Which VPN providers offer Asuswrt-Merlin applet?

[ASadani]

Nope, as it's simply not needed: Go to your VPN provider and ask for the Router or Andorid .ovpn config file and load it to the router - add Login/PW and you are done!

I believe Astrill's applet uses Router VPN Pro Stealth and does some type of additional security routing. Direct OpenVPN does not yield those speed results in all my tests.

 

[JoeBee]

Any update on this old thread if there are any more players besides astrill with merlin?

I recently done some digging around on VPNs and seems no one has bothered to really support Asus merlin, the best and only provider is Astrill vpn.

Am still new to my Ac86, but it does sport 1.8ghz dual core and AES, and AES I believe is the key to getting good speeds while under vpn providers that support AES, I can usually be within 10-20% of my overall broadband speed while under a AirVPN.

But currently AirVPN does not have an merlin plugin like Astrill and you do get port forwarding under VPN and more policy routing and policy routing websites which imo is excellent.

I would have loved to see port forwarding under vpn and especially Policy routing websites under Merlin firmware, I may give astrill vpn a trial since features and support like that is rare amongst VPN providers.

 

[ASadani]

I recently done some digging around on VPNs and seems no one has bothered to really support Asus merlin, the best and only provider is Astrill vpn.

Am still new to my Ac86, but it does sport 1.8ghz dual core and AES, and AES I believe is the key to getting good speeds while under vpn providers that support AES, I can usually be within 10-20% of my overall broadband speed while under a AirVPN.

But currently AirVPN does not have an merlin plugin like Astrill and you do get port forwarding under VPN and more policy routing and policy routing websites which imo is excellent.

I would have loved to see port forwarding under vpn and especially Policy routing websites under Merlin firmware, I may give astrill vpn a trial since features and support like that is rare amongst VPN providers.

Port forwarding does work very well with astrill. besides astrill has a custom firmware that works very stable in some places where openvpn does not function right. the one change I have had to make is the nightly restart script which keeps the connection stable.

 

[JoeBee]

Port forwarding does work very well with astrill. besides astrill has a custom firmware that works very stable in some places where openvpn does not function right. the one change I have had to make is the nightly restart script which keeps the connection stable.

Thanks that is great news to hear, I really do need a web gui and simplicity ie click and work since I am new to networking ins and outs.

What was the reason you had to install a nightly restart script ?

 

[ASadani]

Thanks that is great news to hear, I really do need a web gui and simplicity ie click and work since I am new to networking ins and outs.

What was the reason you had to install a nightly restart script ?

The provider has some kind of encrypted data shaping. So after a few days the speed drops to 50% or so. With the nightly restarts the speed is always on its max. The script is fairly easy to add.
btw: astrill just had a black friday deal which was about 6.50 pm.

 

[JoeBee]

The provider has some kind of encrypted data shaping. So after a few days the speed drops to 50% or so. With the nightly restarts the speed is always on its max. The script is fairly easy to add.
btw: astrill just had a black friday deal which was about 6.50 pm.

ahh good to know would never have known something like that bit odd considering their one of the most pricey VPN providers going.

I will search for that script it sounds good, yeah will have to keep an eye on future deals if Astrill is gonna work for me its more important website filtering ie online banking sites and port forwarding while under a VPN work for me right now, going to take out a monthly sub for testing purposes soon.

 

[ASadani]

ahh good to know would never have known something like that bit odd considering their one of the most pricey VPN providers going.

I will search for that script it sounds good, yeah will have to keep an eye on future deals if Astrill is gonna work for me its more important website filtering ie online banking sites and port forwarding while under a VPN work for me right now, going to take out a monthly sub for testing purposes soon.

DM me if you want the script. That's if you feel its necessary. You may not even need it. Test it out for about a week and see if there is any drop in speed.

 

[JoeBee]

DM me if you want the script. That's if you feel its necessary. You may not even need it. Test it out for about a week and see if there is any drop in speed.

cheers I think I found it here by Xerial:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/how-to-make-asus-router-automatically-reboot-every-day.25796/

But yes that is the better idea to give it a test first, ill try that for sure.

 

[ASadani]

cheers I think I found it here by Xerial:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/how-to-make-asus-router-automatically-reboot-every-day.25796/

But yes that is the better idea to give it a test first, ill try that for sure.

This is not the router reboot but the vpn disconnect and reconnect daily. That usually suffices and is completed in 3 seconds at about 5 am or the time of your choice.


