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Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

Hi friends, I'm shopping a router and from what I read in the reviews, ALL mid-end family routers (those between $40 and $100) that I see need a cloud account to access the management page. I'm wondering if there is anything that does not need a cloud account? Thanks~~

easrng 5y ago
My TP-Link router asks you to make a cloud account but you don't need one to to use the web interface at 192.168.0.1
Jnr 5y ago
You can't really go wrong with Mikrotik. They are affordable and have a lot of powerful features. I have been using the "hAP ac" (2.4/5ghz) model for ~5 years now, and some other 2.4ghz model for another 5 years before that. Whenever I need to upgrade, I'll go with them.
- ryantgtg 5y ago
  What are the indications that you need to upgrade (aside from "device has broken")? I've been the same using an 802.11n (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) since 2014, as well as the same modem since 2014. Aside from flashing a newer version of dd-wrt every four years, I don't think about my modem/router much and I don't know what I'm missing! Speed at my house is fine for my needs - however, my coverage doesn't seem perfect (notably, multi-room speakers have trouble staying in sync). I simply don't know if I'm in the market for a new router! Like, perhaps the coverage issue should be resolved with AP/extender/mesh (and I have no idea which one of those).
  - Jnr 5y ago
    I suspect I will upgrade when I go from 1 GbE to 100 GbE for local network. After looking at storage speeds and other things, it seemed like I should just skip 10 Gigabit altogether (cheaper to get additional faster NVMe SSD drives for local devices). And the AC wifi is completely sufficient for my needs. Upgrades won't be needed until all the ISP's finally start offering >1GbE at home. Who knows how many years it will take. And when it comes to software updates - I still receive them. Even my 10 year old Mikrotik router got upgraded to the new v7, with Wireguard support, etc.
    - ryantgtg 5y ago
      Thanks. I have a Mikrotik HAP AC2 on order to (hopefully) replace my Buffalo Airstation wzr-600dhp (an ancient N). Once that proves itself I’ll get perhaps another AC2 to act as an AP. And will also look into replacing my Arris SB6141. Baby steps. I haven’t delved into local speeds very closely. My home “server” is simply a pi4 with a WD mounted and shared across my network. I have navidrome on the pi for music and just use the file explorer for video. I sometimes have an issue when watching vids over wifi where the band simply stops being responsive and I have to switch over to 5ghz (or the other way). It’s strange, and my assumption is usually “spectrum is suspicious of something.”
aborsy 5y ago
Protectli boxes running OPNsense seem good. A bit more expensive though. I advocate separating APs and WiFi from router.
- a-dub 5y ago
  this is what i would consider if i wanted to go full alpha nerd about it. although these days could also just run linux. everything else has the equivalent of a cloud account via automatic firmware updates.
- lytedev 5y ago
  May I ask why you advocate for such separation?
  - detaro 5y ago
    a) all-in-one is often a compromise, e.g. people might like a a relatively plain Linux or BSD to do routing - best on "boring" hardware, but you don't get the best WiFi performance on such hardware. Whereas APs/integrated routers don't necessarily run such OSes best, have driver issues for newest standards etc. b) incoming internet connection is often in a corner somewhere. Best position for an AP is elsewhere. If that's a problem depends on how you get internet and what the place looks like.
  - sliken 5y ago
    Routers are security sensitive and are long lived. Much like the unix philisophy, do one thing and do it well. A GigE router has been plenty for many years and will likely be fine for most people for many more. Ideally routers are kept as simple as possible and as secure as possible. WIFI APs however are changing quickly, beam forming, MIMO, 802.11ac, 802.11n, wifi6, 802.11g, etc. Not to mention ideally APs are placed for optimal propagation and might even having more than one per home. So ideally you don't have to throw away your router to get the current gen WIFI or to add a second AP. Similarly with separate AP and router you don't have to throw away your AP because you need more/faster ports, better buffer bloat mitigation, or improved QoS on your router. When troubleshooting it's really nice to be able to tell if it's an AP problem or a router problem.
5bolts 5y ago
how comfortable are you with swapping the firmware out? DD-WRT or Tomato (or any of the other options) should all be local only.
throw0101a 5y ago
Never needed one for my Asus.
- eez0 5y ago
  I second this. OP, I don't know what kind of research have you done, but Asus routers certainly do not need any cloud account.
BOOSTERHIDROGEN 5y ago
Edgerouter X
matdehaast 5y ago
Microtek hands down the best value for money.
- markvdb 5y ago
  I presume you mean Mikrotik?
  - matdehaast 5y ago
    Yea :) autocorrect is not my friend
- cpach 5y ago
  Do they comply with the GPL though?
- emptybottle 5y ago
  How so?
  - bennyp101 5y ago
    You can pick up a hAP2 for ~£60 which gives you a LOT of configuration for the money. You can make it as simple or as complicated as you like. The only downside is it's not exactly a point and click GUI - but for what you get for your money they are worth it
- dilyevsky 5y ago
  Only if you like to get p0wned (they have terrible security track record)
  - watt 5y ago
    Therey're 10x as careful now, probably. Mikrotik is great at releasing patches, so even if you have old device, you are covered.
    - 5y ago
cpach 5y ago
I would look for hardware that can run Opnsense or OpenWRT See e.g. https://old.reddit.com/r/OPNsenseFirewall/comments/lemj0r/hardware_for_opnsense/ https://old.reddit.com/r/OPNsenseFirewall/comments/lemj0r/ha... and https://openwrt.org/toh/start https://openwrt.org/toh/start
- AnthonyMouse 5y ago
  This is a good solution but make sure to check the idle power consumption for PC hardware. It varies considerably. (Hardware like this will be idle nearly all of the time.) If you don't have an AC watt meter, get one, they're inexpensive and pay for themselves quickly.
dredmorbius 5y ago
Any system capable of running OpenWRT. https://openwrt.org/supported_devices https://openwrt.org/supported_devices You might find / inquire about specific devices at the OpenWRT subreddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/openwrt/ https://old.reddit.com/r/openwrt/ The Turris Omnia is priced above your preferred range, but is effectively a small server and has excellent capabilities. It runs a specifically-tuned and live-upgradable version of OpenWRT: https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/ https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/
- droningparrot 5y ago
  I've had good experiences running OpenWRT on the TP-Link Archer C7. It's a popular router and I've been able to find plenty of them used for around $40
  - clircle 5y ago
    I've got a C7 and it doesn't even need a cloud account to set up
    - cpach 5y ago
      The default firmware on C7 is quite nice and is good enough for most users. I guess OpenWRT gives more options for power-users though.
- dehrmann 5y ago
  I usually get a Mikrotik device when I'm going to use OpenWRT. Hardware support tends to be pretty good.
- pc86 5y ago
  I'd never heard of the Omnia before, I'll have to check this out it looks pretty neat!
  - cassianoleal 5y ago
    I was also recommending it here (posted before seeing the parent): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29703321 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29703321 I own one and it has not always been great. At one point their fork of OpenWRT was so different from upstream that upgrades were taking a long time and introduced lots of bugs. Since the last major version or 2 though, they've upstreamed most of the drivers and custom code, so TurrisOS is just a few patches and packages on top of OpenWRT to better support the specific hardware and services, and it's been very stable. One incredibly useful feature is BTRFS snapshots and the `schnapps` CLI to manage them. The hardware reset button can even be used to roll back to factory defaults, from where you can still access and restore any snapshot so it's very easy to unbrick the router if you make a mistake. Add an M.2 NVMe card and you can run LXC containers (and in the next major release, even Docker).
cassianoleal 5y ago
Turris Omnia [0], although if you can you might want to wait for the 2022 model [1]. Alternatively, build your own out of Turris MOX modules [2]. [0] https://openwrt.org/toh/turris/turris_omnia https://openwrt.org/toh/turris/turris_omnia [1] https://forum.turris.cz/t/turris-omnia-2022/15995 https://forum.turris.cz/t/turris-omnia-2022/15995 [2] https://www.turris.com/en/mox/overview/ https://www.turris.com/en/mox/overview/
unbanned 5y ago
>need a cloud account to access the management page Do they? Zyxel don't, Huawei don't, Netgear don't, Asus don't etc etc..
artimaeis 5y ago
Take a look at TPLink equipment. They support cloud accounts, but they're not required. And their equipment is fairly good in my experience. I use the Archer C20 in my house, but in the $40-100 range I'd take a look at the Archer AX20.
lotsofpulp 5y ago
Linksys Velop can be set up without a cloud account: https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article?articleNum=226218 https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article?articleNum=226218 Aruba Instant On might be possible too, but I am not sure.
twobitshifter 5y ago
I have an asus AX3000 bought last year. I don’t remember there being any cloud account associated with it, but it is out of the price range ($150) you’re asking for. It could be the budget options are reducing prices in exchange for the ability to gather data, similar to smartTVs
emptybottle 5y ago
