AC56U firmware options

[keratos]

I've procured this item for £100 (max budget) for our 3 storey house in UK. Router in middle floor where the only BT line box exists. Daughter on top floor will watch movies streamed from the USB3 port via a AC56USB stick plugged into her laptop. Middle floor used for games + general webbrowsing. Ground floor we have a TV with a Vu Duo+ STB connected and another AC56USB stick. Hoping for good things. The wireless N current setup is okay but if the daughter is watching movies then we're pretty much reduced to general web browsing. Fingers crossed.

Just joined this forum ("HI!") and observed interseting posts around firmware. Seen names like Merlin ,Guz, Asusnet and alike. Is there a sticky (could ther be) with a list of firmware and compatible routers and key features and main bug list?

If not then can someone please offer a brief synopsis to me by means of a detailed response.

MAny thanks

 

[Adamm]

I've procured this item for £100 (max budget) for our 3 storey house in UK. Router in middle floor where the only BT line box exists. Daughter on top floor will watch movies streamed from the USB3 port via a AC56USB stick plugged into her laptop. Middle floor used for games + general webbrowsing. Ground floor we have a TV with a Vu Duo+ STB connected and another AC56USB stick. Hoping for good things. The wireless N current setup is okay but if the daughter is watching movies then we're pretty much reduced to general web browsing. Fingers crossed.

Just joined this forum ("HI!") and observed interseting posts around firmware. Seen names like Merlin ,Guz, Asusnet and alike. Is there a sticky (could ther be) with a list of firmware and compatible routers and key features and main bug list?

If not then can someone please offer a brief synopsis to me by means of a detailed response.

MAny thanks

For each firmware release Asus will provide a changelog.

There is also an alternative firmware which is based on the Asus firmware with additional features/fixes that RMerlin provides for the community. It is all open source and is the recommended build for enthusiasts. He provides a changelog with all his addition contributions in the link below.

https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-me...7b7fb5a7e1e28b08c75ecc4dc19/README-merlin.txt

Doing a quick search on the forums will also provide you with a load of information on your options, personally I recommend RMerlins.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/forums/showthread.php?p=61974

 

[RMerlin]

Additional options available are also DD-WRT, and Tomato (currently in beta test on the AC56/AC68U however).

 

[keratos]

Yes, obviously I performed a search - the defacto response to many posts I tend to find - but the problem with searches is that they are not consolidated by an overarching response that is specific to the post, hence my OP. I was aware of the various firmware options but not their compatibility and issues across AC56U and TPlink8817.

Aside, I have since downloaded Merlin's .40 latest which I measure very little throughput difference in terms of packet, LAN-WAN, LAN-LAN, LAN-WIFI, WIFI-LAN-USB - not much difference toAsus's latest but my impression is that Merlin's has improved performance outside the "core" basic functionality - shame I dont use the extra functions. I have a very simple setup in a house served with a derisory 3Mbps "broadband" service.

 

[wbennett77]

For the latest firmware look in the BETA folder (41 beta1). I have this on my AC56 and I am a happy camper (other than the snow we had yesterday )

Cheers!

 

[keratos]

For the latest firmware look in the BETA folder (41 beta1). I have this on my AC56 and I am a happy camper (other than the snow we had yesterday )

Cheers!

Good tip! I saw that, but wanted to run with stable first then Beta. So as to compare. One issue I am having is sloooow USB speed on a decent USB3 drive connected to the USB3 port. I've raised another post for this in the forum.
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=16802

 

[RMerlin]

Yes, obviously I performed a search - the defacto response to many posts I tend to find - but the problem with searches is that they are not consolidated by an overarching response that is specific to the post, hence my OP. I was aware of the various firmware options but not their compatibility and issues across AC56U and TPlink8817.

Aside, I have since downloaded Merlin's .40 latest which I measure very little throughput difference in terms of packet, LAN-WAN, LAN-LAN, LAN-WIFI, WIFI-LAN-USB - not much difference toAsus's latest but my impression is that Merlin's has improved performance outside the "core" basic functionality - shame I dont use the extra functions. I have a very simple setup in a house served with a derisory 3Mbps "broadband" service.

