JoeSchmoe007
Regular Contributor
Summary: device has 5 star potential but as of now I rate it 3 because of shoddy firmware quality (much worse than Tomato that it clearly originated from), disregard to security in firmware and form prevailing over function in physical design. Not recommended for business deployment. If firmware issues are fixed it deserves 4 out of 5 (there is no fixing form over function in physical design).
PLEASE NOTE: even though I use Merlin firmware none of my criticism is directed at him. I really appreciate everything he does. All the issues I mention are for Asus to fix.
===
My perspective:
Coming from WRT54GL with original Tomato Firmware. Main criteria for me is stability - I never had to reboot WRT54GL after I got is setup the way I needed.
After internet speed upgrade to 50/8 WRT54GL was too slow, so I purchased RT-N66U. My only wireless devices are cell phones and they work well but hardly push limits of wireless transfers, so I cannot comment on wireless speeds much. Also none of my devices support 5GHz so I just keep 5GHz radio off.
After about a day or two after I got it I switched to Merlin firmware v. 3.0.0.4.270.26 which I have been running for 2 weeks.
===
Pros:
Router has been stable so far. Never needed to reboot unless I was changing some settings that required reboot.
Out of USB Applications I only tried FTP (for a limited time, don't intend to use it), Network share (USB flash drive connected to save bandwidth logs that is supported only in Merlin fw) and 3G/4G (works well with Clearwire Photon hotspot via Freedompop as internet backup). They seem to work as expected.
I have no use for the rest of USB applications or any AiCloud features, so I never tried them - just left them disabled.
=====
Cons - physical design
If calling this router "Dark Knight" wasn't ridiculous enough - did Asus really have to design it to look like one of the props from this movie??? How exactly is this a good thing? Is it supposed to be a conversation piece? The movie wasn't even that good
No buttons in front - in WRT54GL I could use button in front to disable wireless easily, this is much less convenient with RT-N66U
Form factor - can't stand on the side without a stand, can't put anything on top of it.
Network port LED-s are not in the front. They also don't indicate link speed anymore which is really bad. Does someone at Asus like this horrid blue color so much? I think so because even power supply now has a blue LED on it.
====
Cons - firmware (again: all of this is directed at Asus, not at Merlin):
With stock firmware new firmware was not detected - has 3.0.0.4.260 out out the box. On website 3.0.0.4.270 and 3.0.0.4.354 are now available
[Everything below this point was tested on Merlin firmware v. 3.0.0.4.270.26 but it all applies to original Asus firmware as well. If something I mentioned about original Asus firmware is incorrect please let me know because I do not intend to switch back to it]
A lot of UI is in broken English, to the point of being barely comprehensible. For example, "Share without account" means "Allow anonymous FTP" on FTP server configuration page. Also UI is inconsistent - on the same page FTP Server is called "FTP Share" and "FTP Service". On "Port Forwarding" page "Famous Server list" should really be called "Popular Services", Bittorrent is for some reason listed under "Famous Game List". I could probably make a dozen more examples but I haven't kept a list.
Manually Assigned IP around the DHCP list (should be called "Static DHCP"): no hostname - hard to tell which one is which as opposed to original Tomato fw; limited to 32 entries (both issues fixed in Merlin fw)
Under "Wireless" it is unclear what network is currently selected (ASUS or ASUS_5G)
No monthly bandwidth stats, can't save stats to USB drive (both fixed in Merlin fw)
"Network Map"/"Clients" - only hostname and IP are displayed, MAC address is not displayed (as opposed to Tomato)
CPU/Memory usage/temperature is not shown on stock fw. (Merlin fw has Tools/Sysinfo)
Wireless survey page is not present (as opposed to Tomato) - can't pick best channel and/or see signal strength for devices around you (Merlin is working on implementation).
Daylight time savings implementation is incorrect (manual setting is available).
[Prevents router use in business environment] Can't login to Web UI from more that one location at a time, can't kick out currently logged in user. I don't care what reasons Asus had for implementing it this way, it is just not acceptable. Detailed discussion here: http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=10211
UI page switching is much slower via HTPPS (using FF 19) - when switching to another page menus on the left and on the top disappear for a couple seconds and then come back. Chrome 25.x is about as bad as FF. Less of a problem in IE 8.0. Original Tomato fw (polar cloud) on WRT54GL shows no difference when HTTPS is used vs HTTP. Note that initially RT-N66U didn't support UI via HTTPS at all, it was added later and implementation seems like something done just to stop users from complaining.
