Consider using the mailman…
Get a cheap second hand device with sufficient system specs[0], configure it as needed (at least to the extent of basic functionality and VPN access for your from the outside), mail it to the remote location and rely on untrained remote hands to replace the cables between them. There's really no point to talk about 4/32 devices with these feature requirements.
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[0] I wouldn't even think about anything below 32/256 or 32/512.
yes that'd work but it's more of a "customs" issue. They need a permit for anything network related coming from overseas. sorry if it sounds stupid but unfortunately that's the way it is... i wish i had control over it
do you know any device with 32/256 or 32/512 which doesn't cost an arm and a leg and isn't turris omnia ?
The other option, depending on the training of your remote hands, would be obtaining a replacement device locally (RPi4 might be an option) and setting it up to the stage where you can get administrative access from the old router's VPN connection.
I've been in both sets of shoes in the past, neither is pretty - but those are the options. 32 MB is far too little, at most you had 6 MB free RAM, which is nothing for the tasks you throw at it.
There are quite a few mt7621a options, if you're lucky (second hand) ipq40xx or ipq806x - contemporary ath79 if you have to…
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I have pushed asterisk on 16/64 lantiq devices in the past, but that's way too constrained for comfort and ease of mind with a longer term maintenance in mind.
The Edgerouter-X is MT7621 with 128 flash / 256 RAM and MSRP of $59.99 USD but looks to be out of stock everywhere. (It does not have a USB port or any wifi)
you're 100% right no doubt i'm over-reving it badly. i have an Archer C7 v2 on the other end which is amazing to be honest. Not an overkill but does the job and i think it's replace the other router and still have much more power to spare.
you know, i've been following the thread " best and cheapest OpenWrt router " for a while thanks to you !
anyways, is there tools to monitor i/o usage ? like a task manager disk usage if you shall. or even check disk/ram utilization per second
top/ htop (well, you probably don't have space for htop).
Since you've already installed sysstat, take a look at the utilities it includes (you've already used pidstat)...
http://sebastien.godard.pagesperso-orange.fr/documentation.html
thanks ! yeah at first i was trying to get anything interesting from them regarding the usage and everything but i had no experience with them.
iostat might give you some useful information.
http://sebastien.godard.pagesperso-orange.fr/man_iostat.html
Won't change anything, though.
Better yet… building on @slh ’s idea
If shipping the hardware yourself is problematic, but a pi4 can be purchased normally in that location, consider buying one yourself and having them but one there. Then, configure yours so it does what you want and then make an image of the card. Send them the file, they can burn it to another card, pop it in, and bam - all set.
