ASUS RT-N66U - my review

[SWW]

DSL Modem Recommendation for Use w/ RT-N66U

My RT-N66U will be arriving Monday, 1/22/12. I'm currently using the stock Verizon issued Westell Versalink A90-7500 combo DSL Modem / Router. When the Asus arrives, I intend to disable the Westell's wifi, router, and DHCP and use it as strictly a DSL modem / 4 port switch. The Asus will take over the disabled functions. My connection is a relatively slow 3/.768 Mbps DSL. Cable is not available.

My question is, are there dedicated DSL modems and should I look into them. We frequently have to reboot the Westell due to dropped connections. I'm hoping the Asus will take care of this but would consider getting a dedicated DSL modem if it were worthwhile. We have several children so applications include Netflix/Youtube streaming, gaming, browsing. Nothing esoteric here.

Any thoughts on this, much appreciated.

Regards

SWW...

 

[darksamus]

If anyone lives in the Virginia area, Microcenter has 3 Asus RT-N66U routers. I was just there an hour ago. The price is expensive, $230.

 

[darksamus]

thanks for the video. if you like the tomato firmware and want the "guest" network feature, you will need toastman's VLAN build which is:

http://www.4shared.com/get/xhcrnhcJ/tomato-K26USB-12804943MIPSR2-T.html

Guest network only on the VLAN build... no VLAN+VPN?

 

[darksamus]

Thanks for the link darksamus!

I just posted a video with a short going trough the TomatoUSB shibby firmware on the ASUS RT-N66U running for one day now.
http://youtu.be/FnfdmN-Oq58?hd=1

Enjoy watching!

Just finished watching your video. You got the same wifi settings as I do! My 2.4 channel is set to 8. The 5ghz channel is the same, but for some reason, the main page still shows data rate of 13.5mbps for 5ghz...yours is showing 108mbps.

 

[Greg_Elite]

I'd use the stock firmware. But there's no DD-WRT? Last time I heard you couldn't get a WAN IP with it?

 

[though]

Guest network only on the VLAN build... no VLAN+VPN?

here is VLAN & VPN

http://www.4shared.com/get/QGmtkLsc/tomato-K26USB-12804943MIPSR2-T.html

 

[though]

Thanks. And how to activate the guest network there?

BTW: I just flashed my router back to ASUS origin firmware version .90.
Wifi speed is about 10 Mbit/s faster than with Tomato firmware. Just had to test it once again. And I got my Guest-Wifi back.

when you start a new VLAN, it is the same as turning on a "guest network".

 

[magnus_ca]

My RT-N66U will be arriving Monday, 1/22/12. I'm currently using the stock Verizon issued Westell Versalink A90-7500 combo DSL Modem / Router. When the Asus arrives, I intend to disable the Westell's wifi, router, and DHCP and use it as strictly a DSL modem / 4 port switch. The Asus will take over the disabled functions. My connection is a relatively slow 3/.768 Mbps DSL. Cable is not available.

My question is, are there dedicated DSL modems and should I look into them. We frequently have to reboot the Westell due to dropped connections. I'm hoping the Asus will take care of this but would consider getting a dedicated DSL modem if it were worthwhile. We have several children so applications include Netflix/Youtube streaming, gaming, browsing. Nothing esoteric here.

Any thoughts on this, much appreciated.

Regards

SWW...

If you want an answer to this create a new post in the approriate forum.

 

[SWW]

If you want an answer to this create a new post in the approriate forum.

And which precisely would that be?

 

[magnus_ca]

And which precisely would that be?

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/forumdisplay.php?f=23

 

[ArCan]

Hi!
Could somebody tell me how I can upgrade to Tomato f/w?
Can I do it from native RT-N66U GUI
or have to use Asus recovery disk and recovery mode?
Thanks.

 

[though]

Hi!
Could somebody tell me how I can upgrade to Tomato f/w?
Can I do it from native RT-N66U GUI
or have to use Asus recovery disk and recovery mode?
Thanks.

i believe you just change the tomato file name from .trx to .bin and it will take it from the asus upgrade page. someone please correct me if i am wrong.

 

[darksamus]

i believe you just change the tomato file name from .trx to .bin and it will take it from the asus upgrade page. someone please correct me if i am wrong.

Here is how to load the tomato firmware.

