Functions in AP mode

[philt]

Hi, I have a a question about a (possibly) unusual setup. I have an ISP provided mesh wifi which works well and gives good coverage, but limits configuration e.g. can't choose DNS Servers, No OpenVPN server for remote home access etc.
I have to use this router as the main router as I have digital voice (Phone service) and it doesn't seem to work if I put the ISP router behind the (single) ASUS router I have

I want to keep my clients connecting to the ISP routers WIFI, but keep my ASUS router on the same subnet (I guess in AP mode) but have it serving DHCP/DNS etc. so I can disable DHCP on the ISP router and have the ASUS router provide DHCP where I can give out the DNS servers I want e.g. the ASUS itself (pointing onwards to say 1.1.1.1 and...so I can use things like adblocker)

However, if I configure in AP mode - DHCP Server is no longer available in the GUI, nor are things like the DDNS Client or OpenVPN Server...all things I'd like to use
Is there a way for me to achieve this given my clients will always be clients of the ISPs router?
I can't use router mode as this would mean my clients would be on the WAN side of the ASUS router

I think what I'm basically asking...is can I use a single ASUS router running asuswrt-merlin like a pi-hole? (I'm trying to re-use what I have rather than go out an buy something else)

Thanks,

Phil

 

[ColinTaylor]

No. Those functions are tightly integrated around it being in router mode. While theoretically some of those functions (like DHCP/DNS) could be present in AP mode that's not the way Asus designed the firmware. While possible, it would require significant custom scripting to manually add those functions to AP mode.

 

[philt]

@ColinTaylor, thanks for the quick reply. That's a shame, but understand - thanks...guess I'll have to try and scavenge an old pi and set it all up there