Asus RT-N16 Router Firmware Overview

June 27, 2012

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 6, Access Restriction and USB-NAS Configuration Options

Tomato Firmware on the Asus RT-N16 Router – Part 7, Administration Configuration Options