I just purchased a new wireless router: a TP-LINK AC1750 Archer C7.
I have flashed OpenWRT, a Linux distribution, on it and now the sky is the limit. For example, I have managed to get 100% of something I’m currently paying for instead of the 15% I normally get. The steps I followed are:
- To make sure all DNS requests for that specific website go to TVUnblock, I added a few lines to /etc/dnsmasq.conf as explained here (but, of course, using the DNS servers of TVUnblock)
- To make sure my Chromecast queries the TVUnblock DNS instead of the Google DNS servers, I added two iptables lines to /etc/firewall.user as explained here.
- Finally, to make sure that TVUnblock does not block me, I use this cron script to notify them whenever my dynamic IP changes.
Thanks to everyone involved ;-)
An update: this does not work anymore. I am back to 15%… for the time being at least.
Haven’t flashed any of my routers yet. What did you use your router for and what changes did you notice after having flashed your router?
Logan did an intro back in 2015
Hi Yasir, I’ve been flashing my routers for years now. Check this 2007 post for instance. Each time, it was to be able to do something that the stock firmware couldn’t do. For example, I currently have two routers at home: a Linksys E1200 flashed with DD-WRT in order to become a client bridge and, as I wrote in my post, an Archer C7 running OpenWRT used for a number of things namely DHCP, DNS, solving an issue with Netflix, BitTorrent, etc. It’s fun to have your own Linux on your devices…
Since this morning, this doesn’t work anymore… I guess a lot of people all over the world are trying to find a solution. I’ll keep you posted.
Very good post sir !
Where can one acquire one in mauritius please ?
Hi, I got mine at Radha Computer in Goodlands. As I mentioned at the end of my post, the trick I used has stopped working and, consequently, I only have 15% now. Naturally, a lot of people are trying to find other tricks to get access to the 100% again but I am seriously considering getting rid of the service entirely as I prefer downloading to streaming.
Incidentally, since getting the Archer C7, the network I have at home has gained in simplicity and everything works really well. I have also managed to put DD-WRT on a Linksys E1200 and make it work as a wireless bridge.
What about setting up a VPN server in the cloud(with a US IP address) and routing all traffic through that server? Any ideas what the cheapest cost would be if going with this solution?
Unfortunately, Netflix has blocked a number of IPs belonging to those cloud providers… so this technique does not work anymore.