First item
𝛼) A box without WiFi capabilities. It should have two LAN interfaces, USB3 (no WiFi to interfere with), PCI and support for NVMe, and be as near to unbrickable as possible. Such a box can be used as an access router, a firewall, and a small server. It should be capable of running cake at the LAN interface line speed, full-duplex. I know people will want 2.5 Gbit/s LAN connections, but GigE should be fine, unless, of course, 2.5GE adds no cost disadvantage.
Here are a few examples I can already find, I am sure there are more:
- NanoPI R6S
- 2x2.5 GbE + 1x1 GbE
- USB
-
NanoPC-T6 - Note: not yet supported by OpenWRT
- 2x2.5 GbE
- 2 x m.2 slots, 1 x miniPCIe (non LTS)
- USB
-
- 2 x 1 GbE
- USB
Un-bricking these is not as nice as the Devs device, but it's not terrible...
Second item
𝛽) A WiFi access point, capable of being powered by PoE, with two LAN interfaces that can be aggregated (if necessary - or one used for an upstream connection and one for a downstream connection to a switch), no USB3 (to minimise interference issues). It can be used to extend WiFi coverage, or act as a WiFi bridge to other devices. Also 'unbrickable'.
Do you really want to daisy chain APs? This will work once: Router -> AP -> AP .... but are you sure you want to add a 3rd or 4th one? If you can run 1 cable to the first AP, just run the 2 or 3 cables at the same for the second and third APs back to the main switch. Stay as close to a STAR network topology as you can reasonably get. If you must then put the switch before the AP, not the other way around. Same exact result, simpler setup.