I'm using Xiaomi MiWiFi Nano (also called Youth Edition, model number R1CL) in a few places. It's got 64MB RAM and 16MB flash, though Lede/OpenWRT can only use 8MB flash. It can be powered off USB, so I'm using one as a wireless bridge for an IPTV box, where it's powered directly from the (useless) USB port on the box. Costs $13-15 with shipping from AliExpress.
The GL-AR300M and MD are interesting, but it is way past the magical $20 pricepoint.
Is that the one with realtek WiFi or nbd's mediatek driver?
It's mediatek.
If you are like me and don't want those cheap chinese routers, I like TP-LINK TL-WR842N/ND v3, for 20 EUR you get 16MB flash, 64MB ram and USB port. Only 100mbit switch though. I'm still using a lot wr841n with 32MB/4MB, because they are even cheaper and power efficient (less than 2 watts), but hnyman is right, it is getting harder and harder to fit to 4MB. I like also WR1043ND, they have been supported on openwrt from the year 0, but they are quite expensive compared to chinese.
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Purchased 1043nd v4. for 52 EUR.
16Mb Flash , 64Mb RAM, 4 Gigabit ports
Runs flawlessly with LEDE. I'd definitely recommend it.
BT VG3503J.
Its hard to beat as VDSL 2 device. The VG3503J is far better than the single port locked down Vigor 130.
Its difficult enough to flash, so to keep the prices down on Feebay of the normal BT VG3503J.
All in all, an excellent device now the Lede Team have improved what Openwrt started.
I mentioned WR1043ND series before. I also think they are pretty solid devices. I like them a lot. I would liked to have 128MB RAM though.
In Poland they are being sold for around 42 EUR / 44USD and recently they where on sale for 37 EUR / 39 USD. I don't think they are expensive at all.
Here is the UK, my vote is the BT HomeHubV5A. 500Mhz 128/128MB, 4xGb ports, 2.4 & 5Ghz radios and VDSL2 modem. Ebay is flooded with them, so easy to get at around GBP10!
I bought one as I needed a small Gb switch and I fancied trying LEDE and my first experimenting with open source router firmware and haven't looked back. I've since bought a WRT1900ACS as a main router since it had a LEDE image available.
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Fuson FS-WR106, does someone know these devices? ($18, min. 2 units sounds fair)
wholesaler.alibaba.com/product-detail/Enterprise-1200Mbps-802-11AC-Dual-Band_60575755335.html
AC1200 Dual Band WiFi Router with Four High-Power Antennas , QoS , WPS Button
Main Chip MT7621A/Dual core/880Mhz
2.4G Chip MT7603EN
5G Chip MT7612EN
RAM DDR3 512MB (Max support 512MB)
FLASH SPI 16MB (Max support 32MB)
110/100M/1000M WAN Port,support auto reverse(Auto MDI/MDIX)
410/100M/1000M LAN Port,support auto reverse(Auto MDI/MDIX)
1USB 2.0 Port
1PCIE Port(Built-in)
1*SD Port
Support System Original SDK,openwrt
Wow, those specs are insane for that price! Really curious for more information about and experience with this device.
Has somebody purchased this product ? When I tried to buy they said the price is a mistake ...
Not yet...
Recently I bought some PogoPlug Mobile and flashed OpenWRT on it... It's works very well so far.
- CPU: Marvell 800mhz
- FLASH: 128MB
- RAM 128MB
- very small case 10cmx11cmx4cm
- low power consumption, it comes with 12v 1A power source
- SD slot
- 1 direct? USB 2.0
- dual status led (green-red)
- 1 ethernet gigabit
- "eject" button (inner, as for "reset")
Price: bougt mine for 9 USD on Amazon some months ago, but I saw 2x listing at 14,98 USD now.
It has no Wifi but depending on your needs you could easily add a USB WiFi dongle and upgrade as needed, cheap 7 USD 2.4ghz USB WiFidongle or a much better one with dual band 2.4 and 5ghz for less than 20 USD and it usually comes with a detachable-replaceable external antenna.
There is other PogoPlug that has SATA and 2 USB 3.0, with internal USB hub, but only one of them works at 3.0 speed the other works at 2.0 as read on some website, same specs, and another one but with different case has internal power supply (with external power cable), and it has 3 USB 2.0 on the back and 1 USB 2.0 on the front (internal USB Hub) the later one is also very cheap...almost same price.
It is interesing to use as a OpenWrt NAS, that will my first experiment, and later I want to test the cryptographic support of the Marvell to see if speed up OpenVPN or WPA2-AES in some way...
What do you think?
TL-WDR4900 is quite good value used:
800MHz PPC
16MB flash
128MB RAM
5x gigabit, 2x USB2
2.4 & 5GHz wifi
I get ~370Mbit down, 450Mbit up.
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Two minor nicks with the TL-WDR4900...
a) it's EOL and no longer for sale.
b) the powerpc platform makes this a pretty unique system, yes, it's rather powerful (although contemporary ARM can beat it), but it also means that it offers much less (continued) support promises into the future.
the fuson fs-wr106 is very very impressive for its pricerange. is it only available on alibaba? anyone having ordered from there if so is it quite safe?
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I've always loved TL-WR740N's for being able to run openwrt/lede for a very low price. Today they are becoming somewhat less useful because of their RAM/Flash specs BUT... It's not very complicated to mod them to 16/64MB by replacing relevant chips. I would not recommend buying them new but if you have a bunch of them laying around (as I do) and a hot air station you can still make good use of those.
This also applies to similar Tp-link devices on ar71xx platform such as portable MR3020/3040's
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Do note that most of the suggestions here are either EoL or just very weak/unsuitable hardware.