I'm looking for an inexpensive router that I can use to test the new DSA networking that's in 21.02. The architecture/target must have been switched to use DSA as noted in https://openwrt.org/playground/richb/to2102
I would like four LAN ports, a WAN port, wireless, no need for high performance.
Recommendations? Thanks.
Sometimes you can even get an rtl838x based managed switch surprisingly cheap (e.g. under ~20 EUR/ USD for a gs1900-8, with some patience you might even get a 16-48 port switch in that rough price range), most lantiq (only in master), mvebu and mt7621 based wireless routers would also fit the description (at least as long as they use their native SOC switches). With https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/pull/4036, even Askey RAC2V1K / RT4230W REV6 Support would be an opportunity for ~20 USD (albeit only in master).
Thanks for the speedy response. I screwed up. I should have qualified what I meant by "cheap".
The Zyxel GS1900-8 at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GU1KTY0/) for $65 meets my criteria for "cheap enough", and it's readily available. (And since it has more than four ports, I can have more fun playing with VLANS...)
Look at the used markets as well, especially the 8 port variant can sometimes be found for 15-20 EUR/ USD.
Keep in mind that these are predominantly switches, while you can use them for routing, they're not very fast at that; maximum firmware size (dual-firmware) is 6976 KB for kernel+rootfs+overlay, not plenty but useful. The switch is easy to open (3 standard phillips head screws, slide off the top, populated/ marked 3.3V serial header (2.54 mm spacing)) and pretty robust/ hard to brick.
As all devices of the realtek target, initial access to the management interface is slightly tricky, as LAN is only available via VID 100 on port 1 (see Support for RTL838x based managed switches - #367 by slh for details, https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/pull/3860 and https://biot.com/switches/gs1900-8 may also provide further information).
And if I wanted a generally available (retail) inexpensive (around $50-60) router with Wi-Fi and four LAN ports for testing DSA - what might you recommend? Thanks again.
The r6220 https://openwrt.org/toh/netgear/netgear_r6220 would be what you're looking for, right?
It's got the the mt76 driver that basically doesn't work on 2.4GHz though. 5GHz is good. But that shouldn't matter.
With 21.02 in mind, that would be (almost-) all devices of the mt7621 or mvebu (I'd strongly recommend against mvebu because of the issues with mwlwifi, but that would predominantly be the Linksys wrt1200ac/ wrt1900ac v2/ wrt1900acs/ wrt3200acm/ wrt32x; skipping the wrt1900ac v1 because of the older ARMADA XP SOC. these are more expensive than your range, but are often rather cheap on the used markets in the US (less so in the EU)) targets.
For mt7621, D-Link DIR-878 or Netgear r6800 come to mind (because those ship the better mt7615e wireless, instead of mt7602e/ mt7603e + mt7612e), but there are plenty more (starting around 30 USD for the Xiaomi Mi Router 4a/ Gbit/s edition).
If you aren't dead set on 21.02 support, but can cope with master snapshots, the Linksys e8450/ Belkin rt3200 slightly above your price range would be the ideal device - or Askey RAC2V1k/ rt4230w rev6 (very cheap on the used markets in the US (~20 USD), plenty available, very capable ipq8065 hardware --> the DSA support patches should be merged into master soon).
@richb-hanover-priv
That device is not sold anymore. But you may find one on secondary market (I got one for 30€).
@dana44
Both 2.4 and 5 GHz work fine with 21.02 RC3. I use them on a daily basis.
Got my DIR-878 earlier this week (about US$50 from eBay). Works fine for horsing around with DSA. Thanks!