Want to switch from tomato to Assuswrt-Merlin, Advise please

[tnkrer]

I have been using tomato on my last two routers (linksys e1550 and linksys wrt54g). Tomato has been very stable and has most of the features I like.
I recently got the tmobile AC1900 router. I have changed the firmware and bootloader on it (so now it is Asus AC-68U) and installed tomato at the moment. However, after reading here, it seems that asuswrt-merlin is a better option. Can you guys let me know if I will get following features in assuswrt-merlin?
1. stability - reports say it is very stable, so this is not an issue
2. speed in wired home network on wire - I am having trouble getting good speeds on wire on my linksys e1550 on my wired home network. I hope I will get better speeds on this router. (could be due to router)
3. ddns - I use afraid.org to update my ip adderss, to be able to start the computer remotely. Will I be able to do that with Merlin? (The documentations says ddns support, so I assume it can. eta: found documentation - https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin/wiki/Custom-DDNS
4. access restriction - MAC based - limit internet availability to certain times for certain mac Ids. (Did not see this in documentation, but it seems like simple capability
5. access restriction that allows specific sites like google email ( This was not easily possible in tomato, would love if it is possible in merlin - AiProtection/Parental Controls
6. assign static DHCP to MAC Ids (192.168.1.*) - I am sure most FW will have this. eta: Advanced Settings->LAN->DHCP server ->Enable Manual Assignment and then assign IPs
7. Wake on LAN - eta: Advanced Settings->Network Tools->Wake on LAN
8. Port forwarding - must be there, right? - Advanced Settings -> WAN -> Virtual Server/Port Forwarding
9. scripts - There are some scripts I run in Admin>Scripts>Firewall that I think allow the wake up on LAN from outside the network. Don't know if I will be able to do it on merlin.

Thanks. I am going to test out merlin over the weekend. So hopefully I will know answers to some of these by experimenting myself.
Do let me know any gotchas or tips that I should look at

 

[martinr]

Gotchas and tips: read

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/faq-nvram-and-factory-default-reset.22822/

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/no...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573

And don't use special characters in SSIDs or passwords (at least until you've proved it all works , then on your own head be it).

 

[tnkrer]

Thanks for the links martinr.

Most everything worked out great. However, there are a few issues.
One computer keeps losing internet -> http://www.snbforums.com/threads/intermittent-loss-of-internet.31352/
Also, couldnt see how I can schedule a MAC Id to not have internet access for times other than on the hour. The way it is set up, I have to pick blocks by hour. Can I say that a MAC Id be allowed from 6:16 pm to 8:21 pm ? Right now, it has to be 6 pm to 8 pm
Also, could not see how to deny access to everything except a few specific websites.