VPN and ASUS RT-AC68U .... Standard Firmware or DD-WRT or Tomato

[Sybertiger]

This is a fairly popular router so chances are we have more than a few using the ASUS RT-AC68U router but other routers for this brand and others apply to this question. For purposes of VPN plus general management of you router have any of you experimented with DD-WRT, Tomato or some other flavor of firmware or did you stick with the stock firmware or at least move to ASUSWRT-Merlin.

I was contemplated reflashing with some other firmware but thought I'd get some feedback from those who already blazed the trail ahead of me.

 

[Q™]

The standard default firmware runs open vpn just fine and setting it up is quite simple...no need to complicate things.

 

[Sybertiger]

The standard default firmware runs open vpn just fine and setting it up is wuite simple...no need to complicate things.

Yes, I understand. Was just checking to see if anyone thought the DD-WRT or Tomato, etc. was better. The ASUSWRT-Merlin firmware is basically the ASUSWRT factory firmware with some improvements but without all the extra add-on features that DD-WRT, et al. like to cram in there.

 

[c hris527]

I too am a set it and forget guy when it comes to routers, however I ended up with a few Asus routers that were crap and on one of them I used Merlin and it seemed to make it livable. I have messed with all of the aftermarket firmwares at one time or another for sometimes NO good reason and at in the end it did Nothing for my needs. Out of all of them I think Merlin was the best laid out, some of them are Hell to get your router flashed and always go into it that its NO big deal when you Brick your router because its always a possibility.

 

[Sybertiger]

Yeah, I don't want to become a network manager. Pretty much set it and forget it like you said. Merlin firmware appears to have fixed a few things or enhanced others without loading up all the extra garbage that I just don't have the time or desire to play with. I think the Asus routers or at least this one is one of the hard ones to brick unlike a Linksys router I have that doesn't offer OpenVPN without me reflashing it and apparently the brick factor is much higher on it.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Keep it simple. I use the standard Asus software, I have received software updates.

 

[Kitsap]

Keep in mind there have been a dozen ASUS router firmware updates over the span from November 2017 through February 2019 (382.1 - 384.9). Several of which have been complex enough to need a full factory reset and reconfiguration from scratch afterward.

The ASUSWRT-Merlin flavor seems to definitely be value added.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Never had to do a factory reset on an Asus router update, in the 4+ years I have been e had the routers.

 

[Jaxon]

I used to run a multi-homed Linux box with home grown netfilter scripts. It was as much a hobby as anything else. Then a few years back I got tired of it and switched over to Asus routers with the Merlin firmware and never looked back. Simple interface to get stuff done fast and easy, like the VPN, block all cams inet etc. Actually very capable for such a cheap device.

For some lucky enough to have Gige internet, the AC87U will likely become CPU bound before you can achieve those high bits rates. Unfortunately I don't have that problem