Question about Asus-Merlin from someone possibly going to jump ship...

[motox22a]

Currently a long time DD-WRT user with Linksys routers. No experience with Asus routers.
Contemplating ASUS and of course ASUS-Merlin.
The main reason is Brainslayer appears to have dropped SMB 1.0 support in current builds. (Yes I know about the risks). Half of my network can't be seen without SMB 1.0 support so currently running on a month old build that was the last that supported SMB 1.0. Do not want to map everytime accessing a share.
So the primary question is...

1) Does Asus-Merlin still support SMB 1.0? (And are there any plans to drop it in the near future?)

Also I've read some posts here of people having trouble using GCM with their VPN. I am currently
using PIA as my VPN and use AES-256 GCM /SHA 256 and have been running in this configuration with DD-WRT on PIA for about a year.

2) Is my use of GCM with my VPN configuration going to work with Asus-Merlin?

3) I have an all WIRED Gigabit LAN and do not use the wifi on the main router so WiFi is of little interest to me however I do use WOL (Wake-On-Lan) in DD to wake up a hibernated remote computer on my LAN daily. Does Asus-Merlin have a WOL component built-in?

4) Lastly since I don't care about WiFi if I do decide to jump ship to an Asus router with Asus-Merlin I am thinking that the RT-AC86u would be a good selection (Since I can probably get a used or refurbed model for around $100). Would that be a good selection given my requirements?

Thanks

 

[maxbraketorque]

Currently a long time DD-WRT user with Linksys routers. No experience with Asus routers.
Contemplating ASUS and of course ASUS-Merlin.
The main reason is Brainslayer appears to have dropped SMB 1.0 support in current builds. (Yes I know about the risks). Half of my network can't be seen without SMB 1.0 support so currently running on a month old build that was the last that supported SMB 1.0. Do not want to map everytime accessing a share.
So the primary question is...

1) Does Asus-Merlin still support SMB 1.0? (And are there any plans to drop it in the near future?)

Also I've read some posts here of people having trouble using GCM with their VPN. I am currently
using PIA as my VPN and use AES-256 GCM /SHA 256 and have been running in this configuration with DD-WRT on PIA for about a year.

2) Is my use of GCM with my VPN configuration going to work with Asus-Merlin?

3) I have an all WIRED Gigabit LAN and do not use the wifi on the main router so WiFi is of little interest to me however I do use WOL (Wake-On-Lan) in DD to wake up a hibernated remote computer on my LAN daily. Does Asus-Merlin have a WOL component built-in?

4) Lastly since I don't care about WiFi if I do decide to jump ship to an Asus router with Asus-Merlin I am thinking that the RT-AC86u would be a good selection (Since I can probably get a used or refurbed model for around $100). Would that be a good selection given my requirements?

Thanks

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Don't know
4) Yes. Probably the best choice.

 

[Chris_J]

3) I have a gaming server that I am able to successfully wake from hibernate using WOL port 9. So yes, this works with Merlin

 

[elorimer]

3) Yes. Plus I use a script that wakes a computer when I connect to my network over VPN.

 

[RMerlin]

Asuswrt-merlin supports WS-Discovery, which is the successor to SMB1.0 Computer Browsing. It allows browsing the network even when using SMB2.

 

[motox22a]

Asuswrt-merlin supports WS-Discovery, which is the successor to SMB1.0 Computer Browsing. It allows browsing the network even when using SMB2.

WSD does not work with about half of my network computers (Laptops) which are older and have older NIC drivers which do not support WSD so that is not an option. (I have tried many times).
But SMB 1.0 is still supported for Computer Browsing in Windows 10 Network Neighborhood by ASUS-MERLIN...Is that correct or not???

 

[ColinTaylor]

WSD does not work with about half of my network computers (Laptops) which are older and have older NIC drivers which do not support WSD so that is not an option. (I have tried many times).

WS-Discovery is a multicast protocol and is therefore not dependent on how old your NIC drivers are. It is dependent on which operating system you are using, i.e. any version of Windows newer than Vista.

 

[motox22a]

WS-Discovery is a multicast protocol and is therefore not dependent on how old your NIC drivers are. It is dependent on which operating system you are using, i.e. any version of Windows newer than Vista.

