Folks,
I know there are multiple threads on this.
But my query is very specific. Please hear me out.
So far I have been using TP-Link 1043ND/ Archer C7 for upto 100 Mbps ISP.
These devices have been very OpenWRT friendly in installation and de-bricking.
For 1 Gpbs, it's no-brainer, I moved to x86 [I use intel J1900 4-lan mini-PC, in the sweet spot for price and availability].
Now I am looking for something in-between.
All I need is 200 Mbps support [I tried hw-offload, it didn't work with mwan last time I tried 3 years back]
So what's the equivalent of Archer-C7/1043ND for a 200-300 Mbps ISP?
Is there any dual-core 1Ghz consumer router easily supported by OpenWRT?
I say consumer router mainly for availability. I don't care about WiFi, I can use separate APs.
hey, thanks for the reply.
C2600 looks perfect. What's the catch?
Cost almost same as Archer-C7 and CPU is double the speed.
No red flags either on the ToH page. https://openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer_c2600_v1
Why do you say WiFi can possibly be an issue?
The c2600 is ipq8064 based, while the r7800/ xr500 or nbg6817 (or rac2v1k in North America) would be ipq8065 based, newer (faster) SOC and wireless as well as more flash; furthermore recovery (should that become necessary) is more cumbersome than the very mature and reliable recovery methods of the r7800/ xr500 or nbg6817.
In the end, it's mostly a question of availability and pricing - and the question of 'why not 802.11ax', as dl-wrx36/ rt3200 (new from the store) may even be cheaper than the ipq806x/ 802.11ac options in used condition.
It wasn't so simple.
What I thought was C2600 on amazon, is actually Archer A10.
Now, C2600 is out of circulation.
Archer A10 is MediaTek based, 800+ Mhz, could've been an improvement over Archer-C7 but as of now NO OpenWRT support.
So I am back to square one.
Basically, there is NO consumer router out there with 1Ghz CPU single core [Or dual-core 700+ Mhz], which would be a true replacement of Archer/TP-Link 1043N/841N] in 2023, in terms of pricing and availability. Sounds dramatic but true.
Some of the fancier routers above mentioned are crossing x86 mini-PCs in pricing, even if OpenWRT support is possible.
NanoPi R2S is very interesting.
What would you suggest if I need to use multi-wan, so I need a minimum of 2 WAN ports and 1 LAN?
Do I get usb-to-RJ45 connector?
If you already have an x86 platform, why not just use that? Unless you have concerns about power consumption (which would be negligible with the J1900's TDP of 10W and the fact that you would be using separate WAPs anyway), OpenWRT doesn't get any friendlier when it's running on x86. And needless to say, anything that can handle 1 Gbps can easily handle slower speeds. So why would you spend extra money on a slower consumer router?
There's no point buying a new j1900 in 2023, gemini lake (J4125/ J5040) or tremont (J6412) won't be any more expensive - but are much faster and lower power.
Xiaomi AX3600/AX9000?
I now that are still in Snapshot but i've used the AX3600 for months and it's really stable, and i don't think that's anything closer to this performance at this price point.
tl;dr: find and buy your supported ipq4019 device for the quick and easy solution. If you like to enjoy 11ax wi-fi and SQM shaped routing capacity of 400+ Mbps: find your preferred available mt7622 model.
ath10k based wireless routers are well supported and mature. Linksys MR8300 is available for around 75 Euro in the EU. If this model is too expensive or the availability in your region is too low - there are more ipq40xx devices to look for: https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ipq40xx/generic/
It seems the retailers here only get small quantities and because OpenWRT has really limited hardware compatibility, they have all got snapped up by OpenWRT users i think.
MediaTek MT7622BV chipset is cheap and powerful by looks of things but only available outside of UK.
C2600 looks a decent swap for a C7, but I got warned of it by another OpenWRT user, but even this is hard to find.
Not even used.
Yet the UK market is flooded with devices not compatible with OpenWRT, mostly Broadcom stuff.
Seems the issue is there is only a tiny window when a router is supported by OpenWRT and then becomes end of life at UK retailers.
I've used the C2600s as APs for several years, until I swapped them out for WRX36s, no issues whatsoever, but I was still running 19.07.
There used to be plenty of them on ebay in the past, I was checking UK ebay now and then, when you were still in EU.
What you could do, is get the VR2600, it's a *DSL modem, without a WAN port, and buy an USB3 Ethernet dongle to use as WAN.
They're around 30Ā£ on ebay.
The TP-Link UE300 is a popular usb-ethernet dongle among members.
Yep I remember searching last year for C2600 was on ebay, its weird 3 different models I checked were all widely available in late 2022, according to price trackers, then vanished.
I have ordered the Netgear now, will keep it boxed until Openwrt is ready.