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> Maybe it's finally time to build my own router Can anyone link a good "getting started" guide for this? I have experience managing servers but not managing n

> Maybe it's finally time to build my own router Can anyone link a good "getting started" guide for this? I have experience managing servers but not managing network appliances, so I'm looking for a relatively gentle intro... Edit: I'm not asking about how to install OpenWRT on an existing router, I'm looking for a guide on how to build a router from general purpose hardware - in the same way that you can build your own NAS etc.

mshockwave 5y ago
+1 on the same question. I actually saw some posts about x86_64 based router the other day (didn't mention how to build it though), wondered if that's a viable solution.
- mastazi 5y ago
  I saw a similar one for a Raspberry PI based router, but I don't know if that's a good start or not, I would still like to hear from someone with experience: https://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2021/06/11/how-to-build-a-raspberry-pi-router-step-by-step-tutorial/ https://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2021/06/11/how-to-build-a-r...
kube-system 5y ago
OPNsense installs quite nicely on most x86 hardware. I have had a very good experience running it on a repurposed low-powered used 1U server appliance with a couple of good quality networking interfaces. It's so easy, all you need to do is install from media, and configure one interface as LAN and the other as WAN. Plug in your internet into one interface and your LAN into the other. Configure it like you normally would configure a router, and you're done. I'm running mine on a very old dual-core i5 with 4G of RAM and a 16GB SSD, and even this is overkill.
- mastazi 5y ago
  thank you! Years ago I remember looking into pfSense which appears to be related to OPNsense. Looking into it now!
  - kube-system 5y ago
    I had used pfSense for several years but I have had a better experience with OPNsense. OPNsense forked from pfSense.
jvolkman 5y ago
My preference is to install Proxmox on a small x86 machine with enough NICs and virtualize OpenWRT. One could also virtualize OPNSense (or VyOS, which I ran previously), but for me, OpenWRT is enough. I use this to route gigabit WAN: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/hzvfih/new_router_i58365u_quad_core_6_intel_nics/ https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/hzvfih/new_router_...
- mastazi 5y ago
  Thank you! I didn't consider the virtualisation route, interesting. I saw many of those "industrial mini PC" on eBay, but for now I'm planning to repurpose old hardware (discarded parts taken out of my gaming PC over time due to updates, I have everything I need to build a new machine except NICs and case). PS just followed the AliExpress link, those prices are good
occoder 5y ago
I followed these fine articles [1] [2] to build my own router running Linux on a mini PC. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/01/numbers-dont-lie-its-time-to-build-your-own-router/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/01/numbers-dont-lie-its... [2] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/04/the-ars-guide-to-building-a-linux-router-from-scratch/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/04/the-ars-guide-to-bui... The WiFi card in my mini PC turned out not to support access point mode, so I use separate WiFi routers as my access points. I could've replaced the WiFi card and run an access point on the mini PC too, but didn't bother because I needed multiple access points anyway to cover my house. There's no fancy GUI to mange my router though, everything is done on the command line.
- mastazi 5y ago
  Thank you! I have had a look at both article! My situation is similar to yours as I'm thinking that perhaps I will not have WiFi on it. Also based on the first of the two articles, it seems that wireless cards for PC are not that great when you use them as access points. (I wonder if the situation has changed at all since 2016 though).
  - occoder 5y ago
    WiFi cards for PC will probably always make crappy access points, not least because the antenna they come with can't compete with those on consumer WiFi routers. They could totally work if you only need to cover something like a small apartment and don't need top speed. But separate WiFi access point is probably the way to go, I'd made sure to get ones that could run OpenWRT.
    - mastazi 5y ago
      > I'd made sure to get ones that could run OpenWRT. Very good point!

mshockwave 5y ago

+1 on the same question. I actually saw some posts about x86_64 based router the other day (didn't mention how to build it though), wondered if that's a viable solution.

mastazi 5y ago
I saw a similar one for a Raspberry PI based router, but I don't know if that's a good start or not, I would still like to hear from someone with experience: https://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2021/06/11/how-to-build-a-raspberry-pi-router-step-by-step-tutorial/ https://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2021/06/11/how-to-build-a-r...

kube-system 5y ago

OPNsense installs quite nicely on most x86 hardware. I have had a very good experience running it on a repurposed low-powered used 1U server appliance with a couple of good quality networking interfaces. It's so easy, all you need to do is install from media, and configure one interface as LAN and the other as WAN. Plug in your internet into one interface and your LAN into the other. Configure it like you normally would configure a router, and you're done. I'm running mine on a very old dual-core i5 with 4G of RAM and a 16GB SSD, and even this is overkill.

mastazi 5y ago
thank you! Years ago I remember looking into pfSense which appears to be related to OPNsense. Looking into it now!
- kube-system 5y ago
  I had used pfSense for several years but I have had a better experience with OPNsense. OPNsense forked from pfSense.

jvolkman 5y ago

My preference is to install Proxmox on a small x86 machine with enough NICs and virtualize OpenWRT. One could also virtualize OPNSense (or VyOS, which I ran previously), but for me, OpenWRT is enough. I use this to route gigabit WAN: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/hzvfih/new_router_i58365u_quad_core_6_intel_nics/ https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/hzvfih/new_router_...

mastazi 5y ago
Thank you! I didn't consider the virtualisation route, interesting. I saw many of those "industrial mini PC" on eBay, but for now I'm planning to repurpose old hardware (discarded parts taken out of my gaming PC over time due to updates, I have everything I need to build a new machine except NICs and case). PS just followed the AliExpress link, those prices are good

occoder 5y ago

I followed these fine articles [1] [2] to build my own router running Linux on a mini PC. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/01/numbers-dont-lie-its-time-to-build-your-own-router/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/01/numbers-dont-lie-its... [2] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/04/the-ars-guide-to-building-a-linux-router-from-scratch/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/04/the-ars-guide-to-bui... The WiFi card in my mini PC turned out not to support access point mode, so I use separate WiFi routers as my access points. I could've replaced the WiFi card and run an access point on the mini PC too, but didn't bother because I needed multiple access points anyway to cover my house. There's no fancy GUI to mange my router though, everything is done on the command line.

mastazi 5y ago
Thank you! I have had a look at both article! My situation is similar to yours as I'm thinking that perhaps I will not have WiFi on it. Also based on the first of the two articles, it seems that wireless cards for PC are not that great when you use them as access points. (I wonder if the situation has changed at all since 2016 though).
- occoder 5y ago
  WiFi cards for PC will probably always make crappy access points, not least because the antenna they come with can't compete with those on consumer WiFi routers. They could totally work if you only need to cover something like a small apartment and don't need top speed. But separate WiFi access point is probably the way to go, I'd made sure to get ones that could run OpenWRT.
  - mastazi 5y ago
    > I'd made sure to get ones that could run OpenWRT. Very good point!