[TaterTot]

I am currently running DD-WRT Firmware: v3.0-r43324 std. on a NetGear R7000.

I have searched all over the forum and Wiki looking for instructions to flash back to the original Stock NetGear R7000 Firmware. I have just signed up for a VPN service with ExpressVPN and have installed OpenVpn on my current setup. My download speeds have dropped from the 800+ Mbit/s download to 30 Mbit/s. They want me to try their Firmware for the R7000 before they will try to help with the speed problems.

They don't have any idea how to just flash from DD_WRT directly to their Firmware, other than going back to the Stock Firmware and then flash theirs from there.

I know this sounds really crazy and I agree, but any input, suggestions or a safe way to get me to the NetGear Stock firmware without bricking my router would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, in advance.

[mache]

1. The Netgear R7000 has a dual core 1Ghz Broadcom ARM processor. The Netgear R7000 stock firmware has proprietary drivers that take advantage of hardware acceleration for Network Address Translation (NAT) and will do 1Gbit generic downloads. DD-WRT does not have access to the proprietary drivers that support NAT and as such the open source DD-WRT NAT drivers do not have access to the hardware accelerators. The top speed of an R7000 generic download with DD-WRT is around 500Mbit. If you want faster generic download speeds on DD-WRT get a faster processor router like the Netgear R7800 with a dual core 1.7Ghz Atheros ARM processor.

2. Netgear R7000 VPN downloads over DD-WRT or stock Netgear firmware slow down a lot because of the encryption overhead handled by the processor. Your 30Mbits is certainly in the ball park. The R7000 has a dual core 1Ghz Broadcom ARM processor. If you want faster VPN downloads check out the Netgear R7800 with a dual core 1.7Ghz Atheros ARM processor.

[egc]

Stock firmware with OpenVPN is not much faster (if any)

If you want faster use WireGuard or buy a better (faster) router (R7800 with OpenVPN about 85 Mb/s)

Or use WireGuard 2-3 times faster than OpenVPN

Going back to stock:
OEM firmware comes as *.chk, you can directly flash netgear firmware through dd-wrt webif.

My advice reset to defaults before you flash, use a non Chromium based webbrowser (FF or internet explorer)

[TaterTot]

Thanks Guys.

The information and links will be a great help. Knowing why I'm losing so much speed and that it is normal for my router is kind of a relief. I thought I had really messed something up and wasted money on an ExpressVPN Subscription. Glad I have thirty days to ask for a refund if I need to.

On buying a R7800 Router, I was looking at getting an R8000 or R8000p anyway. I wanted to move up to Try-band. We have a ton of MacOS and iOS devices all over a new larger home. I assume one of those routers would work as well or better than the R7800 ?

Also, I will for the sake of satisfying ExpressVPN I will go back to the Stock firmware on the R7000 and then install their Firmware which is supposed to be a modified version of the NeatGear Stock Firmware. I don't feel safe just going directly to their firmware directly from DD-WRT. I know its a waste of time and will be shocked if it is any better.

Then back to DD-WRT on a new router.

While I think of it, I have been using Kong's builds since 2016 and a few months ago moved up to v3.0-r43324 std. I know this is the question of all questions all over the Forum and is very subjective. But... can you recommend a recent "Stable" version of DD-WRT to use on the new Router so I have a stable base to work from ?

I will understand if I get spanked for that question, but I had to ask. 😁

Again Many Thanks.

[kernel-panic69]

43813 or newer, once the next public release drops. I would opt for an R7800 over an R8000. R8000P is not officially supported by DD-WRT. R8500 is catch-22, has known hardware issues. Only other one to go with ie EA8500 Linksys, but it can be tricky to get DD-WRT on it. I won't address some of the previous commentary regarding Broadcom.

[egc]

yeah, listen to @kp69

when choosing a provider be sure to choose one that also supports WireGuard on the router

[TaterTot]

Thanks kp69.

Will follow your advice on the build to move up to and look at the R7800 Router.

egc, Thanks for the heads up on checking for support on the router for WireGuard. I've seen WireGuard mentioned in a lot of posts on the forum but haven't looked at it. I also read the link you have posted on "Forum Guide Lines". Good read, it's much more up to date than some of the stuff I'v read so far.

For the sake of clarity, any questions I have on VPN and/or WireGuard I assume should be posted in the Advanced Networking Forum ?

Lastly, there is one long outstanding issue I have been banging my head with my ISP on bridging there router they provide where it doesn't really have a bridge mode.Then using my R7000 or new R7800. Anyway this is not the place to go into that here. I assume I should start a new post in this forum for that issue when I get back to it ?

Again you guys have been a wealth of information. Now I don't feel like I'm spinning my wheels.

[egc]

[kernel-panic69]

Anything networking related to some degree goes in Advanced Networking. Some networking issues are platform specific, and should go in the Broadcom, Atheros, Marvell, Ralink forums to keep confusion down, I guess. Which ISP and what modem/router are you talking about? There is "bridge" and "ip passthrough" and other incarnations of what you're trying to accomplish, just need to do some research... we can help with that

[TaterTot]

kp69,

Thanks for the clarity. As far as the ISP and Router issue, I think it is a big can of worms which would be to much to add in this post. I will open a New post here and explain my issues. Would love some input....

In the mean time I want to read up on WireGuard, Make sure my VPN provider supports it and pick up the R7800 Router you suggested.