Can anyone recommend a decent USB TTL adapter for the serial part? Amazon germany would be great. I bought the following one but I'm not sure if it's a decent adapter: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0B7RHPMT7
If yours gives output it works, try it first
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I've got https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B07WX2DSVB.
Good, but not great, Tx won't work with some of the ZTE devices out there.
Works well with the T-56, if that's what you're going for.
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https://a.aliexpress.com/_EvoXoYy "We need to go cheaper"
I used this model, it works. FT232RL - 5V - 3.3V - 1.8V
CH343G with 1.8V support: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005445079669.html
As it's already been sent out I'll give it a try but the problem with the CH340G based devices seems to be that there are lots of counterfeit CH340G chips out there where recent drivers won't work with Win 11. I found one CH340G based device on Amazon that has "brand new H340G Original-Chip" in the description but it didn't come with cables.
I know that there are plenty of cheaper options at Aliexpress but I don't want to wait 2 weeks for the adapter as the router will arrive here the next days.
Counterfeits are a problem for all of these devices ("FTDI" ft232rl and Prolific pl2303 are affected most). If you are running Windows, this will be a problem - on linux these tend to work fine for normal uses.
Getting one known-good FTDI from a reputable source isn't a bad idea, other than that getting an assortment of different cheap ones usually gets you further (ch340g, cp2102, 'ft232rl', pl2303, … the more, the merrier) than overpaying for a single device.
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if you are after perfection, which is not required.
I've received the CH340G adapter today but I can't tell if it's a counterfeit chip. It has the name on the chip printed and not engraved but idk if that's a clear sign of a counterfeit. In the windows device manager it shows up as USB-SERIAL CH340 and Windows 11 installed driver version: 3.9.2024.9
According to the counterfit Fake CH340G github page the device name is a sign of a counterfeit. (https://github.com/SHWotever/SimHub/wiki/Arduino---Counterfeit-Fake-CH340G-chips-driver-issues)
The FakeCH340DriverFixer tool (https://github.com/SHWotever/FakeCH340DriverFixer/) does identify my chip as fake:
Checking ports :
Found CH340G on port COM3, driver : 3.9.2024.9 (oem125.inf) : likely to be Fake
Installing default driver ...
Driver install successful (exit code 259)
Searching installed drivers for USB\VID_1A86&PID_7523...
Found driver : oem125.inf, 09/16/2024, 3.9.2024.09
Found driver : oem8.inf, 01/30/2019, 3.5.2019.1
Searching installed drivers for USB\VID_1A86&PID_7523...
Found driver : oem125.inf, 09/16/2024, 3.9.2024.09
Found driver : oem8.inf, 01/30/2019, 3.5.2019.1
Driver non compatible with fake CH340 found : oem125.inf, 09/16/2024, 3.9.2024.09
Uninstalling driver
Driver uninstall successful
Driver 3.9.2024.09 uninstalled
Looking for pending updates ...
Found pending update wch.cn - Ports - 3.9.2024.9 16.09.2024 00:00:00 : Update was not hidden, hiding it
Press any key to exit
I guess I should be went for the 3xPack the Adapter where the description says "Brandnew CH340G-Originalchip": but I don't need 3x Adapters laying around here and you can't even be sure with those Amazon listings these days. 
You could try electronic store such as mouser or digikey.
I'll give it a try with my Amazon adapter first and if it doesn't work I send it back and buy something else.
With the old drivers it should work even with the fake chips if the adapter isn't faulty.
I've got the old SparkFun FTDI Basic (with mini USB) with a legit FTDI. I have it for over 10 years and so far so good. At least on Linux. Doesn't look like there are any reputable sellers on Amazon DE though.
The newer version is called SparkFun Beefy 3 I guess:
I had lots of issues with the cheap no-name serial adapters back when I was doing embedded, not sure what the current situation is.
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Thanks for your input. I'm looking for a noob friendly device that works with windows. Any legit CH340G device should be fine with Windows, even with the latest drivers. For the fake/counterfeit ones older drivers are supposed to work. I'll see if my adapter is any good when the T-56 router arrives the next days...
Personally I never had any issue with any of these fake or genuine chips.
Both used with Esp32/8266 and debricking Netgear and Tp link routers.
An inexpensive quality option that should be available on Amazon Germany is the new Raspberry Pi Debug Probe which can be used as a USB to UART as well as an ARM SWD.
This worked (used one time only) ok for me:
AZDelivery CP2102 USB to TTL Converter HW-598
+Dupont Jumper cable (Male-Female) 10cm for Breadboard
+USB extension cable