If you’re anything like me, you give your router a workout on a daily basis. Whether your traffic is dominated by game playing, torrents, downloads, or browsing, your $60 to $100 router is probably not handling your data the way it should be.

Example? I’ve got a WRT54G v2, which I bought a few years ago, and it handles most things like web browsing and email just fine. However as soon as you start doing things that begin using up connections, like torrenting or even using a gaming server browser, your router will begin to choke and simple things like web browsing will become impossible. The connections table on your router fills up and typically the default timeout for connections is VERY high. The result typically means the only way to clear your connections table is by rebooting your router, something that was becoming a daily habit for our household. Not even the most recent firmware from Linksys addressed this problem. I was either stuck with a piece of crap router, or was about to spend $200 to get something that worked for me.

That was until I found out about DD-WRT. For some this is going to be OFN, for others, it may be the easiest way to turn your $60 router into a $600 beast.

DD-WRT is a 3rd-party developed firmware which replaces your current router’s firmware to offer much more in terms of functionality and features. Maintained by BrainSlayer, this is one of the most popular 3rd-party developed firmware for routers, and there are a lot of reasons why.

Before we go into the benefits, I should probably explain the installation process. While the instructions are pretty straight forward, you probably should have some level of computer skill when attempting the firmware upgrade. Although I’ve heard very few “horror stories”, as with any 3rd-party firmware, there is some risk involved, and you can “brick” your router and make it unusable.

Based on the type of internet you have, you may need to jot down some additional information from your router in order to complete the upgrade. I’m a cable modem user, so I was able to easily replace the firmware and let the router do the rest. If you use DSL or PPPoE, you are probably an individual who needs to write down some settings.

The instructions will have you identify your router. From there it will give you specific instructions on the installation. Based on the DD-WRT Wiki, there is support for many routers from Linksys, Belkin, Buffalo, NetGear, etc. BUT BE SURE TO CHECK SUPPORT FOR YOUR ROUTER OTHERWISE YOU ARE DOOMED FOR FAILURE.

Let’s fast forward and pretend like you’ve gotten it installed. First and foremost, just putting this firmware on your router will increase it’s performance by 300%. You’ll instantly notice that the DD-WRT Firmware is much cleaner looking, monitors the number of connections it’s using, even has a memory breakdown so you can see how much your router’s RAM is being utilized. Additionally, you now have access to increase the range of your wireless and in some cases, you can even overclock your router to make it handle even better. Although these fresh changes are nice, if you make a few more modifications, you can really make the bitch scream.

• OPEN UP THE MAXIMUM CONNECTIONS YOUR ROUTER CAN HANDLE! Goto Administration -> Management - Scroll all the way to the bottom and you will see selections for Maximum Ports and TCP/UDP timeouts.
  • Change Maximum Ports to 1500 (default is usually like 512, if not, you’re lucky)
  • Change TCP/UDP timeouts to 600 (down from 3600)
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• REBOOT YOUR ROUTER WEEKLY (or NIGHTLY)! Just like a computer, rebooting your router can do it and your connection much good. Goto Administration -> Keep Alive - You’ll see a section on “Schedule Reboot”
  • Select a good time and date for the reboot
  • Typically downtime is about 15 to 30 seconds
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• ADVANCED QoS SETTINGS! This is for the advanced user, but setting up QoS based on the type of network traffic you have can substantially improve your router’s performance. Unfortunately, I can’t offer any tips other than a link to a good resource on HOW-TO do it, and what applications benefit (torrents specifically).
  • http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3649346
  
  

So there you have it guys… a simple way of turning your $60 dollar pile of crap into something that could be considered a “commercial level router”. I advise each of you to take a look at DD-WRT firmware because a little time and effort can really improve your internet experience. If you have any questions regarding the installation of support, I’d be happy to help you in the forums.