Asuswrt-Merlin ============== About ----- Asuswrt is the name of the 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 a lot of new original features. 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 ----------------- Fully supported devices: 3004.388.x: * RT-AX88U * RT-AX58U & RT-AX3000 (V1 only) * RT-AX86U & RT-AX86S * GT-AX11000 * RT-AX68U * GT-AXE11000 3006.102.x: * RT-BE96U * GT-BE98_PRO * RT-BE88U & RT-BE7200 * RT-BE86U * GT-AX6000 * ZenWifi Pro XT12 * GT-AX11000 Pro * GT-AXE16000 * RT-AX86U Pro * RT-AX88U Pro * RT-BE92U * RT-BE58_Go * GT-BE19000AI No longer supported: * RT-N16 * RT-N66U * RT-AC66U * RT-AC56U * RT-AC87U * RT-AC3200 * RT-AC66U_B1 (use the RT-AC68U firmware) * RT-AC68U, RT-AC68P, RT-AC68UF (including HW revision C1 and E1) * RT-AC68U V3 (use the RT-AC68U firmware) * RT-AC68U V4 (use the RT-AC68U firmware) * RT-AC1900 & RT-AC1900P (use the RT-AC68U firmware) * RT-AC88U * RT-AC3100 * RT-AC5300 * RT-AC86U * RT-AC2900 (use the RT-AC86U firmware) * GT-AC2900 * RT-AX56U Features -------- Here is a list of features that Asuswrt-merlin adds over the original firmware. System: - Various bugfixes - Performance optimizations to some CPU-bound components like OpenVPN - Some components were updated to their latest versions, for improved stability and security - User scripts that run on specific events such as firewall restart - Cron jobs for scheduled tasks - Customizable config files for router services - Third party software through Entware, with an easy setup script - SNMP support (some models) - Nano text editor (for more user-friendly script editing) - NTP daemon, which can synchronize your client devices - Third-party addons, with a management interface (AMTM) Disk sharing: - Optionally use shorter share names (folder name only) - NFS exporting of USB drives (some models) Networking: - Act as a SMB 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) - Advanced OpenVPN client and server. - Netfilter ipset module, for efficient blacklist implementation - DNS Director - enforcing the use of a specific DNS server, can be applied globally or per client - Wireless site survey page - Custom DDNS (through a user script) - TOR support, individual client access control - VPN Director - Policy-based routing for OpenVPN and WireGUard clients (based on source or destination IPs) - Redirect NTP client queries to the router's own NTP daemon - Cake SQM QoS Web interface: - Performance improvements - Optionally save traffic stats to disk (USB or JFFS partition) - Enhanced traffic monitoring: adding graphical charts, and traffic monitoring per client IP - System info summary page - Wifi icon reports the state of both radios - Advanced wireless client list display, including automated refresh - Redesigned layout of the various System Log sections - Editable entries (on some pages) Note that a number of features which first appeared in Asuswrt-Merlin have since been integrated/implemented in the official firmware, such as OpenVPN support. Installation ------------ Simply flash it like any regular update. You should not need to reset to factory defaults (see note below for exceptions). You can revert back to an original Asus firmware at any time just by flashing a firmware downloaded from Asus's website. If upgrading from Asus firmware 3.0.0.6.102_37000 or newer, the webui may refuse flashing Asuswrt-Merlin. In that case, connect to your router over SSH, and issue the following command: nvram set DOWNGRADE_CHECK_PASS=1 After that, you can upload Asuswrt-Merlin through the webui like any regular firmware upgrade. This is only required when flashing Asuswrt-Merlin for the first time. Note that the archive for some ROG models may contain two different firmware images. The one with _rog in the filename uses the original ROG themed user interface, while the other one uses the traditionnal blue/grey visuals used by non-ROG models. If the firmware upgrade fails, try rebooting your router to free up sufficient memory, without any USB disk plugged in, then try flashing it again. NOTE: resetting to factory default after flashing is strongly recommended for the following cases: - Updating from a firmware version that is more than a few releases older - Switching from another third party firmware - Switching from Asus' original firmware, and you were using VPN features If you run into any issue after an upgrade and you haven't done so, try doing a factory default reset as well. Always read the changelog, as mandatory resets will be mentionned there when they are necessary. In all of these cases, do NOT load a saved copy of your settings! This would be the same thing as NOT resetting at all, as you will simply re-enter any invalid setting you wanted to get rid of. Make sure to create a new backup of your settings after reconfiguring. Documentation ------------- For documentation on how to use the features that are specific to Asuswrt-Merlin, as well as additional guides, please consult the wiki: https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/wiki There are also support forums hosted at SNBForums. Firmware support: https://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin.42/ AddOns support: https://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin-addons.60/ Source code ----------- The source code can be found on Github: https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng Contact information ------------------- SmallNetBuilder forums (preferred method: https://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin.42/ as RMerlin) Website: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ Github: https://github.com/RMerl Email: merlin@asuswrt-merlin.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/RMerlinDev Mastodon: https://fosstodon.org/@RMerlin Bluesky: @asuswrt-merlin.net IRC: RMerlin in channel #asuswrt on Libera Download: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/download Development news will be posted on social medias, and the support forums. You can also keep a closer eye on development as it happens, through the Github code repository. For support questions, please use the SmallNetBuilder forums. There's a dedicated Asuswrt-Merlin sub-forum there, under the Asus Wireless section. The community there is the primary source of technical support. I want to give my special thanks to Asus for showing an interest in this project, and also providing me with support and development devices when needed. I also want to thank everyone that has donated through Paypal. Much appreciated! Finally, my special thanks to r00t4rd3d for designing the Asuswrt-Merlin logo. Disclaimer ---------- This is the part where you usually put a lot of legalese stuff that nobody reads. I'm not a lawyer, so I'll just make it simple, using my own words rather than some pre-crafted text that will bore you to death and that nobody but a highly paid lawyer would even understand anyway: I take no responsibility for issues caused by this project. I do my best to ensure that everything works fine. If something goes wrong, my apologies. The Asuswrt-merlin firmware is released under a GPL licence. In short, you are free to use, redistribute and modify it, as long as all the associated licences are respected, and that any changes you make to the GPL code is made publicly available. Copyrights belong to the appropriate individuals/entities, under the appropriate licences. GPL code is covered by GPL, proprietary code is Copyright their respective owners, yadda yadda. I try my best to honor the licences (as far as I can understand them, as a normal human being). Anything GPL or otherwise open-sourced that I modify will see my changes published to Github at some point. A release might get delayed if I'm working using pre-release code. If it's GPL, it will eventually be published - no need to send a volley of legal threats at me. In any other cases not covered, Common Sense prevails, and I shall also make use of Good Will. Concerning privacy: The only call back made by this firmware to me is when it checks for the availability of a new version. The automated check can be disabled if desired. More info on the Wiki: https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/wiki/Privacy-disclosure --- Eric Sauvageau