DDWRT for RT-AC87 - You should seriously consider it

[dfran1]

So I read this post and got excited about dd-wrt. I did some research on how to flash to my AC87U and spent two hours on trying to flash it. It was just too much of a hassle for me so I just went back to Merlin 378.55 firmware. I may try again.

You should find most of everything you need here.
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/dd-wrt-for-rt-ac87r.22421/

 

[pinkfloyd1173]

Hi CC666!,
I am going to reference my thread
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/dd-wrt-for-rt-ac87r.22421/

I am now back on the latest dd-wrt as lately, my online gaming was just horrible lately with Asus firmware!!
It was sooooooooo BAD no one was dying no matter what I used for guns or time I played, at all (has been happening for weeks now, new Asus betas and all), this morning was the last, my PS4 lag test was good, BUT there was loots of lag on my end!!!
All I did was flash dd-wrt and configure similar to my Asus, and guess what NO LAG, they were dying !!!!! I went from bottom of the list to top of the list in only 10 minutes, the time it took for me to flash and configure!!!!!

So I do not care what anyone says on that, there is nothing to say at all, it was just 10 minutes, no way ps4 servers change that dramatic at all!!!!!

Asus is just putting WAY too much into bloatware!! and not keeping basic things right.

Even this morning my wife said her internet connection is and was slow and it was bugging her, that made me come back.

Now for the long test, and to put it on my friends.

As for the internet light it is normal to flash pink (red) for dd-wrt and no light for 2.4 GHz either.

EDIT: I am also seeing the data rate drop when not in use like it is supposed to.

I have the ac68p and I have been trying to find dd-wrt for my router but a few come up dont know which one I can use??? I also am a gamer and I can tell you that lag on bf4 is bad. gonna check your tread out.

 

[dfran1]

I have the ac68p and I have been trying to find dd-wrt for my router but a few come up dont know which one I can use??? I also am a gamer and I can tell you that lag on bf4 is bad. gonna check your tread out.

ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2015/
I don't see a 68p in there just the 68u/r
being r is same as u
but your p is newer, your stuck without, maybe cc666 can come up with some info for you?

 

[dfran1]

i found this
http://www.dd-wrt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=277972&highlight=ac68p
So it looks like you can, I think he is using the 68u version

just don't adjust the cpu clock
"Changing the overclock selection in the web will soft brick the router"

EDIT:
yes he does use the ac-68u firmware

AC68P, reset to factory before and after installing r26332, asus_rt-ac68u-firmware.trx.

-CPU clock reports 800MHz (should be 1000MHz)

-Radio LEDs don't work

-Setting from GUI, Overclocking Frequency to other than 800Mhz soft bricks.

- Setting clkfreq to anything with commit resets to 800,666 upon reboot

Most other things seem OK, USB 2/3, radios, etc...

ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2015/07-09-2015-r27506/asus-rt-ac68u/

 

[pinkfloyd1173]

Thanks man, I am a noob to this stuff, kinda scared to tying this out???

 

[dfran1]

Thanks man, I am a noob to this stuff, kinda scared to tying this out???

Thats your choice either way, there is always a chance to brick your router, BUT I have not read many at all bricking.
I did flash and would, but thats me.
Good Luck, let us know how goes if you do.

 

[cc666]

Still flawless:

Firmware: DD-WRT v3.0-r27506 (07/09/15)
Time: 07:33:04 up 9 days, 14:44, load average: 0.02, 0.08, 0.06

CC

 

[Haggster]

I've heard DD-WRT has some trouble with external HDDs, is that true?

Also, is there any hardware acceleration?

Is the 2.4GHz indicator light still missing? If yes, I hope they're gonna fix that

What about overclocking the CPU to 1.2GHz? I've got mine overclocked and would like to keep it that way.

I've had a quick look at the forum and saw some posts about softbricked routers... I really need that router to work every day so that stuff seems quite scary to me.

 

[pinkfloyd1173]

I was looking at there site and man that stuff looks very compilcated to me, not that simple to do?? I have never used telenet and would not even know where to start?

 

[RMerlin]

I've heard DD-WRT has some trouble with external HDDs, is that true?

Quite frankly, all routers do, regardless of the firmware. HDD manufacturers don't test their devices on Broadcom's USB controler, amongst other things.

 

[dfran1]

I was looking at there site and man that stuff looks very compilcated to me, not that simple to do?? I have never used telenet and would not even know where to start?

All your info and use should be found here, first post, If there is any other info you need please ask. Why do you need to telnet into it? (It is very easy though)
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/dd-wrt-for-rt-ac87r.22421/

Still flawless:

Firmware: DD-WRT v3.0-r27506 (07/09/15)
Time: 07:33:04 up 9 days, 14:44, load average: 0.02, 0.08, 0.06

CC

What are your settings for the 5 GHZ
My devices (IOS specially, all on IOS 9 beta 2 now, but no problem with Asus) don't seem to like it
It works at first reboot then they do not connect to it. Also my Samsung TV chugs to find connection but it does use the 5.
Beam forming on the 2.4 is great.

I've heard DD-WRT has some trouble with external HDDs, is that true?

Also, is there any hardware acceleration?

Is the 2.4GHz indicator light still missing? If yes, I hope they're gonna fix that

What about overclocking the CPU to 1.2GHz? I've got mine overclocked and would like to keep it that way.

I've had a quick look at the forum and saw some posts about softbricked routers... I really need that router to work every day so that stuff seems quite scary to me.

External hard drives worked the same for me as Asus firmware when I used them, Please consider a NAS, so much better in every way, I have a QNAP and it is the best device I purchased in a long time.

