The Asus RT-N16 is a solid router for home network use. It includes Gigabit Ethernet and two USB ports.
The latest version of the Asus firmware for this device seems stable and functional enough for most home networks. However, if more advance firmware is desired for this router it supports a number of different options. DD-WRT and the Tomato Group are two examples of Open Source alternatives for installing on this popular router from Asus.
Having recently purchased a new RT-N16 router, I went through the process of loading all three of these firmware distributions in order to compare their features. A summary of the reviews are listed below in the order I installed.
Was the entire process beneficial for any reason other than writing up reviews for a website? The short answer is: Yes! See the final article of this complete series for the result: Using the Tomato Firmware to Monitor Bandwidth by IP Address.
Asus Firmware
Installation
The router came pre-installed with an earlier version of the firmware. First task was to upgrade to the latest version – Version: 3.0.0.3.108.
Asus Firmware Configuration Screens
The Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware – Part 1
The Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware – Part 2, Advanced Wireless Settings
The Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware – Part 3, Advanced LAN Settings
The Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware – Part 4, Advanced WAN Settings
The Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware – Part 5; Advanced IPv6, VPN Server and Firewall Settings
The Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware – Part 6; Advanced Administration and System Log Settings
DD-WRT Open Source Firmware
Installation
Installing DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router
DD-WRT Firmware Configuration Screens
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 1, Setup
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 2, Wireless
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 3, Services
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 4, Security and Access Restrictions
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 5, NAT – QoS
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 6, Administration
DD-WRT Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 7, Status
Tomato Open Source Firmware
Installation
Installing Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router
Tomato Firmware Configuration Screens
Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 1, Status and Bandwidth
Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 2, Tools
Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 3, Basic Configuration Options
Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 4, Advanced Configuration Options
Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 5, Port Forwarding & QoS Configuration Options
Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 7, Administration Configuration Options
