DD-WRT? I'm clearly missing something.

I have had a love hate relationship with this since I did it a few days, maybe a week ago. It works sometimes. Then it just dies for no reason that I can find. I've tried factory defaults a dozen times now, I've tried the reset button... I've tried countless variations on options that seem well documented. The DHCP seems to be spotty, the dns from dnsmasq flat out doesn't work. I took it out of the main router position and turned it into a dumb switch with the radios and dhcp turned off. Somehow it screwed some things up and I had no dns, even though it wasn't broadcasting anything. I know I changed it's IP from my usual 192.168.1.1 to something else.

I'm assuming it's at good defaults and it should just work? It doesn't for me one bit. I've had to revert to putting my dnsmasq on my server again so I can have name resolution for my kodi clients in the house. I just don't get it. I don't claim to be brilliant but this is kicking my ass. I'm wondering if the router is just on the edge and flashing pushed it over.

Anyone have similar experiences? Am I just too dumb for it?