| WARNING: the gEDA project is not actively developed anymore. You may want to switch to the Ringdove EDA project which is similar in spirit but is active. |
The RT-N56U is a capable router, but its stock firmware can be limiting. Here are some reasons why you might want to consider custom firmware:
Newer Padavan builds support WireGuard. While the RT-N56U lacks AES-NI encryption acceleration, WireGuard is so lightweight that the old MIPS CPU handles 50-60Mbps easily. This allows you to route your entire home traffic through a commercial VPN (like Mullvad or NordVPN) or connect back to your home network from a coffee shop. rt-n56u custom firmware
relies on Padavan for optimized performance on its specific hardware. The RT-N56U is a capable router, but its
You can plug a USB 4G/LTE dongle into the USB port. If your cable internet dies, the RT-N56U will automatically failover to cellular data. This is an enterprise feature for zero dollars. This allows you to route your entire home
Padavan integrates a lightweight version of AdGuard. You can enable DNS filtering to block ads network-wide without installing browser extensions on your phone or smart TV.