Any usual recommendation for DD-WRT flashable router?

akdrag

Recruit
Done with the usual restrictive consumer routers.
Considered getting a PFsense box with a dumb AP but power consumption seems a bit too high for 24x7 operation.
Any DD-WRT router recommendations with install instruction for that specific router sku if possible, would be appreciated.
Or would a TP-link EAP with selfhosted Omada be a better option?
Or PFsense on a older Laptop with USB-2-Ethernet adapters would workable?

For context currently using around 10-15 devices on 2.5Ghz and 5 devices on 5Ghz.
Have a active NAS/Media box with extra Virt/docker support.
 

tech.monk

Adept
Assuming you have older laptop - why don't you go for openwrt instead? it is well supported on majority of the x86/x64 hardware.
USB to Ethernet adapter is no go assuming you run into the issues.
 

akdrag

Recruit
tech.monk said:
Assuming you have older laptop - why don't you go for openwrt instead? it is well supported on majority of the x86/x64 hardware.
USB to Ethernet adapter is no go assuming you run into the issues.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I never knew OpenWRT was available for server/vm install.
The only issue is that my older Laptop is a gen 5 i3 with onboard 100mbps port.
It has 2x USB 3 but USB to Ethernet adapters sometime had auto negotiating issues with PFsense last I tried.
Plus its onboard WiFi seems not to support AP/hosted mode.
Will still give it a try tho.
 

tech.monk

Adept
You can have 2x USB 3.0 to Ethernet Adapters (I guess @ind13n is selling on his thread - you can give it a try and it will not cost much even if experiment fails),

I have been running the OpenWrt on Pentium G3220T + H81 with 2 gigs of RAM - it can be build in lesser cost for which you will be able to sell your laptop for. And if you're in space constraints - go for J1800 based boards (you could find the board for 5kish online) and add ram (or if you opt for J1800 with DIMM slots - you can repurpose the RAMs from laptop itself), add one PCIE x1 Gigabit Ethernet + 1x USB 3.0 to Ethernet and you're set - you get 3x Gigabit port and decent firewall/router machine. J1800 will costs you lower in terms of electricity and it doesn't require extra cooling as well.
 

akdrag

Recruit
tech.monk said:
You can have 2x USB 3.0 to Ethernet Adapters (I guess @ind13n is selling on his thread - you can give it a try and it will not cost much even if experiment fails),

I have been running the OpenWrt on Pentium G3220T + H81 with 2 gigs of RAM - it can be build in lesser cost for which you will be able to sell your laptop for. And if you're in space constraints - go for J1800 based boards (you could find the board for 5kish online) and add ram (or if you opt for J1800 with DIMM slots - you can repurpose the RAMs from laptop itself), add one PCIE x1 Gigabit Ethernet + 1x USB 3.0 to Ethernet and you're set - you get 3x Gigabit port and decent firewall/router machine. J1800 will costs you lower in terms of electricity and it doesn't require extra cooling as well.
Click to expand...
Thanks again.
Will go with the J1800 gigabyte board.
I already have spare desktop ddr3 dimms and PCIEx1 Ethernet card in my tech drawer.
Just as a side query the J1800 board gotta work with opnsense/pfsense or just plain debian/Ubuntu too right?
 

guest_999

Disciple
There are openwrt compatible routers costing less than 3k but the amount of ram & rom along with processor will decide how many features/capabilities of openwrt you will be able to use smoothly.
 

tech.monk

Adept
akdrag said:
Thanks again.
Will go with the J1800 gigabyte board.
I already have spare desktop ddr3 dimms and PCIEx1 Ethernet card in my tech drawer.
Just as a side query the J1800 board gotta work with opnsense/pfsense or just plain debian/Ubuntu too right?
Click to expand...
Yes it will work - its just another x86 machine with passive cooling. Only risk with pfsense is Realtek NICs (which in this forum and other forums - ppl have bypassed it). Rest will work great.

PS: J1800 supports max ram of 8gigs (either 8gbx1 or 4gbx2), with 16 gigs it boots but doesn't load into Bootloader or GRUB.