1. Go to the link below.
2. Download the file 'tomato-K26USB-1.28.RT-N5x-MIPSR2-083V-Mega-VPN.trx' Yes its for the RTN10U but still works for the N66U.
3. Put the router into recovery mode by holding down the reset button in the back of the router and plug the power in. Continue holding the reset button until the power lights blinks slow, then release the reset button.
4. Use the Asus recovery disk and upload the tomato firmware.
5. Wait until it finish, about 5min.
6. Power down the router
7. Power up the router and you now have tomato on it.

Below is the link

http://tomato.groov.pl/index.php?dir=K26RT-N/build5x-083V/RT-N10U

 

[G37x]

RT-N66U port forwarding, need help

Guys,

Can somebody please offer some advice here? I have many IP cameras inside my house and did the port forwarding cfg in the router and also DDNS...All my settings are the same as with RT-N56U. The weird thing is if I type in a browser http::/<wan Ip or ddns domain>:<port number> I can't access my cameras, however obviously if I replace the wan ip with local IP it works. Another way to see this: when I cfg-ed my cameras in iphone ip cam viewer app I put my hostname to be able to access it from outside. Now if I connect to wifi I can't access the camera. I feel like something is broken in this router or router's fw (.90 latest one), DDNS port fwd basic router functionality don't know...

I tried all I could think of and not much, sometimes if I explicitly put 192.168.1.1 in the gateway field and click apply all works but then shortly after that it dies again.

Thank you!

 

[eksern]

Guys,

Can somebody please offer some advice here? I have many IP cameras inside my house and did the port forwarding cfg in the router and also DDNS...All my settings are the same as with RT-N56U. The weird thing is if I type in a browser http::/<wan Ip or ddns domain>:<port number> I can't access my cameras, however obviously if I replace the wan ip with local IP it works. Another way to see this: when I cfg-ed my cameras in iphone ip cam viewer app I put my hostname to be able to access it from outside. Now if I connect to wifi I can't access the camera. I feel like something is broken in this router or router's fw (.90 latest one), DDNS port fwd basic router functionality don't know...

I tried all I could think of and not much, sometimes if I explicitly put 192.168.1.1 in the gateway field and click apply all works but then shortly after that it dies again.

Thank you!

I have found out that that part of port forwarding is not working with latest firmware (.90). You can access all your cameras etc that you port forward to only from an outside network using the http::/<wan Ip or ddns domain>:<port number> but not from the local network. There you can only use the local ip. I have reported this issue to ASUS and hopefully this will be resolved in the next firmware update.

 

[G37x]

I have found out that that part of port forwarding is not working with latest firmware (.90). You can access all your cameras etc that you port forward to only from an outside network using the http::/<wan Ip or ddns domain>:<port number> but not from the local network. There you can only use the local ip. I have reported this issue to ASUS and hopefully this will be resolved in the next firmware update.

Wow, really? How did you find out what server you run? Thanks a bunch, yeah hopefully it will be fixed if not I will return it. Any good reasons to put tomato? I'm afraid that is broken more actually...

 

[tntomek]

So is this router worth it over a e4200 v1? $130 for v1 or $190 for the asus 66u. Isn't the chipset this thing uses, the Broadcom BCM4706, released in July 2010?

Yes I've read all 32 pages I do want DDWRT as an option but it doesn't seem necessary given the feature set ... still rocking the WRT54GL which refuses to die.

As I understand it has better range but the antennas arent exactly 'pretty' ... can you put them in a kitchen cupboard that is ventilated without significant signal loss ... this would typically be mid point of a 2 story home? If the signal goes through walls I don't see why a neatly hidden unit in a cupboard should make any difference.

 

[magnus_ca]

Would someone using the QoS feature mind sharing their configuration?

 

[darksamus]

Does anyone know if the internal micro-sd slot allows to expand the ram/nvram/flash memory or use as a hard drive?

Stock firmware has no option for it.

 

[G37x]

So is this router worth it over a e4200 v1? $130 for v1 or $190 for the asus 66u. Isn't the chipset this thing uses, the Broadcom BCM4706, released in July 2010?

Yes I've read all 32 pages I do want DDWRT as an option but it doesn't seem necessary given the feature set ... still rocking the WRT54GL which refuses to die.

As I understand it has better range but the antennas arent exactly 'pretty' ... can you put them in a kitchen cupboard that is ventilated without significant signal loss ... this would typically be mid point of a 2 story home? If the signal goes through walls I don't see why a neatly hidden unit in a cupboard should make any difference.

I don't think I'd pay 190 for this or any other...I paid for mine $169 from amazon at the beginning of Jan. Seems like a nice router but portions of the fw are broken (like port fwd)...