Common tweaks and other uses

[Skoven]

Hi all.

I just bought a rt-ac3200 router, and quickly discovered the Asuswrt-Merlin firmware - thank you Merlin At first i was looking for at way to spin down my attached HDD, which this firmware can do (well... not with "download master" running, but hey...). I am now curious about other tweaks and uses.

My setup and use scenario is:

• Attached HDD (USB) - spin down set to 300 seconds.
• Torrent download trough the stock "download master" - i also add torrents from the internet trough the asus web-address thingy (http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.asuscomm.com:8081/).
• Accessing the USB disk trough my network.
• Custom DNS servers (google).
• I don't pay for a static IP to the internet.

Besides this, i'm using a stock configuration, with tri-band smart connect.
I don't plan on using OpenVPN, or something like that, but if you guys can convince me to try some of the advanced features, i'm all for experimenting.
I have "a lot" of questions, i hope you will help me with

Torrents:
I've seen this guide on installing transmission trough optware:
www.hqt.ro/transmission-download-manager-through-new-generation-optware/
I have no doubt that transmission is a superior torrent client, but how about CPU/RAM usage vs. the stock "download master" and does transmission also have the ability to access trough the internet without a static IP (like the asus "download master")? Can it also autostart like download master, after a router reboot?
And most importantly, does it allow the HDD to spin down, when no torrents are active?
I'm not really sure what optware is, and if it eats CPU/RAM.

Tweaks:
1. What do you guys use, and why?
2. I've seen the thread about AB-solution
www.snbforums.com/threads/ab-solution-1-0-release.30445/
I get that this is some sort of AD-blocker, but i don't understand how it works. I run AdBlock plus on my browsers. Will this tweak remove ads like AdBlock plus, but for all devises connected to the router? CPU/RAM usage?

General:
1. Is it even "smart" to use the relatively weak router (CPU/RAM) for things other than "routing" (torrents and possible AB-solution)?
2. Firmware versions. I'm not quite sure i understand the firmware versions: i have Merlin 380.57 on my router, but the asus rt-ac3200 download page shows 3.0.0.4.378.9529 as being the newest version for my router. I'm guessing the 380 and 378 is the two numbers to be compared? How should i understand these versions? Is Merlin based on beta software or maybe on another router firmware? Does my rt-ac3200 benefit from this?
3. Do you guys overclock your router? What scenarios will benefit from this?

Phew... i hope you guys can help me with these questions

 

[RMerlin]

I always write in the included README on which specific Asus code a given release is based on.

 

[Zirescu]

The wiki: https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin/wiki contains lots of other features/how-to's and info that might help you out and then the forums here have a ton of information as well.

I run Entware on both my Asus routers, all with Merlin's firmware. I make use of the Ad-block scripts, OpenVPN (client and server), Transmission, DNSCrpyt, directly on the router. I find adding torrents to the download list is done easier through the browser extension (Transmission easy client by Anton) available in Firefox and Chrome.

Having the Ad-block on the router has its good and bad points, good as it blocks the ads on all of the connected devices, bad as is does occasionally mess with some of the websites and it isn't as immediately obvious.

I make use of the OpenVPN server to access my home devices securely, blocking ads and connecting to open wifi hotspots while travelling.

 

[Skoven]

The wiki: https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin/wiki contains lots of other features/how-to's and info that might help you out and then the forums here have a ton of information as well.

I run Entware on both my Asus routers, all with Merlin's firmware. I make use of the Ad-block scripts, OpenVPN (client and server), Transmission, DNSCrpyt, directly on the router. I find adding torrents to the download list is done easier through the browser extension (Transmission easy client by Anton) available in Firefox and Chrome.

Having the Ad-block on the router has its good and bad points, good as it blocks the ads on all of the connected devices, bad as is does occasionally mess with some of the websites and it isn't as immediately obvious.

I make use of the OpenVPN server to access my home devices securely, blocking ads and connecting to open wifi hotspots while travelling.

Thank you

I've fooled around with a lot of the features - already restored my router once now, and will again later

I've managed to install entware and transmission + AB-solution.
I think i will start by using these two for now.
I also tried rtorrent, but it made the CPU go crazy <- i wanted to use rtorrent becauce of the sequential downloading feature.
I really don't have a lot of experience with Linux/SSH - can you show me how to install this modified version of transmission? http://thomaslaroche.tumblr.com/post/93401383596/transmission-sequential
The 2.92 version.

 

[Zirescu]

I think you'd need to download the source code and build it for use on the router based on what I read there. Fairly certain you'd also need to have the build environment setup to do it. https://github.com/Entware-ng/Entware-ng/wiki/Compile-packages-from-sources

 

[Skoven]

I think you'd need to download the source code and build it for use on the router based on what I read there. Fairly certain you'd also need to have the build environment setup to do it. https://github.com/Entware-ng/Entware-ng/wiki/Compile-packages-from-sources

I think i might have to give up installing that version of transmission then
I've tried this: https://www.hqt.ro/compile-and-install-latest-transmissionbt-through-debian/ and i can successfully make the transmission package from the transmission code https://download.transmissionbt.com/files/transmission-2.92.tar.xz
When i copy/overwrite the files from the https://github.com/Mikayex/transmission/archive/2.92-seq.tar.gz folder into the standard 2.92 folder and try to make the package i get "'aclocal-1.15' is missing on your system" error. Sigh :/

Have you tried rtorrent by any chance? When i tried it, it made my CPU go to 100% after some time - perhaps it needs to be configured to some specific setting (used this guide: https://www.hqt.ro/rutorrent-on-asuswrt-router-through-entware/).

 

[Zirescu]

No, haven't used rtorrent, but others on the forum here have. There's probably a forum entry related to your issue.