Dying Linksys WRT3200 - replacement

[asr2999 3]

Hi all,

I am using AirVPN as a client on DDWRT installed on a Linksys WRT3200 router. One of the main reason for this choice a few years ago was to protect and be able to access my Synology NAS externally.

Unfortunately this router is experiencing a few issues and I was wondering what would be a good replacement.

1/ Cheap option. I used the BT smart hub instead of a proposer router as I see now there is an option to install AirVPN directly on the Synology NAS. I could also run Eddie for the other PCs behind. Problem solved, cheaply. 

2/ DDWRT seems stalled since 2021. Would you advise to still stick with this firmware and buy a new router to run DDWRT and AirVPN directly on the router? The Asus 688 has some good reviews. Any advice?

3/ Switch to another open firmware on a different router. Pfsense maybe? I haven’t followed recent development. Any recommendation? Please not too complex. I am happy to copy and paste a Firewall script but don’t ask me to understand what’s in it!! 😄

Thanks

[SurprisedItWorks 49]

I went through the same thing a few months ago when 2.5G wifi died on my Linksys WRTblah. The standard advice in the dd-wrt forum is to look at a used Netgear R7800, no longer available new, or its successor the XR500, which is effectively a repackaged R7800 with more memory. Or for higher performance, consider the Netgear R9000 or XR700. See that forum for a couple of others. The topic comes up frequently.

I went with a used XR500 and stumbled into the fact that there are versions made in China and in Thailand. I found I needed the Thai version for the whole installation to work correctly. Flashing instructions for the R7800/XR500 are posted in the dd-wrt WiSoC Atheros forum.

If you look at other routers for dd-wrt, look for a Qualcomm/Atheros wifi chipset. Because Broadcom keeps source to itself for its drivers, their chipsets are close to deprecated in the dd-wrt world now.

I heartily disagree that dd-wrt is stagnant the last couple of years. Just the opposite is true. It's very actively developing, especially the last few years, with recent noteworthy improvements, for example, in its OpenVPN and wireguard systems, in VLAN configurability, and to security in general.

FWIW, since this is a VPN crowd, I run both OpenVPN and wireguard tunnels to AirVPN servers on each of the several dd-wrt routers I maintain for my extended family. On some I run multiple wireguard tunnels. Virtual access points provide extra SSIDs, and policy-based routing controls which route through which VPN tunnel or simply bypass them all. The Air stuff all works like a charm, with Air wireguard especially easy to set up.  This is all routine in the dd-wrt world.

[dj77 6]

Gl inet Flint (GL-AX1800) or slate ax 

they are nice if you use wireguard and they have a easy ui 

 

[Air4141841 23]

if you want to purchase your own equipment.   Opnsense and Pfsense are excellent options
buy intel Nics and you will have a stable platform.   I've tinkered with 3 different official negate appliances and one from Opnsene.

they never need to be rebooted other than when I apply firmware upgrades 

[rx_man123 6]

Asus GT-AX11000 because you can directly load OpenVPN and Wireguard configurations and apply them to all or specific devices.
-Good speeds too because it has strong resources or Wireguard for full speed ahead!