is a USB 2.0 flash drive fast enough for use with asuswrt-merlin + add ons?

[ERamseth2]

Basically what the title says.

(Apologies if this has been posted before but the forum doesn't like you to search with the keywords "usb" and "2.0")

I want to avoid any 2.4ghz interference issues and run the usb ports at 2.0 speed. Will that allow for fast enough storage for use with entware and other add-ons? (Specifically adguard home / diversion, skynet, flexqos, yazfi)

 

[bbunge]

Basically what the title says.

(Apologies if this has been posted before but the forum doesn't like you to search with the keywords "usb" and "2.0")

I want to avoid any 2.4ghz interference issues and run the usb ports at 2.0 speed. Will that allow for fast enough storage for use with entware and other add-ons? (Specifically adguard home / diversion, skynet, flexqos, yazfi)

Yes! I would just use Diversion and yazfi. FlexQOS does not use the USB and that is OK.

 

[Tech9]

Will that allow for fast enough storage for use with entware and other add-ons?

Yes, but USB flash drives are unreliable and you may have to replace the drive from time to time and redo your setup. Many reports of failed USB sticks around. Use a small SSD in external enclosure instead. Less heat to the router's port and much longer life. It will perhaps outlive your router.

 

[ERamseth2]

Yes, but USB flash drives are unreliable and you may have to replace the drive from time to time and redo your setup. Many reports of failed USB sticks around. Use a small SSD in external enclosure instead. Less heat to the router's port and much longer life. It will perhaps outlive your router.

Yeah im familiar with that. In my experience if you get a good usb flash drive you'll be OK. I basically use the higher end Samsung USB flash drives. Have run them for years without issue.

 

[ERamseth2]

Yes! I would just use Diversion and yazfi. FlexQOS does not use the USB and that is OK.

Off topic I guess but is there a reason you recommend diversion over adguard home?

 

[Ellenswamy]

You can use a usb 3 flash drive in usb 2.0 mode. That’s what I do

 

[bbunge]

Yes, but USB flash drives are unreliable and you may have to replace the drive from time to time and redo your setup. Many reports of failed USB sticks around. Use a small SSD in external enclosure instead. Less heat to the router's port and much longer life. It will perhaps outlive your router.

Hmm... Some thumb drives are unreliable. However, I have a PNY 2 GB that I have had for years and used for swap/entware apps on at least my last three Asus routers. I also have several SanDisk thumbdrives I use for OS on a RPI4 and other techie functions. Come to think if it, I have only had one thumb drive ever fail. That was a PNY and it was replaced under warranty and the replacement worked very well. Stick with trusted brands and you will have little trouble.

 

[bbunge]

Off topic I guess but is there a reason you recommend diversion over adguard home?

Yes. Diversion can be used to block adds just like Pi-Hole (uses the same blocklist). DNS is better to use Quad9, Cleanbrowsing security or Cloudflare Secure with DoT. DNSSEC can also be used but could have some issues at times. I do not feel that Skynet adds anything for my use.

 

[Tech9]

Hmm... Some thumb drives are unreliable.

I like to fix things and move on. What you offer is only hope.

 

[garycnew]

All my AiMesh Nodes make use of SanDisk 2.0 Flash Drives. I've had a couple of them die on me. I've found as long as you backup any custom configs or they are redundant between installations–losing one isn't a big deal. Simply throw a new Flash Drive in and use amtm to built it back out, copy the configs over, and you're back in business. The amtm folks have really made the process easy. Thanks, Guys!

 

[garycnew]

I had another SanDisk 2.0 die on me, today. Already back up and running with a replacement using amtm. Thanks, again!

 

[Dr.Mxyztplk]

You can use a usb 3 flash drive in usb 2.0 mode.

I just replaced my USB 2.0 thumbdrive with an old 32GB SanDisk ReadyCache SSD that's been sitting around put in an enclosure.

Problem is It won't run as USB 2, even though it's connected to the USB 2 Port not the USB 3 Port.
Is it because it's an SSD not a thumbdrive? It is fully powered by the USB Port So I'm not sure.

My concern is that AMTM & other things always say to use the Drive in USB 2 Mode. & I'm concerned there's a reason they are always so specific about it, but if I cannot run it in USB 2...

 

[Tech Junky]

Here's a thought....


Why not mount this stuff from a NAS and skip the USB completely?

Which version of USB shouldn't matter though as long as the router sees the drive and has permissions to open files from it. When it comes down to it you can get USB 3 @ 32GB for under $10 these days. Not sure why this is such an issue for people. @ $10 you also hit speeds ~75MB/s when moving files around. On the other end of the spectrum you can get a Type-A drive that can do 400MB/s and appears to an OS as an SSD and not USB removable for ~$70.

