I need to replace my aging ASUS router that has been rock solid, which is good for my sensitive household. I’m checking out other brands and am interested in the GL-MT6000, but I have concerns. I’m totally new to GL.iNet.
I’m reading that this router has outdated packages in the firmware and is even using and EoL OpenWrt version, which is scary stuff and doesn’t build my confidence. Anyone know if GL.iNet plans on rectifying this? Is this typical development from them?
Is the firmware (truly) out of Beta yet?
I’d appreciate some help with firmware settings, since I can’t play with it. I tried to get answers from the documentation, which is fairly good.
Is there really only (2) preset DNS-over-TLS services? Can I put in my own DoT service of choice?
Is there a URL filter?
Is there a way to download and save configuration settings (like for backup)?
I’d appreciate any thoughts on my situation and if this router might be a good option compared to a new ASUS AX Pro model. I need something stable and secure for the household.
The latest openwrt, wifi is not stable and will not be used in a short time.
1.yes,DNS-over-TLS :NextDNS and Cloudflare,Custom DOT not currently supported.
2.Available to choose from Parental Control or subscription BARK.
3.The luci interface provides backup .
The situation with routers right now is not great. If you had asked me a short while ago I would have whole heartedly recommended the GL.Inet Routers (Flint or Flint 2…I have both)…However we had a severe hiccup here with Firmware in the past month. Lots of people were not happy with their WiFi performance on the new FLINT 2 Router which was running Open-WRT 23.05 and the open-source wifi driver. After a lot of complaints GL.iNet decided to throw us all on an OLD End-Of-Life Open-WRT version 21.20 because the more stable vendor WiFi driver currently only works with Open-WRT 21.20. I assume they are going to backport addon’s to work with Open-WRT 21.20 for the time being. Right now I cannot recommend this router to a new customer while this whole firmware turmoil exists. I am a former ASUS (Merlin) user (And actually still am for other routers on my network)…I would recommend right now that you look at the ASUS RT-AX86u PRO which has excellent performance and you can from time to time get it as low as $200 on Amazon ($219 right now)…Sorry to say this but it’s my honest opinion right now because of the chaos going on with the version 4.57 EOL Open-WRT 21.20 that is offered as the latest firmware for the FLINT 2 router (After having had 23.05 for the past four months).
If you aim on stability i will not consider to choose flint 2 for now.
Maybe on its slightest the 4.5.7 beta can be ‘stable’ but this comes with a really big drawback let me explain:
if you are planning to use 4.5.6 or normal upstream openwrt for wifi and 2.4ghz band is not important you are stable for most of the part, i would advise going a clean openwrt snapshot.
if you use 2.4ghz you are not, and i recommend you to use 4.5.7+ which runs vendor mediatek sdk firmware which is older and with a few regressions in the gl firmware, note these are issues easier fixable by gl in next updates:
pppoe might not working properly
ipv6 might have issues
compatibility with wireless through luci is very limited supported and broken, i dont think this get fixed any time soon personally.
the chances are that the wan ports are running on 1gb/s rate due to the driver not being present (a kernel regression, but can be backported i could not attest this myself because i have only 400mb/s).
package toolchain might not be fully compiled or adapted to current kernel.
the kernel is older, but this does not necessarily mean it is full of security vulnerabilities in fact alot of brands use older openwrt forks in their vendor SDK but with upstream backport patches, so that is not a huge of a issue which people tend to make, i trust gl-inet can do it
So if you gonna use it for very basic things, it might work stable for you this is for everyone different with their setup, if you are a advanced power user with a much more complex topology this router cannot be advised, there is no awnser for both of the firmware currently, in that case you might choose to use flint 2 as non wireless, and a other router as wireless more as a dumbap (this is currently what i do).
Yeah, they’ve not been very proactive with packages from what I can tell, but they own the firmware. Can you elaborate on what “Asus had done”?
GL.iNet was presented as a superior product/company on an Asus-centric forum and so I’m looking into it. The GL-MT6000 does sound like a very capable box, but I’m not able to be experimenting right now. This debacle is disappointing to hear about considering the recommendations.
Appreciate all the info. I’m mostly Ethernet and 5GHz, so the 2.4GHz usage would probably not be an issue. I don’t do too much tweaking on the router but do touch most features.
Bouncing back and forth between major versions doesn’t sound good. Is the driver problem with GL.iNet or OpenWrt source?
The difficulty is frequently getting the drivers for the soc/wifi working and then rock solid.
The reason the factory firmware is an EoL OpenWRT is because that is the last version of the official SOC/wifi manufacturer’s SDK. At the same time the open source drivers just are not stable yet. To be honest, that’s often a thing with OpenWRT support. Too new/cutting edge and there are no drivers (yet) and too old devices just do not offer what is wanted nowadays.
I do have high hopes for MediaTek’s drivers as OpenWRT wants to make an OpenWRT AP based on MediaTek stuff.
For years they would ship vulnerable firmware and software and the only reason they stopped is because the global distributor threatened to ditch their products. Only then did they start to do stuff and have been put on regulations for 20 years… yes it’s that bad.
10 years ago maybe Merlin was something different. These days Merlin is just Asus fimware with a different skin. No difference at all. I’m not saying Merlin is bad btw I’m saying Asus is super lazy in just having ported Merlin to stock fw.
You’d have to be wacko to give Asus your money especially not the prices they are currently asking. $250+ for a router that GL sells a better version for like $130? No contest. If you’re worried you may aswell get the Flint 1 then.
You evidently haven’t got the slightest clue as to what you are talking about. Have you used Merlin’s VPN director for example? Have you tried using AMTM and all the brilliant scripts out there? Go and educate yourself before dishing out useless advice to others. Oh and BTW, I have both the Flint and the Flint2 as well but my go to router is still my trusted GT-AX6000.
Yeah stuff you will never actually need lmao. Enjoy your $350 router kid. The $130 Flint 2 runs Cake at 2 Gbps… what does your GT-AX6000 running Merlin do? That’s right 450 Mbps.
Legit would have to have mental problems to buy Asus.
Yes, cake is superb when your PPPoE is broken and your port speeds are faulty. Oh, and you are so clever that you can even know what others use or not. See if your little toy can touch this stuff (which I will happily pay x4 times or more for the privilage or having such a brilliant piece of kit). You are just a bitter jealous child that cannot afford the real thing.
