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oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng · source
Snapshot 0 · 2026-11-04T12:47:26Z · C ·
Content fingerprint
4d32e37e62514e5c1dbf9d174561e83b0741eacf66c5771e05cf1eb8c6e2f80bGitHub description at capture
Custom Asus Merlin firmware for DSL-AC68U routers
README at capture
<p align="center">
<img src="logo.jfif" alt="Asuswrt-Merlin logo" width="120" height="120">
</p>
# ion release Asuswrt-Merlin for DSL-AC68U
Community-maintained 386.x firmware for the **ASUS DSL-AC68U**, with integrated
dynamic routing protocols and VPN tools, WebUI improvements, and selected security and reliability fixes.
**[Download Firmware](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases/latest)**
· [What's Changed](Changelog-386.txt)
· [Support](https://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin.42/)
· [Build From Source](#build-from-source)
[](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases/latest)
[](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases)
[](https://circleci.com/gh/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/tree/DEV-nextrelease)
> **You're viewing `DEV-nextrelease`, the release-candidate branch.** This branch
> is kept releasable, but its current tip is not necessarily a published or
> hardware-validated release. For router installation, use a published release
> and read its release notes. New contributions should target `DEV`.
## Why This Fork
Focused on one model, ion fork builds on Asuswrt-Merlin with practical additions
for DSL-AC68U owners who want more control over routing, VPNs, and administration.
| Area | Repository highlights |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Routing | FRR integration with WebUI configuration and route status. |
| VPN | OpenVPN and an integrated dual-client OpenConnect interface. |
| IPsec Client | Reworked StrongSwan client with configurable AES-256, SHA-2, and elliptic-curve DH/PFS options, including Curve25519. |
| DNS | Native DNSCrypt integration and dnsmasq-based DNS blocklist support. |
| Administration | IPv4 inbound firewall rule management, improved connection views, and optional SFTP, disabled by default. |
| Maintenance | Selected security backports, package updates, and fixes for service startup, restart, and WebUI reliability. |
| Lean Build | AiMesh (AMAS) and Broadcom deep packet inspection (BWDPI) features are stripped from the enabled feature set. |
AiMesh mesh orchestration and BWDPI-based traffic inspection are deliberately left
out to keep the focus on core routing and reduce background-service complexity
and resource overhead on this legacy hardware.
Other excluded extras include AiCloud/AiDisk cloud access, WebDAV sharing, media-server
and Time Machine integration, printer sharing, repeater mode, and the built-in Ookla
speed test.
See the [changelog](Changelog-386.txt) and your chosen release's notes for availability
and versions.
## WebUI Preview
<table>
<tr><th>FRR Dynamic Routing</th><th>OpenConnect VPN Client</th></tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="docs/images/frr-routing.jpg"><img src="docs/images/frr-routing.jpg" width="480" alt="FRR configuration with fictional peer addresses and names"></a></td>
<td><a href="docs/images/openconnect-client.jpg"><img src="docs/images/openconnect-client.jpg" width="480" alt="OpenConnect client settings with a fictional VPN server and demo account"></a></td>
</tr>
</table>
Captured from a DSL-AC68U running a `DEV` build, The release-candidate interface may differ.
<p align="center">
<a href="https://ibb.co/ypgHNZk"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/68DjyTt/386-1.png" alt="Legacy Asuswrt-Merlin 386.1 WebUI screenshot"></a>
</p>
Legacy 386.1 WebUI screenshot, main sections still actual and representative of the interface structure.
## Download & Compatibility
**Supported hardware: ASUS DSL-AC68U only.** This firmware is not for the RT-AC68U
or other similarly named ASUS models.
1. Open the [latest published release](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/releases/latest).
2. Read its notes and confirm that the image is intended for your model and
installation. Back up your settings before upgrading.
3. Check the image against its accompanying checksum, when provided. Keep recovery
instructions available before flashing.
**DSL image variants matter.** The release pipeline distinguishes DSL-bundled
images from base images labeled `NO-DSL-FIRMWARE`. That label identifies an image
without bundled DSL firmware; it is not, by itself, installation guidance. Follow
release-specific instructions. If the correct variant for your setup is unclear,
ask in the support forum before flashing.
**Know the platform's limits.** This is a legacy 386.x platform using Linux 2.6.36
and proprietary vendor components. Selected fixes and newer userland packages do
not make the entire platform current or eliminate security risks. Do not assume
that features available on newer Asuswrt-Merlin platforms are available here.
This is a community fork, not an official ASUS or upstream Asuswrt-Merlin release.
## Development Status
| Branch | Purpose |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| [`DEV`](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/tree/DEV) | Upstream integration and ongoing development. |
| [`DEV-nextrelease`](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/tree/DEV-nextrelease) | Release-candidate branch, kept releasable. |
| [`DEV-experimental`](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/tree/DEV-experimental) | Experimental work not yet ready for integration. |
## Build From Source
Use Linux with Docker installed and running, permission to use Docker, and network
access to pull the toolchain image. Run builds through [tools/build.sh](tools/build.sh).
```bash
git clone --branch DEV-nextrelease https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng.git
cd asuswrt-merlin.ng
./tools/build.sh
```
## Contribute
Useful contributions include reproducible bug reports, DSL-AC68U hardware testing,
focused reliability fixes, documentation corrections, and current WebUI screenshots.
Sanitize credentials, addresses, hostnames, and peer details before sharing captures.
- Open focused pull requests against `DEV`; discuss speculative work before
proposing it for integration. Do not target `DEV-nextrelease` directly.
- For development bugs, use [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/oivano/asuswrt-merlin.ng/issues).
Include the model, firmware version or commit, reproduction steps, expected and
actual behavior, and relevant sanitized logs.
- Report what you tested on real hardware: boot, WAN/LAN connectivity, settings
persistence, and WiFi or DSL behavior when affected. Identify untested changes.
**Star this repository to support continued DSL-AC68U maintenance.** Hardware
testing and reproducible bug reports are especially valuable contributions.
For release notifications, use GitHub's **Watch > Custom > Releases**.
## Support & Credits
For setup help and support requests, use the
[SNBForums Asuswrt-Merlin forum](https://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin.42/).
GitHub Issues are reserved for development and bug tracking; see [SUPPORT.md](SUPPORT.md).
The [upstream wiki](https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/wiki) is useful background,
but some guidance concerns features or platforms not supported by this fork.
Thanks to ASUS for the GPL source releases, the
[Asuswrt-Merlin contributors](https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/graphs/contributors),
gnuton's builds, and everyone contributing fixes and hardware testing.
See [License](License), [README.proprietary](README.proprietary), and individual
component notices for licensing terms. This repository includes both open-source
software and proprietary vendor components.