Script to auto-manage Clients list in NVRAM?

[AppleBag]

Agreed. That's pretty much the case with just about anything that comes with software in it, from routers, to phones, to cars. No software is bug free, which essentially makes us lifetime "beta testers" for just about everything we use that is software based. Even true "state of the art" hardware, like military jets, have software with bugs, that sometimes they only find out about when their "beta testing" pilot has to emergency eject and hopefully survive while the multi-billion dollar aircraft crashes and burns.

This is something everyone already understands, so when I say "state of the art", I'm speaking within those known parameters.

 

[Tech9]

There is no comparison with cars and planes. It also depends what you pay for. The quality control standards are completely different. When there is no attention to details you see things like this and no one cares much. This is very irritating. How hard is to fix? What else is broken underneath?

(misalligned adjustment slider)

(overlapped/hidden elements)

(this router is actually using the 2.5GbE port)

(missing product picture)

(wrong DST time zone change)

There is more. Just few examples above. Now you know why I call them ToysRUs products.

 

[Tech9]

Here you go, clean firmware installation:

Something is crashing there. No big deal.

By the way, when you get the new router try wireless AiMesh setup with Asuswrt-Merlin and see what happens.

 

[pusb87]

I guess you're really talking about the Network Map Offline Client List.

I cant seem to find this list, so if you dont mind me asking how do you access this list ?

 

[AppleBag]

How in the Hell did I end up in this argument? LMAO ....

You're preaching to the choir, bro.

 

[AppleBag]

@Tech9 And just for that ... I'm buying a face hugger.

 

[Tech9]

There is no argument. Just set some realistic expectations.

 

[AppleBag]

There is no argument. Just set some realistic expectations.

They already were realistic. Not sure where you read that I thought otherwise?

Was it the use of the term "state of the art" that triggered you?

 

[Tech9]

Here:

I figger if I'm paying hundreds of dollars, and getting close-to-state-of-the-art hardware,

Careful what firmware options you play with on this close-to-state-of-the-art hardware because the CPU can process only about 400Mbps WAN-LAN. If you hit something incompatible with NAT acceleration stare-of-the-art hacks, you'll be deeply disappointed. Like simple Bandwidth Limiter on your Guest Network for example. Or WireGuard server/client. Or Cake QoS in Asuswrt-Merlin.

Was it the use of the term "state of the art" that triggered you?

Correct. Read the forum - it's a great source of information. Sometimes state-of-the-art software affects critical functions:

Release - ASUS RT-AX86 Series(RT-AX86U/RT-AX86S) Firmware version 3.0.0.4.388.21709

Since you’re running stock firmware, this would be a prime opportunity to report the issues you’ve noted to ASUS using the Feedback tab. Yes, this is what I did with the previous 388 firmware. I need to play with this one a bit more.

www.snbforums.com

 

[AppleBag]

Sounds good. I'll be super careful in the future to tippy-toe around the exact terms I use, so as to not trigger @Tech9.

Just curious though now that we're on the topic; of all the consumer routers available, of any price, which one would you consider the most "state of the art".

I'm going to assume zero of them, based on the conversation.

 

[Tech9]

I'm going to assume zero of them, based on the conversation.

Correct, if it's for me. I recommend hardware based on needs, budget and user knowledge though. You may see me recommending $50 router as well as $5000 entire component system. The face hugger you're looking at is good price/performance home router if you can get it on right price (under $300) and you can live with the way it looks. I believe what fits better your needs is AX86U. The second 2.5GbE port is nice, but only if you have something to use it for. Keep in mind you're on Asus fans territory here. I just don't follow the "rules" and talk openly about the issues I see. Look at my profile what routers collection I was playing recently with - all different brands and models.

 

[AppleBag]

and you can live with the way it looks

lmao

The second 2.5GbE port is nice, but only if you have something to use it for.

My mobo is ROG Strix X570-E Gaming

 

[Tech9]

What is going to flow through this 2.5GbE port? You have 1x WAN and 1x LAN 2.5GbE port. Do you plan 2.5GbE switch for PC to NAS, for example?

 

[AppleBag]

What is going to flow through this 2.5GbE port? You have 1x WAN and 1x LAN 2.5GbE port. Do you plan 2.5GbE switch for PC to NAS, for example?

I also have a second "cloud" puter with the same mobo that I run a ton of docker containers on, including a bunch of htpc stuff (radarr, sonarr, lidarr, Plex, and a bunch of others) as well as Nextcloud (similar to Dropbox if you're not already up on that stuff). I also like to "future proof" to an extent for unplanned things than may crop up in the future. I mentioned in another thread that I've had this ac68u now for going on 9 years, which when I bought it probably didn't know what I'd be throwing at it 5+ years later at the time, as well.

 

[Tech9]

If you need 2.5GbE LAN, but you don't plan >Gigabit ISP upgrade (including a new modem with 2.5GbE port*) what you need is a switch. Your gateway (the router) doesn't need to have 2.5GbE ports. There is no much future proofing with home routers. Your AC68U (not AC86U) was an exception with the long support it received. The new one won't be supported for so long for sure. I would say don't overpay for features you can't use today.

* - WAN aggregation and Link aggregation doesn't work very well on Asuswrt.

 

[AppleBag]

Your AC68U (not AC86U) was an exception with the long support it received.

Why was the 68U given longer support than usual?

 

[Tech9]

Perhaps because it was the most successful Asus router model and very popular. It went through many hardware revisions up to HND based V4 with ARMv8 CPU. Perhaps the best budget router was the AC66U B1 version of this hardware. The cheapest new router with Asuswrt-Merlin support as well. I used to recommend those, but things changed after it was made clear AC-class routers won't be moved to 388 code firmware. That means no more firmware features development and only critical vulnerabilities updates, eventually. I call it - on life support. The cheapest AX model I can recommend is AX86S. It's the same hardware as AX86U, but with dual-core CPU, 512MB RAM and no 2.5GbE port. It also runs the same firmware as AX86U. I had both to compare side by side and in everyday tasks there is no difference between the two. AX86U will be better for you though. You like to tinker and 1GB RAM is better for user scripts. More cores are better only if you run multiple VPN clients. OpenVPN is single-threaded, one core only.

 

[Tech9]

By the way, AC68U and variants have unresolved bug in firmware - in Traffic Monitor. It is present in all 386 firmware versions, Asuswrt and Asuswrt-Merlin. It shows traffic spikes like you have downloaded Wikipedia in 1 second. You may have seen it perhaps. This is very annoying, but it is what it is.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I cant seem to find this list, so if you dont mind me asking how do you access this list ?

Go to LAN - DHCP Server and look at the drop down list under Manually Assigned IP...



This drop down list appears in other places as well, e.g. Parental Controls - Time Scheduling.