Openwrt Router Firmware

[redglue23]

Networking noob here, been getting the following for my 500mbps M1 using EA7500v2 on firmware (2.0.8.194281). Only 2.4Ghz N mode, 5GHz is disabled. Coz no device using the 5Ghz channel. Auto channel/band mode. Think mid-strength transmission.

I am bothered by the WIRELESS upload speed higher than the download speed, is there some configuration that I can tweak or are these numbers acceptable for 2.4Ghz N mode WIRELESS.

PING ms
3
DOWNLOAD Mbps
19.46
UPLOAD Mbps
32.31
M1
Viewqwest Pte Ltd
Singapore

Just an 2022 update and a shoutout to all experts here who provided your pointers way back in 2021 when I first raised my query.

So, I dumped the EA7500v2, flashed DD-WRT on 868L and got the following 5G and 2.4G speedtest:

Yes, indeed, it was bad configuration + limited options on default firmware. I hope in the near future DDWRT will be supported in EA7500/EA8100, openwrt is still too daunting for newbies like me.

 

[xiaofan]

Just an 2022 update and a shoutout to all experts here who provided your pointers way back in 2021 when I first raised my query.

So, I dumped the EA7500v2, flashed DD-WRT on 868L and got the following 5G and 2.4G speedtest:

Yes, indeed, it was bad configuration + limited options on default firmware. I hope in the near future DDWRT will be supported in EA7500/EA8100, openwrt is still too daunting for newbies like me.

Glad that you got good success with DD-WRT on the DIR-868L. Your 5GHz band performance is reasonable and the 2.4GHz performance is pretty good. The test results may be related to the client used as well.

As for the Linksys EA7500 v2, definetly it can do better than the results you get from DD-WRT, at least on the 5GHz band, either with the stock Linksys FW or the OpenWRT FW, as per my previous test results. There are probably some mis-configuration or some testing related issues.

 

[xiaofan]

Just take out my old Linksys WRT1900AC (from April 2014) and upgraded the OpenWRT FW to 21.02.1, and then I configued it as an AP.

Quick wireless test results (only 5GHz band, 2.4GHz band is disabled). 3m away from the router, Acer Swift 3 laptop with Intel AX201 wifi adapter.

Singtel Speedtest server

PT Mora Telematica Indonesia Server

 

[redglue23]

Glad that you got good success with DD-WRT on the DIR-868L. Your 5GHz band performance is reasonable and the 2.4GHz performance is pretty good. The test results may be related to the client used as well.

As for the Linksys EA7500 v2, definetly it can do better than the results you get from DD-WRT, at least on the 5GHz band, either with the stock Linksys FW or the OpenWRT FW, as per my previous test results. There are probably some mis-configuration or some testing related issues.

Bro, thanks for sharing your knowledge and speedtest results here.

I was dragging my ass to get this fixed for the past 2 years until my sister kept bugging me after seeing your speedtest results. The internet speed issue became more apparent during the WFH period. Yes, unfortunate family of networking noobs. So I finally had some time over the hols in December to read up/watch youtube networking videos and get this over and done with.

Do you, by any chance, documented a step-by-step flashing OpenWRT on EA8100 for noobs? I think by December my hands might get itchy again.

 

[xiaofan]

Here is the quick Speedtest result with EA7500 v2 running OpenWRT 21.02.1, in AP mode (only 5GHz band, 2.4GHz band is disabled). 3m away from the router, Acer Swift 3 laptop with Intel AX201 wifi adapter.

The results are not that consistent so I carried out the tests twice.

Singtel Speedtest server

PT Mora Telematica Indonesia Server

 

[xiaofan]

Bro, thanks for sharing your knowledge and speedtest results here.

I was dragging my ass to get this fixed for the past 2 years until my sister kept bugging me after seeing your speedtest results. The internet speed issue became more apparent during the WFH period. Yes, unfortunate family of networking noobs. So I finally had some time over the hols in December to read up/watch youtube networking videos and get this over and done with.

Do you, by any chance, documented a step-by-step flashing OpenWRT on EA8100 for noobs? I think by December my hands might get itchy again.

Sorry but no. I just follow the documentation or Youtube Video.

You can look at the following two Youtube channels. There are many good tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/c/VanTechCorner/videoshttps://www.youtube.com/c/OneMarcFifty/videos

 

[xiaofan]

I have some success in using the Linksys EA7500 V2 running OpenWRT, as a managed switch/ wireless AP, after a pfSense router.

Ref:
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/quick-primer-to-vlans.6648144/post-139233804

 

[xiaofan]

Good reference for VLAN under latest OpenWRT 21.02.x version.
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/dsa/converting-to-dsahttps://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/dsa/dsa-mini-tutorial

 

[ChewAhSoon]

Hi everyone, I have just flashed openWRT on a brand new EA8100 I got from somewhere. The flashed worked fine but there are two things I could not fix yet.

1) UL Speeds slower than stock. Repeatable abt 3XX on a 500 Mbps subscription. I plugged direct to ONT and could get 48X/49X for DL/UL. The stock firmware was also around that ballpark.
Update 1: After a restart of the ONT and router a few times I am getting the best results of 49X/45X for DL/UL.
Update 2: network-firewall-general settings-Routing/NAT Offloading, turning on software offloading gave me 493/488. Turning on hardware offloading gave me same results.

2) I could not get the custom dns to work. Tested for adguard DNS servers. I set the inputs but ads are still not blocking and the adguard test site shows it is not enabled @ https://adguard.com/en/test.html

Sharing my experience, if anyone has any advice on how to fix?

