5 ms·

OpenWRT is great for taking bargain routers on eBay (which can be had for as little as £5 and yet have fast CPUs and support modern WiFi radios) and making them

by cjdell 3y ago

OpenWRT is great for taking bargain routers on eBay (which can be had for as little as £5 and yet have fast CPUs and support modern WiFi radios) and making them into proper homelab gateways with VPN, VLANs, DNS proxies etc. I would often do this for friends who wanted VPN access to their home network but didn't want to fork out for a router that would offer this out of the box. I would find it amusing when an ISP's stock firmware would turn out to just be an OpenWRT skin.

Ecco 3y ago
Would you recommend any specific model for such “bargain routers”?
- kccqzy 3y ago
  I use and recommend the Belkin AX3200 which only costs $50. As its name implies it supports 802.11ax. My only gripe is that I wish it had a better CPU. Currently using CoDel the CPU maxes out at 750Mbps.
- cjdell 3y ago
  My goto for a while was the BT HomeHub 5A (not B variant). Just checked and these are available for £10 on eBay if you're based in the UK. I'm sure there are bargains to be had all over the world. The place to start is to look at OpenWRT's supported devices page and look for ISP branded models. These are often flogged on eBay super cheap when people move because they're basically scrap to most people. I'm sure even more just go in the bin (sadly).
- sandreas 3y ago
  I use an old Asus RT-N56U for great (Gigabit) switching performance. Wifi is only N, and you have to be careful, there are two HW revisions, that are indistinguishable from the outside. An alternative could be different TP Link devices, but I never tested these. For more modern purposes I use a Linksys WRT32X with divested[1] image, but you could also go for the 1900 or even 1200, depending on your needs... Maybe also take a look here: https://www.libe.net/openwrt-devices https://www.libe.net/openwrt-devices [1] https://divested.dev/unofficial-openwrt-builds/mvebu-linksys/ https://divested.dev/unofficial-openwrt-builds/mvebu-linksys...
  - CorrectHorseBat 3y ago
    I can't recommend the WRT3200 devices, the wifi stability is horrible
    - nulbyte 3y ago
      I have the WRT3200ACM and it works great.
    - sandreas 3y ago
      32X is a real device name (the gaming router)... 3200ACM is another device. But did you try divested? It has patches for wifi...
      - CorrectHorseBat 3y ago
        According to the openwrt wiki the WRT3200 and WRT32X have identical hardware [1][2] I tried several patches but nothing helped. As I understand it it's the closed source abandoned (?) WiFi firmware that's the issue. I suspect it can't handle interference , which which is why it works great for some and horrible for others. I see there are new commits on the driver repository [3], so maybe I'll try again but I don't have my hopes up... [1] https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt3200acm https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt3200acm [2] https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt32x?datasrt=ethernet%20gbit%20ports https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt32x?datasrt=ethernet%20gb... [3] https://github.com/kaloz/mwlwifi/commits/master https://github.com/kaloz/mwlwifi/commits/master
        sandreas 3y ago
        Mmh thanks, I didn't know that. Seems that the following devices may be a better option (because also supporting wifi 6): Netgear WAX202 Belkin 3200 Banana Pi BPI-R3 Nano-Pi R5S Cudy X6 While the Cudy is very cheap (40 Bucks here in Germany), I still like the Banana Pi BPI-R3 most. But until it gets really necessary, I'll stick with my 32X... for me it does work but I won't recommend it any more without that note. Here is some more info about the Banana Pi: https://wiki.junicast.de/en/junicast/review/bananapi-BPI-R3 https://wiki.junicast.de/en/junicast/review/bananapi-BPI-R3
- HeckFeck 3y ago
  I've had good results with both D-Link routers (DIR-615??, DIR-842) I've owned through the years - the DIR-615 was bought used, it lasted 8 years of constant service, was only replaced because I needed 802.11n and a better WAN port. It still works when I plug it in! Its replacement DIR-842 has been chugging happily since 2021 and was also purchased second-hand.
- orthoxerox 3y ago
  The biggest bargain routers I've used all come from Xiaomi, but you need to check their pages on the OpenWRT wiki very carefully, because there are very similar models with very different compatibility stories. Flashing them is always fun, because their stock GUI is in Chinese and you do this by looking at it through one of the camera translator apps on your phone.
- Fnoord 3y ago
  I build my own with a Raspberry Pi CM4 I had lying around plus a dfrobot router carrier board [1] (though I suppose the reRouter [2] by Seeed Studio could also suffice). Not sure why I picked that one. Maybe I read a review on how it could saturate 1 gbit but don't pin me on it please. The reRouter could even have a better case. I'd prefer to run OPNsense on it if I could, but it isn't available for ARM64 as of now. [1] https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2705.html https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2705.html [2] https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/reRouter_Intro/ https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/reRouter_Intro/
- jdjdjdhhd 3y ago
  RaspberryPi can host Wireguard VPN... Not sure if they are available again though
- pseudosavant 3y ago
  Check out the GL.iNet routers. They come with openwrt out of the box. Yes, it is often an older build, but the UI and services they add on top are excellent, and it has never been an issue for me in practice. Most can be upgraded to stock openwrt still. Setting up a Wireguard VPN is way easier. They seem to backport anything that matters. They are sometimes marketed as travel routers, but they work fine as your main one. They just don’t take up a lot of space. https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-SFT1200-Secure-Travel-Router/dp/B09N72FMH5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1 https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-SFT1200-Secure-Travel-Rout... If you want better than that? You should use a raspberry pi 4/5, with an extra gigabit USB adapter, as your router, and setup some routers as “dumb APs”. That way you can upgrade your wireless without messing with your core network and services. Also RP4/5 are both fast enough to software route at gigabit speeds with advanced QoS management. My latencies don’t change if my connection is loaded or not.

