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Asus Router - Merlin Firmware - Advice

Kaspas4450

Kaspas4450

TK Veteran
TK Supporter
Hi all,

I have recently installed the Merlin Firmware, and it looks great by the way! But there are sooooo many settings, can anyone share their thoughts and advice on this Firmware such as:

Experience of Merlin
Basic settings
Hints and Tips for better, safer & optimal performance

I currently have Merlin installed on my Asus RT AC88U with my vermin Super Hub 3 set in Modem Mode, and have to be honest 'stumbled through the settings'. I have read somewhere that the VM Hub does NOT need to be set in modem mode:

Is this right?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of modem mode?

All comments and suggestions I am sure will be gratefully received well, they will by me!

Thanks in advance
 
I must also say, in addition to the above, I setup Nordvpn on the router and whilst it does change the IP address, when I check the IP Location it always comes up with my location being in London, not the country I am connected to. Is this right or are some settings within the firmware wrong? Not that it really matters, cos I'm not in London anyway :smiley:, just thought that I would add this.
 
i sent back my asus router because of same thing,don tknow what firmware was on it,was also on virmin hub3,also let the person i purchased from take control of my computer as he didnt believe me that it wasnt doing its job and he couldnt get it working right either so i sent it back.
 
Welcome to the club :)
Ive been running merlin firmware since I purchased my first asus router (the rt-n66u). I love asus routers and adding the merlin firmware opens a whole new world.
With Merlin firmware you can add scripts to enhance the performance and add features e.g. on mine I have installed skynet (advanced firewall) and yazFi (advanced Guest network management like routing to vpn, guest isolation, IoT). You can also install adblocker scripts but I havent touched that yet.
With regards to basic settings, I would just setup as a normal router first and then start playing around with the vpn clients and vpn servers. At the same time you can start playing around with the scripts but be aware that you will need to insert a new usb and leave that in the router in order for the scripts to work.
The vermin hub needs to be in modem mode or your router wont work properly. Essentially the hub isnt doing any routing, its just giving the asus router a connection to the internet and the asus router does all the work.
 
Kaspas4450 said:
I must also say, in addition to the above, I setup Nordvpn on the router and whilst it does change the IP address, when I check the IP Location it always comes up with my location being in London, not the country I am connected to. Is this right or are some settings within the firmware wrong? Not that it really matters, cos I'm not in London anyway :smiley:, just thought that I would add this.
Click to expand...
Thats odd. I have 2 pia vpn clients running on mine, one thats connected to uk-london (for IoT and guest devices) and the other connected to france (for iptv). How did you add the vpn details? I used a openvpn file for the server I wanted to connect to and all the settings appeared. From there I just added my user and pass for the account and selected policy routing for specific devices
 
rudeboi68 said:
Thats odd. I have 2 pia vpn clients running on mine, one thats connected to uk-london (for IoT and guest devices) and the other connected to france (for iptv). How did you add the vpn details? I used a openvpn file for the server I wanted to connect to and all the settings appeared. From there I just added my user and pass for the account and selected policy routing for specific devices
Click to expand...
Hi, I downloaded the config files (udp) from the Nord website, uploaded them via the router and added them via the VPN Client Tab and OpenVPN, I have added x5 to check them. An update to what I previously stated, I checked the VPN on my router using my PC and checked the 'What Is My IP Address' website, on my PC the location shows as per the country I am connected to however, on my Amazon Cube, when I check although the IP address changes, my location always shows as London:unsure:
 
rudeboi68 said:
Welcome to the club :)
Ive been running merlin firmware since I purchased my first asus router (the rt-n66u). I love asus routers and adding the merlin firmware opens a whole new world.
With Merlin firmware you can add scripts to enhance the performance and add features e.g. on mine I have installed skynet (advanced firewall) and yazFi (advanced Guest network management like routing to vpn, guest isolation, IoT). You can also install adblocker scripts but I havent touched that yet.
With regards to basic settings, I would just setup as a normal router first and then start playing around with the vpn clients and vpn servers. At the same time you can start playing around with the scripts but be aware that you will need to insert a new usb and leave that in the router in order for the scripts to work.
The vermin hub needs to be in modem mode or your router wont work properly. Essentially the hub isnt doing any routing, its just giving the asus router a connection to the internet and the asus router does all the work.
Click to expand...
Many thanks for your input, the more members that contribute to this thread the better I say, as these routers and the Merlin Firmware are capable of so much. I agree I have set it up using basic settings and used the AI Protection tab and gone with the suggestions that it offered. But I like 'tinkering', and if it breaks...well tinker some more until it is fixed, after all you can't break it twice!
 