[Security issue] WPA Pre-Shared key is displayed in clear text on Wireless/General tab - should be showing dots unless the field is in focus (this is how it already works on Network Map/System Status, so why not on this page?). Problem exists both for 2.4 and 5 GHz configuration pages. Same problem exists for Guest Network configuration.
[Security issue] When Guest Network is enabled for the first time it is not protected by password - should have some kind of password by default, for instance derived from MAC.
[Major Security issue] "Logout" doesn't really logout - I can logout, close tab, reopen UI in another tab (same browser instance) and will not be asked for a password. In original Tomato fw as soon as you logout login dialog comes up in the same tab and one MUST enter user name/pw to login again.
[Security issue] FTP server allows anonymous access by default
Can't change FTP port for built-in FTP Server
Built-in FTP server only allows to browse/set security for folders in the root of USB connected flash drive. Can't navigate to subfolders.
[Security issue] Password for PPTP VPN users is displayed in clear text after user is added - should only be displayed as clear text when user is created or edited
Connected PPTP VPN clients are displayed on VPN Server/VPN Status but not on Network Map/Clients.
Port forwarding items cannot be disabled if they are not needed at the moment (was possible with Tomato) - they must be removed and re-created again
DDNS is useless because there is no way to verify if it is working (specify incorrect login credentials and there is no way to see that login fails)
Password for DDNS is never displayed as clear text, even when the field is in focus
PPTP VPN is slow - FTP in/out about 4x slower via VPN vs port forwarding when dedicated PC was used as FTP server. However, I don't know what I can expect from VPN implementation in a router in this price range, so it may not really be a con if CPU is just not fast enough.
For a lot of settings there is no explanation at all on what they do. PDF Manual doesn't describe anything in details either.
=====
Conclusion
The primary function of any router is... TO ROUTE NETWORK PACKETS!!! And this is what Asus should have concentrated on instead of implementing shiny toggle switches (old radio buttons would do) and all these cloud features (but of course, they want the constant monthly revenue stream for their use). Disregard of security issues is unacceptable. Passwords displayed in clear text??? Really??? And the worst thing is that all that was implemented correctly in Tomato which is where this firmware originated from.
Asus should also hire native English speaker with good understanding of networking to go over all text messages in English UI. Add detailed explanation for router settings as mouse-over tooltips in firmware in and improve PDF manual - at this time all it does is lists all router settings with barely any (or no) explanation what they are for.
PLEASE NOTE: even though I use Merlin firmware none of my criticism is directed at him. I really appreciate everything he does. All the issues I mention are for Asus to fix.
===
My perspective:
Coming from WRT54GL with original Tomato Firmware. Main criteria for me is stability - I never had to reboot WRT54GL after I got is setup the way I needed.
After internet speed upgrade to 50/8 WRT54GL was too slow, so I purchased RT-N66U. My only wireless devices are cell phones and they work well but hardly push limits of wireless transfers, so I cannot comment on wireless speeds much. Also none of my devices support 5GHz so I just keep 5GHz radio off.
After about a day or two after I got it I switched to Merlin firmware v. 3.0.0.4.270.26 which I have been running for 2 weeks.
===
Pros:
Router has been stable so far. Never needed to reboot unless I was changing some settings that required reboot.
Out of USB Applications I only tried FTP (for a limited time, don't intend to use it), Network share (USB flash drive connected to save bandwidth logs that is supported only in Merlin fw) and 3G/4G (works well with Clearwire Photon hotspot via Freedompop as internet backup). They seem to work as expected.
I have no use for the rest of USB applications or any AiCloud features, so I never tried them - just left them disabled.
=====
Cons - physical design
If calling this router "Dark Knight" wasn't ridiculous enough - did Asus really have to design it to look like one of the props from this movie??? How exactly is this a good thing? Is it supposed to be a conversation piece? The movie wasn't even that good
No buttons in front - in WRT54GL I could use button in front to disable wireless easily, this is much less convenient with RT-N66U
Form factor - can't stand on the side without a stand, can't put anything on top of it.
Network port LED-s are not in the front. They also don't indicate link speed anymore which is really bad. Does someone at Asus like this horrid blue color so much? I think so because even power supply now has a blue LED on it.
