | 4.11.1, file mt6000-4.11.1_beta1-1152-0929-1790683985.bin, released 29 Sep 2026 [4] | Someone hit by a bug the beta notes say is fixed, with a recovery plan ready |
| Snapshot | Daily build with the latest updates, certain models only [1] | SNAPSHOT | 4.9.1, file mt6000-4.9.1-1094-1030-1793291386.bin, dated 30 Oct 2026 [4] | Testers who are comfortable with U-Boot recovery |
A snapshot is not automatically newer than stable
The Flint 2 example shows why you should read the version number, not just the tab. On 30 October 2026 the snapshot was 4.9.1 while the stable release was already 4.11.0. [4] Daily builds can come from an older branch, so moving from Stable to Snapshot can mean moving to a lower version number. Downgrades follow different rules: GL.iNet says to leave Keep Settings off when downgrading. [2][3]
The beta in the same list shows what betas are often for. GL.iNet's 4.11.1 notes describe it as fixing known bugs, including HTTPS access to the web admin panel through DDNS domains or Tailscale MagicDNS on port 443. [4][5] That beta arrived one day after the 4.11.0 stable release. If you do not use those features, nothing in that beta is relevant to you.
The download data for Flint 2 also includes a 4.9.0 build tagged with ExpressVPN as a partner, with no stage label and its own download path. [4] Partner builds sit outside the three public tabs. Leave them alone unless that partner's instructions send you there.
The Preview Plan switch is a quieter way to get pre-release builds
You can reach pre-release firmware without visiting the download center. In the admin panel under SYSTEM, Upgrade, the online upgrade section has an Accept Preview Plan option. GL.iNet says it lets you test features before their final release and send feedback, and that these builds may be less stable. [2] If you turned it on months ago and forgot, your next online upgrade may not be a Stable build.
Local Upgrade is the other path. You upload a file you downloaded yourself, and GL.iNet says this can upgrade, downgrade or install beta firmware for specific versions. [2] Firmware 4.x does not update itself. After you sign in, an Upgrade Reminder tells you a new version exists, and you decide whether to install it. [3]
How to read a GL.iNet firmware file name
File names carry more information than the version number on screen. Here is the Flint 2 stable file from the table, split into parts. The meanings come from comparing the name with the fields GL.iNet's download data publishes next to it. [4] Older files used a different pattern with an openwrt- prefix, for example openwrt-mt6000-4.7.7-0415-1744685993.bin for the April 2025 release. [4] Opal files are .tar and .img, not .bin. [6]
| Part | Example | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Model code | mt6000 | The hardware the file is for. Flint 2 is GL-MT6000, Beryl AX is GL-MT3000, Opal is GL-SFT1200. Never flash a file for a different code. |
| Version | 4.11.0 | GL.iNet's firmware version. The 4 is the firmware generation; Opal moved from 3.216 to 4.3.7 in late 2023. [6] |
| Build tag | release3 or beta1 | The stage of the build, release or beta. GL.iNet does not document the number after it. Snapshot files have no tag. |
| Build number | 1147 | An internal counter. GL.iNet does not document it, so do not read meaning into it. |
| Month and day | 0924 | Compile date, matching the compile time of 24 Sep 2026 listed in the download data. [4] |
| Timestamp | 1790238424 | A Unix timestamp. It decodes to 24 Sep 2026, the same compile date. |
The OpenWrt base is a separate number
GL.iNet firmware is built on OpenWrt, but the 4.x number does not tell you which OpenWrt release sits underneath. GL.iNet's release notes rarely say. The clearest statement is in the Opal 4.3.7 notes from December 2023. They list a base of OpenWrt 18.06 for the SFT1200, OpenWrt 22.03.4 for models such as the AR300 and AR750S, and OpenWrt 21.02.2 for the B1300. [6] So the same 4.3.7 number sat on three different OpenWrt releases at once.
None of the Beryl AX or Flint 2 release notes in the download data state an OpenWrt base. [4][5] For comparison, the OpenWrt project's current stable release is 25.12.6, dated 18 October 2026. The project calls 24.10 outdated and says it will get only limited security and bug fixes for some time. [7] If the upstream base matters to you, because you plan to install OpenWrt packages or follow upstream security advisories, ask GL.iNet support for your model's base. Do not guess it from the 4.x number.
| Model | Latest Stable in download data | Released | OpenWrt base stated by GL.iNet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) | 4.11.0 | 28 Sep 2026 [4] | Not stated in any listed release note [4] |
| Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) | 4.11.0 | 28 Sep 2026 [5] | Not stated in any listed release note [5] |
| Opal (GL-SFT1200) | 4.8.3 | 3 Jul 2026 [6] | OpenWrt 18.06, per the 4.3.7 notes; the 4.8.3 notes do not mention it [6] |
Read the Cautions block before any upgrade
Major releases can change how settings carry over, and GL.iNet puts this at the top of the notes. The Beryl AX 4.9.0 notes open with a Cautions block. Parental Controls settings would not be preserved because the feature was redesigned. The old inter-tunnel VPN failover was removed. Upgrading with configuration retention would turn on the Kill Switch by default across all tunnels. GL.iNet tells you to back up first. [5] An upgrade that silently turns on a kill switch will look like a broken connection if you did not expect it.
Two more rules from GL.iNet's upgrade documentation are relevant whichever channel you use. Keep Settings keeps your configuration, but you must reinstall any packages you installed yourself. And a LuCI backup works only with the firmware version it was made on. [2][3]
Who should stay on Stable, and when Beta is reasonable
Use this checklist before you leave the Stable tab. If any line describes you, stay on Stable.
- The router is your only way online on a trip, or you are about to travel. Recovery needs a computer with an Ethernet port or adapter, and GL.iNet says the U-Boot flash itself takes about 3 minutes. [8]
- You do not have a recent backup made on your current firmware version. [3]
- The beta notes do not mention a problem you actually have.
- Other people in the house rely on the router during working hours.
- Beta can be reasonable when the notes name your exact bug, the router sits at home, you have the Stable file for your model downloaded, and you have read GL.iNet's U-Boot recovery steps for your model. [8]
- Snapshot builds are for testing only. Run them on a spare unit, not on the router that carries your work calls.
Questions before you decide
Is GL.iNet beta firmware safe to use?
GL.iNet describes beta as a pre-release still under development and recommends Stable for most users. A beta is reasonable only when its notes fix a problem you have and you can recover with U-Boot if the upgrade goes wrong.
Why is the snapshot version lower than the stable version?
Snapshots are daily builds and can come from an older branch. On 30 October 2026 the Flint 2 snapshot was 4.9.1 while Stable was 4.11.0, so switching to the snapshot would have been a downgrade.
Which OpenWrt version is my GL.iNet firmware based on?
GL.iNet rarely says in its release notes. The Opal 4.3.7 notes list OpenWrt 18.06 for the SFT1200, but the Beryl AX and Flint 2 notes we checked state no base. Ask GL.iNet support if you need it.
Does GL.iNet firmware update automatically?
No. Firmware 4.x shows an Upgrade Reminder after you sign in, and you choose when to install. If Accept Preview Plan is on, online upgrades can offer pre-release builds.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: How to download firmware Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Upgrade (admin panel) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Upgrade or downgrade your router Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet firmware download center data: GL-MT6000 (Flint 2) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet firmware download center data: GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet firmware download center data: GL-SFT1200 (Opal) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- OpenWrt downloads: current and old stable releases Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: U-Boot web recovery (debrick) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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