Good job!
I don’t think an ad-blocker in a router would be fun. Every time a website is broken I would suspect it and need to log in and shut it off to test. I have my ad blocker in my Chrome browser and like it that way.
Very true, although good to know it has the option.
The internet scared me without an ad blocker. 
I did a little more tinkering and got it overclocked to 1.2ghz to give it that extra edge and am now at the point I have to install it to do anything else. Possibly a project for a weekend.
Overall from a quick poke around the settings I really like the setup.
Is there a guide you used to overclock? Does it let you underlcock too?
Yeah, you could underclock it if you wanted as well. There is a list of possible clock speeds floating around.
I used a combo of information and guides.
This one has the basic commands at the bottom:
https://blog.silocitylabs.com/post/2018/01/01/flashing-merlin-to-tm-ac1900-or-ac68u/comment-page-1/
These commands work but only until you restart, you have to add a script to re-do the commands each time it starts which can be seen here:
Although this only works with merlin, normal asus firmware does not support scripts it seems.
I have bought most of my routers “as-is, ports or repair” just betting that the person doesn’t know what they’re doing. I gambled on an Asus AC-3100 and so far it looks like it will pay off. I’m planning to use that as my main router and my TMobile version as an Aimesh node.
I was thinking the node wouldn’t need a full 800mhz and I could underclock to keep it cool, but it’s probably not worth the hassle.
Yeah, I would not bother with underclocking it personally. The temps on mine are in the 70’s without a load even overclocked, so I doubt you would have an issue. Plus the temps only went up about 4c when I overclocked so you could expect about the same reduction from underclocking. Not worth it IMHO.
Pulled the trigger for one. Overkill for my situation as I get my broadband via a cellular hot spot (mifi jetpack). Has lousy wifi. So will be USB tethering it to the router. Was playing with converting an old laptop, but figure the power savings over time make this a more attractive solution. Thanks for the alert PD68 and great to see you around. :)
Yeah, I have gone a bit crazy in the power saving department recently. Started measuring devices and it is amazing how much power some things use and how little others.
For example my old computer used to idle at ~160w by itself with the monitors pulling another 95w. My new system idles at just 45w. with monitors, power backup ect it idles at ~140w. Although even that annoys me since one of the monitors uses 40w vs the 20w the other 2 use.
When you start debating weather the power backup using 10-15w is worth having a power backup, well that is when you know you have a problem lol.
The real energy hog is our beloved 58” Panasonic plasma TV I got for “Free” on craigslist last year. That thing uses an astounding 400w! Like a dang space heater! I actually got that 58” and a 43” plasma TV for $200 from a rich family that was moving out of state and just needed them moved (it weighs like 200lb). I then sold the 43” for $200 and thus got the 58” for free. :laughing:
I am quite proud of that deal and it is easily the best TV I have ever had by a wide margin. Only the latest $2500+ OLED TV’s match it in picture quality IMHO.
Although at that kind of power usage I do have to think about downgrading to an LCD TV.
^
So I guess the game is to give those OLED's time to come down while you hunt for another great deal that uses less power. You'll probably still be far ahead in savings with those 2 sweet TV's.
I bet you're on natural gas for water heating. Out here, almost everyone uses electricity. I put a timer on the tank so that it runs for a few hours in the morning and a couple hours after the work day. That really saves us a bunch. Need to find a good deal on a big propane tank and convert over to that.
Thanks for opening this thread. I made me aware of a solution to a problem I was ignoring for too long.
Yep, that is basically the plan. I check craigslist from time to time to see if another TV pops up. If I could get great deal on an LCD TV we could use it for general TV and only use the plasma for family movies.
Indeed, we have gas for both water and house heating but for some reason not the stove. Our winter heating bills are a fraction of people we know on electricity. We considered going with a tankless water heater about 10 years ago but didn’t know if we would have it long enough for it to pay off. Turns out we did lol.
Yeah, I have been surprised how many people on here are computer Nerds AND like finding good deals. So I have gotten pretty good advice on here in the past and this time as well. I think this router will be perfect for my needs.
Newegg has refurbished routers (and other stuff) fairly regularly. I got an Asus AC3100 from them.
Turned out the refurb was repacking. Port one was not operational. Made no difference to me, I only need 2. Loaded with Merlin and no problems. Seems to have a good WiFi coverage.
I know a bunch of you are using Merlin. I also would rather have his stuff than Asus’s versions. I suspect Merlin’s work is less likely to be compromised by the current round of router intrusions. Or be fixed faster. Recommending friends to use Asus + Merlin may be a good deed.
I’m all about the deals! Good ebay skills help in any hobby. I posted my list of routers earlier in the thread. After buying and selling all of those, I’m set to keep both an AC-3100 and an AC68u, and also have $5 more in my pocket now than when I started.
During my time MIA from BLF, I got really into high-end headphones. I would just buy some headphones I couldn’t afford, listen to them for a few weeks (to get a taste of the rich man’s world 
), and then sell them before the credit card bill came. I was getting such good deals on ebay that by the time I was done I had made a profit of over $2,000.
I assume most of you also use the new private and faster 1.1.1.1 DNS settings in your routers?
For me this is just basic internet setup procedure.
I had been using Google’s for a long time, but yes I just switched to Cloudflare’s
Good job! I have done much the same but I generally surf craisglist when hunting for the really good deals. A lot less competition and better chance at finding deals. Plus craigslist people are lazy as a rule and can give really good deals just to not have to take the time to make an ebay listing or move the item (like those TV’s I got).
I tend to get into a new hobby / interest and will start buying all the good deals I see slowly working my way up the food chain until I have something nice. By then I can generally keep whatever it was for free.
For example I got a 5820x + motherboard on craisglist for $250 and then sold it for $450. Long story short a few more systems like that and I now have an 8700k and 6700k setup with total out of pocket costs being around $300-400 minus the hard drives which I purchased new (ish, old stock) since they would be storing very important family pictures.
Several years ago I was big into workout equipment and over the course of a few years managed to put together a home gym with $10k - 15k of high end equipment including thousands of pounds of weights and a complete dumbbell set up to 110lb all for a grand total of a net profit lol.
Google always creeped me out so I used to use openDNS myself although googles worked fine.
MikroTik, hands-down. They make seriously good hardware and software, and the price is unbelievably reasonable too. The best thing is that they constantly update the firmware (RouterOS), even for very old devices. There’s simply no comparison with the SOHO junk that can be found at the consumer electronics stores.
Just ethernet: MikroTik Routers and Wireless - Products
With WiFI: MikroTik Routers and Wireless - Products
During my time MIA from BLF I got into home theater, mainly for streaming music. I was just sitting on the couch last night using it to finally edit and narrate that BLF Integrating Sphere how-to video. The home theater was perfect for adjusting the audio equalizer for the audio mix. It was really a must. Before I had good speakers I would adjust until it sounded good on one set of speakers, only to realize it sounded like crap on another set. That’s because I couldn’t distinguish between source audio problems and speaker problems. Like massive frequency response drop-off below 200hz on my laptop.
Just curious, what would you recommend for great headphones? My setup is really only useful when my wife and toddler are not home. Otherwise it is rude to blare it at reference-level volumes.
Hmm, never heard of them before but looking through the list they have some interesting products at interesting price points. I like those 5 port routers, I am always one port short with 4 port routers it seems.