Netgear R7000 - How to & replace with which OpenSource?

[jfazny]

Looking for recommended starting point or link or forum. Netgear R7000 - frustrated beyond $%*& but looking for alternate opensource approach to utilizing this device. Searched and saw recommendations for ASUSWRT-MERLIN - but read the firmware is illegal. Looked at DDWRT but read that overkill for most and quite complex. And then saw tomato advanced version that could be used. I downloaded freshtomato-R7000 -initial, back-to-ofw, freshtomato-R7000-ARM-2018.4-AIO-64K, freshtomato-R7000-ARM-2018.4-VPN-64K. Unsure of steps to perform the changes without bricking my unit. Also, I may be using OpenVPN client for connecting to PIA VPN.
Recommendations PLEASE?

 

[Pierino]

The r7000 runs great on Kong’s builds of dd-wrt.

 

[Pierino]

Look here http://www.desipro.de/ddwrt/K3-AC-Arm/

 

[jfazny]

So I see 2 votes for Kong dd-wrt. I also received 1 vote for FreshTomato-ARM by kille72 for NETGEAR R7000 (AIO-2018.4). I'm leaning towards dd-wrt now, but curious about feedback comparing the two.

I'm going to experiment with dd-wrt for an old Linksys WRT150n first.

Also, I just purchased Asus AC2900. Are there recommendations either way about leaving stock firmware (updating to latest) vs asus-wrt-merlin?

Thanks!

 

[Pierino]

Just flash the kong firmware through the Netgear GUI. Then reset it and set it up.

 

[jfazny]

Thanks Pierino. Will try that.
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Actually, a question: Do I need to load init version of firmware and factory defaults first?

 

[Pierino]

The initial version has everything in it that the other firmware does. The .chk I’d for the first from Netgear flash then you can use the .bin for upgrading to new ones or downgrading to older ones.
You can also telnet and use ddup. Make sure you read the readme.
Also feel free to join us on the dd-wrt forum.

 

[Gar]

I take it Voxel for R7000 won't work?

 

[Gar]

Wonder if the R7450 at Bestbuy would run Voxel or others? Same as R7000(?) for $89.

 

[Gar]

Got my question answered on other thread...