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Asuswrt-Merlin - OpenVPN


Here you can find setup information for your chosen VPN and also how to fix any problems you might encounter.

You can use the Table of Contents on the right hand side of this window to navigate between the different sections.


Upgrade to Asuswrt-Merlin

Step 1
Verify that your Asus router is supported by Asuswrt-Merlin, the below devices are fully supported.

If you're looking to purchase an Asus router a few members of our team use the RT-AC66U, it offers a good balance of performance versus coststhe more expensive options typically have better processors and can offer faster VPN speeds. The Asus RT-AC66U can be ordered online from Amazon, we've attached a link below:




  • RT-N66U
  • RT-AC56U
  • RT-AC66U
  • RT-AC66U_B1 (use the RT-AC68U firmware)
  • RT-AC68U (including revision C1 and E1)
  • RT-AC68P (use the RT-AC68U firmware)
  • RT-AC68UF (use the RT-AC68U firmware)
  • RT-AC87U
  • RT-AC88U
  • RT-AC1750 (use the RT-AC66U firmware)
  • RT-AC1900 (use the RT-AC68U firmware)
  • RT-AC1900P (use the RT-AC68U firmware)
  • RT-AC3100
  • RT-AC3200
  • RT-AC5300




Step 2
If your device is supported, please proceed to the Asuswrt-Merlin documentation for installation steps/links:





VPN Install Guide

Step 1
Retrieve the Server Address for the VPN you want to connect to, i.e the location you want to appear to be in, you will need this later:




Step 2
Download the Asuswrt-Merlin OpenVPN template files, these contain the majority of settings required for StreamVia, there are 2 files inside the Zip file. Once the zip file has downloaded, please extract the 2 inside files and put them somewhere you can find them, i.e your Desktop!




Step 3
Click VPN, from menu on left hand side, under Advanced Settings




Step 4
Choose OpenVPN Client




Step 5
Under Import ovpn file click Choose File, now choose 1 of the 2 files you downloaded in Step 2 - either Option 1 (UDP) or Option 2 (TCP) - then click Upload. We strongly recommend you take the time to experiment with both configurations, Option 1 (UDP) is probably the preferred configuration but Option 2 (TCP) can be quicker for some people.




Step 6
The uploaded template file will configure the majority of settings for you, however we need to change a couple of settings. Locate Server Address and Port and enter the Server Address you selected in Step 1 of this guide, we recommend you leave port as it is.




Step 7
Locate Username and Password section, enter your VPN username/password (i.e your full email address and the password shown in My Services of our Client Area).




Step 8
Change Accept DNS Configuration to Strict




Step 9
Click the Apply button at the bottom of the page


Step 10
Now connect the VPN (VPN → OpenVPN Client) by moving the Service State to On




Step 11
You can check if the VPN connected by selecting VPN Status and making sure that OpenVPN Client 1 shows as Running, when you access some web pages you should see the read/write bytes increasing




Step 12
Open the below webpage to verify your internet facing IP address has changed from your ISP to a StreamVia host:

https://www.streamvia.com/test.php



Other Information

Poor Performance

We ensure our servers are NEVER overloaded, so this is not the issue if you are receiving poor performance; please get this out of your mind now ;-)

Your network, your ISP and their network have as much an impact on the speed you will receive as we do. Some of you will be connecting to a VPN server half way around the world, so degradation along the way is inevitable.


Quick tips

  • Experiment with Location 1, Location 2 (Site 1, Site 2) etc connections
  • Experiment with Option 1 UDP vs Option 2 TCP connections
  • If Faster does not connect, or is slow, try changing the port.
  • Use a network cable not wireless/wi-fi, this can often make the biggest difference.
  • Reboot router/computer
  • Clear all browser cookies/history/cache
  • If you are a VPN All or VPN UK & USA member and are using StreamVia to access streaming TV/video, please try SmartStream instead.



Location 1, Location 2 (Site 1, Site 2) etc
Each different VPN Site is a separate VPN location, you should experiment to see which works best for you. There may be a massive difference, some difference or no difference for you in speed. But you should experiment to see ;)


Option 1 UDP vs Option 2 TCP connections
Please ensure you experiment with both, whilst Option 1 has the capability of being faster than Option 2 there are some cases when Option 2 can actually work out best for you.


Change Port
If your ISP rate limits certain ports (to try to disrupt the VPN) you can try adjusting the port number to see if you can get around this. Click to see how to change the port.


Browser cache/cookies
Always clear your browser cache/cookies/history after connecting VPN, you need to reset the browser for your change in location. Failure to do so can result in poor performance.


Wi-fi vs wired ethernet
Using a wired connection instead of wireless often has the biggest impact on speed. The best speed and reliability with always be seen when using a network cable rather than wireless, wireless networks cause latency which causes the speed to drop. If you are having speed issues, please try with a network cable rather than wireless.


Your broadband
Just because you have XYZ speed broadband, does not mean you should expect this speed over a VPN. All networks deteriorate in speed the further away you are, so whilst someone connecting in the UK or a country close by will be able to achieve close to maximum speed to a UK server, those in Australia will not.

Also, if you or someone else is heavily using the broadband connection (even if not over the VPN) then you will notice a performance drop. For best performance ensure others are not downloading/streaming on the same connection as you.


Reboot everything
Try restarting both your computer and your broadband router, sometimes this can work wonders!


Alternative DNS
For best performance - especially from China, UAE etc - we recommend that you configure alternative DNS servers on your computer, as some countries will filter DNS which can cause problems for your connection ie inability to connect at all, or unstable connections with frequent disconnects. You need to configure these on your wireless or ethernet adapter - ie the physical network interface you use to connect to your network - details are contained in the below links:




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