That's the theory. In practice I can say WSD does not work with older devices/drivers. Believe me I've tried many times. It works on about half of my networked computers for COMPUTER BROWSING in NETWORK NEIGHBORHOOD in WINDOWS 10. Even on that other computers which do work some will appear and disappear when using WSD. I know this from experience. If you google you will find this is the case for lots of others as well. You can MAP a share yes. But your older devices or computers with older NIC drivers will not show up in NETWORK NEIGHBORHOOD. You can try to do kluge fixes like Advanced Port Scanner but I'm not interested in that. So if the situation is the same here that SMB 1.0 is no longer supported then respectfully it's probably not going to work for me.

 

[Sanna1967]

smb1 is supported

 

[CaptainSTX]

Currently a long time DD-WRT user with Linksys routers. No experience with Asus routers.
Contemplating ASUS and of course ASUS-Merlin.
The main reason is Brainslayer appears to have dropped SMB 1.0 support in current builds. (Yes I know about the risks). Half of my network can't be seen without SMB 1.0 support so currently running on a month old build that was the last that supported SMB 1.0. Do not want to map everytime accessing a share.
So the primary question is...

1) Does Asus-Merlin still support SMB 1.0? (And are there any plans to drop it in the near future?)

Also I've read some posts here of people having trouble using GCM with their VPN. I am currently
using PIA as my VPN and use AES-256 GCM /SHA 256 and have been running in this configuration with DD-WRT on PIA for about a year.

2) Is my use of GCM with my VPN configuration going to work with Asus-Merlin?

3) I have an all WIRED Gigabit LAN and do not use the wifi on the main router so WiFi is of little interest to me however I do use WOL (Wake-On-Lan) in DD to wake up a hibernated remote computer on my LAN daily. Does Asus-Merlin have a WOL component built-in?

4) Lastly since I don't care about WiFi if I do decide to jump ship to an Asus router with Asus-Merlin I am thinking that the RT-AC86u would be a good selection (Since I can probably get a used or refurbed model for around $100). Would that be a good selection given my requirements?

Thanks

Think before you buy a refurbished AC86. There were some/many returned or RMA'd units and if they were manufactured in 2018 you may just be buying someone else's problems.

 

[motox22a]

smb1 is supported

Sanna 1967...Thanks for that confirmation...I though that was the situation but wasn't sure once RMerlin spoke about using WSD (Which only works on half my systems)...

Regarding what CapatainSTX says about refurbed units...I do know from lurking in the Asus forums that there do seem to be a lot of Asus routers which seem to fail very quickly...
I'm used to using Linksys routers for many years and just keeping the up to date version of DD-WRT on them...Is there a good place to buy RT-AC86u in the U.S. at a good price?
I thought if it were refurbed that they would correct the problem (like a bad capacitor or something)...But maybe it's more difficult than that??

 

[Dave Parker]

Currently a long time DD-WRT user with Linksys routers. No experience with Asus routers.
Contemplating ASUS and of course ASUS-Merlin.
The main reason is Brainslayer appears to have dropped SMB 1.0 support in current builds. (Yes I know about the risks). Half of my network can't be seen without SMB 1.0 support so currently running on a month old build that was the last that supported SMB 1.0. Do not want to map everytime accessing a share.
So the primary question is...

1) Does Asus-Merlin still support SMB 1.0? (And are there any plans to drop it in the near future?)

Also I've read some posts here of people having trouble using GCM with their VPN. I am currently
using PIA as my VPN and use AES-256 GCM /SHA 256 and have been running in this configuration with DD-WRT on PIA for about a year.

2) Is my use of GCM with my VPN configuration going to work with Asus-Merlin?

3) I have an all WIRED Gigabit LAN and do not use the wifi on the main router so WiFi is of little interest to me however I do use WOL (Wake-On-Lan) in DD to wake up a hibernated remote computer on my LAN daily. Does Asus-Merlin have a WOL component built-in?

4) Lastly since I don't care about WiFi if I do decide to jump ship to an Asus router with Asus-Merlin I am thinking that the RT-AC86u would be a good selection (Since I can probably get a used or refurbed model for around $100). Would that be a good selection given my requirements?

Thanks

There were some issues with the 86u early on but that noise seems to have quieted down. I purchased my 86u used on Ebay in November of 2018 and have not had any issues. Whether you buy new, used, or refurbished make sure you can return it if you have problems.

