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rt-ac68r fw, HDD size and section questions: noob

Wonderfrog

New Around Here
Greetings all,

I am replacing an aging linksys e3000 with the rt-ac68r. To speed installation, I downloaded firmware and software updates from asus. Which version of firmware do you all recommend updating to (I downloaded both):

a) Asuswrt version 3.0.0.4.374.583

b) Merlin version RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_374.38_2

Also, I agonized over a choice between the rt-ac68r and the Netgear r7000 (Nighthawk). The Nighthawk community seems very vocal and critical of ANYTHING that is not a Nighthawk...and the professional reviewers (Small Net Builder, cnet, pc world, pcmag) seem split on which router is better/faster/more stable. Both also seem to have issues with reboots, dropping clients, etc. Netgear seems to also have issues with the QoS feature and better reported stability with it off...or so I have read.

This router is just for my home and will be used for streaming, some gaming (not huge priority), and general downloading internet usage. I obtained a linksys wumc710 really cheap and a linksys wusb6300 to update my home theater/gaming and primary pc to ac. Everything else (tablets, extra blurays, tvs, phones) will still be on N. I may add media streaming with an attached external harddrive...I currently do this with the attached computer, but it would be nice to take it out of the picture. What I was looking for was fast connections, great range, stable performance, and good support.

Do you think the rt-ac68r was the right choice or should I have gotten the r7000?

Nothing is opened...probably waiting for the weekend to do the wiring and installations. I suffered for three days with analysis paralysis trying to pick "the right one". I pulled the trigger on the rt-ac68r, but keep debating if I made the right choice.

Also, in reference to attached USB hard drives, the user manual seems contradictory.

On page 24, it states "The wireless router works with most USB HDDs/Flash disks (up to 2TB size) and supports read-write access for FAT16, FAT32, EXT2, EXT3, and NTFS."

But on p.23, it states "Ensure that the USB storage device is
formatted and partitioned properly. Refer to the Plug-n-Share Disk
Support List at http://event.asus.com/networks/disksupport"

which states the rt-ac68r can use NTFS drives up to 3TB.

What is the actual max size, I was looking to but an external drive dedicated to this and wanted to max size, but not lose compatability.

Sorry for so many questions, but the information on the web just seems too mixed and contradictory.

Any help and opinions on the fw version, router choice, and HDD size would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
I think you made a good choice with the RT-AC68U.

Having just read that the RMerlin firmware (38_2) is the one that actually supports Ext4 and 3TB drives, that is the drive capacity and firmware you want to use.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/forums/showpost.php?p=94181&postcount=6


Also just read that overclocked, the router is able to give 65MB/s speeds too. :)


http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=100465&postcount=5


While the R7000 performed better (at SNB) when it first debuted, I believe the RT-AC68U performance will (or has) surpass those capabilities in the very near future. Mainly thanks to RMerlin's work, which Asus eventually implements.

The current main article 'Is AC1900 worth it?' gives a view of these routers going head to head (although the firmware for the Asus is already 'old') in a media bridge mode shoot out.

While the results are not very encouraging when combined with the EA68U, these are still the top router choices we have at this time (and I feel the RT-AC68U is the better bet).

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/32320-is-ac1900-worth-it
 
thanks

L&LD,

thanks for the quick reply and the link to the new article. It really does seem that the newer firmware has jumped up the ac68 in the speed game.

Out of curiousity, why do you recommend to format the drive as ext4 instead of ntfs?
 
L&LD,

Out of curiousity, why do you recommend to format the drive as ext4 instead of ntfs?


Not recommending it per se, but just noting that the RT-AC68U does support it (older Asus routers only support ext3).


Otherwise, what other reason is there? For speed. :D


(I'm sure I've read this many times: NTFS is slower and more prone to reliability and corruption errors than native Linux file system support on Asus WRT routers).
 

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