What's your favourite cheap LEDE/OpenWrt device?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
778

NSS will only be available in OpenWrt (officially) once there are open source drivers for it, which is likely never.

If you want to run OpenWrt in your device, my suggestion is to avoid Qualcomm and Broadcom. For cheap devices, MediaTek SoCs are probably unbeatable.

3 Likes
779

Do you have specific reasons to think that "never"?

780

The NSS builds aren't from OpenWRT, but 3rd parties.

AFAIK NSS isn't FOSS.

1 Like
781

Buffalo WXR-2533DHP
Pros

  • easy to install OpenWrt
  • good RF design
  • good thermal design
  • 512MB RAM
  • 40MB free flash space with 24.10
  • 2 x USB3 ports (2533DHP2 is with 1 x USB3)
  • 802.11ac with 4x4 MU-MIMO is good enough for “normal” usage

Cons

  • Wired speed seems not capable of 1Gbps (QCOM with OpenWrt)
  • Hard to get new boxes (~10 years old)
782

I remember I've seen quite a lot of WXR-2533DHP (or DHP2) used one selling in junk stores in Japan, and the price was roughly $10.

783

NSS stack makes some heavy modifications to the kernel, a, there's no publicly available documentation or help from Qualcomm. You're on your own

proprietary NSS fW being the other thing, they have no reliable way of release to the public, makes it even more restrictive

2 Likes
784

Unfortunately, this is already the reality - users have started receiving the Qualcomm-based Xiaomi AX3000T RD03v2.

Be cautious when ordering this device. It looks identical to the original RD03, and the only visual differences are in the packaging box.

785

Google Gale Wifi AC-1304

I've been using mines for 1-2 weeks so far, upgrading from an entry-level ACRH13 router:

Pros

  • Undervalued in the resale market starting @ ~$5 + $10-15 shipping (USA)
  • 512MB RAM
  • 4GB Storage means ample storage for docker and other larger projects w/o external storage
  • Can buy more than one for a mesh setup w/o raising the cost substantially/at all
  • Modern/minimalist look
  • Step by step tutorial video available

Cons

  • You do have to pry off the lid initially which seems like more work than it actually is
  • Only Wifi5 compatible
  • Needs a USB-C Hub to flash the device
  • No USB port (but since you need a USB-C Hub to flash, you can use the ports on that afterwards if desire

I say watch the video I shared earlier to realize how trivial the extra steps are, and then if you find a good deal, pull the trigger on it.

786

a virtual one.

If you run it on Proxmox you get free backup, on VM level !
It scales with the cpu's in your host.
If you use a 4 port nic, you can dedicate 2 to owrt and 2 to opnsense and actually compare them / migrate painlessly.
Sure a virtual owrt has no wifi but who needs wifi close to where WAN enters the home ? Instead, run Omada in a Container and use pure AP's. And who says you can only have one Proxmox host ? Have 2, one that hosts a owrt vm and is also a backup target for VM's on your other Proxmox host. Because backup is important and you need another machine anyway. Well then, use its cpu to run your owrt instance.

Virtualise your interfaces and your configuration will stay with you .. for the rest of your life ..

787

Some Woot sales that have openwrt routers (check the ToH to confirm 100%)
https://computers.woot.com/offers/linksys-ax1800-dual-band-wi-fi-6-router-1
128MB storage 256 RAM $19

https://computers.woot.com/offers/linksys-ax3200-wi-fi-6-router-2
128MB storage 512 RAM $20

1 Like
788

They still have Linksys Hydra Pro 6 MR5500 at $40.

789

Hey cheap people, cheapskate here. I think I need some general guidance on selecting a decent cheap wifi 5 router, because I've been stumbling.

I got a Linksys EA4500, then discovered that its mwl8k driver is essentially abandoned and quite crappy. Next tried a Netgear R6350 using mt76 driver, which seems to max out at 500 mW tx power and has a very weak and short range signal.

Are there any indicators I can use to tell if a particular router is going to work well under OpenWRT? Wondering if I should focus on ath10k devices, or ???

790

so far the MR5500 is solid under snapshot r30900. I have not tested the USB though. I remember from dev topic so far only 2.0 is working since dev does not have router in hand. I do wonder if the NSS cores will be developed for this chipset.. will have to wait and see. Dumb question: I am new here, when does the TOH get added with information?

791

NSS builds aren't official, so it's up to someone to make it their free time project.

That's a manual activity.

792

since it is now supported officialy, the cudy WR3000E is actually at 26,47€ in France on Amazon.

2 Likes
793

This is the same hardware specs as the Xiaomi AX3000T, but with one extra ethernet port and without all the crap Xiaomi pulled (changed nand chips twice, the switch once and then outright moved to an underpowered IPQ SoC which will never be supported, especially with its low amount of RAM for ath11k).

Kinda hard to find though. I couldn’t find it on any of the big local online market places.

794

Cudy WR3000S has the same specs and has been supported since 24.10.0 too.

795

in my city 2 version are available WR3000S and WR3000 both with the same price which one should i buy?

can you recommend anyone of these or maybe any other brand ?

796

compare
https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=c9cb6411c1a70516d5922e88c45b338de041baba

and
https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=faf4b3e0f7a583a8fa1a65b302ac74457e48575f

we don't know where on the map "my city" is; most devices aren't available globally.

797

its Saudi Arabia but if it is available on amazon they will usually deliver with some extra import charges.

and the reason I asked this because i was thinking if we have same specs in other brand like tp-link because it is very easy to install openwrt in tp-link routers.

and by looking the hardware

i think WR3000s is better than the WR3000 because of 128MB Nand.

edited

ordered WR3000S…it will come from Germany in 10 days.