The thought of having to use external storage to make a router work leads me to believe that it's time for a different router that doesn't play these games to begin with. As mentioned using Diversion is like using Pihole and well, if you want to run such apps you should just use a RPI that's self contained and runs all of this stuff off a SD card OS + apps instead of a cheap router in the first place. Point the DNS to the RPI and be done with it. Everything hits the RPI and gets its DNS info / translations from that device instead of relying on the "router". Also, making the RPi your gateway instead of the router funnels all of your traffic through it for monitoring / logging traffic for better analysis and/or archiving said data.

 

[ColinTaylor]

My concern is that AMTM & other things always say to use the Drive in USB 2 Mode.

I'm not aware of any such recommendations. If anything some people suggest USB3 is preferable for its additional speed, e.g. when processing large ad-block lists and log files.

Requirements - Diversion

diversion.ch

The only concern regarding USB 3 is it possibly causing interference on the 2.4GHz band. This used to be a problem with the original RT-N66U's (or was it the RT-AC68U?). But that got resolved years ago with a hardware revision that improved the shielding on the USB port. I'm not aware of it ever being an issue since then.

 

[jj22038]

Use an SSD like @Tech9 said.

Modern USB drives are engineered for speed and cost. Reliability is not a priority. If you just copy things on and off of a USB drive, it's fine. If it's your swap drive, you'll be disappointed.

 

[Tech9]

Reliability is not a priority.

Nothing in modern consumer world is engineered with reliability as priority.

If it's your swap drive, you'll be disappointed.

Swap on a USB stick is a bad idea to start with. It's just a workaround on routers.

 

[Treadler]

I'm not aware of any such recommendations. If anything some people suggest USB3 is preferable for its additional speed, e.g. when processing large ad-block lists and log files.

Requirements - Diversion

diversion.ch

The only concern regarding USB 3 is it possibly causing interference on the 2.4GHz band. This used to be a problem with the original RT-N66U's (or was it the RT-AC68U?). But that got resolved years ago with a hardware revision that improved the shielding on the USB port. I'm not aware of it ever being an issue since then.

Using USB 3 here, no issues.

 

[Dr.Mxyztplk]

Why not mount this stuff from a NAS and skip the USB completely?

Because it's custom configuration things that are being run from it. You can't access the NAS until after the router is up... But you need the NAS to start the router... Doesn't work...
I'm not hosting files from the USB, it's entware & amtm & diversion & that stuff. I don't need fast access or anything like that, I have 3 NAS servers & a windows server & a Pi, this is purely for the router to use.

I'm not aware of any such recommendations.

I've actually seen it stated in a number of places, but this guide is one for a reference, the others were essentially the same, I've definitely seen it specified at least 3 different places, but nothing ever says why.

Click USB Mode option to use 'USB 2.0'

you can get USB 3 @ 32GB for under $10 these days

Yeah, but the problem is that USB thumb drives are not ideal. 1 BIG issue is if you have a USB thumbdrive plugged into your router it gets super hot. That's not ideal. Plus I've burnt out a few of them already. That's why I'm using an SSD instead. The USB Port doesn't get hot, it's designed to work constantly aside from thumbdrives which are designed for short bursts of use not continual use.

it's time for a different router that doesn't play these games to begin with

They don't exist. ANY router would need external storage to handle things like entware & Diversion.

Diversion is like using Pihole and well, if you want to run such apps you should just use a RPI that's self contained and runs all of this stuff off a SD card OS + apps instead of a cheap router in the first place

So a PiHole is slower, more complicated, more prone to errors, & if there's an error you need to physically be there to fix it half the time. It's not an even comparison. Plus the fact that a Pi running an OS off an SD card burns SD cards, they typically last 2 years, less sometimes. But with the PiHole vs Diversion you are adding 3 potential points of failure for no reason, for something that has less features, is slower, & has to be maintained more. No thank you.

The only concern regarding USB 3 is it possibly causing interference on the 2.4GHz band

Ah. If that's the case I'm fine. I use an access point for the Wireless anyway.

Use an SSD like @Tech9 said.

That's what I'm talking about... An SSD in an enclosure

Swap on a USB stick is a bad idea to start with. It's just a workaround on routers.

Which is why, well at least part of why, I'm using an SSD instead

So it sounds like the reason was due to an issue with interference that I don't really have to worry about. that makes sense. Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[elorimer]

All my AiMesh Nodes make use of SanDisk 2.0 Flash Drives.

Out of curiosity, what are you running on the nodes that requires a drive?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I've actually seen it stated in a number of places, but this guide is one for a reference, the others were essentially the same, I've definitely seen it specified at least 3 different places, but nothing ever says why.

Sorry, but take any information from that particular member with a huge pinch of salt. Regarding USB2, there have been compatibility issues reported with certain enclosures in USB3 mode. In those cases switching to USB2 made the device work, albeit at reduced speed. This is probably what led to the misinformation in that guide, which was then just repeated by others.