Asus has been good for me. You could see what modern models are supported by asuswrt merlin or tomato firmwares. http://freshtomato.org/ http://freshtomato.org/ https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/
Overtonwindow 5y ago
What about a linux box with Smoothwall, and a switch? If you’re unhappy about cloud routers (as I am) perhaps build your own.
- cpach 5y ago
  Smoothwall & Co are nice alternatives. But it can sometimes be tricky to find good hardware that has two Ethernet ports and are quiet, small, etc.
  - Overtonwindow 5y ago
    Good point, to clarify, I was thinking you could take a cheap PC, a couple of nic cards, and spend less than $100. Size would be a problem. I’m thinking a small mini desktop.
icecap12 5y ago
OpenWRT is definitely the single best option, however there is very limited support for the WiFi6 routers. If you're upgrading to 6 or 6E, as I was this last month, I found few options for OpenWRT. However, I already operate OPNSense as my primary router, and all WiFi "routers" on the network act as Access Points and do no routing. OPNSense provides granular control over the network, and offers all the services you would expect in at least a SMB-grade edge device (arguably enterprise), including routing, firewall, DHCP, DNS, IDS/IPS, etc. Even in AP mode (routing disabled), the new WiFi COTS routers seem to phone home. My guess is a combination of checks for patching and some telemetry. I just block those lookups at the DNS layer for that device, which was effective enough at preventing the traffic. If I have to, I'll block outbound from that device specifically, though I admittedly haven't played around with the after-effects since its sort of the gateway for that specific NIC interface.
- kubik369 5y ago
  I have given up on trying to find a consumer all-in-one router/ap combo and just have a dedicated router and dedicated access points. You can simply block all the Internet traffic for your access points and you will have more options to pick from for the router part. I am now running on a NanoPi R2S with some TP-Link Omada access points and I didn't have to touch anything for almost two years since I decided on this setup :)
  - ryantgtg 5y ago
    I don’t know that much about APs. They have to be wired into your router? I have some nearly-dead spots in my house, and so I think I need APs. Not sure that I could send wires around the house. I use a buffalo airstation with dd-wrt.
    - kubik369 5y ago
      It would be best to run wires with APs to those dead spots. If that is not possible, make it possible. If it is really not possible, then you have the option of powerline adapters or mesh networks, but those are a mostly inferior solution to running a cable and putting an AP there. I recommend not even thinking about repeaters if you are not desperate. Don't forget that the APs can be powered through PoE (Power over Ethernet) which relieves you from the need to have a power outlet at the spot you want to put your AP in.
paulcarroty 5y ago
https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128?dataflt%5BRAM+MB*%7E%5D=512 https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128?dataflt%5B... Enjoy.
dvno42 5y ago
Can't go wrong with MikroTik. I set my family/friends up with these along with a current gen access point. Been running strong for 8 years or so.
haunter 5y ago
I have this, no cloud needed, OpenWRT compatible if you wish to use that https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-c7/ https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/arche...
bennyp101 5y ago
None of my TPLink, Netgear, or ASUS routers have ever needed a cloud account - I guess this is a new/regional thing? I use Mikrotik hAP2 (~£60/$80) - if you are comfortable with that sort of thing, otherwise I guess anything that supports OpenWRT as others have said. Have you got examples of ones that need a cloud account? I'm intrigued now
- ABeeSea 5y ago
  Yea I just bought a netgear router and it didn’t require a cloud account. It did push creating one very heavily during setup.
  - sib301 5y ago
    Also using net gear. I suspect the vast majority of users here are savvy enough to get around the cloud requirement but non-technical users likely would not have figured it out.
  - hnthrowaway0315 5y ago
    Just to confirm, you don't need the cloud account for entering management page right? The reviews I read on Amazon could be from people who are not technical enough so they fell for the cloud acc trap.
    - brynjolf 5y ago
      I have a R7800 and they used to have an app for Android and iOS they didn't need account. They later removed that app and made the router refuse connections to it in favor of the new app that does require an account. That being said, if you don't want the app you don't need an account.
- mistrial9 5y ago
  in California I see that the AT&T supplied DSL-modem/router requires sign in (stored in firmware configs), and takes over the DNS functions (details forthcoming). I am very concerned about future "required" hardware like this.. the excuses will be around security, but look at the history of economic incentives.
umvi 5y ago
I bought the TPLink Archer A7 and did not need a cloud account for it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JD7F7G/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JD7F7G/
- greenyoda 5y ago
  I've also had one for a year now, and I'm happy with it. You can connect to the router's admin interface just by opening 192.168.0.1 in your browser.
3guk 5y ago
For small family home deployments I've always used ASUS stuff flashed with AsusWRT-Merlin - https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ - has been super stable and I've never required anything other than a local account to set them up.
- tonymet 5y ago
  I agree this is the best ‘technical family’ solution. Good balance of easy-to-use, stable as well as some advanced features if needed. OP : If you are technical you can buy a TM-AC1900 on ebay for $40 and flash it with the AC-68U https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/ https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/
- mikecoles 5y ago
  Merlin supports ai.mesh. Very nice. The roaming support from the stock firmware works well from the small installations I've done. Have you made use of the feature in the Merlin variant?
nsm 5y ago
Bought a netgear router and a tplink repeater within the last year. All the cloud account crap is only required to use the mobile apps. However they all offer web interfaces directly at their ip addresses. Just use that and bypass all the dark patterns. It sucks that companies feel the need to cloudify everything.
- dnautics 5y ago
  Maybe I'm dense, but I could not figure out how to use my netgear wi-fi AP without registering your account. Same with TP-link. What's worse, is the TP-link didn't say "requires registration" on the box.
- david422 5y ago
  All netgear routers can use routerlogin.net Also have netgear with no cloud account required. Also don't use mobile apps.
  - cma 5y ago
    New netgear stuff only works without a cloud account when you unplug it from the net. That means no remote admin through a local machine (have to be there to pull the plug), and no settings changes without disrupting internet.
    - ABeeSea 5y ago
      I just logged into my new netgear router from 192.168.1.1 without unplugging anything.
      - b112 5y ago
        I wonder, fall for the trick, setup cloud, and you are forever trapped?
        david422 5y ago
        I dunno, I've had netgear forever, before they ever had cloud logins, and I've just set it up the exact same way every time. Maybe if I was buying my first netgear today I would be suckered into the cloud stuff since I wouldn't know any better.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
dilyevsky 5y ago
https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-b1300/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-b1300/ No bs openwrt router has DoH and optional PoE support. Cheap
- slock83 5y ago
  I've been using this particular model for about 6 month now, with a standard openwrt on it. It runs a full AdBlock, ip-ranges blocking, and a wireguard server (with good enough bandwidth, I use it with steam link/gamestream). Very nice small router
StephanRomer 5y ago
MikroTik has some fantastic products in your price range. Could wholeheartedly recommend them myself. https://mikrotik.com/products https://mikrotik.com/products
deeesstoronto 5y ago
Mikrotik HAP AC2. Great value, great power, easy setup. OpenWRT also great option.
lwhsiao 5y ago
Not quite and off-the-shelf product, and also largely out of stock, but many people like to get a PC Engines APU2 and run OPNSense or OpenWRT on them.
guilhas 5y ago
Normally I go to eBay and search openwrt, there are several models
xwolfi 5y ago
Synology RT2600 is quite cool, I adore it. It has also a free site to site vpn feature where you can connect various subnets over the internet if you have several lines/homes. It can segment traffic by people (you record which MAC is who, segment away by theme, etc), host a custom DNS server very well, has nice firewalling features and there s no mandatory cloud account. I ve made a few custom scripts for it, and its linux base is good enough (old kernel a little bit). I paid around 300 USD for it I think, for 2 of them, and it's the best router I ever had, OpenWRT included. The only thing I miss from openwrt is the custom vlan joining on optic fiber relay you can do with them to bypass your ISP fiber modem and just use an optical to eth converter. But that's not a huge overhead these days. Doubled the speed when the ISP's crappy boxes couldnt cool well enough for 500Mbps 10 years ago :D The big advantage, for me, of Synology routers, over OpenWRT and its alternatives (I rmb one called Tomato something) is that it's so much clearer and easier to use quickly and climb from there. With OpenWRT in my old memories you were thrown in a discouraging mess that made me struggle a bit to find simple features (but it has them all).
