Some help for anyone looking into DD-WRT. I use it on 2 routers (a dirt cheap TP-link and a higher end Netgear) for >3 years. Both have been stable and performant. No known issues. Things are definitely better than stock firmware.

The approach I took:

- When you're new to DD-WRT, look up your router in the database on their website. Take some time to read about installation (and maybe configuration) on their wiki. I never bricked any routers, but I can imagine taking it one step at a time prevents some headaches. Using their website search will lead you to builds which are a few years old (might differ for newer routers). I installed those initially. It might not be a bad idea to start with those as they probably match the documentation.

- But, you can also update with newer beta versions. They gave me the same stability and performance. You'll get more options and a nicer interface, but presumably also security fixes. Find those through their FTP [0]. Be sure to read which exact build you need in the wiki.

So all in all a bit rough, but worth the effort. You'll get basically the same options as the OP.

[0] http://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/