Kaspas4450 said:
Many thanks for your input, the more members that contribute to this thread the better I say, as these routers and the Merlin Firmware are capable of so much. I agree I have set it up using basic settings and used the AI Protection tab and gone with the suggestions that it offered. But I like 'tinkering', and if it breaks...well tinker some more until it is fixed, after all you can't break it twice!
Click to expand...
Thats ok pal :) Yep I agree.
I used to use AI protection but I have stopped using it as apparently all your traffic gets sent to Trend Micro, so basically they can see everything you've been on which is something I didn't want, instead Ive installed skynet which does a similar job.
 
rudeboi68 said:
Thats ok pal :) Yep I agree.
I used to use AI protection but I have stopped using it as apparently all your traffic gets sent to Trend Micro, so basically they can see everything you've been on which is something I didn't want, instead Ive installed skynet which does a similar job.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that I don't want anyone to see what I am or have been doing :openmouth: Is that installed via a USB? Where do I get Skynet from, and how is it installed on the router? ACTUALLY was skynet not on one of the Terminator Films? :LOL:
 
Kaspas4450 said:
Hi, I downloaded the config files (udp) from the Nord website, uploaded them via the router and added them via the VPN Client Tab and OpenVPN, I have added x5 to check them. An update to what I previously stated, I checked the VPN on my router using my PC and checked the 'What Is My IP Address' website, on my PC the location shows as per the country I am connected to however, on my Amazon Cube, when I check although the IP address changes, my location always shows as London:unsure:
Click to expand...
You might need to add the device to the vpn client manually then. If you have 5 vpn instances running then it might not know where to route traffic for that device? Not too sure though. Select policy rules under force internet traffic through tunnel option in the vpn client and add your amazon cube in the device list. Hopefully that should work.
 
Kaspas4450 said:
Thanks for that I don't want anyone to see what I am or have been doing :openmouth: Is that installed via a USB? Where do I get Skynet from, and how is it installed on the router? ACTUALLY was skynet not on one of the Terminator Films? :LOL:
Click to expand...
So you need to insert a new, blank usb into the router and itll have to stay in there all the time. What firmware version are you on? On the newer ones you just ssh into the router and type in "amtm" and it brings up a menu and you format the usb through that and then add the scripts you want
 
rudeboi68 said:
You might need to add the device to the vpn client manually then. If you have 5 vpn instances running then it might not know where to route traffic for that device? Not too sure though. Select policy rules under force internet traffic through tunnel option in the vpn client and add your amazon cube in the device list. Hopefully that should work.
Click to expand...
Cheers, they are not all running, just installed ready to be used, I will have another look at it today.
 
rudeboi68 said:
So you need to insert a new, blank usb into the router and itll have to stay in there all the time. What firmware version are you on? On the newer ones you just ssh into the router and type in "amtm" and it brings up a menu and you format the usb through that and then add the scripts you want
Click to expand...
Firmware version 386.1 beta4
 
Ah so your on the newest one. Im on the old 384.18 on my 86u and 68u. Im waiting for the newest one to be stable before I take the jump.
 
Just Bought the dsl ac68u so far so good. No jitter now as I was getting with bt smart hub. And speeds have gone back to being 80mb. Nicee

Hearing things about Merlin On a asus forum but they dont reply fast on there.

How do I install custom firmware?

The router is a minefield already I'm taken back by the settings and stuff
 
userlee5267 said:
Just Bought the dsl ac68u so far so good. No jitter now as I was getting with bt smart hub. And speeds have gone back to being 80mb. Nicee

Hearing things about Merlin On a asus forum but they dont reply fast on there.

How do I install custom firmware?

The router is a minefield already I'm taken back by the settings and stuff
Click to expand...
Download the Merlin Firmware for your device to your PC here:

Home | Asuswrt-Merlin

Once downloaded, log into your router via your PC

Go to: Administration Tab down the left, Go to: Firmware Upgrade along the top, Go to manual firmware update, and upload the file to your router from your PC.

Reboot your router once installed. Job done :smiley:
 
@userlee5267 I have just looked at your router type it is a DSL I don't think they support Merlin

Here is the list of current Asus routers that you can put Merlin firmware on.

ModelStableBeta
RT-AC68U384.19386.1 beta 4
RT-AC88U384.19386.1 beta 4
RT-AC3100384.19386.1 beta 4
RT-AC5300384.19386.1 beta 4
RT-AC86U384.19386.1 beta 4
RT-AX56U384.18386.1 beta 4
RT-AX58U384.19386.1 beta 4
RT-AX86Unone386.1 beta 4
RT-AX88U384.19386.1 beta 3
GT-AC2900none386.1 beta 4
No longer supported:
RT-N66U380.70
RT-AC66U380.70
RT-AC56U384.6
RT-AC87U384.13_10
RT-AC3200384.13_10
 
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