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before buying expensive routers check OpenWRT's table of hardware and buy one that is supported by the current OpenWRT release and has decent specs. There is a detailed installation guide for each supported device in the wiki too so there are no excuses it's dead simple. Free yourself from stupid hardware manufacturers and their planed obsolescence products.
- Edit: also here is the new version of the table of hardware with more details They seem to have buyers guide too in the wiki.
- Edit2: seems like GL.iNet devices ship with OpenWRT out of the box with their GUI on top and you still have access to openwrt under the hood if you need it which sounds awesome so look into them if you're interested. Thanks you guys who brought them up.
- Edit3: there is firewall sulotion called OPNSense which is not limited to commercial routers like OpenWRT and can be run on any x86 hardware of your choice (like N100 mini pcs) so look into it if you're interested. Many thanks to the guys who contributed in the comments
- Edit4: Sorry for the multiple edits but some of you guys suggest some fantastic insights that I had to add. Anyways here is a list of good candidate devices for hassle free installation and yet powerful enough hardware from OpenWRT's Forum
- I promise it's gonna be the last Edit. OpenWRT has a official device they made themselves called OpenWRT ONE (I think the second one is also in the works). It hase good specs for home network and you support the project too. Here is the link to official Retailers
For the more rookie people, check out routers that are based on openwrt and have rookie GUI.
OpenWRT is great and powerful but unless you are trying to level your networking skills, it can turn into a biatch real quick beyond basic set up.
That's interesting like which devices? Could you elaborate
GL.Inet ships their routers with OpenWRT built-in. You no longer need to setup openwrt yourself, and it has a user friendly GUI that allows you to set up most of the basic/standard stuff without having to go into the openwrt interface. They even have easy setup options for the popular VPN providers so you don't need to upload the wireguard config, you just log in (unless you have custom settings).
Got one of their devices, really happy with it
Seconded. They seem to have a lot of features that I didn't expect to have. I also didn't realize it was OpenWRT until now.
GL. Inet GUI is proprietary as far as I know
It's openwrt just themed on top for user experience. I have 2 and I also have an openwrt only router I built myself. The GL.inet routers are great and work as advertised every time whilst my diy solution is less reliable (because I built it) and I need to usually tinker with it more.
Thanks I had no idea that sounds great. I looked online they're devices are not available at all where I live but that's may not be the case for other.
GliNet makes great openwrt based devices, they have their own more userfriendly front end, but allow power users to enable acess to the standard openwrt features and packages under the hood.
People mentioned glinet but there are others, I think even linksys and asus has a version if you don't like China based company.
basic setup is more than enough for most people though. and on most devices its a matter of literally just using the built in updater, making it super easy to install.
the only real bummer of openwrt is some routers don't work well with it.
You prolly right for the audience here but my comment is going after the broader audience tbh
Imagine a world where normies start using openwrt routers as default 🐸
It just has to work and that product already available, a seach string away
yeah, i WAS meaning more the people who would use the update function at all on a router.