- creiht 5y ago
  I've been super happy with mine as well. It is a great balance of flexibility and usability. I had a MicroTik prior which worked well, but I was just tired of having to re-learn networking chops to make any changes. The Synology really has been a breath of fresh air, and have had no problems with it over the past year.
- DangitBobby 5y ago
  I also have this router and like it so far, but I haven't had it long enough to recommend it. In addition to the other features mentioned, it supports load balancing and failover, which is why I bought it. You can make a cloud account for it but that's by no means necessary.
juancn 5y ago
Any router (or routerboard) that supports Mikrotik: https://mikrotik.com/ https://mikrotik.com/ You don't have to buy from them the hardware. I used to use OpenWRT (which is also a nice second option), but the robustness and flexibility of mikrotik is fantastic.
- enneff 5y ago
  Seconding this. Great firmware and I own some of their hardware and it works well.
- mmastrac 5y ago
  I have had a Mikrotik device for about 5 years now and it doesn't require a cloud login but you better be ready to learn the nuances of the Mikrotik system. It is far too easy to accidentally open up your internal network through misconfiguration. The wizards for network setup make this much easier but be ready for a steep learning curve.
- stevenjgarner 5y ago
  I strongly upvote Mikrotik with its open-source RouterOS software (which you can run on nearly any computer). I have used Mikrotik for years, from their low-end (but powerful) routerBOARD offerings through to their CCR1036-12G-4S optical router and their nRAY 60 GHz point-to-point wireless Internet. I have supported dozens of router brands for clients since 1996, and I cannot say enough good things about Mikrotik. It allows you to work productively on Terminal CLI (but that is not necessary).
  - redprince 5y ago
    > I strongly upvote Mikrotik with its open-source RouterOS software (which you can run on nearly any computer). Unless I have missed a few recent development, the RouterOS is open source only in the sense that it is build on a foundation of open source software. The source of the GPL parts is available upon request. Running RouterOS on non-Mikrotik hardware requires the purchase of a separate license. Mikrotik hardware usually comes with a license already on the device.
numpad0 5y ago
Ideally you should get one wired router, Cisco and Juniper are famous. Depending on your configuration, you might want one 24-port switch as well. 10GE support is going to be a nice future proofing but adoption is still lagging. Add as many wireless APs as necessary per each 10-20ft radius to cover and you're good. ok I'm 82.5% joking. I'm not doing anything fancy as that, just an EdgeRouter X and a whatever AP. Are you sure it's cloud account? All routers need ID and password but usually it's local and only ever stored on router itself.
tiahura 5y ago
ASUS. Runs WRT. No account needed. Not a Chinese company.
iddqd 5y ago
The Unifi Dream Machines allow you to set them up without a cloud account since the latest update: https://community.ui.com/releases/UniFi-OS-Dream-Machines-1-11-0/eef95803-6976-499b-9169-bf6dfbbcc209 https://community.ui.com/releases/UniFi-OS-Dream-Machines-1-... The Dream Router falls within your price range but is hard to get ahold of right now: https://eu.store.ui.com/products/dream-router-ea https://eu.store.ui.com/products/dream-router-ea Should be able to set it up and manage it over the local network via their mobile apps or via browser.
ValentineC 5y ago
There's a few other router recommendations in these discussions from the past week: - Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29641868 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29641868 - MikroTik RouterOS v7 stable released https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29473704 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29473704
alangibson 5y ago
FritzBox 7530. That's all I use. Cons: A bit above your stated price point; not sure what international availability is like. https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Router-Supervectoring-Server-Suitable-Germany/dp/B08BZPXCKD https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Router-Supervectoring-Server-Suit...
- ahartmetz 5y ago
  When I got a FritzBox sort of by accident was when I stopped using an old PC as a router. FritzBoxes can really do a lot.
yrui 5y ago
I am very happy with the ThinkPenguin mini router. https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/free-software-wireless-n-mini-vpn-router-v3-tpe-r1300 https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/free-software-wireles... It uses LibreCMC--a really well supported Libre branch of OpenWRT. https://librecmc.org/faq.html https://librecmc.org/faq.html Everything just works, and there are regular updates patching vulnerabilities.
- winrid 5y ago
  If they had a 1gbps version, I'd buy it.
tonymet 5y ago
Get a separate router and AP. Router hardware is stable , but wifi tech improves every 5 years . Router/firewall config is also more complicated so you want more control and stability. For The router get a mikrotik or ubiquiti. Then you can run small- business APs from Ubiquiti and TP link for example. Or convert an older router into AP with open source firmware .
otterley 5y ago
Ubiquiti's EdgeRouter X is relatively inexpensive, has plenty of features, and does not require a cloud account of any sort.
- md_ 5y ago
  Apparently can also run OpenWRT, though I haven't tried and it's not clear to me if everything is well-supported.
  - xnyan 5y ago
    I'm running openWRT on my edgerouterX, and so far (about 2 months) everything has been really well supported including hardware offloading of various features. In most cases, I'm getting better than stock performance. UI is much better too. I'm a big fan.
    - mmastrac 5y ago
      I didn't know this was an option but I'm definitely going to look into it now. I just bought one of these for my home lab.
    - md_ 5y ago
      Cool. From what I find online, it seems like PoE and SFP (with the X-SFP) are both supported? Any experience with those?
  - mikecoles 5y ago
    I put OpenWRT on an ERPro-8. It worked very well and had more features than the stock firmware. USB modem support was what pushed me to OpenWRT. The storage took a dump in the router (soldered on) so it was fun while it lasted. The MikroTik RB5009UG+S+IN is looking pretty sweet.
- mehdix 5y ago
  I'm using it as my router and it is working with absolutely no problem for the last two years. The management page is accessible over ssh and https.
whalesalad 5y ago
What other requirements do you have? Wireless? How fast is the connection? How many devices will be on it, and what kind of performance do they require? Is this for you, or your Grandma?
vermasque 5y ago
My Arris modem/router combo didn't need a cloud account.
annoyingnoob 5y ago
https://www.pfsense.org https://www.pfsense.org
bruceb 5y ago
Go to goodwill or Craigslist, there are a lot of routers, like 1080p monitors, the world doesn't need any more low or mid range routers purchased new. Save a bit of waste from going to a landfill.
mushufasa 5y ago
Here is a company that offers refurbished routers with DDWRT installed https://www.flashrouters.com https://www.flashrouters.com . Note -- I didn't realize this when I originally bought mine -- they bundle support in with the starting price, and you have to have 3 months of support minimum, after which you can cancel. So assume you have to pay an extra 60-90 dollars on top of the hardware price. But then you own a router with open source firmware that you can manage locally.
DJBunnies 5y ago
Note for ddwrt enthusiasts that some gigabit or faster routers (eg asus) will perform an order of magnitude slower than with the stock firmware.
rufius 5y ago
EdgeRouter-X
simooooo 5y ago
meomatic 5y ago
I don't know, how much they cost in US, but here are couple of solutions: 1. EdgeRouter X (ER-X) or EdgeRouter Lite (ERLite-3). 2. more userfriendly UniFi Security Gateway (USG) with controller (UCK) or UniFi Dream Machine (UDM) - it propose creating cloud account, but __do not__ require it. 3. use devices capable to run OpenWRT or buy some hardware like Supermicro Embedded Solutions (later I can share models list) to run pfSense/OPNSense or VyOS. 4. other MikroTik soulutions (but I don't like them so my knowledge is not up to date; I don't know which solutions are good for you).
- kevinmgranger 5y ago
  Any reason you don't like MikroTik? I've been a little turned off by Ubiquiti's latest moves so I was eyeing MikroTik for my next upgrade.
  - meomatic 5y ago
    I think that MikroTik does everything to make managing their devices unclear as it's possible. WinBox for example, in some places looks okay (e.g. presenting data in tables or drawing charts) but filling forms or editing settings is terrible. It's not about Ubiquiti, but even pfSense does great job when it comes to presenting data and help to understand presented data (e.g. hide/show advanced options, providing comments and documentation to each option in forms, using padding and margins even help to understand visually your options). But in the same hand I need to say I am impressed with MikroTik CLI. It colorize each typed word! Even enterprise class Cisco devices don't do it. It's super useful for me and help me with understanding what's going on. Do you even imagine programming in notepad with note type of font and color today, like it was in the past with Windows Notepad? I don't think so. UX/UI is not only about pretty buttons. It's about usability, repeatability, predictability, stability, confidence and ease of access. A software with best features is useless when it doesn't provide any convenient and trusted way to reach this features.
- merlinscholz 5y ago
  Be aware that Unifi's products sometimes require cloud accounts, depending on which update is installed. ALso, the dashboard is full of ads. I definitely would recommend MikroTik, sold my Unifi stuff for MikroTik and would never go back.
