Asuswrt-Merlin - build 378.56 (xx-xxxx-2015) |
| ============================================ |
| |
| About |
| ----- |
| Asuswrt is the name of the common firmware Asus has developed |
| for their various router models. Originally forked from |
| Tomato, it has since grown into a very different product, removing |
| some more technical features that were part of Tomato, but |
| also adding new original features such as support for dual WANs. |
| |
| Asuswrt-merlin is a customized version of Asus's firmware. The goal is |
| to provide bugfixes and minor enhancements to Asus's firmware, with also |
| a few occasional feature additions. This is done while retaining |
| the look and feel of the original firmware, and also ensuring that |
| the two codebases remain close enough so it will remain possible |
| to keep up with any new features brought by Asus in the original firmware. |
| |
| This project's goal is NOT to develop yet another firmware filled with |
| many features that are rarely used by home users - that is already covered |
| by other excellent projects such as Tomato or DD-WRT. |
| |
| This more conservative approach will also help ensuring the highest |
| level of stability possible. Priority is given to stability over |
| performance, and performance over features. |
| |
| |
| |
| Supported Devices |
| ----------------- |
| Supported devices are: |
| * RT-N66U |
| * RT-AC66U |
| * RT-AC56U |
| * RT-AC68U |
| * RT-AC68P |
| * RT-AC87U |
| * RT-AC3200 |
| |
| Devices that are no longer officially supported (but forked builds might |
| exist from other developers): |
| * RT-N16 |
| |
| |
| NOTE: all the "R" versions (for example RT-N66R) are the same as their |
| "U" counterparts, they are just different packages aimed at large |
| retailers. The firmware is 100% compatible with both U and R versions |
| of the routers. Same with the "W" variants that are simply white. |
| |
| |
| Features |
| -------- |
| Here is a list of features that Asuswrt-merlin adds over the original |
| firmware: |
| |
| System: |
| - Based on 3.0.0.4.378_9177 source code from Asus |
| - Various bugfixes and optimizations |
| - Some components were updated to newer versions, for improved |
| stability and security |
| - User scripts that run on specific events |
| - Cron jobs |
| - Ability to customize the config files used by the router services |
| - LED control - put your router in "Stealth Mode" by turning off |
| all LEDs |
| - Entware easy setup script (alternative to Optware - the two are |
| mutually exclusive) |
| - SNMP support (based on experimental code from Asus) |
| |
| |
| Disk sharing: |
| - Enable/disable the use of shorter share names |
| - Disk spindown after user-configurable inactivity timeout |
| - NFS sharing (through webui) |
| - Allow or disable WAN access to the FTP server |
| - Updated Samba version (3.6) |
| |
| |
| Networking: |
| - Force acting as a Master Browser |
| - Act as a WINS server |
| - Allows tweaking TCP/UDP connection tracking timeouts |
| - CIFS client support (for mounting remote SMB share on the router) |
| - Layer7 iptables matching (N16/N66/AC66 only) |
| - User-defined options for WAN DHCP queries (required by some ISPs) |
| - Advanced OpenVPN client and server support (all models except |
| RT-N16) |
| - Netfilter ipset module, for efficient blacklist implementation |
| - Configurable min/max UPNP ports |
| - IPSec kernel support (N16/N66/AC66 only) |
| - DNS-based Filtering, can be applied globally or per client |
| - Custom DDNS (through a user script) |
| - Advanced NAT loopback (as an alternative to the default one) |
| - TOR support, individual client control |
| - Policy routing for the OpenVPN client (based on source or |
| destination IPs), sometimes referred to as "selective routing") |
| |
| |
| Web interface: |
| - Optionally save traffic stats to disk (USB or JFFS partition) |
| - Enhanced traffic monitoring: added monthly, as well as per IP |
| monitoring |
| - Name field on the DHCP reservation list and Wireless ACL list |
| - System info summary page |
| - Wifi icon reports the state of both radios |
| - Display the Ethernet port states |
| - Wireless site survey |
| - Advanced Wireless client list display, including automated refresh |
| - Redesigned layout of the various System Log sections |
| |
| |
| A few features that first appeared in Asuswrt-Merlin have since been |
| integrated/enabled/re-implemented in the official firmware: |
| |
| - 64K NVRAM for the RT-N66U |
| - HTTPS webui |
| - Turning WPS button into a radio on/off toggle |
| - Use shorter share names (folder name only) |
| - WakeOnLan web interface (with user-entered preset targets) |
| - clickable MACs on the client list for lookup in the OUI database |
| - Display active/tracked network connections |
| - VPN client connection state report |
| - DualWAN and Repeater mode (while it was still under development |
| by Asus) |
| - OpenVPN client and server |
| - Configurable IPv6 firewall |
| - Persistent JFFS partition |
| - The various MAC/IP selection pulldowns will also display hostnames |
| when possible instead of just NetBIOS names |
| - SSHD |
| - Improved compatibility with 3TB+ and Advanced Format HDDs |