No hardware accretion that I see (I don't understand what is under the hood though), I only have a 30meg. No loss there for me. I think it tops at ~350 (maybe 450) from ISP's.

No 2.4 GHz light still, maybe someday.

There is a very easy setting in the GUI for overclocking, though I don't know what the need is.

From what I have read on dd-wrt, people seem to use it for its stability over stock firmware (of course this is debatable).

I was nervous at first also, that is why I created that thread I referenced above, it is really easy to use, its just stuff is in different places, or not their like trend micro, and vice versa, dd-wrt has stuff better or not in Asus firmware, like wifi maps, and much better wifi device signal meters.

If you feel adventurous go for it, if not stick with asus or merlin, I think it is no worse than flashing stock firmware, I have been back and forth many times, I have never bricked my router, nor do I see it worse than flashing stock and bricking it. It's always possible, with any firmware.

 

[cc666]

What are your settings for the 5 GHZ
My devices (IOS specially, all on IOS 9 beta 2 now, but no problem with Asus) don't seem to like it
It works at first reboot then they do not connect to it. Also my Samsung TV chugs to find connection but it does use the 5.
Beam forming on the 2.4 is great.

Dfan1 see below:
5 GHZ settings

Wireless Mode
Wireless Network Mode: AC/N
Channel Width: VHT 80+80
Extension Channel: Auto
Wireless SSID Broadcast:Enable
Explicit Beamforming: Disable
Implicit Beamforming: Disable
Network Configuration: Bridged

CC

 

[cc666]

I've heard DD-WRT has some trouble with external HDDs, is that true?

Also, is there any hardware acceleration?

Is the 2.4GHz indicator light still missing? If yes, I hope they're gonna fix that

What about overclocking the CPU to 1.2GHz? I've got mine overclocked and would like to keep it that way.

I've had a quick look at the forum and saw some posts about softbricked routers... I really need that router to work every day so that stuff seems quite scary to me.

Overclocking is simple

Enable Telnet

Telnet into Router
use these commands
nvram set clkfreq=1200,800
nvram commit
reboot

XX

 

[dfran1]

Overclocking is simple

Enable Telnet

Telnet into Router
use these commands
nvram set clkfreq=1200,800
nvram commit
reboot

XX

There is a setting for it in the GUI on DD-wrt, under "administration" "Management" for overclocking, any reason why you are not using that easy method? Also What benefit is it giving you?

Also I had those settings, BUT I re-flahed my router, and also set the Preamble to short on the 5GHz, (I forgot I changed this on the Asus firmware, and left it to long on the 2.4 GHz side as Asus firmware did not like long, but long is working for dd-wrt on the 2.4, weird) and boosted the signal on both bands to 80 (that setting should be closer to what Asus uses, though I think they use ~100)
All seems good so far now, I'll let this go and then maybe try to add a guest network, then see how that goes (I know that caused problems with Asus firmware).

 

[cc666]

All your info and use should be found here, first post, If there is any other info you need please ask. Why do you need to telnet into it? (It is very easy though)
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/dd-wrt-for-rt-ac87r.22421/



What are your settings for the 5 GHZ
My devices (IOS specially, all on IOS 9 beta 2 now, but no problem with Asus) don't seem to like it
It works at first reboot then they do not connect to it. Also my Samsung TV chugs to find connection but it does use the 5.
Beam forming on the 2.4 is great.




External hard drives worked the same for me as Asus firmware when I used them, Please consider a NAS, so much better in every way, I have a QNAP and it is the best device I purchased in a long time.

No hardware accretion that I see (I don't understand what is under the hood though), I only have a 30meg. No loss there for me. I think it tops at ~350 (maybe 450) from ISP's.

No 2.4 GHz light still, maybe someday.

There is a very easy setting in the GUI for overclocking, though I don't know what the need is.

From what I have read on dd-wrt, people seem to use it for its stability over stock firmware (of course this is debatable).

I was nervous at first also, that is why I created that thread I referenced above, it is really easy to use, its just stuff is in different places, or not their like trend micro, and vice versa, dd-wrt has stuff better or not in Asus firmware, like wifi maps, and much better wifi device signal meters.

If you feel adventurous go for it, if not stick with asus or merlin, I think it is no worse than flashing stock firmware, I have been back and forth many times, I have never bricked my router, nor do I see it worse than flashing stock and bricking it. It's always possible, with any firmware.

Defan1 do you have beam forming enabled? If so on what band or both?

CC

 

[dfran1]

Defan1 do you have beam forming enabled? If so on what band or both?

CC

I have it on the 2.4GHz band as you can not on the 5

 

[Flomsen]

I have install asus_rt-ac87u-firmware.trx on normal way in administration pages, do i need to clear nvram from telnet?

 

[dfran1]

I have install asus_rt-ac87u-firmware.trx on normal way in administration pages, do i need to clear nvram from telnet?

I would flash it a second time thru the GUI and make sure you select "reset to factory defaults" choose your file then press upgrade
in "administration" "firmware upgrade"

I am still running great now after flashing twice, one in asus GUI then like this as soon as I could.

 

[dfran1]

change the Preamble to short in the

• WL0-Advanced
• WL1-Advanced

I also increased the power to 81 on both and will most likely push it higher but I need to test, I think Asus is at 110

 

[Flomsen]

I would flash it a second time thru the GUI and make sure you select "reset to factory defaults" choose your file then press upgrade
in "administration" "firmware upgrade"

I am still running great now after flashing twice, one in asus GUI then like this as soon as I could.

Done, seems to work perfect

change the Preamble to short in the

• WL0-Advanced
• WL1-Advanced

I also increased the power to 81 on both and will most likely push it higher but I need to test, I think Asus is at 110

And wat is that good for?