WRT3200ACM perfect router in 2020 ?

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xozeus
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 06 Jun 2020
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 17:35    Post subject: WRT3200ACM perfect router in 2020 ? Reply with quote
Hi,

After searching during many days for a router fully compatible with DD-WRT & OpenWRT, I'm finally hesitating between the Netgear R7800 and the Linksys WRT3200ACM.

If I could, I'd prefer buy the Linksys but I can't find recents and accurate confirmation that it just works with DD-WRT. Moreover, it seems to have several hardware versions and some (old) articles are scaring me like this one : https://blog.flashrouters.com/2018/02/07/is-the-wrt3200acm-dd-wrt-unflashable

- Is the WRT3200ACM (all versions) fully compatible with nowadays DD-WRT (stable, no software or flashing issues) ?
- Between the R7800 and the 3200ACM, which one would you recommend me ?

I'm looking forward to your reply Smile
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Per Yngve Berg
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 13 Aug 2013
Posts: 6856
Location: Romerike, Norway

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 18:33    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unless you intend to disable the wifi and use it for VPN, go for the R7800.
SurprisedItWorks
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 04 Aug 2018
Posts: 1445
Location: Appalachian mountains, USA

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 22:27    Post subject: Reply with quote
PYB is right (as always). If you look through the new-build threads in the Marvell forum, you'll see that WRT3200ACM owners have had trouble with wifi since the beginning. Some get it to work well enough somehow, but many get so frustrated that they give up and use it as an ethernet-only router (at which role it supposedly excels).

On the other hand, everyone seems to love the R7800. In the dd-wrt world, it's currently the standard by which others are judged and is by far the router most often recommended. It has the best support and fewest software bugs, if I understand it correctly, because dd-wrt's main developers, esp brainslayer, develop and test on it.

The only WRT router I'd nudge anyone towards at all is the one I have, the WRT1900ACSv2, which somehow has far fewer issues than either older or newer models in the WRT line. It is less powerful than the R7800 however (AC1900 vs AC2600 for example), typically costs roughly the same, and really needs an external USB fan to stay out of overheating trouble.

If I were starting over, I'd start with the R7800.

_________________
2x Netgear XR500 and 3x Linksys WRT1900ACSv2 on 53544: VLANs, VAPs, NAS, station mode, OpenVPN client (AirVPN), wireguard server (AirVPN port forward) and clients (AzireVPN, AirVPN, private), 3 DNSCrypt providers via VPN.
blkt
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 20 Jan 2019
Posts: 5660

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 22:34    Post subject: Reply with quote
Per Yngve Berg wrote:
Unless you intend to disable the wifi and use it for VPN, go for the R7800.

Perfect answer. +1 R7800 (or if much cheaper an older EA8500, or a far overpriced R9000 if you don't need VLAN).

I have WRT3200ACM and it sits in the box collecting dust until I find an Ethernet use for it; moved on to EA8500 and R7800.

Vendor support for Wi-Fi driver and firmware are very important; at this point Qualcomm Atheros is the only option.
RajPatel0929
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 19 May 2020
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 0:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think go with Netgear R7800 or R8000 ... but do some research and make your pick


I have WRT3200ACM and I feel like I wasted money on it, but i do like dual boot other then that noting about it.

_________________
Router Name: DD-WRT
Router Model: Linksys WRT3200ACM
Yemble
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 17 Feb 2010
Posts: 611
Location: Yorkshire (GOC)

PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 15:31    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not had any WiFi issues at all with my WRT32X
_________________
Linksys WRT32X v1 - r45677
Linksys WRT1900AC v1 - r45677
TP-Link Archer C9 v1 - r45677
Firmware: ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2021/
pbphoto
DD-WRT User


Joined: 29 Oct 2017
Posts: 258

PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 16:40    Post subject: Reply with quote
My 3200ACM has been running well too - some clients cause some problems and require some jacking around. I think it depends on your environment. I'm very happy with 43306.


