Quick help on AC57U and no VPN settings

[Pacemaker1000]

Just bought this to use as a VPN router but no options in dashboard?
Doing something wrong or is VPN not supported on this router and need to return ASAP?
Bought on Amazon and VPN was in the spec
Latest Firmware installed
Checked Merlin and it’s not covered

Cheers in advance for quick response

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't know but I can't see any reference to VPN support on the Asus website: https://www.asus.com/uk/Networking/RT-AC57U/specifications/

That would kind of make sense because that model has a very weak CPU so any VPN experience would be very poor.

 

[AndreiV]

Amazon at its best ......... 2 entries for the same model number, 2 different descriptions and specs.

At @ £55 you are not likely to get VPN and Media server.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I've searched the internet for "(Server and Client VPN, Access Point Mode, MU-MIMO)" and that description appears nowhere else other than that Amazon UK listing. I would conclude that the description is wrong.

 

[Pacemaker1000]

I don't know but I can't see any reference to VPN support on the Asus website: https://www.asus.com/uk/Networking/RT-AC57U/specifications/

That would kind of make sense because that model has a very weak CPU so any VPN experience would be very poor.

Thought at 890mhz and dual core It would do it as faster than AC51u that definately does
in the wrt menu actually shows 4 cores?

 

[Pacemaker1000]

if no good what is the best cheap option?
I disreguarded the AC51U at only £35 as too slow with single core and circa 500mhz
my max download is only 30meg though
Went ASUS as seemed simple to add nordvpn files.
did notice no access in the app as well as thought this was easy way to swap vpn severs and another main reason for going ASUS

 

[ColinTaylor]

Thought at 890mhz and dual core It would do it as faster than AC51u that definately does
in the wrt menu actually shows 4 cores?

If that's the case then maybe it's been removed for marketing reasons.

In any case, if it's not there it's not there. Just checking - it is in "router mode"?

 

[Pacemaker1000]

please see edited post #6

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't think at this point in time I could recommend with a clear conscience any Asus router with a spec lower than the RT-AC66U_B1. But at £95 that's probably more than you want to pay?

 

[Pacemaker1000]

If that's the case then maybe it's been removed for marketing reasons.

In any case, if it's not there it's not there. Just checking - it is in "router mode"?

Yes but I need it as a AP

 

[ColinTaylor]

Yes but I need it as a AP

VPN client doesn't work in AP mode.

 

[Pacemaker1000]

So router mode and vpn client?
Asus connected to maIn router via wan connection so can connect Devices to asus WiFi and Ethernet for VPN and main router for normal connection.

Think dad-wrt would work?

 

[ColinTaylor]

That would work with asuswrt (on devices that support VPN). I don't know anything about VPN clients on dd-wrt.

 

[Pacemaker1000]

Looks like next ones up that do VPN is 1200G+ 900 single core or 58U 710 4 core.
Any thoughts?

Tbh don’t even need WiFi just something to run VPN through

 

[ColinTaylor]

The number of cores is largely irrelevant because OpenVPN can only use one core. As for the 58U I couldn't comment.

How may clients need to go through the VPN? Maybe you could just run the VPN client on the device itself.

 

[Pacemaker1000]

Ok, so if single core required what is minimum for a 30mb broadband? Most travel routers are only 300-500mhz
Most devices can run vpn on their own, couple iPads plus openVPN on Kodi etc. But need for smart TV. Did think of connecting everything through the router for simplicity. Does more connections mean slower speed?
Cheers

 

[RMerlin]

don't think at this point in time I could recommend with a clear conscience any Asus router with a spec lower than the RT-AC66U_B1.

Depends on one's needs. Back in the day, my most frequently sold model was the RT-N12U, because it was all people needed to get their Email and post on Facebook. At its price, it was a pretty good deal.

 

[Pacemaker1000]

Depends on one's needs. Back in the day, my most frequently sold model was the RT-N12U, because it was all people needed to get their Email and post on Facebook. At its price, it was a pretty good deal.

I think it’s all about processor speed to cope with VPN . In my case 30meg.
The ac57 is powerful enough but for some reason asus have omitted vpn on this particular model?

 

[RMerlin]

I think it’s all about processor speed to cope with VPN . In my case 30meg.
The ac57 is powerful enough but for some reason asus have omitted vpn on this particular model?

Only 16 MB of flash - not enough space most likely to include OpenSSL, OpenVPN, etc...

128 MB of RAM would also be fairly tight.

 

[bill888]

Just bought this to use as a VPN router but no options in dashboard?

Just ordered a 'Used' one from Amazon to use as an access point. In my research, I discovered:

OpenWrt 19.07 is available, so should get about 19 Mbps throughput with OpenVPN client if it is like other MIPS powered MT7621A routers. If you flash it with OpenWrt, I don't know whether it is possible to revert it to stock Asus firmware. Regardless of VPN, the wifi and overall performance won't be as good as stock Asus firmware in my experience with OpenWrt.
https://openwrt.org/toh/asus/asus_rt-ac57u
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/services/vpn/openvpn/client-luci

There is also an AsusSrcMod firmware from Tyran17 for the RT-AC57u where PPTP and OpenVPN client/server menu options have been reinstated.
https://forum.ixbt.com/topic.cgi?id=14:65611
If you read through the whole thread, courtesy of google translate, there are a couple of bugs, such as wifi devices being reported as wired devices etc.

Historically, Padavan-ng firmware may have OpenVPN support too.
https://forum.ixbt.com/topic.cgi?id=14:65611:77#77

I understand the new RT-AC57u V2 uses a different SoC and supports OpenVPN out of the box. Does anyone know what is the maximum OpenVPN client speed for the V2 ?


Update: I flashed AsusSrcMod 3.0.0.4_380_10732 to my v1 via Asus web UI. Uploaded ovpn file to it. Speedtest.net returns 18.5 Mbps down via ethernet, and 9.5 Mbps via 5 GHz wifi. 18.5 Mbps is consistent with other MT7621A routers running OpenWrt too.