Time to replace my RT-AC88U

[biohazardx9]

since my trusty RT-AC88U is now EOL. time to upgrade.
Merlin firmware is my foremost feature.

can anyone suggest which out of the ROG AX routers is the best all round to get in terms of support longevity and features? I know my old AC88U can't do wireguard for example..
where I am in the UK, I can only get 300mbps internet (by robbing my poor wallet of over £60 a month I might add!) but at any given moment openreach could well turn up and rip the streets up to install full fibre.

what I don't want is to get a router and then in a year or so time find out its EOL. I want at least maybe 3 years or more support.

Appreciated in advance. - Merlin is great firmware and I wouldn't use anything else.

 

[L&LD]

This recommendation hasn't changed for many months now.

The GT-AX6000, the RT-AX88U Pro, and as a last resort (very unbalanced hardware that is hard to recommend today, even with your current ISP speeds, now), the RT-AX86U Pro.

See which models are available in your area, and wait for a good sale if you can.

 

[Adooni]

I agree that RMerlin is very good firmware but changing router that is good enough for next 10y is drastic decision I have AC56U in 4 locations and do not plan to change those before R.I.P.

if 4LANs will be acceptable for you, you can try Fresh Tomato before changing router.
https://freshtomato.org/downloads/freshtomato-arm/2023/2023.4/K26ARM714/

before flashing FT you would need to install the oldest AC88U RMerlin firmware

I would use FT all the time if it would be available for x86/x64

 

[biohazardx9]

This recommendation hasn't changed for many months now.

The GT-AX6000, the RT-AX88U Pro, and as a last resort (very unbalanced hardware that is hard to recommend today, even with your current ISP speeds, now), the RT-AX86U Pro.

See which models are available in your area, and wait for a good sale if you can.

Great thanks. I will certainly look around for those.

 

[biohazardx9]

I agree that RMerlin is very good firmware but changing router that is good enough for next 10y is drastic decision I have AC56U in 4 locations and do not plan to change those before R.I.P.

if 4LANs will be acceptable for you, you can try Fresh Tomato before changing router.
https://freshtomato.org/downloads/freshtomato-arm/2023/2023.4/K26ARM714/

before flashing FT you would need to install the oldest AC88U RMerlin firmware

I would use FT all the time if it would be available for x86/x64

May well be acceptable but with no more firmware updates and the fact I use vpn, I fear that if I don't switch I will..

A) get no security fixes
B) vpn provider requires newer open vpn version
C) some other mystery option appears
D) I live in a flat it's hyper congested here for WiFi. Having WiFi 6 ax will help avoid all that.
E) vpn director and dns director are awesome and I have not seen any other device use it.

 

[Adooni]

I understood therefore I proposed FT as it have frequencies updates - as you see in my link folder name it s 4th update this year.

just an idea to play with what you have - eventually you can move to different solution as I did mini PC with OPNsense but I am using AC56U as wi-fi AP Even if you new router will be in service nice to have spare one for this few days. For example I have even Asus WL-500W working at one location.

 

[biohazardx9]

I understood therefore I proposed FT as it have frequencies updates - as you see in my link folder name it s 4th update this year.

just an idea to play with what you have - eventually you can move to different solution as I did mini PC with OPNsense but I am using AC56U as wi-fi AP Even if you new router will be in service nice to have spare one for this few days. For example I have even Asus WL-500W working at one location.

I get you, and I would do opnsense for sure but probably overkill for what I need, and I have to think about other costs.
as for the AC88U I can re-use it for less critical stuff.

 

[Tvlz]

I would use FT all the time if it would be available for x86/x64

It is now available, just released
https://tomato64.org/
Tomato Firmware for x86_64

 

[TonyK132]

Is there a matrix somewhere that lists all the current Asus routers, how much memory they have, # cores, size of NVRAM, etc?

 

[L&LD]

I don't know how complete this is, but look at the link below.

List of Asus routers - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TonyK132]

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[rezlop]

Merlin will also stop support with the end of this year. I don't get it (surely it will be a capitalism thing) why you have to change all 5-10 years the hardware only because you will not get any support.

I mean I don't need always new functions, only a security update for any major security holes. I won't get rid of my AC88U because I bought it only one year ago and it was still expensive and I found no other router with 8 LAN ports which also has a button for switching Wifi on/off. That + VPN Server capability are my major needs.

I'm not sure what will happen after getting no more updates.
Is it really becoming a botnet slave or will I ever recognize problems with the old firmware and isn't he ISP modem more likely to get hit because its the first in the row of devices connected to the I-net ?

I only see as a alternative Open-WRT, but their firmware is also from the year 2023.

 

[Tech9]

I bought it only one year ago

RT-AC88U is a 2015 model device. Purchasing 1 year ago already 8 years old hardware was a mistake.

If good enough you can still use it though. There is 3rd party firmware for it with active development:

FreshTomato – Alternative open source firmware for Broadcom based routers

freshtomato.org

 

[rezlop]

Its perfect what the router offers to me.
I'm only interested if its really a big source of security loss in real life when I won't get any security updates or is it in relation negligible because Zero Day events will not be covered anyway from any software.

 

[Tech9]

Don't expose any services to Internet and you'll be fine. When there is no more Asuswrt-Merlin updates for it switch to FreshTomato. The latest version is from Aug 04, 2024. This firmware has nice modern GUI with many advanced features. The support forum is here:

Tomato Firmware

Discussion of Tomato Firmware and any router supported by it.

www.linksysinfo.org

 

[jerry6]

Merlin will also stop support with the end of this year. I don't get it (surely it will be a capitalism thing) why you have to change all 5-10 years the hardware only because you will not get any support.

I mean I don't need always new functions, only a security update for any major security holes. I won't get rid of my AC88U because I bought it only one year ago and it was still expensive and I found no other router with 8 LAN ports which also has a button for switching Wifi on/off. That + VPN Server capability are my major needs.

I'm not sure what will happen after getting no more updates.
Is it really becoming a botnet slave or will I ever recognize problems with the old firmware and isn't he ISP modem more likely to get hit because its the first in the row of devices connected to the I-net ?

I only see as a alternative Open-WRT, but their firmware is also from the year 2023.

you are lucky to get 5 to 10 years of updated FW after that there are other 3rd party FW fresh Tomato using reasonable precautions you should be safe

 

[rezlop]

Thank you for your quick answers.
The bad thing with Tomato is the problem that it doesn't support LAN ports 5-8.

That was my point why I bought this router, to get 8 LAN ports without using another switch which always disturbs my home network.

 

[Tech9]

The internal switch for ports 5-8 is known to fail in this model.

 

[Calkulin]

Don't expose any services to Internet and you'll be fine. When there is no more Asuswrt-Merlin updates for it switch to FreshTomato. The latest version is from Aug 04, 2024. This firmware has nice modern GUI with many advanced features. The support forum is here:

Tomato Firmware

Discussion of Tomato Firmware and any router supported by it.

www.linksysinfo.org

I have a few AC routers I might switch after Merlin support ends, does it support mesh networks though?

 

[Tech9]

does it support mesh networks though?

Supports VLANs, Access Point mode and Repeater Mode - all you need to recreate what Asus marketing calls AiMesh.