by cjdell 3y ago

Ecco 3y ago

Would you recommend any specific model for such “bargain routers”?

kccqzy 3y ago
I use and recommend the Belkin AX3200 which only costs $50. As its name implies it supports 802.11ax. My only gripe is that I wish it had a better CPU. Currently using CoDel the CPU maxes out at 750Mbps.
cjdell 3y ago
My goto for a while was the BT HomeHub 5A (not B variant). Just checked and these are available for £10 on eBay if you're based in the UK. I'm sure there are bargains to be had all over the world. The place to start is to look at OpenWRT's supported devices page and look for ISP branded models. These are often flogged on eBay super cheap when people move because they're basically scrap to most people. I'm sure even more just go in the bin (sadly).
sandreas 3y ago
I use an old Asus RT-N56U for great (Gigabit) switching performance. Wifi is only N, and you have to be careful, there are two HW revisions, that are indistinguishable from the outside. An alternative could be different TP Link devices, but I never tested these. For more modern purposes I use a Linksys WRT32X with divested[1] image, but you could also go for the 1900 or even 1200, depending on your needs... Maybe also take a look here: https://www.libe.net/openwrt-devices https://www.libe.net/openwrt-devices [1] https://divested.dev/unofficial-openwrt-builds/mvebu-linksys/ https://divested.dev/unofficial-openwrt-builds/mvebu-linksys...
- CorrectHorseBat 3y ago
  I can't recommend the WRT3200 devices, the wifi stability is horrible
  - nulbyte 3y ago
    I have the WRT3200ACM and it works great.
  - sandreas 3y ago
    32X is a real device name (the gaming router)... 3200ACM is another device. But did you try divested? It has patches for wifi...
    - CorrectHorseBat 3y ago
      According to the openwrt wiki the WRT3200 and WRT32X have identical hardware [1][2] I tried several patches but nothing helped. As I understand it it's the closed source abandoned (?) WiFi firmware that's the issue. I suspect it can't handle interference , which which is why it works great for some and horrible for others. I see there are new commits on the driver repository [3], so maybe I'll try again but I don't have my hopes up... [1] https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt3200acm https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt3200acm [2] https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt32x?datasrt=ethernet%20gbit%20ports https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt32x?datasrt=ethernet%20gb... [3] https://github.com/kaloz/mwlwifi/commits/master https://github.com/kaloz/mwlwifi/commits/master
      - sandreas 3y ago
        Mmh thanks, I didn't know that. Seems that the following devices may be a better option (because also supporting wifi 6): Netgear WAX202 Belkin 3200 Banana Pi BPI-R3 Nano-Pi R5S Cudy X6 While the Cudy is very cheap (40 Bucks here in Germany), I still like the Banana Pi BPI-R3 most. But until it gets really necessary, I'll stick with my 32X... for me it does work but I won't recommend it any more without that note. Here is some more info about the Banana Pi: https://wiki.junicast.de/en/junicast/review/bananapi-BPI-R3 https://wiki.junicast.de/en/junicast/review/bananapi-BPI-R3
HeckFeck 3y ago
I've had good results with both D-Link routers (DIR-615??, DIR-842) I've owned through the years - the DIR-615 was bought used, it lasted 8 years of constant service, was only replaced because I needed 802.11n and a better WAN port. It still works when I plug it in! Its replacement DIR-842 has been chugging happily since 2021 and was also purchased second-hand.
orthoxerox 3y ago
The biggest bargain routers I've used all come from Xiaomi, but you need to check their pages on the OpenWRT wiki very carefully, because there are very similar models with very different compatibility stories. Flashing them is always fun, because their stock GUI is in Chinese and you do this by looking at it through one of the camera translator apps on your phone.
Fnoord 3y ago
I build my own with a Raspberry Pi CM4 I had lying around plus a dfrobot router carrier board [1] (though I suppose the reRouter [2] by Seeed Studio could also suffice). Not sure why I picked that one. Maybe I read a review on how it could saturate 1 gbit but don't pin me on it please. The reRouter could even have a better case. I'd prefer to run OPNsense on it if I could, but it isn't available for ARM64 as of now. [1] https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2705.html https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2705.html [2] https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/reRouter_Intro/ https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/reRouter_Intro/
jdjdjdhhd 3y ago
RaspberryPi can host Wireguard VPN... Not sure if they are available again though
pseudosavant 3y ago
Check out the GL.iNet routers. They come with openwrt out of the box. Yes, it is often an older build, but the UI and services they add on top are excellent, and it has never been an issue for me in practice. Most can be upgraded to stock openwrt still. Setting up a Wireguard VPN is way easier. They seem to backport anything that matters. They are sometimes marketed as travel routers, but they work fine as your main one. They just don’t take up a lot of space. https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-SFT1200-Secure-Travel-Router/dp/B09N72FMH5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1 https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-SFT1200-Secure-Travel-Rout... If you want better than that? You should use a raspberry pi 4/5, with an extra gigabit USB adapter, as your router, and setup some routers as “dumb APs”. That way you can upgrade your wireless without messing with your core network and services. Also RP4/5 are both fast enough to software route at gigabit speeds with advanced QoS management. My latencies don’t change if my connection is loaded or not.