Voxel's firmware and the DD-WRT Kong Mod firmware

Hi Anton,

DD-WRT is a firmware not specific to Netgear routers. It started with Linksys routers and is now available for various brands and models.

Pro: It has many configuration options that you don't have on the stock firmware, so if you are a network expert and need specific options for setting up your router, this is a good choice. Also, it has an OpenVPN client that you can configure in the GUI.

Con: Since it's a linux-based firmware that is trying to support as many router models as possible, it's not specifically built for Netgear routers or even the R7800. This means you might not get the same speeds as with the stock firmware or Voxel's awesome version.

Voxel's firmware on the other hand is a modification of the original Netgear stock firmware, which at some point was made open source by Netgear, so Voxel was able to modify and compile the sources. And he did an amazing job.

Pro: It looks like the Netgear original stock firmware, mostly because it it. So the GUI is the same and you can just update it through the usual update process in the GUI. The main advantage is its speed, Voxel spent at lot of time on this and the results are amazing, especially if you're using an OpenVPN client. And, he keeps improving it, there are regular updates of his firmware. 

For the pro user, there's also the option of installing Entware to then install whatever additional package / functionality you want or need.

Con: Some options, like the OpenVPN client, are not configurable in the GUI, you need terminal access (telnet / ssh) and manually edit and set your config files. While there is a very good Readme explaining all the steps, making it very easy for anyone just a little familiar with linux or cli use, it might just be too much to deal with for a novice user. 

So it really depends on what your needs and priorities are. If you need an OpenVPN client and max speed, I'd say go with Voxel's version. If you need a lot of very specific networking options, try DD-WRT.

Best
Martin

Great info m just what I was looking for,

Thanks

I'm looking to purchase the R7800 and put a custom firmware on it. My main goal is to create segregation to isolate all of my devices via vlans. I'm current using the guest network to isolate IoT from everything else but want to get more granular. Is there an available firmware for the R7800 that can help do this or should I be looking at a different router/firmware combo?

Does Voxel's firmware support VLANs? I want to install new firmware on my R7800 so I can run a guest and home wifi network on two separate VLANS. Thnks for the help. I can't seem to find a list of features that voxel's firmware provide.