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ExpressVPN Lightway protocol / wireguard

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unclebuk

Senior Member
Recently ExpressVPN launched their version of Wireguard called LightWay and it is available on their desktop and mobile device apps AND on their Asus router app. The app works on the AC87U, AC68U & AC56U models only. Has anyone flashed the ExpressVPN router app f/w on one of these routers or any other Asus router models and tested the new LightWay protocol?

I have tried Lightway on an android and macOS laptop and its MUCH faster than OpenVPN and IKEv2. I am tempted to flash my AC88U but expressVPN says it could brick the router. I am no expert but the AC87U (supported model) and AC88U seem very smiliar in design and whats under the hood including the cpu's so I am thinking the f/w may very well work ok on the 88U.


Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

Regards,
buk
 
The RT-AC87U with the Quantenna chipset is not similar at all to the RT-AC88U.

If you really want to flash it, say goodbye to your RT-AC88U first. :)
 
Ah, okay. So, the wireless chipsets are on the critical path for f/w flashing?
My thinking was that the wireless NIC (Quentenna) may not have much impact at all compared to that of CPU specs?
But hey, if you say so, since u r a part of the furniture I gotta run with that.

Thanks, much obliged!
 
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Nah, don't take my word for it. :)

The firmware isn't an entity onto itself. It is very much tied to the complex workings of the hardware it is created for. I just gave one example of why they aren't similar.

You may be right that it will work with the RT-AC88U. But I wouldn't bet my router on it. :)
 
Are there any plans to implement Lightway as an option in Asuswrt-Merlin? Has anyone tested it? Is it faster than OpenVPN for streaming?
 
For streaming? Why do you need 'speed' for that?
 
To describe updating your entire firmware w/ ExpressVPN's in-house ASUS build(s) as merely "configuring your router with the ExpressVPN router app" seems like quite an understatement. Even all the third-party scripting support for Merlin on these forums doesn't require a special build. ExpressVPN couldn't have done likewise (although I suppose it's the only practical way to pull in the necessary libraries and kernel updates)?

I'm all in on third-party firmware, but not quite sure I'm willing to trust a third-party that does NOT do this for a living, or offer the kind of feedback to resolve issues as found on these forums. Seems to me a real shot in the dark just to get access to WG. I think I'd rather wait until WG is well established, supported natively by ASUS (or Merlin), and eventually the go-to VPN for most users.

But I guess for the early adopters and high-wire acts, it's good to know it's available.
 
Recently ExpressVPN launched their version of Wireguard called LightWay and it is available on their desktop and mobile device apps AND on their Asus router app. The app works on the AC87U, AC68U & AC56U models only. Has anyone flashed the ExpressVPN router app f/w on one of these routers or any other Asus router models and tested the new LightWay protocol?

I have tried Lightway on an android and macOS laptop and its MUCH faster than OpenVPN and IKEv2. I am tempted to flash my AC88U but expressVPN says it could brick the router. I am no expert but the AC87U (supported model) and AC88U seem very smiliar in design and whats under the hood including the cpu's so I am thinking the f/w may very well work ok on the 88U.


Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

Regards,
buk
What were your benchmark results for OpenVPN vs WireGuard? I haven’t seen a huge difference. See also https://vladtalks.tech/vpn/is-wireguard-faster-than-openvpn. Also check out https://www.ananda.net for promise of even faster speeds.
 
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