I've recently bought a TP-Link Archer AX23 (without too much investigation beforehand). I was pointed out that this device isn't that future-proof. And since I'm also looking for a new switch/AP I've decided to use the AX23 for that. So I'm looking for a new router.
To answer the usual questions:
ISP connection: 400 Mbit up and down
Wi-Fi needs: both 2.4GHz and 5GHz
need for Gigabit Ethernet: yep. Working with a NAS and video files
need for USB ports: nope
Family members/devices: There are 5 of us. All with a phone, we have 3 laptops and 2 TVs that use streaming (1 is wired via ethernet). And a bunch (about 30) other (mainly IoT) devices (printers, smart home stuff) Heaviest simultaneous usage is probably 2 laptops with video calls and a TV playing. Have 3 VLans atm.
What other services do you want? I plan to upgrade my NAS to a Synology ds423+ and will probably run some containers on it (Home Assistant, Media server, file server, perhaps more). Planning to run a VPN so I can access my home network from the outside (could host that on the NAS though)
where the fiber internet enters the house I need to plug in 4 ethernet cables (besides the WAN): 1 for my NAS, 1 for an IoT-device and 2 for ethernet cables to a TV and an AP that's located on the 3d floor.
We live in a 3 stories high brick house / concrete floors in the Netherlands
Price range: about 150
I'm not an OpenWRT newbie and know how SSH/putty works. I don't mind (and sometimes like) tweaking settings, but if possible I like to prevent spending time to debrick a device.
If you are a daredevil with some extra cash you could go with the Asus Zenwifi BT8.
Its a (brand new and therefor expensive) Triband Wifi7 router that does not even have OpenWRT support.
However, since at least one OpenWRT developer have one working and says that support is on its way - it sounds very future-proof, and it is available all over Europe.
GL.iNet Flint 2 (MT-6000) is an wifi6 router with 2x2.5g ethernet (wan + 1 lan) and 4x1g ethernet.
It has 1 GB RAM and 8 GB eMMC. Very easy to flash. Runs SQM for my 500/500 connection perfectly. WiFi has been solid for me (though I live in an apartment). I would strongly recommend it, if you have the budget for it.
I bought it on black Friday sale, so it wasn't that bad (I think it was 25% off? Can't quite remember). Also the T-56 seems to be ISP specific. I can only find things in Dutch (and the OpenWRT page). Doesn't seem to be available in the rest of the EU (I'm in Sweden).
It is supposedly a rebranded Zyxel ex5601, but I can't find that for sale either?
It's only that if you get it in NL used/BNIB without warranty. I'm trying to buy one from NL and it's probably going to be less than 2x with shipping. And that's excluding the flashing hassle. I'm still probably getting it (if shipping works out), but it's definitely not a blanket recommendation, if you're outside NL and don't have the tech skills to reflash it. Whereas I can get a retail with warranty MT6000 within days and flash it out of the box through a web UI. So it depends on what you value more.
Summary
I sometimes feel like @frollic works either for Odido/T-Mobile or Zyxel
I don't disagree. Some local stores are selling it for €250+ Not as bad as Turkey, I guess.
Again, I still think it's a good choice if you want something working out of the box with OpenWrt support. And I don't see all that many modern alternatives sold in retail in EU.
Kind of. Yes it is a modified old OpenWRT (21.x I think?), it has a custom gui, but you can also go to advanced and get to luci. You can get access via ssh etc as well of course, and the normal UCI tools. I do believe they patched the kernel though with some mediatek sdk, unfortunately.
Switching to a modern stock openwrt is just a sysupgrade away, and that is really nice. I did this after clicking around (out of curiosity) in the default gui for a couple of minutes. I recommend everyone who gets one does this.
It is expensive though, not going to disagree there. Especially if it isn't on sale (which it seems to be quite frequently). Likely to be on sale more often as the Flint 3 comes out. Which looks like it will not be mediatek unfortunately, and thus not a nice device for stock openwrt.