lmilcin 5y ago
I am using Ubiquiti Unifi hardware. You can run it without cloud account if you wish so. You do not loose any very important functionality. In particular the Cloud Key actually does not require cloud to function, it is actually a webapp running locally that lets you manage your local infrastructure.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
hnthrowaway0315 5y ago
Thanks everyone for making recommendations. I never expected so many answers :D Happy holiday!
metabagel 5y ago
OP obviously used a new throwaway (presumably one-time use) account. Does anyone know what might be the reason for this?
- Kadin 5y ago
  Maybe he doesn't want to create a permanent record of the router/AP hardware that they are using, that could easily be found by someone Googling their username?
dadro 5y ago
I've been pretty happy with MikroTik routers. I have an extra HapAC2, if you cover shipping it is all yours (I'm based in US).
- tonymet 5y ago
  is there a good guide on the firewall and routing config? i’m interested in this unit and want to set up separate vlans, NaT, multiple dhcp servers
  - dadro 5y ago
    I've found their Wiki to be quite helpful anytime I have questions https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:TOC https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:TOC. I
aspectmin 5y ago
I spend a LOT of time trying different routers. I've pretty much settled on the Asus routers - 58U, 88U. Out of the box they're pretty good, but once you load them with the Asus Merlin firmware, they're rock solid. I've visited a lot of homes to help troubleshoot internet connections, and the ones I've converted to this combination have gone silent (much more stable connections/wifi).
marsdepinski 5y ago
Mikrotik.
tyrfing 5y ago
Used Ruckus AP/router from eBay. Ridiculous reliability and performance for a home setup. Downsides are missing the absolute latest tech, it being EOL gear, and no warranty if it somehow dies.
prirun 5y ago
I have been using Netgear WNDR3700 and similar routers for years with no problems and no cloud account. I keep one as a spare for family in case someone's gets knocked out by a power surge, or the power supply dies, or whatever. Had that happen several times. I've never had one be "flaky": they either work or don't. I buy them at Goodwill for $5-10 whenever I see them there, which is fairly often. They have two main features I like: - separate main and guest networks. I put all my non-computer stuff like phone, TV, Roku, Tivo, etc on the guest network. There is a setting to isloate the guest network from the main network on separate vlans. - they have a QOS setting for uploads (I only have 1Mbit up), so when I do online backups with HashBackup (I'm the author), the router will use the full upload bandwidth if there are no other connections uploading, but if there are other connections needing to upload, the router splits the capacity between the active connections. Without QOS, it was impossible to have an interactive ssh session during a bulk upload. With QOS it works fine. You can buy these on eBay for $15-25. Get one with free shipping so that if you have trouble and have to return it (unlikely with a high feedback seller), you don't have to pay for shipping.
formerly_proven 5y ago
Any random Linux distro or Free/OpenBSD install doesn't need an account of any kind. Unless you need an awkward modem which is hard/costly to get (e.g. cable internet, VDSL2+), almost everything can be a decent router. Commercial routers often have some kind of hardware offloading for routing built into their SoCs, but you don't really need that per se at residential internet speeds (<=1 GBit/s). I'd recommend to separate router and wifi AP because this lets you pick the optimal place for the wifi AP regardless of where the internet cable is. Somewhat more costly but likely worth it for anything bigger than a three-room flat.
eu 5y ago
How about a custom built solution? Protectli Vault FW4B - 4 Port with OpenBSD and a Ubiquiti AP.
- sliken 5y ago
  Sounds good, just waiting for an updated flavor with 2.5Gbit ports. I keep routers for a long time and 2.5G is pretty common for the last few years. Seems like in the last few years many motherboards and Comcast modems come with 2.5G. Even some Intel chipsets are supporting 2.5G these days. Currently I have a EdgeRouter 6p + 2 Ubiquiti APs. But I'd like to update the router to something with at least 4x2.5G, or maybe 2x10G and a few 2.5G.
tgpc 5y ago
Mikrotik
windexh8er 5y ago
It really depends on the functionality and performance you want. Given the price range the performance side will be on the low end. I would recommend moving up your price-point (if at all possible) and buy something slightly more capable that will last, potentially, longer. Protectli [0] and Qotom [1] are popular among the OPNsense[2] / PFsense[3] / Untangle[4] firewall distros with respect to small form factor devices. If all you want is a cheap "router" with a bare bones feature set for Internet edge routing I'd recommend a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X [5]. At $59 it's the best piece of hardware you're likely to get for the money with total control and less big-brother. If you can't find one email me at my HN username at counterbrea dot ch. I have a few different unused EdgeRouters I could send you for the cost of shipping. [0] https://protectli.com/ https://protectli.com/ [1] https://www.qotom.net/product/list-58.html https://www.qotom.net/product/list-58.html [2] https://opnsense.org/ https://opnsense.org/ [3] https://www.pfsense.org/ https://www.pfsense.org/ [4] https://www.untangle.com/ https://www.untangle.com/ [5] https://store.ui.com/products/edgerouter-x https://store.ui.com/products/edgerouter-x
- wkearney99 5y ago
  I've had a fanless Qotom running pfsense for wire-speed (gigE) routing for several years. Set-and-forget, no moving parts. The wifi runs separately, using Unifi atm.
  - windexh8er 5y ago
    Exactly. I've got both units running in different locations for different (personal) networks. I'd say the quality of the Protecti unit is a bit higher where as you get a bit more for your money in terms of hardware with the Qotom. I was leery of both at first but so far no problems with either brand.
nonfxnl 5y ago
GL.iNet routers (https://www.gl-inet.com/products/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/) have been on my radar for a long time for similar reasons. No experience with their products yet, but they do look impressive with much more positive reviews than I could ask for.
alphabettsy 5y ago
I wouldn’t trust the people in the reviews know what they’re talking about. I just bought a new Netgear router, I’ll be returning it, but it doesn’t require a cloud account. Outside of Google Nest or Eero I don’t think many require a cloud account unless you want particular features like remote management, etc.
salmo 5y ago
I messed with OpenWRT on consumer gear for years. I hated the hardware. So many had "all the features" (802.11 coolest, gigabit NICs), but didn't have enough actual compute power/memory to get the performance out of them, or the NICs were "gigabit". OpenWRT works, but turned into a hobby in itself and I just don't have the patience for that anymore. Since 2017 I've run pfSense and love it. Originally started on a fanless x86 machine with good NICs (until it eventually committed suicide), and now run an actual NetGate appliance. The appliance is even nicer to me, since FreeBSD/ARM isn't a likely drive-by target for a 0-day. No cloud. Real OS, good feature set, regular updates, great performance. Unfortunately I haven't found an access point I love without cloud accounts. Running Uniquiti APs now. I do like that they hand off devices between each other well, push IoT to 2.4Ghz and real stuff to 5GHz, etc. I'd never run their router exposed to the internet, but.. yeah.
emdog4 5y ago
Linksys WRT3200ACM is what i recommend. supports openwrt. my 3200 is at my parents being used as an AP only. their router is a Cisco 1921 with zone based firewall and some poe 3750 switches. My setup here is a Cisco ASA 5512x firewall, catalyst 3750GBe poe switch, WLAN2504 controller and several CAP3702 APs. this requires quite a bit of experience to setup, but works very well. the wlan controller and two APs will probably cost about $300. that alone could be used behind your ISP modem if desired. i’ve got gigabit fiber up/down from ATT and use their modem but pass thru the IP to my asa.
- smcleod 5y ago
  I second this, it's a very capable wifi AP and router that supports openWRT that flashes and installs without any issues (last I tried it about a year ago).
fsflover 5y ago
Anything listed here: https://ryf.fsf.org https://ryf.fsf.org.
lillecarl 5y ago
MikroTik hAP AC2 is decent. Supports a boatload of features and doesn't really support a cloud account (it'll phone home with it's serial if you use their builtin DDNS feature though). Routes 1G, wifi is only 2x2 MIMO though so you won't get "amazing 9999 Gbit wifi) which you'll never get in real life anyways because of airtime congestion. They have a noob UI, "pro" UI and CLI. Both UI and CLI has all features (9x%, some features are hidden from gui while in beta).
yumraj 5y ago
IF you're willing to do the work, an option would be get an HP T730 from eBay, add a low profile Intel quad port I340 or I350 adapter and perhaps add a little more RAM (depending on the T730 you get 4GB-8GB is more than sufficient), and then install pfsense, opnsense, DD-WRT, openwrt or anything else on it. You will have a great little router/firewall that is much more capable than almost anything else in this price range. NOTE: this is effectively a thin client PC, so you can try different router/firewalls to pick which works best for you. There are also commercial options that people prefer such as Untangle, Sophos and so on. Sophos even has a free home version. There are other alternates to HP T730, but you may have to look around. It should come to around ~$100-$120 depending on luck, since it's eBay.

