asus rt-n66u unsupported firmware.

[ukracer]

I have 2 x

asus rt-n66u with original firmware.​

Is it possible to flash with unsupported firmware. And is it advisable. I don't really know if it will improve anything for me anyway. Most things I have connected are hard wired but I have a couple of 3D printers which use WiFi and our phones and grandsons pads use WiFi.

I have virgin the speed is attached.

I don't want to spend this side of Xmas so I am opn to advice.

Main reason I am wondering if I need to run a different firmware is I am running new Cat 6cable and 100gbt switches.

 

[ColinTaylor]

You can flash whatever firmware you want. What "unsupported firmware" are you thinking of using?

Despite being an ancient model Asus did release firmware for it in April this year.

Main reason I am wondering if I need to run a different firmware is I am running new Cat 6cable and 100gbt switches.

The use of Cat 6 cable is usually neither here nor there for the N66U which only has gigabit ethernet ports. What do you mean by "100gbt switches"? I doubt you mean 100Gbps switches as they cost thousands of pounds and are mostly used in data centers.

 

[bennor]

Main reason I am wondering if I need to run a different firmware is I am running new Cat 6cable and 100gbt switches.

Running alternate or unsupported firmware doesn't change the hardware specifications (or limitations) of the router. If the router hardware has 1GB network ports, that's the best its going to get regardless of firmware used.

The main reason to run alternate firmware is for the features and security updates, if any, that firmware brings compared to the stock Asus firmware.

The latest firmware for the RT-N66U is 3.0.0.4.382_52747 which was released on 2025/04/16.

RT-N66U - Support

www.asus.com

 

[ukracer]

You can flash whatever firmware you want. What "unsupported firmware" are you thinking of using?

Despite being an ancient model Asus did release firmware for it in April this year.

I attach what was suggested to install.

The use of Cat 6 cable is usually neither here nor there for the N66U which only has gigabit ethernet ports. What do you mean by "100gbt switches"? I doubt you mean 100Gbps switches as they cost thousands of pounds and are mostly used in data centers.

Yes I think I mean 100mbps..

 

[ColinTaylor]

I attach what was suggested to install.

Merlin's firmware for the RT-N66U hasn't been updated for more than 7 years. I'd stick with the most recent official firmware unless you have a specific reason not to.

Yes I think I mean 100mbps..

As mentioned above, which firmware you use has no bearing on what ethernet cables or switches you're using. I hope you don't really mean 100 Mbps switches. Those things haven't been made for years. Everything nowadays is gigabit (1000 Mbps) or higher.

 

[ukracer]

Merlin's firmware for the RT-N66U hasn't been updated for more than 7 years. I'd stick with the most recent official firmware unless you have a specific reason not to.

No.no specific reason .

As mentioned above, which firmware you use has no bearing on what ethernet cables or switches you're using. I hope you don't really mean 100 Mbps switches. Those things haven't been made for years. Everything nowadays is gigabit (1000 Mbps) or higher.

Sadly it looks like I do. ;(

 

[ColinTaylor]

Sadly it looks like I do. ;(View attachment 68752

Ah, you're talking about a POE switch. That makes slightly more sense. Even so I would have chosen a gigabit model, otherwise you're potentially creating a bottleneck between the devices connected to the switch and the router. But I'm not a POE expert so perhaps there are valid reasons not to use gigabit.

 

[heysoundude]

(Isn't Fresh Tomato what folks are recommending for these aged machines of late?)

If i were you, I would turn those n66 into WAPs running the latest factory firmware and get something like this for your router, and bridge whatever your ISP provides (or use the SFP with the fibre that they might send service to you over, but that's a whole other rabbit hole to go down.) 5GHz-only 802.11n FTW!

 

[RMerlin]

Tomato would be a better option. Asus might have issued a firmware update, but it was only to address some specific issues. Anything that was broken before is most likely still broken, same with outdated components like dnsmasq or OpenVPN.