Possible new user of Asuswrt-merlin, some questions

[chrisisbd]

I am considering getting an Asus router and installing asuswrt-merlin on it to get full[er] access to all the OpenWrt facilities. However before I jump in I'd like a few things clarified.

1 - I originally though two current Asus routers support VDSL2 and asuswrt-merlin but on investigating maybe the only possible is the DSL-AC68U via the GNUton branch. Can anyone tell me if I have this right, I most definitely want a router with VDSL2 that I can run asuswrt-merlin on.

2 - Does asuswrt-merlin allow full configuration of dnsmasq in particular, i.e. can I put configuration files in /etc/dnsmasq.d just like on a standard Linux box?

3 - Do the Asuswrt based routers running asuswrt-merlin play nicely with Asus Mesh APs?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dave14305]

2 - Does asuswrt-merlin allow full configuration of dnsmasq in particular, i.e. can I put configuration files in /etc/dnsmasq.d just like on a standard Linux box?

The method is different, but the end result should be the same.

Custom config files

Third party firmware for Asus routers (newer codebase) - RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng

github.com

 

[ColinTaylor]

asuswrt-merlin is significantly different than OpenWrt even though there are some superficial similarities.

1. Yes GNUton is the only supported fork of Merlin for DSL routers that I'm aware of.

2. Yes, but the method is different.

3. Yes.

 

[chrisisbd]

The method is different, but the end result should be the same.

Custom config files

Third party firmware for Asus routers (newer codebase) - RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng

github.com

Thanks for the link, that tells me a lot of what I wanted to know, plus takes me to other useful areas.

I've worked with a very similar sort of set-up with the configuration copied from 'ROM' to 'RAM' at boot time on a D-Link NAS so it does all make some sense. (Note, I quoted ROM and RAM, just shorthand)

I'm not sure if my dnsmasq requirement is going to work very well with this sort of setup. I'm using the dnsmasq blacklist from https://github.com/notracking/hosts-blocklists/ and that's a 7Mb dnsmasq configuration file! I wonder if it's possible to append/add a file on USB storage.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I'm not sure if my dnsmasq requirement is going to work very well with this sort of setup. I'm using the dnsmasq blacklist from https://github.com/notracking/hosts-blocklists/ and that's a 7Mb dnsmasq configuration file! I wonder if it's possible to append/add a file on USB storage.

Yes this is very simple and something that we've been doing for many years. For less technical users there is even a fully customisable ad-blocking solution called Diversion that can be simply installed from SSH. Personally I use my own bespoke script.

About Diversion - Diversion

diversion.ch

Blocking file / Hosts files - Diversion

diversion.ch

Your main issue is finding a VDSL2 router that supports Merlin's firmware.

[FORK] [DSL/RT] GNUton's Asuswrt-Merlin builds

Hi, Aim of this project is to provide SW and support for the following models: DSL-AC68U DSL-AX82U RT-AX82U TUF-AX5400 TUF-AX300 ZenWifi XT8 This is an official Merlin fork and it's supported by @RMerlin and Asus. Code and more info are available here. For support please use one of the...

www.snbforums.com

An alternative approach is to use an upstream DNS provider that does the blocking you require rather than doing it yourself on the local router.

 

[chrisisbd]

Thank you! ... and yes I know that asuswt-merlin on a VDSL router leaves me with only the two supported by the GNUton fork.

 

[chrisisbd]

asuswrt-merlin is significantly different than OpenWrt even though there are some superficial similarities.

1. Yes GNUton is the only supported fork of Merlin for DSL routers that I'm aware of.

2. Yes, but the method is different.

3. Yes.

Thank you. With the other replies here I think I now have all the basic answers I wanted. A silence will ensue, at least until I actually get a DSL-AC68U.