easrng 5y ago

My TP-Link router asks you to make a cloud account but you don't need one to to use the web interface at 192.168.0.1

Jnr 5y ago

You can't really go wrong with Mikrotik. They are affordable and have a lot of powerful features. I have been using the "hAP ac" (2.4/5ghz) model for ~5 years now, and some other 2.4ghz model for another 5 years before that. Whenever I need to upgrade, I'll go with them.

ryantgtg 5y ago
What are the indications that you need to upgrade (aside from "device has broken")? I've been the same using an 802.11n (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) since 2014, as well as the same modem since 2014. Aside from flashing a newer version of dd-wrt every four years, I don't think about my modem/router much and I don't know what I'm missing! Speed at my house is fine for my needs - however, my coverage doesn't seem perfect (notably, multi-room speakers have trouble staying in sync). I simply don't know if I'm in the market for a new router! Like, perhaps the coverage issue should be resolved with AP/extender/mesh (and I have no idea which one of those).
- Jnr 5y ago
  I suspect I will upgrade when I go from 1 GbE to 100 GbE for local network. After looking at storage speeds and other things, it seemed like I should just skip 10 Gigabit altogether (cheaper to get additional faster NVMe SSD drives for local devices). And the AC wifi is completely sufficient for my needs. Upgrades won't be needed until all the ISP's finally start offering >1GbE at home. Who knows how many years it will take. And when it comes to software updates - I still receive them. Even my 10 year old Mikrotik router got upgraded to the new v7, with Wireguard support, etc.
  - ryantgtg 5y ago
    Thanks. I have a Mikrotik HAP AC2 on order to (hopefully) replace my Buffalo Airstation wzr-600dhp (an ancient N). Once that proves itself I’ll get perhaps another AC2 to act as an AP. And will also look into replacing my Arris SB6141. Baby steps. I haven’t delved into local speeds very closely. My home “server” is simply a pi4 with a WD mounted and shared across my network. I have navidrome on the pi for music and just use the file explorer for video. I sometimes have an issue when watching vids over wifi where the band simply stops being responsive and I have to switch over to 5ghz (or the other way). It’s strange, and my assumption is usually “spectrum is suspicious of something.”

aborsy 5y ago

Protectli boxes running OPNsense seem good. A bit more expensive though. I advocate separating APs and WiFi from router.

a-dub 5y ago
this is what i would consider if i wanted to go full alpha nerd about it. although these days could also just run linux. everything else has the equivalent of a cloud account via automatic firmware updates.
lytedev 5y ago
May I ask why you advocate for such separation?
- detaro 5y ago
  a) all-in-one is often a compromise, e.g. people might like a a relatively plain Linux or BSD to do routing - best on "boring" hardware, but you don't get the best WiFi performance on such hardware. Whereas APs/integrated routers don't necessarily run such OSes best, have driver issues for newest standards etc. b) incoming internet connection is often in a corner somewhere. Best position for an AP is elsewhere. If that's a problem depends on how you get internet and what the place looks like.
- sliken 5y ago
  Routers are security sensitive and are long lived. Much like the unix philisophy, do one thing and do it well. A GigE router has been plenty for many years and will likely be fine for most people for many more. Ideally routers are kept as simple as possible and as secure as possible. WIFI APs however are changing quickly, beam forming, MIMO, 802.11ac, 802.11n, wifi6, 802.11g, etc. Not to mention ideally APs are placed for optimal propagation and might even having more than one per home. So ideally you don't have to throw away your router to get the current gen WIFI or to add a second AP. Similarly with separate AP and router you don't have to throw away your AP because you need more/faster ports, better buffer bloat mitigation, or improved QoS on your router. When troubleshooting it's really nice to be able to tell if it's an AP problem or a router problem.

5bolts 5y ago

how comfortable are you with swapping the firmware out? DD-WRT or Tomato (or any of the other options) should all be local only.

throw0101a 5y ago

Never needed one for my Asus.

eez0 5y ago
I second this. OP, I don't know what kind of research have you done, but Asus routers certainly do not need any cloud account.

BOOSTERHIDROGEN 5y ago

Edgerouter X

matdehaast 5y ago

Microtek hands down the best value for money.

markvdb 5y ago
I presume you mean Mikrotik?
- matdehaast 5y ago
  Yea :) autocorrect is not my friend
cpach 5y ago
Do they comply with the GPL though?
emptybottle 5y ago
How so?
- bennyp101 5y ago
  You can pick up a hAP2 for ~£60 which gives you a LOT of configuration for the money. You can make it as simple or as complicated as you like. The only downside is it's not exactly a point and click GUI - but for what you get for your money they are worth it
dilyevsky 5y ago
Only if you like to get p0wned (they have terrible security track record)
- watt 5y ago
  Therey're 10x as careful now, probably. Mikrotik is great at releasing patches, so even if you have old device, you are covered.
  - 5y ago

cpach 5y ago

I would look for hardware that can run Opnsense or OpenWRT See e.g. https://old.reddit.com/r/OPNsenseFirewall/comments/lemj0r/hardware_for_opnsense/ https://old.reddit.com/r/OPNsenseFirewall/comments/lemj0r/ha... and https://openwrt.org/toh/start https://openwrt.org/toh/start

AnthonyMouse 5y ago
This is a good solution but make sure to check the idle power consumption for PC hardware. It varies considerably. (Hardware like this will be idle nearly all of the time.) If you don't have an AC watt meter, get one, they're inexpensive and pay for themselves quickly.

dredmorbius 5y ago

Any system capable of running OpenWRT. https://openwrt.org/supported_devices https://openwrt.org/supported_devices You might find / inquire about specific devices at the OpenWRT subreddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/openwrt/ https://old.reddit.com/r/openwrt/ The Turris Omnia is priced above your preferred range, but is effectively a small server and has excellent capabilities. It runs a specifically-tuned and live-upgradable version of OpenWRT: https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/ https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/

droningparrot 5y ago
I've had good experiences running OpenWRT on the TP-Link Archer C7. It's a popular router and I've been able to find plenty of them used for around $40
- clircle 5y ago
  I've got a C7 and it doesn't even need a cloud account to set up
  - cpach 5y ago
    The default firmware on C7 is quite nice and is good enough for most users. I guess OpenWRT gives more options for power-users though.
dehrmann 5y ago
I usually get a Mikrotik device when I'm going to use OpenWRT. Hardware support tends to be pretty good.
pc86 5y ago
I'd never heard of the Omnia before, I'll have to check this out it looks pretty neat!
- cassianoleal 5y ago
  I was also recommending it here (posted before seeing the parent): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29703321 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29703321 I own one and it has not always been great. At one point their fork of OpenWRT was so different from upstream that upgrades were taking a long time and introduced lots of bugs. Since the last major version or 2 though, they've upstreamed most of the drivers and custom code, so TurrisOS is just a few patches and packages on top of OpenWRT to better support the specific hardware and services, and it's been very stable. One incredibly useful feature is BTRFS snapshots and the `schnapps` CLI to manage them. The hardware reset button can even be used to roll back to factory defaults, from where you can still access and restore any snapshot so it's very easy to unbrick the router if you make a mistake. Add an M.2 NVMe card and you can run LXC containers (and in the next major release, even Docker).

cassianoleal 5y ago

Turris Omnia [0], although if you can you might want to wait for the 2022 model [1]. Alternatively, build your own out of Turris MOX modules [2]. [0] https://openwrt.org/toh/turris/turris_omnia https://openwrt.org/toh/turris/turris_omnia [1] https://forum.turris.cz/t/turris-omnia-2022/15995 https://forum.turris.cz/t/turris-omnia-2022/15995 [2] https://www.turris.com/en/mox/overview/ https://www.turris.com/en/mox/overview/

unbanned 5y ago

>need a cloud account to access the management page Do they? Zyxel don't, Huawei don't, Netgear don't, Asus don't etc etc..

artimaeis 5y ago

Take a look at TPLink equipment. They support cloud accounts, but they're not required. And their equipment is fairly good in my experience. I use the Archer C20 in my house, but in the $40-100 range I'd take a look at the Archer AX20.

lotsofpulp 5y ago

Linksys Velop can be set up without a cloud account: https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article?articleNum=226218 https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article?articleNum=226218 Aruba Instant On might be possible too, but I am not sure.

