Merlin vs Stock on AX82U

[CanukMan99]

Just purchased an AX82U. My first Asus router in many years. Coming from a crippled ISP supplied router, but previously ran DD-WRT on all my routers at home and work, and a personal OPNSense PC build as well.
Like a previous poster a short while ago, I got freaked out seeing the Trend Micro data collection info, so am considering returning the device.
My plan was always to upload a Merlin version, so I quickly uploaded the stable GNUton Merlin build for the AX82U. Thank you @GNUton for making the build available!

My question - do these @RMerlin builds stop the Trend Micro data harvesting when the QoS, traffic analyzer etc are used?
When I activated one of the features as a trial, I didn't receive the Trend Micro policy agreement / Asus privacy warning that I did on stock. Does this mean I'm good to go without needing to be concerned with data harvesting? If so, I'll be more than happy to keep the device!

CanukMan

 

[Deleted member 84281]

I don't think Merlin changes anything related to Trend Micro it's likely closed source.

 

[Volt]

No need to return it, you can just click "Withdraw" on the "Privacy" tab on the "Administration" page and use the router just like any router from other manufacturers, Trend Micro stuff is optional.

 

[AndreiV]

This has been explained so many hundreds of times on these forums.
If you want to use anything within the TrendMicro section you have to agree to the EULA .

The EULA is there simply because the system runs on their servers , so anything analysed is not done locally , this is no different to your browser or antivirus checking a list of known bad URL's in the cloud.

It doesn't mean they are wanting your darkest secrets or to know what colour pants you wore last week.

If you can't agree then simply turn it off.

 

[CanukMan99]

No need to return it, you can just click "Withdraw" on the "Privacy" tab on the "Administration" page and use the router just like any router from other manufacturers, Trend Micro stuff is optional.

That would be a decent option perhaps - although on Merlin, I'm not seeing the option. The text is there telling me I can withdraw, but there doesn't appear to be a button. Just a blank space.

 

[Tech9]

Just purchased an AX82U. My first Asus router in many years.

If you just purchased it - run stock Asuswrt and get familiar with firmware options it offers. Almost all Asuswrt-Merlin options except advanced VPN routing and custom scripts are now available in stock Asuswrt. If you need something you don't find in stock Asuswrt - ask for Asuswrt-Merlin options.

 

[Volt]

I'm not seeing the option

It means that you are not using any Trend Micro-related services, so you are fine, nothing is shared with them.

 

[CanukMan99]

If you just purchased it - run stock Asuswrt and get familiar with firmware options it offers. Almost all Asuswrt-Merlin options except advanced VPN routing and custom scripts are now available in stock Asuswrt. If you need something you don't find in stock Asuswrt - ask for Asuswrt-Merlin options.

My plan is to be using some DNS direction and some VPN routing.
I'll be testing the Wireguard server functionality, as well as attempting automated routing via several VPN client connections. So Merlin is probably the better option for me. Want to see just what it is capable of and the throughput it can manage. Only a 500/100 Mbps connection here, so hopefully the 82U can handle multiple WG clients and a server at those speeds.

 

[Tech9]

Only a 500/100 Mbps connection here, so hopefully the 82U can handle multiple WG clients and a server at those speeds.

Good luck with that. RT-AX82U is just more fancy version of entry-level RT-AX58U hardware.

 

[smartbits]

Good luck with that. RT-AX82U is just more fancy version of entry-level RT-AX58U hardware.

I have the RT-AX82U router and I find the wifi range to be very good and it's been pretty stable so far. I have never used the RT-AX58U but there seem to be some differences between the two.

RT-AX58U、RT-AX82U Product different Compare｜ASUS Global

Comparison between RT-AX58U、RT-AX82U in Network Standard 、Product Segment 、AX technology 、Data Rate 、Antenna 、Transmit/Receive 、Processor 、Memory 、Boosts speed、Operating Frequency 、Ports 、Button 、LED Indicator 、Power Supply 、Package content 、Product Weight (g)、AiMesh、Router...

www.asus.com

 

[Tech9]

there seem to be some differences

Asus released multiple routers on AX58U V1 and V2 hardware base. The ones in AX3000 class have software locked 5GHz radios to 2-stream. All RT-AX3000/AX5400, RT-AX82U, ROG Strix GS-AX3000/AX5400, TUF Gaming AX3000/AX5400 are the same hardware in different shapes, sized and with or without light effects. Some have V2 versions with 4-core CPUs, 2.5GbE WAN port and integrated radios and even RT-AXE7800 is similar with one extra 2-stream 6E radio. Expected routing and VPN performance is about the same on all of the above unless Asus locked something else on cheaper models.

 

[CanukMan99]

Right now my challenge seems to be finding / generating wireguard client configs for PIA. Not seeming to be able to locate anything other than ovpn files :-(
OpenVPN gives me 39 Mbps down on a 500 Mbps line, so that's not going to cut it for me.

 

[Tech9]

What is this VPN going to be used for?

 

[CanukMan99]

What is this VPN going to be used for?

A mix of things. Initially routing traffic from 3 PC clients, 2 of which run 24x7. Trying to keep down the number of simultaneous connections to the provider. It all adds up with laptops, PCs, phones, TVs etc.

 

[Tech9]

And you decided to route your traffic through a VPN located in the US?

Five Eyes - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'm sure PIA offers great "privacy" like all the other similar public VPN providers.

 

[CanukMan99]

And you decided to route your traffic through a VPN located in the US?

Five Eyes - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'm sure PIA offers great "privacy" like all the other similar public VPN providers.

Not routing any traffic through US servers, not that it means much when routing through another 5 eyes Country anyway ;-) Perhaps you'd care to suggest a solid article showing current recommended providers?

However back to the point at hand, ditching OpenVPN for Wireguard changed things immensely.
Now getting 200 Mbps Down, 50 Mbps Up via WG, instead of the 39 Down I was getting with OpenVPN.
That's on a 500/100 connection.

For anyone searching on generating a PIA config, I utilsed the script at https://github.com/djtroyal/pia-wg which was then uploaded to VPN Client -> Wireguard section.

Interestingly running WG slowed down all other traffic. Speed on non WG enabled devices dropped to 350 Mbps. When I disabled the WG VPN client on the router, speed immediately increased again to 500+ Mbps. The native PIA Linux client provides 504/86. ISP direct (no VPN) shows 531/102 Mbps.

 

[Tech9]

current recommended providers?

I would recommend none. There is no extra privacy or security in VPN connection with one side control only.

Interestingly running WG slowed down all other traffic.

Nothing interesting. WireGuard is incompatible with NAT acceleration and this is what your CPU can process.