 

[xiaofan]

2) I could not get the custom dns to work. Tested for adguard DNS servers. I set the inputs but ads are still not blocking and the adguard test site shows it is not enabled @ https://adguard.com/en/test.html

Sharing my experience, if anyone has any advice on how to fix?

How did you set up the dns sever?

You should set it up under dhcp server?

Try the following Option 1 first to see if it works. If not, then try the second one.
1) Network > Interfaces > WAN > Advanced Settings > Uncheck "Use DNS servers advertised by peer" --> Use custom DNS servers --> add the adguard DNS servers

2) Network > Interfaces > LAN > DHCP Server > Advanced Settings > DHCP-options
"6, 94.140.14.14, 94.140.15.15"

I usually use Option 2 myself and I just tested with the WRT1900AC running OpenWRT 21.02.1 and it works fine.

1) https://adguard.com/en/test.html

AdGuard DNS         Running
Fast and easy way to block ads on any device and protect kids online. Read more
You are using "Default" AdGuard DNS configuration
Protocol: "DNS"
Server: "dns2-dp-chi-2"

2) Windows 11 laptop
PS C:\work> nslookup www.google.com
Server:  dns.adguard.com
Address:  94.140.14.14

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    www.google.com
Addresses:  2607:f8b0:4009:80b::2004
          172.217.4.68

 

[xiaofan]

1) UL Speeds slower than stock. Repeatable abt 3XX on a 500 Mbps subscription. I plugged direct to ONT and could get 48X/49X for DL/UL. The stock firmware was also around that ballpark.
Update 1: After a restart of the ONT and router a few times I am getting the best results of 49X/45X for DL/UL.
Update 2: network-firewall-general settings-Routing/NAT Offloading, turning on software offloading gave me 493/488. Turning on hardware offloading gave me same results.

You may want to enable HW/SW flow offloading here. If not, your LAN client may be limited to below 1Gbps. It may not limit your WAN speed of 500Mbps plan though.

Network -- Fireware -- Routing/NAT Offloading

 

[ChewAhSoon]

How did you set up the dns sever?

You should set it up under dhcp server?

Try the following Option 1 first to see if it works. If not, then try the second one.
1) Network > Interfaces > WAN > Advanced Settings > Uncheck "Use DNS servers advertised by peer" --> Use custom DNS servers --> add the adguard DNS servers

2) Network > Interfaces > LAN > DHCP Server > Advanced Settings > DHCP-options
"6, 94.140.14.14, 94.140.15.15"

I usually use Option 2 myself and I just tested with the WRT1900AC running OpenWRT 21.02.1 and it works fine.

1) https://adguard.com/en/test.html

AdGuard DNS         Running
Fast and easy way to block ads on any device and protect kids online. Read more
You are using "Default" AdGuard DNS configuration
Protocol: "DNS"
Server: "dns2-dp-chi-2"

2) Windows 11 laptop
PS C:\work> nslookup www.google.com
Server:  dns.adguard.com
Address:  94.140.14.14

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    www.google.com
Addresses:  2607:f8b0:4009:80b::2004
          172.217.4.68

Hello, I have mistakenly entered them in network - interfaces - lan - advanced settings - use custom DNS servers.

Using your method 2 works, thank you.

 

[ChewAhSoon]

Yes, I turned on both SW and HW offloading and got back the 49X/48X speeds. Thanks.

 

[ChewAhSoon]

just wondering, did anyone try SQM/QOS on EA7500 and/or EA8100? Would the hardware be sufficient for it?

 

[xiaofan]

just wondering, did anyone try SQM/QOS on EA7500 and/or EA8100? Would the hardware be sufficient for it?

No point using the SQM/QoS since it conflicts with HW/SW Routing/NAT offloading.

 

[loganrunning]

No point using the SQM/QoS since it conflicts with HW/SW Routing/NAT offloading.

agree. even at 500Mbps, no noticible difference as reported by users (they didn't notice when i turned it on for 1 month, and then off). reverted back to HW NAT offloading.

 

[xiaofan]

For those who are interested in OpenWRT on a mini PC with 2.5G LAN ports: N5105 CPU, 4 x 2.5G LAN ports using Intel I225 B3 version.
https://www.vediotalk.com/archives/53125

 

[xiaofan]

BTW, Intel I225 B3 stepping NICs are the way to go. So you may need to be careful when choosing mini PCs with I225 NICs.

I believe many new mini PCs will come with the B3 stepping of I225. They work well under OpenWRT and pfSense (2.6.0 and later).

Ref: https://www.servethehome.com/inexpe...firewall-box-review-intel-j4125-i225-pfsense/

 

[xiaofan]

Now it is probably not a good time to buy Raspberry Pi 4B/400 since the price goes up by quite a lot. But if you have one alreadying lying there, you can try to use it as a travel router, including USB wireless card setup and Nord VPN client (using OpenVPN) setup guide

 

[TanKianW]

Now it is probably not a good time to buy Raspberry Pi 4B/400 since the price goes up by quite a lot. But if you have one alreadying lying there, you can try to use it as a travel router, including USB wireless card setup and Nord VPN client (using OpenVPN) setup guide

Set up one using OpenWRT last year using my RasPI4b for fun. But since I had my GLi-net Baryl travel router (which is cheaper), so I flashed mine with Home Assistant OS to run home automation this year.

Bought a few 4-8GB units before the price hike. You are right, now really not the time to buy. At least 30~50% price increase.