twobitshifter 5y ago

I have an asus AX3000 bought last year. I don’t remember there being any cloud account associated with it, but it is out of the price range ($150) you’re asking for. It could be the budget options are reducing prices in exchange for the ability to gather data, similar to smartTVs

emptybottle 5y ago

Asus has been good for me. You could see what modern models are supported by asuswrt merlin or tomato firmwares. http://freshtomato.org/ http://freshtomato.org/ https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/

Overtonwindow 5y ago

What about a linux box with Smoothwall, and a switch? If you’re unhappy about cloud routers (as I am) perhaps build your own.

cpach 5y ago
Smoothwall & Co are nice alternatives. But it can sometimes be tricky to find good hardware that has two Ethernet ports and are quiet, small, etc.
- Overtonwindow 5y ago
  Good point, to clarify, I was thinking you could take a cheap PC, a couple of nic cards, and spend less than $100. Size would be a problem. I’m thinking a small mini desktop.

icecap12 5y ago

OpenWRT is definitely the single best option, however there is very limited support for the WiFi6 routers. If you're upgrading to 6 or 6E, as I was this last month, I found few options for OpenWRT. However, I already operate OPNSense as my primary router, and all WiFi "routers" on the network act as Access Points and do no routing. OPNSense provides granular control over the network, and offers all the services you would expect in at least a SMB-grade edge device (arguably enterprise), including routing, firewall, DHCP, DNS, IDS/IPS, etc. Even in AP mode (routing disabled), the new WiFi COTS routers seem to phone home. My guess is a combination of checks for patching and some telemetry. I just block those lookups at the DNS layer for that device, which was effective enough at preventing the traffic. If I have to, I'll block outbound from that device specifically, though I admittedly haven't played around with the after-effects since its sort of the gateway for that specific NIC interface.

kubik369 5y ago
I have given up on trying to find a consumer all-in-one router/ap combo and just have a dedicated router and dedicated access points. You can simply block all the Internet traffic for your access points and you will have more options to pick from for the router part. I am now running on a NanoPi R2S with some TP-Link Omada access points and I didn't have to touch anything for almost two years since I decided on this setup :)
- ryantgtg 5y ago
  I don’t know that much about APs. They have to be wired into your router? I have some nearly-dead spots in my house, and so I think I need APs. Not sure that I could send wires around the house. I use a buffalo airstation with dd-wrt.
  - kubik369 5y ago
    It would be best to run wires with APs to those dead spots. If that is not possible, make it possible. If it is really not possible, then you have the option of powerline adapters or mesh networks, but those are a mostly inferior solution to running a cable and putting an AP there. I recommend not even thinking about repeaters if you are not desperate. Don't forget that the APs can be powered through PoE (Power over Ethernet) which relieves you from the need to have a power outlet at the spot you want to put your AP in.

paulcarroty 5y ago

https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128?dataflt%5BRAM+MB*%7E%5D=512 https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128?dataflt%5B... Enjoy.

dvno42 5y ago

Can't go wrong with MikroTik. I set my family/friends up with these along with a current gen access point. Been running strong for 8 years or so.

haunter 5y ago

I have this, no cloud needed, OpenWRT compatible if you wish to use that https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-c7/ https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/arche...

bennyp101 5y ago

None of my TPLink, Netgear, or ASUS routers have ever needed a cloud account - I guess this is a new/regional thing? I use Mikrotik hAP2 (~£60/$80) - if you are comfortable with that sort of thing, otherwise I guess anything that supports OpenWRT as others have said. Have you got examples of ones that need a cloud account? I'm intrigued now

ABeeSea 5y ago
Yea I just bought a netgear router and it didn’t require a cloud account. It did push creating one very heavily during setup.
- sib301 5y ago
  Also using net gear. I suspect the vast majority of users here are savvy enough to get around the cloud requirement but non-technical users likely would not have figured it out.
- hnthrowaway0315 5y ago
  Just to confirm, you don't need the cloud account for entering management page right? The reviews I read on Amazon could be from people who are not technical enough so they fell for the cloud acc trap.
  - brynjolf 5y ago
    I have a R7800 and they used to have an app for Android and iOS they didn't need account. They later removed that app and made the router refuse connections to it in favor of the new app that does require an account. That being said, if you don't want the app you don't need an account.
mistrial9 5y ago
in California I see that the AT&T supplied DSL-modem/router requires sign in (stored in firmware configs), and takes over the DNS functions (details forthcoming). I am very concerned about future "required" hardware like this.. the excuses will be around security, but look at the history of economic incentives.

umvi 5y ago

I bought the TPLink Archer A7 and did not need a cloud account for it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JD7F7G/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JD7F7G/

greenyoda 5y ago
I've also had one for a year now, and I'm happy with it. You can connect to the router's admin interface just by opening 192.168.0.1 in your browser.

3guk 5y ago

For small family home deployments I've always used ASUS stuff flashed with AsusWRT-Merlin - https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ - has been super stable and I've never required anything other than a local account to set them up.

tonymet 5y ago
I agree this is the best ‘technical family’ solution. Good balance of easy-to-use, stable as well as some advanced features if needed. OP : If you are technical you can buy a TM-AC1900 on ebay for $40 and flash it with the AC-68U https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/ https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/
mikecoles 5y ago
Merlin supports ai.mesh. Very nice. The roaming support from the stock firmware works well from the small installations I've done. Have you made use of the feature in the Merlin variant?

nsm 5y ago

Bought a netgear router and a tplink repeater within the last year. All the cloud account crap is only required to use the mobile apps. However they all offer web interfaces directly at their ip addresses. Just use that and bypass all the dark patterns. It sucks that companies feel the need to cloudify everything.

dnautics 5y ago
Maybe I'm dense, but I could not figure out how to use my netgear wi-fi AP without registering your account. Same with TP-link. What's worse, is the TP-link didn't say "requires registration" on the box.
david422 5y ago
All netgear routers can use routerlogin.net Also have netgear with no cloud account required. Also don't use mobile apps.
- cma 5y ago
  New netgear stuff only works without a cloud account when you unplug it from the net. That means no remote admin through a local machine (have to be there to pull the plug), and no settings changes without disrupting internet.
  - ABeeSea 5y ago
    I just logged into my new netgear router from 192.168.1.1 without unplugging anything.
    - b112 5y ago
      I wonder, fall for the trick, setup cloud, and you are forever trapped?
      - david422 5y ago
        I dunno, I've had netgear forever, before they ever had cloud logins, and I've just set it up the exact same way every time. Maybe if I was buying my first netgear today I would be suckered into the cloud stuff since I wouldn't know any better.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

dilyevsky 5y ago

https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-b1300/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-b1300/ No bs openwrt router has DoH and optional PoE support. Cheap

slock83 5y ago
I've been using this particular model for about 6 month now, with a standard openwrt on it. It runs a full AdBlock, ip-ranges blocking, and a wireguard server (with good enough bandwidth, I use it with steam link/gamestream). Very nice small router

StephanRomer 5y ago

MikroTik has some fantastic products in your price range. Could wholeheartedly recommend them myself. https://mikrotik.com/products https://mikrotik.com/products

deeesstoronto 5y ago

Mikrotik HAP AC2. Great value, great power, easy setup. OpenWRT also great option.

lwhsiao 5y ago

Not quite and off-the-shelf product, and also largely out of stock, but many people like to get a PC Engines APU2 and run OPNSense or OpenWRT on them.

guilhas 5y ago

Normally I go to eBay and search openwrt, there are several models

xwolfi 5y ago

Synology RT2600 is quite cool, I adore it. It has also a free site to site vpn feature where you can connect various subnets over the internet if you have several lines/homes. It can segment traffic by people (you record which MAC is who, segment away by theme, etc), host a custom DNS server very well, has nice firewalling features and there s no mandatory cloud account. I ve made a few custom scripts for it, and its linux base is good enough (old kernel a little bit). I paid around 300 USD for it I think, for 2 of them, and it's the best router I ever had, OpenWRT included. The only thing I miss from openwrt is the custom vlan joining on optic fiber relay you can do with them to bypass your ISP fiber modem and just use an optical to eth converter. But that's not a huge overhead these days. Doubled the speed when the ISP's crappy boxes couldnt cool well enough for 500Mbps 10 years ago :D The big advantage, for me, of Synology routers, over OpenWRT and its alternatives (I rmb one called Tomato something) is that it's so much clearer and easier to use quickly and climb from there. With OpenWRT in my old memories you were thrown in a discouraging mess that made me struggle a bit to find simple features (but it has them all).

