Why use DD-WRT on ASUS RT-AC66U?

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barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 0:07    Post subject: Why use DD-WRT on ASUS RT-AC66U? Reply with quote
Hello everyone. I've been using DD-WRT on my old Linksys WRT-54GL router for several years. I initially started using DD-WRT because it allowed me to add more MAC addresses to the MAC filter. Later, I started using more features in DD-WRT to create a script which automates a WOL packet which was sent to my HTPC when my Media Center Extenders "phoned home" checking for a firmware update. For those features, I am grateful.

Now, I no longer need a WOL to my HTPC... because I now use XBox360 extenders which can send their own WOL, and also because my HTPC never sleeps anymore because I built a very energy-efficient HTPC.

I am planning to finally replace my WRT-54GL with an ASUS RT-AC66U. I have read the user manual, and the ASUS firmware seems to have everything I would want... DDNS, VPN support, media sharing from an external hard drive, and plenty of MAC addresses in the MAC filter.

So, I'm wondering what is the benefit of using DD-WRT on this router considering my needs. Is the default firmware unstable? Am I forgetting something important which the DD-WRT firmware supplies but the ASUS firmware does not?

I greatly appreciate the people who have made DD-WRT the wonderful product that it is, but I don't know if I need it anymore.

Please tell me if there is something I am forgetting to evaluate.

Thank you.
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Per Yngve Berg
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Joined: 13 Aug 2013
Posts: 6858
Location: Romerike, Norway

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 20:15    Post subject: Reply with quote
When I had stock firmware on my ASUS RT-AC66U, it did not support VPN. It has only VPN Pass-through, not the VPN Server.

The Kong Builds runs great on this unit.
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 14:11    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's good to know, just in case it doesn't have a VPN server. However, the Specs on the ASUS website say this:

VPN Support:
IPSec Pass-Throuth
PPTP Pass-Through
L2TP Pass-Through
PPTP server
OpenVPN server
PPTP client
L2TP client
OpenVPN client
madman999
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 1042

PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 14:17    Post subject: Reply with quote
if the stock firmware does all you need then you should stick with it.
_________________
Please state what make and model router plus the build number and type of DD-WRT you are using. Screen prints and a network diagram can are also helpful. Before you create a new post, use the search function. Chances are your issue has happened to someone else.

Common F.A.Q.
Where can I get the latest test Firmware or older ones?
https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/

Asus RT-AC66R on 3.x 28072 Giga
TP-Link Archer C9 on 3.x r54095
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 14:17    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmmm... looking at the manual again, it doesn't show settings for a VPN server. I wonder if the manual pre-dates the feature being added to the firmware.

Well... so if I end up going with DD-WRT on this router, how well does DD-WRT support a Samba share for a 2TB USB hard drive? What will I need to install in addition to DD-WRT to get this working?
slidermike
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Nov 2013
Posts: 1487
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 18:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
barnabas1969 wrote:

Well... so if I end up going with DD-WRT on this router, how well does DD-WRT support a Samba share for a 2TB USB hard drive? What will I need to install in addition to DD-WRT to get this working?



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_________________
Router currently owned:
Netgear R7800 - Router
Netgear R7000 - AP mode

R7000 specific Tips/Tricks.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=264152
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 17:27    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow, thanks for all the detail. Does that mean that I won't need to install any other packages after I install that kong build?

Oh... and the drive is currently formatted NTFS and has about 1TB of data on it that I don't want to lose. Will DD-WRT force me to format the drive? Should I save my files somewhere else until after I connect the drive to the router?


Last edited by barnabas1969 on Tue Jul 01, 2014 17:30; edited 1 time in total
slidermike
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Nov 2013
Posts: 1487
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 17:29    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not that I am aware of no.
I have 2 usb thumb drives plugged into my r7000 router & I don't use any extra packages.
Thus I was showing you how my setup looks.
I didn't take an image of the usb enable tab but I did point at it.
You have to enable usb services first then plug the drive into the usb port. After that you go to the tab shown in the above image & do those settings.