====
Cons - firmware (again: all of this is directed at Asus, not at Merlin):
With stock firmware new firmware was not detected - has 3.0.0.4.260 out out the box. On website 3.0.0.4.270 and 3.0.0.4.354 are now available
[Everything below this point was tested on Merlin firmware v. 3.0.0.4.270.26 but it all applies to original Asus firmware as well. If something I mentioned about original Asus firmware is incorrect please let me know because I do not intend to switch back to it]
A lot of UI is in broken English, to the point of being barely comprehensible. For example, "Share without account" means "Allow anonymous FTP" on FTP server configuration page. Also UI is inconsistent - on the same page FTP Server is called "FTP Share" and "FTP Service". On "Port Forwarding" page "Famous Server list" should really be called "Popular Services", Bittorrent is for some reason listed under "Famous Game List". I could probably make a dozen more examples but I haven't kept a list.
Manually Assigned IP around the DHCP list (should be called "Static DHCP"): no hostname - hard to tell which one is which as opposed to original Tomato fw; limited to 32 entries (both issues fixed in Merlin fw)
Under "Wireless" it is unclear what network is currently selected (ASUS or ASUS_5G)
No monthly bandwidth stats, can't save stats to USB drive (both fixed in Merlin fw)
"Network Map"/"Clients" - only hostname and IP are displayed, MAC address is not displayed (as opposed to Tomato)
CPU/Memory usage/temperature is not shown on stock fw. (Merlin fw has Tools/Sysinfo)
Wireless survey page is not present (as opposed to Tomato) - can't pick best channel and/or see signal strength for devices around you (Merlin is working on implementation).
Daylight time savings implementation is incorrect (manual setting is available).
[Prevents router use in business environment] Can't login to Web UI from more that one location at a time, can't kick out currently logged in user. I don't care what reasons Asus had for implementing it this way, it is just not acceptable. Detailed discussion here: http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=10211
UI page switching is much slower via HTPPS (using FF 19) - when switching to another page menus on the left and on the top disappear for a couple seconds and then come back. Chrome 25.x is about as bad as FF. Less of a problem in IE 8.0. Original Tomato fw (polar cloud) on WRT54GL shows no difference when HTTPS is used vs HTTP. Note that initially RT-N66U didn't support UI via HTTPS at all, it was added later and implementation seems like something done just to stop users from complaining.
[Security issue] WPA Pre-Shared key is displayed in clear text on Wireless/General tab - should be showing dots unless the field is in focus (this is how it already works on Network Map/System Status, so why not on this page?). Problem exists both for 2.4 and 5 GHz configuration pages. Same problem exists for Guest Network configuration.
[Security issue] When Guest Network is enabled for the first time it is not protected by password - should have some kind of password by default, for instance derived from MAC.
[Major Security issue] "Logout" doesn't really logout - I can logout, close tab, reopen UI in another tab (same browser instance) and will not be asked for a password. In original Tomato fw as soon as you logout login dialog comes up in the same tab and one MUST enter user name/pw to login again.
[Security issue] FTP server allows anonymous access by default
Can't change FTP port for built-in FTP Server
Built-in FTP server only allows to browse/set security for folders in the root of USB connected flash drive. Can't navigate to subfolders.
[Security issue] Password for PPTP VPN users is displayed in clear text after user is added - should only be displayed as clear text when user is created or edited
Connected PPTP VPN clients are displayed on VPN Server/VPN Status but not on Network Map/Clients.
Port forwarding items cannot be disabled if they are not needed at the moment (was possible with Tomato) - they must be removed and re-created again
DDNS is useless because there is no way to verify if it is working (specify incorrect login credentials and there is no way to see that login fails)
Password for DDNS is never displayed as clear text, even when the field is in focus
PPTP VPN is slow - FTP in/out about 4x slower via VPN vs port forwarding when dedicated PC was used as FTP server. However, I don't know what I can expect from VPN implementation in a router in this price range, so it may not really be a con if CPU is just not fast enough.
For a lot of settings there is no explanation at all on what they do. PDF Manual doesn't describe anything in details either.
=====
Conclusion
The primary function of any router is... TO ROUTE NETWORK PACKETS!!! And this is what Asus should have concentrated on instead of implementing shiny toggle switches (old radio buttons would do) and all these cloud features (but of course, they want the constant monthly revenue stream for their use). Disregard of security issues is unacceptable. Passwords displayed in clear text??? Really??? And the worst thing is that all that was implemented correctly in Tomato which is where this firmware originated from.
Asus should also hire native English speaker with good understanding of networking to go over all text messages in English UI. Add detailed explanation for router settings as mouse-over tooltips in firmware in and improve PDF manual - at this time all it does is lists all router settings with barely any (or no) explanation what they are for.
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