creiht 5y ago
I've been super happy with mine as well. It is a great balance of flexibility and usability. I had a MicroTik prior which worked well, but I was just tired of having to re-learn networking chops to make any changes. The Synology really has been a breath of fresh air, and have had no problems with it over the past year.
DangitBobby 5y ago
I also have this router and like it so far, but I haven't had it long enough to recommend it. In addition to the other features mentioned, it supports load balancing and failover, which is why I bought it. You can make a cloud account for it but that's by no means necessary.

juancn 5y ago

Any router (or routerboard) that supports Mikrotik: https://mikrotik.com/ https://mikrotik.com/ You don't have to buy from them the hardware. I used to use OpenWRT (which is also a nice second option), but the robustness and flexibility of mikrotik is fantastic.

enneff 5y ago
Seconding this. Great firmware and I own some of their hardware and it works well.
mmastrac 5y ago
I have had a Mikrotik device for about 5 years now and it doesn't require a cloud login but you better be ready to learn the nuances of the Mikrotik system. It is far too easy to accidentally open up your internal network through misconfiguration. The wizards for network setup make this much easier but be ready for a steep learning curve.
stevenjgarner 5y ago
I strongly upvote Mikrotik with its open-source RouterOS software (which you can run on nearly any computer). I have used Mikrotik for years, from their low-end (but powerful) routerBOARD offerings through to their CCR1036-12G-4S optical router and their nRAY 60 GHz point-to-point wireless Internet. I have supported dozens of router brands for clients since 1996, and I cannot say enough good things about Mikrotik. It allows you to work productively on Terminal CLI (but that is not necessary).
- redprince 5y ago
  > I strongly upvote Mikrotik with its open-source RouterOS software (which you can run on nearly any computer). Unless I have missed a few recent development, the RouterOS is open source only in the sense that it is build on a foundation of open source software. The source of the GPL parts is available upon request. Running RouterOS on non-Mikrotik hardware requires the purchase of a separate license. Mikrotik hardware usually comes with a license already on the device.

numpad0 5y ago

Ideally you should get one wired router, Cisco and Juniper are famous. Depending on your configuration, you might want one 24-port switch as well. 10GE support is going to be a nice future proofing but adoption is still lagging. Add as many wireless APs as necessary per each 10-20ft radius to cover and you're good. ok I'm 82.5% joking. I'm not doing anything fancy as that, just an EdgeRouter X and a whatever AP. Are you sure it's cloud account? All routers need ID and password but usually it's local and only ever stored on router itself.

tiahura 5y ago

ASUS. Runs WRT. No account needed. Not a Chinese company.

iddqd 5y ago

The Unifi Dream Machines allow you to set them up without a cloud account since the latest update: https://community.ui.com/releases/UniFi-OS-Dream-Machines-1-11-0/eef95803-6976-499b-9169-bf6dfbbcc209 https://community.ui.com/releases/UniFi-OS-Dream-Machines-1-... The Dream Router falls within your price range but is hard to get ahold of right now: https://eu.store.ui.com/products/dream-router-ea https://eu.store.ui.com/products/dream-router-ea Should be able to set it up and manage it over the local network via their mobile apps or via browser.

ValentineC 5y ago

There's a few other router recommendations in these discussions from the past week: - Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29641868 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29641868 - MikroTik RouterOS v7 stable released https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29473704 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29473704

alangibson 5y ago

FritzBox 7530. That's all I use. Cons: A bit above your stated price point; not sure what international availability is like. https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Router-Supervectoring-Server-Suitable-Germany/dp/B08BZPXCKD https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Router-Supervectoring-Server-Suit...

ahartmetz 5y ago
When I got a FritzBox sort of by accident was when I stopped using an old PC as a router. FritzBoxes can really do a lot.

yrui 5y ago

I am very happy with the ThinkPenguin mini router. https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/free-software-wireless-n-mini-vpn-router-v3-tpe-r1300 https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/free-software-wireles... It uses LibreCMC--a really well supported Libre branch of OpenWRT. https://librecmc.org/faq.html https://librecmc.org/faq.html Everything just works, and there are regular updates patching vulnerabilities.

winrid 5y ago
If they had a 1gbps version, I'd buy it.

tonymet 5y ago

Get a separate router and AP. Router hardware is stable , but wifi tech improves every 5 years . Router/firewall config is also more complicated so you want more control and stability. For The router get a mikrotik or ubiquiti. Then you can run small- business APs from Ubiquiti and TP link for example. Or convert an older router into AP with open source firmware .

otterley 5y ago

Ubiquiti's EdgeRouter X is relatively inexpensive, has plenty of features, and does not require a cloud account of any sort.

md_ 5y ago
Apparently can also run OpenWRT, though I haven't tried and it's not clear to me if everything is well-supported.
- xnyan 5y ago
  I'm running openWRT on my edgerouterX, and so far (about 2 months) everything has been really well supported including hardware offloading of various features. In most cases, I'm getting better than stock performance. UI is much better too. I'm a big fan.
  - mmastrac 5y ago
    I didn't know this was an option but I'm definitely going to look into it now. I just bought one of these for my home lab.
  - md_ 5y ago
    Cool. From what I find online, it seems like PoE and SFP (with the X-SFP) are both supported? Any experience with those?
- mikecoles 5y ago
  I put OpenWRT on an ERPro-8. It worked very well and had more features than the stock firmware. USB modem support was what pushed me to OpenWRT. The storage took a dump in the router (soldered on) so it was fun while it lasted. The MikroTik RB5009UG+S+IN is looking pretty sweet.
mehdix 5y ago
I'm using it as my router and it is working with absolutely no problem for the last two years. The management page is accessible over ssh and https.

whalesalad 5y ago

What other requirements do you have? Wireless? How fast is the connection? How many devices will be on it, and what kind of performance do they require? Is this for you, or your Grandma?

vermasque 5y ago

My Arris modem/router combo didn't need a cloud account.

annoyingnoob 5y ago

https://www.pfsense.org https://www.pfsense.org

bruceb 5y ago

Go to goodwill or Craigslist, there are a lot of routers, like 1080p monitors, the world doesn't need any more low or mid range routers purchased new. Save a bit of waste from going to a landfill.

mushufasa 5y ago

Here is a company that offers refurbished routers with DDWRT installed https://www.flashrouters.com https://www.flashrouters.com . Note -- I didn't realize this when I originally bought mine -- they bundle support in with the starting price, and you have to have 3 months of support minimum, after which you can cancel. So assume you have to pay an extra 60-90 dollars on top of the hardware price. But then you own a router with open source firmware that you can manage locally.

DJBunnies 5y ago

Note for ddwrt enthusiasts that some gigabit or faster routers (eg asus) will perform an order of magnitude slower than with the stock firmware.

rufius 5y ago

EdgeRouter-X

simooooo 5y ago

meomatic 5y ago

I don't know, how much they cost in US, but here are couple of solutions: 1. EdgeRouter X (ER-X) or EdgeRouter Lite (ERLite-3). 2. more userfriendly UniFi Security Gateway (USG) with controller (UCK) or UniFi Dream Machine (UDM) - it propose creating cloud account, but __do not__ require it. 3. use devices capable to run OpenWRT or buy some hardware like Supermicro Embedded Solutions (later I can share models list) to run pfSense/OPNSense or VyOS. 4. other MikroTik soulutions (but I don't like them so my knowledge is not up to date; I don't know which solutions are good for you).

kevinmgranger 5y ago
Any reason you don't like MikroTik? I've been a little turned off by Ubiquiti's latest moves so I was eyeing MikroTik for my next upgrade.
- meomatic 5y ago
  I think that MikroTik does everything to make managing their devices unclear as it's possible. WinBox for example, in some places looks okay (e.g. presenting data in tables or drawing charts) but filling forms or editing settings is terrible. It's not about Ubiquiti, but even pfSense does great job when it comes to presenting data and help to understand presented data (e.g. hide/show advanced options, providing comments and documentation to each option in forms, using padding and margins even help to understand visually your options). But in the same hand I need to say I am impressed with MikroTik CLI. It colorize each typed word! Even enterprise class Cisco devices don't do it. It's super useful for me and help me with understanding what's going on. Do you even imagine programming in notepad with note type of font and color today, like it was in the past with Windows Notepad? I don't think so. UX/UI is not only about pretty buttons. It's about usability, repeatability, predictability, stability, confidence and ease of access. A software with best features is useless when it doesn't provide any convenient and trusted way to reach this features.
merlinscholz 5y ago
Be aware that Unifi's products sometimes require cloud accounts, depending on which update is installed. ALso, the dashboard is full of ads. I definitely would recommend MikroTik, sold my Unifi stuff for MikroTik and would never go back.

lmilcin 5y ago

I am using Ubiquiti Unifi hardware. You can run it without cloud account if you wish so. You do not loose any very important functionality. In particular the Cloud Key actually does not require cloud to function, it is actually a webapp running locally that lets you manage your local infrastructure.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

hnthrowaway0315 5y ago

Thanks everyone for making recommendations. I never expected so many answers :D Happy holiday!

metabagel 5y ago

OP obviously used a new throwaway (presumably one-time use) account. Does anyone know what might be the reason for this?

