What's your favourite cheap LEDE/OpenWrt device?

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

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

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

2 Likes

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?

Because USB C is much more expensive.

GL inet's openwrt line router are wonderful.

but if you wanna flash yourself,

dlink 842 rev C1 is not bad.

1 Like

Mi Router 4C is cheapest option in my country.

1 Like

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

But .. TODAY. Xiaomi mi 4C works LEDE 100 % ? I think no.

I've ported OpenWrt to it.

Found new product with openwrt / pandorabox / ... supported
2.4/5G 5 ports Gigabits / USB / with 32M ROM 512M RAM

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4001050327313.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.10.31bb66abk0Omnr&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.13338.183346.0&scm_id=1007.13338.183346.0&scm-url=1007.13338.183346.0&pvid=30aab0bd-625d-4e83-8ecd-23c6872c12ba&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.13338.183346.0,pvid:30aab0bd-625d-4e83-8ecd-23c6872c12ba,tpp_buckets:668%230%23131923%2387_668%23808%233772%2349_668%23888%233325%2311_3338%230%23183346%230_3338%233142%239890%237_668%232846%238111%23405_668%232717%237565%23777_668%231000022185%231000066058%230_668%233422%2315392%23362

Nice. All working ? SQM ? Wifi .

Does USB3 work correctly with USB-modems?

gl-inet offer a bunch of cheap openwrt devices and a very good support forum.

the one product i have from them is something i have not seen elsewhere, tho every company should offer it.
it is a openwrt router on a usb stick. https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-usb150/
if anybody knows of another such product, please let me know.

This is basically the same thing, except it also supports a micro sd card.

1 Like

thanks for the link.

not a viable solution for me but good to know it exsits.
lack of ram.
lack of oem support.
large size, could not plug two usb devices, side by side, into my laptop.

Thanks for the response,

You do know its literally the same device, except zsun has sdcard support?
same chipset, same flash, same memory.

So lack of ram cannot be an issue unless you have information the rest of us reading the link you gave does not have.

Oem support, is that referring to OpenWRT ready? No difference there either.

Large size, you do have a point there. But that is dependent on how your usb plugs are fitted. I can easily fit two zsuns next to each other on a few of my laptops (not all of them). Volume wise I'd bet the zsun is actually smaller.

Zsun is a great device, as I am sure is the GL-Inet one.

Happy thoughts,
/J

i just need a product that plug and play and i can get tech support as needed.
the gl-inet forum is great, many experts there who are very helpful to newbies.

there does not seem to be a image at openwrt.org webiste.

the issue is not volume size but the overall form factor.

thanks

So the GL-Inet doesn't need a mod (like the Zsun) to do USB networking?