Linksys WRT3200ACM: gateway mode, DNSMasq for DNS and DHCP, Wireguard client (Mullvad), Firewall enabled, QoS enabled HTB-CAKE, PBR enabled (SFE disabled). WIFI: 2.4ghz: NG-mixed, 20mhz channel width, channel 1, WPA2-CCMP-128. 5ghz: AC/N mixed, 80mhz channel width, channel 100+6, WPA2-CCMP-128.

Linksys WRT1900ACSv1: router mode, hardwired ethernet lan to WRT3200ACM above. WIFI: 2.4ghz: NG-mixed, 20mhz channel width, channel 11, WPA2-CCMP-128. 5ghz: AC/N mixed, 80mhz channel width, channel 36+6, WPA2-CCMP-128.

Clients: Apple MACOS x 4, IOS x 4, Apple TV, Chromecast Audio x 2, Eufy doorbell, Lutron Caseta, Axis Camera, Samsung TV, Nest thermostat....
xozeus
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 06 Jun 2020
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 18:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'll buy the R7800 even if i'd rather prefer to buy a Linksys Smile Maybe the EA8500 is a good option too (AFAIK very similar to the R7800 but a little pain to flash).

Thank you all for your help!
scar1943
DD-WRT User


Joined: 10 Nov 2018
Posts: 350
Location: South Carolina

PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 18:50    Post subject: Perfect VPN client Router Reply with quote
Folks,

I agree. Honestly, I love my WRT3200ACM, but don't use WIFI on it. I have an EnGenius ECB3500 connected to a physical lan port in AP mode to facilitate WIFI. Disable the WIFI and it makes an AMAZING VPN client and physical lan router. Period. Its unfortunate WIFI is problematic.
SurprisedItWorks
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 04 Aug 2018
Posts: 1445
Location: Appalachian mountains, USA

PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 20:57    Post subject: Reply with quote
Re R7800, for the install guide, find the link in the signature of any post by egc, who posts frequently in the Advanced Networking forum.
_________________
2x Netgear XR500 and 3x Linksys WRT1900ACSv2 on 53544: VLANs, VAPs, NAS, station mode, OpenVPN client (AirVPN), wireguard server (AirVPN port forward) and clients (AzireVPN, AirVPN, private), 3 DNSCrypt providers via VPN.
Argenis
DD-WRT User


Joined: 18 Feb 2019
Posts: 159

PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 9:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
As far as DDWRT goes, the 3200ACM (and the 32x for that matter) are the "if you hate yourself and know a lot about Linux and wireless networking hardware and infrastructure, get it" routers.

They've been working really well for me, however, I have had to regularly do clean installs (reset all the settings and clear both data partitions) and once I even had to go through the very painful process of re-installing the OEM firmware to get the wireless working.

They're not speed demons, but for the price, if you don't intend to mess with them and can live with only one build that works, they can be worth it.

Additionally, others here have been reporting some hardware failure over time (antennas, one partition), so that's something else to consider.

The most insane part about the wireless driver is that you might have to leave wireless in Mixed mode and enabled for maximum compatibility during imaging, and make sure none are disabled on other builds or else you're going to have to reset the configuration because it won't boot.

_________________
Router: Linksys WRT3200ACM WLAN0 and 1 have same SSID
88W8964 802.11ac WLAN0 Mode AP VHT80 80MHz Mixed Mode Channel and Extension Channel Auto Extension LL-6
88W8964 802.11ac WLAN1 Mode AP 20 MHz Mixed Mode Channel Auto
SD8887 802.11ac disabled but visible on GUI and CLI
TX Power 18 dBm
Antenna Gain 0 dBi
U-APSD (Automatic Power Save)Enabled 
Protection Mode None
RTS Threshold Disabled
Short Preamble Disabled 
Short GI Enabled
Single User Beamforming Enabled
Multi User Beamforming Enabled 
AP Isolation Disabled
Beacon Interval 100
DTIM Interval 2
WMM Support Enabled 
Radar Detection Disabled 
ScanList default
Sensitivity Range (ACK Timing) 500 (Default: 500 meters)
Max Associated Clients 256 (Default: 256 Clients)
Minimum Signal for authenticate -128
Minimum Signal for connection -128
Poll Time for signal lookup 10
Amount of allowed low signals 3
Wireless security is WPA2 Personal CCMP-128 only
QAM256 is on
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