Kadin 5y ago
Maybe he doesn't want to create a permanent record of the router/AP hardware that they are using, that could easily be found by someone Googling their username?

dadro 5y ago

I've been pretty happy with MikroTik routers. I have an extra HapAC2, if you cover shipping it is all yours (I'm based in US).

tonymet 5y ago
is there a good guide on the firewall and routing config? i’m interested in this unit and want to set up separate vlans, NaT, multiple dhcp servers
- dadro 5y ago
  I've found their Wiki to be quite helpful anytime I have questions https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:TOC https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:TOC. I

aspectmin 5y ago

I spend a LOT of time trying different routers. I've pretty much settled on the Asus routers - 58U, 88U. Out of the box they're pretty good, but once you load them with the Asus Merlin firmware, they're rock solid. I've visited a lot of homes to help troubleshoot internet connections, and the ones I've converted to this combination have gone silent (much more stable connections/wifi).

marsdepinski 5y ago

Mikrotik.

tyrfing 5y ago

Used Ruckus AP/router from eBay. Ridiculous reliability and performance for a home setup. Downsides are missing the absolute latest tech, it being EOL gear, and no warranty if it somehow dies.

prirun 5y ago

I have been using Netgear WNDR3700 and similar routers for years with no problems and no cloud account. I keep one as a spare for family in case someone's gets knocked out by a power surge, or the power supply dies, or whatever. Had that happen several times. I've never had one be "flaky": they either work or don't. I buy them at Goodwill for $5-10 whenever I see them there, which is fairly often. They have two main features I like: - separate main and guest networks. I put all my non-computer stuff like phone, TV, Roku, Tivo, etc on the guest network. There is a setting to isloate the guest network from the main network on separate vlans. - they have a QOS setting for uploads (I only have 1Mbit up), so when I do online backups with HashBackup (I'm the author), the router will use the full upload bandwidth if there are no other connections uploading, but if there are other connections needing to upload, the router splits the capacity between the active connections. Without QOS, it was impossible to have an interactive ssh session during a bulk upload. With QOS it works fine. You can buy these on eBay for $15-25. Get one with free shipping so that if you have trouble and have to return it (unlikely with a high feedback seller), you don't have to pay for shipping.

formerly_proven 5y ago

Any random Linux distro or Free/OpenBSD install doesn't need an account of any kind. Unless you need an awkward modem which is hard/costly to get (e.g. cable internet, VDSL2+), almost everything can be a decent router. Commercial routers often have some kind of hardware offloading for routing built into their SoCs, but you don't really need that per se at residential internet speeds (<=1 GBit/s). I'd recommend to separate router and wifi AP because this lets you pick the optimal place for the wifi AP regardless of where the internet cable is. Somewhat more costly but likely worth it for anything bigger than a three-room flat.

eu 5y ago

How about a custom built solution? Protectli Vault FW4B - 4 Port with OpenBSD and a Ubiquiti AP.

sliken 5y ago
Sounds good, just waiting for an updated flavor with 2.5Gbit ports. I keep routers for a long time and 2.5G is pretty common for the last few years. Seems like in the last few years many motherboards and Comcast modems come with 2.5G. Even some Intel chipsets are supporting 2.5G these days. Currently I have a EdgeRouter 6p + 2 Ubiquiti APs. But I'd like to update the router to something with at least 4x2.5G, or maybe 2x10G and a few 2.5G.

tgpc 5y ago

Mikrotik

windexh8er 5y ago

It really depends on the functionality and performance you want. Given the price range the performance side will be on the low end. I would recommend moving up your price-point (if at all possible) and buy something slightly more capable that will last, potentially, longer. Protectli [0] and Qotom [1] are popular among the OPNsense[2] / PFsense[3] / Untangle[4] firewall distros with respect to small form factor devices. If all you want is a cheap "router" with a bare bones feature set for Internet edge routing I'd recommend a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X [5]. At $59 it's the best piece of hardware you're likely to get for the money with total control and less big-brother. If you can't find one email me at my HN username at counterbrea dot ch. I have a few different unused EdgeRouters I could send you for the cost of shipping. [0] https://protectli.com/ https://protectli.com/ [1] https://www.qotom.net/product/list-58.html https://www.qotom.net/product/list-58.html [2] https://opnsense.org/ https://opnsense.org/ [3] https://www.pfsense.org/ https://www.pfsense.org/ [4] https://www.untangle.com/ https://www.untangle.com/ [5] https://store.ui.com/products/edgerouter-x https://store.ui.com/products/edgerouter-x

wkearney99 5y ago
I've had a fanless Qotom running pfsense for wire-speed (gigE) routing for several years. Set-and-forget, no moving parts. The wifi runs separately, using Unifi atm.
- windexh8er 5y ago
  Exactly. I've got both units running in different locations for different (personal) networks. I'd say the quality of the Protecti unit is a bit higher where as you get a bit more for your money in terms of hardware with the Qotom. I was leery of both at first but so far no problems with either brand.

nonfxnl 5y ago

GL.iNet routers (https://www.gl-inet.com/products/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/) have been on my radar for a long time for similar reasons. No experience with their products yet, but they do look impressive with much more positive reviews than I could ask for.

alphabettsy 5y ago

I wouldn’t trust the people in the reviews know what they’re talking about. I just bought a new Netgear router, I’ll be returning it, but it doesn’t require a cloud account. Outside of Google Nest or Eero I don’t think many require a cloud account unless you want particular features like remote management, etc.

salmo 5y ago

I messed with OpenWRT on consumer gear for years. I hated the hardware. So many had "all the features" (802.11 coolest, gigabit NICs), but didn't have enough actual compute power/memory to get the performance out of them, or the NICs were "gigabit". OpenWRT works, but turned into a hobby in itself and I just don't have the patience for that anymore. Since 2017 I've run pfSense and love it. Originally started on a fanless x86 machine with good NICs (until it eventually committed suicide), and now run an actual NetGate appliance. The appliance is even nicer to me, since FreeBSD/ARM isn't a likely drive-by target for a 0-day. No cloud. Real OS, good feature set, regular updates, great performance. Unfortunately I haven't found an access point I love without cloud accounts. Running Uniquiti APs now. I do like that they hand off devices between each other well, push IoT to 2.4Ghz and real stuff to 5GHz, etc. I'd never run their router exposed to the internet, but.. yeah.

emdog4 5y ago

Linksys WRT3200ACM is what i recommend. supports openwrt. my 3200 is at my parents being used as an AP only. their router is a Cisco 1921 with zone based firewall and some poe 3750 switches. My setup here is a Cisco ASA 5512x firewall, catalyst 3750GBe poe switch, WLAN2504 controller and several CAP3702 APs. this requires quite a bit of experience to setup, but works very well. the wlan controller and two APs will probably cost about $300. that alone could be used behind your ISP modem if desired. i’ve got gigabit fiber up/down from ATT and use their modem but pass thru the IP to my asa.

smcleod 5y ago
I second this, it's a very capable wifi AP and router that supports openWRT that flashes and installs without any issues (last I tried it about a year ago).

fsflover 5y ago

Anything listed here: https://ryf.fsf.org https://ryf.fsf.org.

lillecarl 5y ago

MikroTik hAP AC2 is decent. Supports a boatload of features and doesn't really support a cloud account (it'll phone home with it's serial if you use their builtin DDNS feature though). Routes 1G, wifi is only 2x2 MIMO though so you won't get "amazing 9999 Gbit wifi) which you'll never get in real life anyways because of airtime congestion. They have a noob UI, "pro" UI and CLI. Both UI and CLI has all features (9x%, some features are hidden from gui while in beta).

yumraj 5y ago

IF you're willing to do the work, an option would be get an HP T730 from eBay, add a low profile Intel quad port I340 or I350 adapter and perhaps add a little more RAM (depending on the T730 you get 4GB-8GB is more than sufficient), and then install pfsense, opnsense, DD-WRT, openwrt or anything else on it. You will have a great little router/firewall that is much more capable than almost anything else in this price range. NOTE: this is effectively a thin client PC, so you can try different router/firewalls to pick which works best for you. There are also commercial options that people prefer such as Untangle, Sophos and so on. Sophos even has a free home version. There are other alternates to HP T730, but you may have to look around. It should come to around ~$100-$120 depending on luck, since it's eBay.