I'm using GL.Inet GL-B1300 as my main router which had out-of-the-box OpenWRT-based firmware where the primary control panel is GL.Inet's own design, but from where you can also use advanced login to OpenWrt's own LuCI-interface where it's true potential unleashes. It is also possible to install pure OpenWrt on the router, but I haven't seen no need for that, at least for now, since the router is still supported by GL.Inet itself.
This GL-B1300 is my first OpenWrt based router, but before this I have used few Netgear, Buffalo and Linksys routers since 2009 with DD-WRT, Tomato and FreshTomato firmwares installed on them without any bigger problems. Only minor problems that has occured has been about the wifi speeds vs. original firmwares, which has been about the proprietary hardware wifi drivers being performant than the open source ones.
After all, these third party firmwares has given new or extended life with new features for many old and new routers that has been EoL or otherwise restricted by manufacturers. Not to mention how these 3rd party firmwares has saved money and natural resources preventing me to buy a new one everytime manufacturers dropped the ball about the updates even if the hardware where still valid.
Concerning Asus, I just last week got Asus Blue Cave AC2600 from 2018 on my hands; router which is EoL and it's latest official firmware is from 2021, but I found a ASUSMerlin-WRT based and up-to-date firmware fork for it; fork because there even haven't been any official Merlin support for it. This is probably because ASUS uses not-so standard or otherwise open hardware on some of it's routers instead of well supported Broadcom architecture, in this case this Blue Cave is based on non-usual Intel hardware.
I'm using GL.Inet GL-B1300 as my main router which had out-of-the-box OpenWRT-based firmware where the primary control panel is GL.Inet's own design, but from where you can also use advanced login to OpenWrt's own LuCI-interface where it's true potential unleashes. It is also possible to install pure OpenWrt on the router, but I haven't seen no need for that, at least for now, since the router is still supported by GL.Inet itself.
This GL-B1300 is my first OpenWrt based router, but before this I have used few Netgear, Buffalo and Linksys routers since 2009 with DD-WRT, Tomato and FreshTomato firmwares installed on them without any bigger problems. Only minor problems that has occured has been about the wifi speeds vs. original firmwares, which has been about the proprietary hardware wifi drivers being performant than the open source ones.
After all, these third party firmwares has given new or extended life with new features for many old and new routers that has been EoL or otherwise restricted by manufacturers. Not to mention how these 3rd party firmwares has saved money and natural resources preventing me to buy a new one everytime manufacturers dropped the ball about the updates even if the hardware where still valid.
Concerning Asus, I just last week got Asus Blue Cave AC2600 from 2018 on my hands; router which is EoL and it's latest official firmware is from 2021, but I found a ASUSMerlin-WRT based and up-to-date firmware fork for it; fork because there even haven't been any official Merlin support for it. This is probably because ASUS uses not-so standard or otherwise open hardware on some of it's routers instead of well supported Broadcom architecture, in this case this Blue Cave is based on non-usual Intel hardware.