DD-WRT or Tomato for Netgear WNDR 4500 V2 ?

[x509]

I replaced this router with a Netgear Nighthawk so now I want to use it as a wireless bridge. The standard Netgear software for this router has only WPA security, which is weak, so I want to use DD-WRT or Tomato. Which is better for my purpose? I'm not interested in DD-WRT for my main router, just as a bridge. I have no experience with either. I'm looking for a "set it and forget it" setup, something the opposite of the constant important updates like Windows 10.

I used to use a D-Link DAP 1522 as a wireless bridge, but it failed due to age. The sole purpose of the wireless bridge is to make an old HP laser printer available as a network device, instead of being being shared on a desktop system that is not always on.

Thanks.

 

[5150Joker]

Tomato is nice but hardly ever updated so I'd go with dd wrt.

 

[GotNoRice]

I'm not interested in DD-WRT for my main router, just as a bridge.

I have both a WNDR4500 and a WNDR4500 V2. I use DD-WRT on both, and my experience has been very positive. I just use both as simple access points however. I've never played around with trying to use them as a bridge.

I'm looking for a "set it and forget it" setup, something the opposite of the constant important updates like Windows 10.

Just to be clear, DD-WRT is updated rather frequently. Updates have to be done manually. It won't prompt you, but they still exist. If you simply don't care about updates and prefer to pretend that they don't matter or don't exist, you can do that in Windows 10 also by disabling updates.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

I've never played around with trying to use them as a bridge.

From my understanding, an access point is an implementation of a bridge between media types because it 'bridges' wired ethernet with WiFi. I make no claims of RFC compliance for the preceding statement .

 

[x509]

Thanks guys. I will go with DD-WRT.

 

[x509]

From my understanding, an access point is an implementation of a bridge between media types because it 'bridges' wired ethernet with WiFi. I make no claims of RFC compliance for the preceding statement .

That's exactly what it does. In ISO model terms, it's a level 2 connection. Routing would be level 3, as in Internet Protocol, or IP. I don't understand why I can't find a current generation affordable router that supports bridging. that's why I want to use DD-WRT to get that feature. Otherwise, for my purposes, the standard Netgear software is (mostly) sufficient.