_________________
Router currently owned:
Netgear R7800 - Router
Netgear R7000 - AP mode

R7000 specific Tips/Tricks.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=264152
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 17:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
slidermike wrote:
I didn't take an image of the usb enable tab but I did point at it.
You have to enable usb services first then plug the drive into the usb port. After that you go to the tab shown in the above image & do those settings.

Thanks. I understood.

I don't know if you saw my edit to the post above because you posted while I was editing. Here it is again:

Oh... and the drive is currently formatted NTFS and has about 1TB of data on it that I don't want to lose. Will DD-WRT force me to format the drive? Should I save my files somewhere else until after I connect the drive to the router?
slidermike
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Nov 2013
Posts: 1487
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 17:41    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have 1 thumb drive formatted in ext2 (for YAMon2) and 1 thum brive formatted in fat32.
See image.
The router didn't format them; I did with my pc.
To be safe you can backup the data off your hdd but it shouldn't lose it under normal circumstance. You will get difference read/write performance with different formats. I think the ext's are going to be quicker for the router but I don't recall exactly. Someone has posted in these forums about transfer speeds per format.
barnabas1969 wrote:

I don't know if you saw my edit to the post above because you posted while I was editing. Here it is again:

Oh... and the drive is currently formatted NTFS and has about 1TB of data on it that I don't want to lose. Will DD-WRT force me to format the drive? Should I save my files somewhere else until after I connect the drive to the router?



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_________________
Router currently owned:
Netgear R7800 - Router
Netgear R7000 - AP mode

R7000 specific Tips/Tricks.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=264152
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 20:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
OK, I read the following two Wiki entries, and they were very informative:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/USB_storage
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_-_Format_and_Partition_External_Storage_Device

And, I also found threads where experienced users recommended NOT using NTFS for performance reasons.

So, if I decide to use DD-WRT, I'll reformat the drive per the instructions in the 2nd link above.

Now, I just need to figure out which file system is best for my needs, ext2/3/4 ... ?

This drive will mostly contain MKV and ISO rips of DVD and Bluray movies. The drive is currently connected to my HTPC, but I like the idea of connecting it to the router and getting the drive out of my living room.

File system suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 20:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmmm... after reading the following article, I'm not sure I'll be able to use the HDD connected to the router for watching ISO Bluray rips.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-reviews/32239-ac1900-first-look-netgear-r7000-a-asus-rt-ac68u?start=1

Maybe I should have bought the RT-AC68U instead.

EDIT: Oops... now I see that those numbers are in Mega BYTES... so with the stock firmware it looks like the RT-AC66U can do 75Mbps ... which is 2X BD-ROM speed. That should be OK.


Last edited by barnabas1969 on Tue Jul 01, 2014 20:50; edited 1 time in total
slidermike
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Nov 2013
Posts: 1487
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 20:49    Post subject: Reply with quote
You already own all the hardware.
Invest some time & see if you can get it to work.
No cost other than time to know for sure first hand.

Then, you can help someone else out here on the forums with informative answers.

_________________
Router currently owned:
Netgear R7800 - Router
Netgear R7000 - AP mode

R7000 specific Tips/Tricks.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=264152
barnabas1969
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 20:51    Post subject: Reply with quote
The hardware should be sitting on my front porch right now. I haven't gotten home to open the box yet. Also, see my edit above. We cross-posted again.
madman999
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 1042

PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 20:58    Post subject: Reply with quote
use ext2 for flash drives and usb keys

use ext3 for spinning hard drives

i don;t think ext4 is supported and DD-WRT treat it like ext3if mounted.

_________________
Please state what make and model router plus the build number and type of DD-WRT you are using. Screen prints and a network diagram can are also helpful. Before you create a new post, use the search function. Chances are your issue has happened to someone else.

Common F.A.Q.
Where can I get the latest test Firmware or older ones?
https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/

Asus RT-AC66R on 3.x 28072 Giga
TP-Link Archer C9 on 3.x r54095
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