My home Asus AC51U was previously flashed with the Padavan firmware, but recently the signal has been disappearing frequently. Out of frustration, I decided to switch to a higher-end router, but the price of the high-end Asus series is quite shocking.So I looked at the Phicomm series; both N1 and K2P were legendary models back in the day. N1 is generally used for flashing TV boxes, while K2P is truly a router miracle.Later, I found that both K2P and Xiaomi Router PRO (R3P) have the same CPU MT7621A, but K2P has a configuration of RAM 128MB, Flash 16MB, while R3P has RAM 512MB, Flash 256MB, which is a higher configuration. So I might as well buy the Xiaomi R3P, which also supports flashing OPENWRT.So, these past few days I’ve been busy studying the openwrt system, and while self-learning, I also want to popularize this knowledge for everyone. Why flash a third-party system on a router? I will take my personal needs as an example: scientific internet access, building NAS, ad blocking, remote wake-up, unlocking gray songs on NetEase Cloud, etc. The functionalities that third-party systems can achieve are numerous. Without further ado, here’s the explanation:Beginner’s Guide: OpenWRT, LEDE, Pandora, Asus, Merlin, PadavanNewcomers must have this question: when wanting to flash a system, not knowing which router to buy, not knowing the differences between these systems, and not knowing which one to choose.Before discussing this, I should first mention Linksys, which launched the WRT54G router in 2003. Due to being discovered that Linksys used a lot of open-source code, there was a strong call for them to open-source their code. Linksys, being thin-skinned, then open-sourced it (this is something many domestic manufacturers are thick-skinned about). This opened up a wonderful stage for the development of router systems.In 2004, an important player that influenced the development of this niche area, OpenWRT, made its debut. OpenWRT is an open-source system based on Linksys’s code, officially launched version 1.0 in 2005. After more than a decade of development, as of the time of writing, OpenWRT has updated its version to 19.07.7. We can understand OpenWRT as an embedded Linux distribution, supporting the most brands and models, and having a wide range of software. However, it has poor support for Broadcom CPUs mainly because Broadcom does not open-source (Broadcom routers are commonly found in mid-to-high-end Asus models). Previously, DD-WRT and Tomato were also well-known alongside OpenWRT, but I personally believe that they are not as widely used now, especially Tomato, which is rarely seen in related technical articles.Official website: https://openwrt.org/LEDE is a version of OpenWRT from LEDE 17.01.0 to LEDE 17.01.6. The maturity of this firmware version has greatly improved and can be seen as a mature period of OpenWRT.Pandora–PandoraBox is a branch of OpenWRT developed by a domestic company, more suitable for China’s national conditions. The early versions had good support for scientific patriotism, and can be found on openwrt.org.cn. Since version 18.07, it has its own official website and version number ahead of OpenWrt. The downside is that it naturally does not support as many models as the original OpenWRT, but many models sold in China are supported.Asus Asuswrt is its original factory router system, the official firmware for Asus routers. The firmware has strong functionality and stability, but the downside is that customizability is low. Most Asus models use Broadcom CPUs, with classic models like AC68U and AC88U. Broadcom’s characteristics are strong performance and high heat generation, usually capable of grilling lamb skewers.Merlin is a version based on Asus, which has gained fame in China thanks to many re-edited firmwares. The early versions had good support for scientific patriotism. The orthodox Merlin is based on Broadcom CPUs, and some router hardware configurations are the same as Asus, so they can use the modified Merlin firmware, with classic models like Netgear’s R7000.Official website: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/Padavan is a modification by a Russian based on Asus, which has also gained fame in China thanks to many re-edited firmwares. The orthodox Padavan is based on MTK solutions, and some router hardware configurations are the same as Asus, so they can use the modified Padavan firmware, and the Phicomm K2P is such a case. MTK performance is relatively low, but heat generation is also low. MT7620 and MT7621 have become solutions used by many domestic manufacturers. The advantage of this series is that it usually also gets good support for OpenWRT and other firmwares.Official website: https://bitbucket.org/padavan/Knowing these characteristics, choosing a router becomes easier. For example, beginners prefer Merlin or Padavan, while programmer geeks might prefer OpenWRT. There are also some odd CPU routers, such as those with Qualcomm CPUs. They seem to have a high cost-performance ratio, but the user base is too small, and many software need to be compiled by oneself. Once or twice can be a learning experience, but if all of them come, it could drive a person insane. Some odd models with Qualcomm CPUs, like ACRH17, can simultaneously flash modified Merlin and modified OpenWRT.From personal experience, Padavan is the simplest system, while OPENWRT has the most features but comes with a technical threshold.That’s a brief introduction to various router systems. In the next article, I will discuss some practical plugin features in the openwrt and Padavan systems.
