I haven't run OpenWRT on this router before and need some current advice.
My choices are the Stable 23.05.2 or latest Snapshot, but there are also NSS builds.
And Kong - who I'm familia with from DD-WRT - also has a regular and an NSS build.
So I'm spoilt for choice.
My internet is only 80/15 for now, so nowhere near Gigabyte speed.
I do ocassionally use the OpenVPN client function.
Could someone here with experience of the EA8500 recommend a build?
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/me votes for stable so far
80/15 is easily handled by ipq806x without NSS, so the normal release builds should be fine. If you have a preference for one of the community builds, go for it - but the normal releases should be fine.
Thank you both.
Unit is currently on DD-WRT r53562 using kernel 6.1.
This build has somehow locked up the partitions - I cannot upgrade DD-WRT or go back to Linksys Factory build.
Tried flashing the factory build OpenWRT recommends via GUI- it goes into a bootloop that requires 3x restarts and then returns to dd-wrt.
Others there have also had issues.
just a note the MAC addresses are broke on V23.05.2 atm
Lan and Wan are the same you have to manually change one
I have managed to get back to Linksys factory firmware.
I then installed Kong's non-NSS build.
Everything worked well - but my Wifi download speed was only 50% of what is normal.
I tried various settings changes - no luck.
I then moved to the Stable build of V23.05.2 - my Wifi speed returned to normal (fast).
I can only assume that there is a different choice of wifi drivers between these two builds.
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23.05.2 stable is what I use.
Uptime for about 4 weeks doing duty as WireGuard and OpenVPN server.
If your ISP connection is more than 500 Mb/s then consider an NSS build but that is experimental.
For wireless there are both CT (CandelaTech) ath10k drivers and regular non CT drivers available.
The non CT drivers are akin the VANILLA DDWRT drivers
It's easy to swap via the web interface luci ... System ---> software; or opkg ...
... And painless - in sequential steps remove:
ath10k-firmware-qca99x0-ct-htt
kmod-ath10k-ct
... Install the non -ct -named counterparts, and reboot.
Finished.
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Hello egc.
I'm running the default openwrt stable 23.05.2 drivers - which appear to be the CT (non-htt) versions.
Wifi is very good - comparable with DD-WRT running Vanilla.
I did not make note of what Kong chose in his non-NSS build.
I'm almost tempted to reinstall Kong and see if I can change drivers to match.
I have now backed up my current configuration, so might try tomorrow.
I personally would not bother, you can install all packages as needed but I can understand you want to tinker 
In the DDWRT days Kong's builds were great but for OpenWRT it does not make a difference
I initially liked Kong's colour scheme and menu layout.
He has also already installed the more useful pakages.
And his linux kernel version is more up to date than Stable.
But now that it's all set up, I don't know if the urge to tinker is strong enough.
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I may be wrong, but if it's one of the routers @hnyman makes a custom build for, I'll go with that one. Followed by the 23.05.2 (stable).
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finaly did you try the kong?
HI,
but your own build from stable?
I build my own but you can download from the website https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/23.05.2/targets/ipq806x/generic/
Or use the firmware selector to customise.
Or use attended sysupgrade
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