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[JoeBee]

This is not the router reboot but the vpn disconnect and reconnect daily. That usually suffices and is completed in 3 seconds at about 5 am or the time of your choice.


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Hey Asadani, quick question are you running Astrill applet with merlins 384.14 latest firmware ?

I ask since I tried 2 different merlins firmwares the 384s and older 382s the ones still with telnet feature included and the astrill aplet appears blank and no icons, buttons etc

Tried it several times and with 2 different telnet apps and even tried ssh, even went back to stock asus firmware and fresh reinstall again and same results, its almost like the applet works on much older merlin firmwares but could be wrong on that.

 

[primitivo]

@JoeBee it all works rock solid with 384.13 (didn't try 384.14 yet), you must be doing something wrong. Make sure that you follow the installation guidelines properly. I remember also you had to enable and format JFFS partition on Merlin FW and reboot the router twice after doing so. Also don't underestimate checking it in another browser.

 

[ASadani]

Hey Asadani, quick question are you running Astrill applet with merlins 384.14 latest firmware ?

I ask since I tried 2 different merlins firmwares the 384s and older 382s the ones still with telnet feature included and the astrill aplet appears blank and no icons, buttons etc

Tried it several times and with 2 different telnet apps and even tried ssh, even went back to stock asus firmware and fresh reinstall again and same results, its almost like the applet works on much older merlin firmwares but could be wrong on that.

I’m using Merlin 384.6. I know it’s old but rock solid.
Try Firefox to confirm. You also have to enable jffs or something I don’t remember. It’s in the instructions.

One important thing that you may be doing wrong is. Install and tel using the router ip which is 192.168.1.1 by default. So not use router.asus.com. You’ll get a blank screen in the applet with that.

To know your router ip ping router.asus.com I believe .

Hope it helps


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[JoeBee]

Cheers guys, yes that was the mistake I was making with router.asus.com ! shows 100% fine direct 192.168.1.1, really wish astrill wikipedia page or the install vid showed that crucial bit of information or at least made a note of it.

Sadly I am finding the site filter excluding netflix and bbc iplayer and other sites to not be working at all.

Have you tried the astrill website filtering excluding feature and had any success ?

 

[ASadani]

Cheers guys, yes that was the mistake I was making with router.asus.com ! shows 100% fine direct 192.168.1.1, really wish astrill wikipedia page or the install vid showed that crucial bit of information or at least made a note of it.

Sadly I am finding the site filter excluding netflix and bbc iplayer and other sites to not be working at all.

Have you tried the astrill website filtering excluding feature and had any success ?

I believe Netflix has internal servers and routes that you would have to exclude. Ask astrill support and they might help. Also why would you need to exclude Netflix anyways? That works well through the vpn.

You can easily exclude the whole media player device if you like.


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[primitivo]

Cheers guys, yes that was the mistake I was making with router.asus.com ! shows 100% fine direct 192.168.1.1, really wish astrill wikipedia page or the install vid showed that crucial bit of information or at least made a note of it.

Sadly I am finding the site filter excluding netflix and bbc iplayer and other sites to not be working at all.

Have you tried the astrill website filtering excluding feature and had any success ?

Yes, but it works per IP address list, not per domain. If you want to exclude Netflix, it's best to exclude the whole device used for Netflix.

 

[JoeBee]

I believe Netflix has internal servers and routes that you would have to exclude. Ask astrill support and they might help. Also why would you need to exclude Netflix anyways? That works well through the vpn.

You can easily exclude the whole media player device if you like.


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oh netflix was just an example, but online banking, bbc iplayer and other streaming sites it appears I have to find all the servers and routes like you suggest.

 

[primitivo]

oh netflix was just an example, but online banking, bbc iplayer and other streaming sites it appears I have to find all the servers and routes like you suggest.

Which is close to impossible. But I am using another filter: site filter to route only international traffic. This way local same country traffic goes without vpn, but this exclusion does not work for Netflix.

 

[JoeBee]

Which is close to impossible. But I am using another filter: site filter to route only international traffic. This way local same country traffic goes without vpn, but this exclusion does not work for Netflix.

Cheers primitivo I was wondering why so many policy routing articles only say exclude this device ie TV or kodi box etc

The website filtering sounds like an never ending battle !

 

[ASadani]

oh netflix was just an example, but online banking, bbc iplayer and other streaming sites it appears I have to find all the servers and routes like you suggest.

You could do a local route exclusion where local banks etc will go though your network.


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[JoeBee]

That does sound a good work around prim also mentioned the same I believe, but I would not know where to start but will research into it.