When it comes to networking performance, you will rarely see any improvement out of third party firmwares. The wireless drivers are closed source, so that means all third party firmwares (DD-WRT is one special exception, more on this later) must reuse the driver binary blob from the OEM firmware. That's why the performance will be nearly the same.

The only place where third party firmwares can improve are stability, security, features, and performance of non-networking components (such as VPN or disk sharing performance).

DD-WRT is a special case because Brainslayer has access to Broadcom's SDK, which means he can compile his own wireless driver. This however remains probably mostly original Broadcom code, so unless newer versions of the SDK might carry some performance improvements (which would eventually appear in Asus's drivers anyway, as Asus tends to be aggressively updating to newer Broadcom SDKs), I would expect DD-WRT wireless performance to also remain very close to stock firmware.

 

[keratos]

much appreciated Merlin, and a most insightful - as ever - response. Perfect!

I'll stick with your f/w which appears to be highly regarded and perhaps that little more advantageous in other areas.

Much obliged.

 

[jcn]

I don't know if I just got a bum unit, but the AC56U I have is a complete piece of ****. In the few days I've owned it, I've rebooted the damn thing at least 2 dozen times. And it's running as vanilla a configuration as possible, no changes to the default settings outside of SSIDs and passwords.

Tried going to the latest stable Merlin FW (RT-AC56U_3.0.0.4_374.40_0) to no avail. Very unhappy with my Asus, and that's the first time I can say that, having owned their routers for years now. I've been locked out of the web gui, been told that there's another user connected (which has persisted beyond several hard boots of the device, oddly enough). This all started when I tried to add a WUMC710 bridge to the network, but I've since removed it and still have nothing but trouble.

 

[keratos]

I don't know if I just got a bum unit, but the AC56U I have is a complete piece of ****. In the few days I've owned it, I've rebooted the damn thing at least 2 dozen times. And it's running as vanilla a configuration as possible, no changes to the default settings outside of SSIDs and passwords.

Tried going to the latest stable Merlin FW (RT-AC56U_3.0.0.4_374.40_0) to no avail. Very unhappy with my Asus, and that's the first time I can say that, having owned their routers for years now. I've been locked out of the web gui, been told that there's another user connected (which has persisted beyond several hard boots of the device, oddly enough). This all started when I tried to add a WUMC710 bridge to the network, but I've since removed it and still have nothing but trouble.

I failed to get bridge mode working, my ISP demands PPPoA not PPPoE (as offered by the router). I had the same problem, after trying to configure TPlink8817 in bridge mode (ADSL2+) to the router. In the end I reverted back to TPlink8817 acting as a router/modem/firewall/dhcp server on 192.168.0.1 and the AC56U also routing as a dchp client. Its very secure setup and double firewalled but the downside is you cant access clients of the AC56U (easily) . I just leave it as it is because I do not "dial in" to my LAN

I had to hard reset the AC56U - power off, hold reset button in, power on keeping things held in/down for 10 seconds, let go of reset button (microbutton) , wait 30 seconds, power off-on. was okay then.

 

[jmdearras]

When it comes to networking performance, you will rarely see any improvement out of third party firmwares. The wireless drivers are closed source, so that means all third party firmwares (DD-WRT is one special exception, more on this later) must reuse the driver binary blob from the OEM firmware. That's why the performance will be nearly the same.

The only place where third party firmwares can improve are stability, security, features, and performance of non-networking components (such as VPN or disk sharing performance).

DD-WRT is a special case because Brainslayer has access to Broadcom's SDK, which means he can compile his own wireless driver. This however remains probably mostly original Broadcom code, so unless newer versions of the SDK might carry some performance improvements (which would eventually appear in Asus's drivers anyway, as Asus tends to be aggressively updating to newer Broadcom SDKs), I would expect DD-WRT wireless performance to also remain very close to stock firmware.

Where can I download your image files?

 

[RMerlin]

Where can I download your image files?

There's a sticky thread in the Asuswrt-Merlin with all the information. Probably a good idea to read through it first before downloading the firmware, so you know what you are getting into.

 

[speedingcheetah]

My AC56U is rock solid...I use current stock firmware. (Only had a few issues with early firmware releases while back.)

Been running good for months now. I may get a random reboot 1x every month or 2, but that's about it.