What's your favourite cheap LEDE/OpenWrt device?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
401

Thank you for your recommendation. After reading the post related with aht79 tiny, it seems to be a good alternative to re-purpose unused old hardware for range extension (not routing).

If you plan to buy a new device, the wiki documentation discourages to buy 4/32MB devices (as @tmomas had already pointed out).

Someone else is looking for a replacement for those old and trusty tplink tl-wdr4300 tl-wdr3600 and tl-wdr3500 (this last one without gigabit ethernet ports)? For a small router, Netgear WNDR3700v4 (whenever a used unit it might be available) and TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 seem to be valid alternatives, gigabit ethernet 1xWAN, 4xLAN, and decent amounts of memory for the firmware and RAM.

402

I've got microuter one. It has 18x firmware version but i dont know how to compile newer one. They don't support it, you have to compile your own software.

403

PL-WR300-H1 is cheap one.
it sold as bare board.
MT7620N chipset 8MB flash DDR2 64MB RAM
US $7.50 Shipping: US $3.14 or Free shipping (region limited)
Seek keyword as 'openwrt flash 8MB ddr2 64MB mt7620N' in aliexpress
I'm running firmware bin [Zbtlink ZBT-WA05] OpenWrt 19.07.3 r11063-85e04e9f46

UART
MT7620N'pin
37 Rx R54
113 Tx R137
uboot 115200
linux 57600
you can telnet login as :
login: root
pass: root0734

As power supp. 5V is ok, from USB P.S.
I modified SPIROM to socket but its optional.

poecam_trm
poecam_trm697×577 193 KB

But considering the case and power supply, maybe something else is better... :wink:
like [CHANEVE Wireless Repeater] or [CHANEVE 300Mbps Wireless Repeater Router MT7628KN]

memo: sold 37:3 @ 2020.07.12

2 Likes
404

Two points:
The MT7628KN System-on-Chip includes 8MB ram. The Mediatek MT7628 spec sheet indicates that a DDR(1) ram chip can optionally be added

https://www.mediatek.com/products/homeNetworking/mt7628k-n-a

Chaneve is a reseller. The CHANEVE 300Mbps Wireless Repeater Router MT7628KN is also sold as a Kuwifi and I believe is manufactured by ZBT. The same case can contain a Realtek based board.

I bought a Mediatek one and it did not contain a separate flash chip. The web interface is impressive from a minimalist standpoint. Only 2 options for wifi encryption - open vs WPA2(personal). It also is very energy efficient. The serial interface had a u-boot loader but did not run Linux.

Neither will ever run OpenWrt. The Mediatek one has 2mb flash/8ram and Realtek one is, well, Realtek.

406

In the Mediatek family, I use this one:


Works on a HLK-7688A wifi module and comes preloaded with OpenWrt 14.07 but it is easy to install version 19.07

Pro are:

  • Ram DDR2 128 MB
  • Flash 32 MB
  • Cpu frequency 580 MHz
  • 5 ethernet ports (wan + 4 lan)
  • 2 serial ports

Con:

  • wifi only 2,4 GHz
  • ethernet only 10/100 Mbps
  • no usb port

Very stable, I use it with a VPN and AdBlock for four months

If you add a plastic box, you would have a router with unique software and hardware for 15,50 + 4,45 €

Box1

The MT7688AN as 2 pins labeled USB_DP and USB_DM . Does any one know if it is possible to add a usb connector?

1 Like
407

Hello,

If you check the alipage you will see the two USB-pins you mentioned.
But if you check usb-pinout specs, you will notice that USB has four pins. The two on the soc are the two data pins, the other two pins needed are +5V and GND. So you can feel free to take +5V and GND directly from the power supply/its connector afaik.

1 Like
408

All WIFI products with only B/G/N not AC ( AX ) are obsolete

3 Likes
409

Thank you!
I have to find where to recover an old female connector (may be an old charger) and make the test.

410

Why would you do that?
You already have the device powered up and you can (and should) take the 5V directly from it instead of using a second charger. Or am I misunderstanding something here?

411

The idea of the old charger is only to unsolder and use the USB connector.
Well, this discussion gets of topics, but interests me. I will open a new one

1 Like
412

New topic:

413

hmmm, it's been a while, but IIRC USB1 needs pulldowns too GND from Dp/Dm on the host side.
Also for USB2 hardwiring straight to 5V/GND from the powersupply is likely to break chirping - i.e. usb2 speed negotiation.

414

Define "best".

Keep up-to-date list of widely available devices which satisfy:

  1. ALL of the properties below:
  • Available today in most parts of the world
  • Fully supported by OpenWRT (working both 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi, working NICs, working swconfig)
  • Stable software for everyday use - can work for at least several months without restart
  • More than 4/32
  • Well defined support per hardware versions if there are more than one on the market
  1. As many as possible of the properties below:
  • Easy initial flashing (software only). Mention other available options for those who are familiar with screwdriver/soldering/serial ports etc
  • Relatively cheap - compared to similar devices
  • Gigabit wired ports (although this is a dealbraker for me, some people might not require them)
  • Working USB ports
  • Working hardware offload
  • Low power consumption

Such an example is good old Archer C7 v2, but it's getting a bit old.

3 Likes
415

Banana PI R2
I recommend, openwrt developers are few, so they have problems. but its hardware is very good.

BPI-R2_new_intface
BPI-R2_new_intface750×920 252 KB

416

at the moment must be GL inet mango (MT300N-V2)
price at USD 20.

2 Likes
419

In specification there is no information about 'USB OTG' port. It is microUSB, I don't like it, USB Type C is much better. Why have they omitted information in specification?

420

Because USB C is much more expensive.

421

GL inet's openwrt line router are wonderful.

but if you wanna flash yourself,

dlink 842 rev C1 is not bad.

1 Like
422

Mi Router 4C is cheapest option in my country.

1 Like
423

How about a cheap device that is also really small?
Like the zsun: Supporting ZSUN Wifi Card Reader (16MB Flash, 64MB RAM, AR9331)

gl-inet microrouter is pretty close, but looking for something physically smaller