handofdoom wrote:
Just happened across this post, I'm curious if this is possible as well.

I am getting mixed messages but have gone ahead with the purchase, Nord support guy (very good) said he didn't recommend this Router purely based on customer experiences (and I still ignored him fingers crossed) due to the firmware and not being able to use express install, however Express gave me different answers. First support guy (patronising dick) said "is it listed on their support page? ....... then its not supported" Second support lady (Brilliant) said yes its just a newer model and manual install guide of RT-AC5300 still applies. Lets hope she is right.

I'm happy to go Guinea pig for you (router arrives in a few days) and keep you posted if you want?

Hopefully someone here with a little more knowledge can join the conversation though.

creditosrapidos10min wrote:
Hello,
The Express VPN guide for the RT 5300 is sufficient to install it. I have installed it with this guide and it works fine, but I recognize that if you do not have experience in this subject, it is difficult.

Thanks for confirming that :cool: means I am heading down the right path, i'm sure I will eventually work it out ... or convert in into a frisbee.:mad:

I had the same problem with express and got the VPN Fusion to work as follows:

1) The OPVN file you download from express has the host name of a server for the location you chose followed by a port number (looks like "usaxxxxx.com"). You need to edit the file before uploading it to your AC5300 so that the host name is a numeric IP address corresponding to the .COM name. You can look up the ip using one of the tools like:

https://www.ultratools.com/tools/dnsLookup

multiple IP's will be returned...I have no idea which is the best, so I tried each one until I had a stable connect. You need to substitute the x.x.x.x IP for the .COM string in the OPVN file - edit it using notepad and save it making sure you save it with the .OPVN file extension. Then try uploading that and activating it. I would think if you did a chat session with express that they could give you the numeric IP of the .COM name.


2) make sure you use google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) for the WAN DNS in the AC5300 menu


3) if you lose power or reboot your AC5300, you need to reload the OPVN file...it is a pain but is the only way I have found to get express working again. Also, it takes a long time to bring up the VPN fusion page after a power cycle for some reason....like 2 minutes for me.


4) I use express for my default connection and main Internet for the exceptions. Another hassle is that I need to deactivate/activate each exception list entry after the OPVN upload to get my exception list entries to correct MTU and expected speeds from my main internet.


I just got this AC5300 for the VPN Fusion and am frustrated by the hassle to get express to work...but it does work once you get it going. I hope ASUS gets the kinks ironed out eventually for OPVN files from express so that it works without the edits. I signed up for various trials with different services and noticed that NORD worked without the edits......I looked at the NORD OPVN file and noticed it had the numeric IP which is why it worked right away.

For some reason, the .COM name is not able to resolve properly using express so either express needs to use the IP or ASUS needs to figure out how to resolve the .COM name properly.

Another thing I found is that express does not have a readily available list of its own DNS servers like NORD or google...the only way to use expressVPN DNS servers for privacy is to connect with their expressVPN software client. So even when using an express connection with Fusion, the web traffic lookups are still passed through the WAN DNS specified within the router settings.

I hope this makes some sense...good luck.

ROG2112 wrote:
I had the same problem with express and got the VPN Fusion to work as follows:

1) The OPVN file you download from express has the host name of a server for the location you chose followed by a port number (looks like "usaxxxxx.com"). You need to edit the file before uploading it to your AC5300 so that the host name is a numeric IP address corresponding to the .COM name. You can look up the ip using one of the tools like:

https://www.ultratools.com/tools/dnsLookup

multiple IP's will be returned...I have no idea which is the best, so I tried each one until I had a stable connect. You need to substitute the x.x.x.x IP for the .COM string in the OPVN file - edit it using notepad and save it making sure you save it with the .OPVN file extension. Then try uploading that and activating it. I would think if you did a chat session with express that they could give you the numeric IP of the .COM name.


2) make sure you use google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) for the WAN DNS in the AC5300 menu


3) if you lose power or reboot your AC5300, you need to reload the OPVN file...it is a pain but is the only way I have found to get express working again. Also, it takes a long time to bring up the VPN fusion page after a power cycle for some reason....like 2 minutes for me.


4) I use express for my default connection and main Internet for the exceptions. Another hassle is that I need to deactivate/activate each exception list entry after the OPVN upload to get my exception list entries to correct MTU and expected speeds from my main internet.


I just got this AC5300 for the VPN Fusion and am frustrated by the hassle to get express to work...but it does work once you get it going. I hope ASUS gets the kinks ironed out eventually for OPVN files from express so that it works without the edits. I signed up for various trials with different services and noticed that NORD worked without the edits......I looked at the NORD OPVN file and noticed it had the numeric IP which is why it worked right away.

For some reason, the .COM name is not able to resolve properly using express so either express needs to use the IP or ASUS needs to figure out how to resolve the .COM name properly.

Another thing I found is that express does not have a readily available list of its own DNS servers like NORD or google...the only way to use expressVPN DNS servers for privacy is to connect with their expressVPN software client. So even when using an express connection with Fusion, the web traffic lookups are still passed through the WAN DNS specified within the router settings.

I hope this makes some sense...good luck.

Very interesting thanks for contributing, and I am glad you have found a working solution quite a different route to my method, I will look further into trying this as described when I get home.

I am starting to come up with a theory as to my issue but yet to able to test and confirm it?
have been experimenting which is always fun for someone who knows little about net works. Love that reset & restore point.
I believe the ISP provided Modem Router is the issue, when I changes the router address of the ASSUS to 192.168.1.20 (make sure to type this address when you want to access the GUI), Express OpenVPN now works.....sort of. I think my isp Modem/Router was causing a conflict with the LAN.

It connects sseamlessly but doesn't actually change my ip address, the leading Modem/Router is still establishing this so the VPN works but isn't active. (At least that's whats happening in my head)
Next step to test me theory is to get a new VDSL Modem/Router that will actually let me put it in bridge mode, this should in theory remove the double NAT and allow the Rapture to be the brains in the Net Work.

Question, once there is a working solution if there are any settings that need changing on the Rapture (I don't think there is but maybe I could pre-configure the Express VPN servers minus the Username and password), could I simply attach a config file with password and admin set to default to this trhead so people can load it up as a starting point?