 

[netware5]

............................
I have an all WIRED Gigabit LAN ..............I am thinking that the RT-AC86u would be a good selection

In such case you may consider RT-AX88U also. I know that it is more expensive, but it has 8 LAN ports, has the newest WLAN technology (I know you are not interested, but who knows what may happen in the future) , it is far from the EOL and is free from the problems associated with RT-AC86U.

Regarding using of AES-256 GCM/SHA256 I can confirm based on my own long experience with Merlin's FW. My two OpenVPN servers running on my router are with exactly the same cypher configuration.

So, welcome onboard!

 

[CaptainSTX]

I thought if it were refurbed that they would correct the problem (like a bad capacitor or something)...But maybe it's more difficult than that??

My original AC86 purchased in Feb 2018 failed. ASUS sent me three factory refurbished units and they all had problems that made them unstable or non functional. Finally after much correspondence they finally sent me a 2019 unit and it has worked fine since October.

IMHO all ASUS or their contractors do with returned units is reflash the factory firmware, check all the LEDs light up and if they do wipe the router down with a polishing cloth and then send it on its way.

No manufacturer can economically afford to do board level repairs on inexpensive consumer products.

My experience wasn't unique. Read the one star reviews on Amazon for this router. Many people had similar issues which accounts for at this router's low point when 29% of the reviews were one star. The ratings have since improved as the bad units are apparently in ASUS's past.

 

[bits]

I thought if it were refurbed that they would correct the problem (like a bad capacitor or something)...But maybe it's more difficult than that??

I thought the word refurbed means externally wiped cleaned and test lights turn on. The word refurb in second hand markets means close to zero. Some might do more but you can't assume that.

 

[ika]

4) Lastly since I don't care about WiFi if I do decide to jump ship to an Asus router with Asus-Merlin I am thinking that the RT-AC86u would be a good selection (Since I can probably get a used or refurbed model for around $100). Would that be a good selection given my requirements?

The ac86u with Merlin (and all the awesome new addons/scripts) is a beast, but there were some faulty batch models and the word is out that noone should buy refurb units.
If you can't catch a good deal on the 86u and don't need the AES, perhaps a 68u or some other supported older models? Those can be found very cheap sometimes.

 

[RMerlin]

The problem with refurbs in general is: who refurbished these? Sometimes it's the reseller (who typically just did a quick test), sometimes it's the manufacturer, and sometimes it's a third party. So, the quality of that refurbish process can greatly vary - one reason why personally I'm generally not a fan of these.

Open-boxes tend to be a safer bet, because those are typically a "I don't like it, so I'm returning it for refund" case.

But to each his own. Nothing wrong in wanting to take a chance on a refurb for saving money, as long you can get it backed with a solid warranty/return policy.

 

[motox22a]

Thanks to all for the information and education on Asus...Now to find a good deal...

 

[motox22a]

So I landed a very good condition used RT-AC86u (Not even any dust on it) off Fleabay.
Flashed Merlin 384.15 as soon as I got it... Man is this a nice Router OS...(Coming from using DD-WRT for over 10 years)...
Got everything working...VPN on GCM256/SHA256...NAS/DLNA(Called PlugNPlay ), Wake-On-Lan and most
importantly and the reason I made the switch the MASTER BROWSER allowing me to see and access all my Windows 10 Clients.
DD-WRT switched to KSMBD around the beginning of the year. No network discovery in it. Only 4 of my 9 computers could be seen.
Also could not use my Acronis 2016 boot disk to see my OpenMediaVault NAS computer anymore. WSD did NOT work with five
of my old computers. So that's why I wanted to give ASUS-MERLIN a try...I am a very happy camper...Will sell one of my Linksys
and keep one as a backup until I can get another RT-AC86u as a backup. Haven't tested the WiFi (but will) as I have it turned off
as I am totally wired Gigabit...Very very happy and setup was completely straight forward (only had to google to find a few settings)...

Couple of more NOOB questions...

1. I have the USB connected drive shared allowing Guest Login (We're wired and Only me and my wife so no worries)...
Can I turn OFF that FLASHING yellow Exclamation Point telling me about the fact that I allowed Guest Login? How?

2. Temperature.. I'm currently running at 127F/53C...That's a little toasty...I have my USB fan I had been using for the Linksys blowing on the back of it
but do you guys think it's worth buying one of those USB double fan units specifically made for this router (If you have one how's the results?).

 

[heysoundude]

53 degrees C - is that the temp of one of the radios, or the CPU?

Extra cooling (to a point) is never a bad idea if you want your electronics to last a Loooong time.