Please mind that this topic is only for testing the implementation of an user editable recommendation list in this forum. It is not meant to be an actual live topic and you shouldn't use it as such.
This page is "wiki", i.e. every logged in user can edit it.
Criteria for adding devices to this list
Must be supported by OpenWrt
Must be cheap, i.e. cost less than $50 / €50
Must be available somewhere for purchasing
How to add
Sort in your model alphabetically.
Add your favourite device (model), the reasons why you favour it over other devices and the price to the table.
If available, link the model to the respective devicepage at openwrt.org.
Please keep the reason text as short as possible in order to keep the table compact and easily readable.
Added one via mobile interface. Not too bad. Cool idea/feature.
Are edits traceable? Roll back or history etc? Just in case someone accidentally (or intentionally) ruined it?
Is it possible to set a certain trust level restriction on edits?
Netgear WNDR 4700 and you can add a SATA drive inside it. or even an SSD . Has Simultaneous Dual Band (two Radio). About 60-90 bucks on ebay. 1 Ghz CPU, 256MB RAM, and 128MB of NAND. You can even run a LAMP server inside your home along with a DLNA.
Netgear R6100 and you get 128MB RAM / 128MB Flash and two radio on wifi. On Ebay for about $20-40 bucks.
Have installed OpenWRT on these myself and absolutely loved the performance under a home setup.
I strongly recommend AGAINST WNDR4700 unless your router is in an isolated closet with soundproofing on the door or you're willing to do extensive physical modifications to replace it with a 120mm fan. Despite all the otherwise nice hardware, the fan on that thing is atrocious, and there's really not much better to replace it with without modifications, because at that fan size quiet means useless.
Funny that WRT1900ACS is on that list. I have one, but I wouldn't call it cheap
Please mind that this topic is only for testing the implementation of an user editable recommendation list in this forum. It is not meant to be an actual live topic and you shouldn't use it as such.
Petteyg: The original Netgear firmware may not have spindown on HDD and in addition some of those machines may have had noisy fans. That may be the reason for all this reputation. The one I have is not noisy. And OpenWRT is Linux 4.4 with pretty mature hadd smartctrl and fan control.
Finally, this is about testing. Even though I would not hesitate installing in live settings too.
The WNDR4700 DONT have to run with fan. The build in fan was planned for a hot 3,5" HDD. If you take a modern, low power ssd, then you dont need a fan. Also without any hdd/ssd you dont need a fan connected.
The WNDR4700 is great, fully free usable wifi router. It have ath9k based wifi (not that ath10k crap or other closed source wifi).
BTW: If you have such a device, please care good about that. There are not much of those devices existing on this planet.
I vote against ZBT-826. It does not matter that it have that much of memory, when it have such a terrible Mediatek wifi device that cant run fully on free software.
I cant recommend any non ath9k based wifi device.
Used devices, at least in San Francisco don't go for any less than $20, unless they're a complete piece of junk. $20 will barely buy lunch out. Anything below that many people now find easier to pitch in the trash.
I don't see why there should be a distinction between the new and used. It's around getting functionality for the amount paid.
Judging from the results Amazon returns on a search for "wifi router", "mainstream" is US$50-90. "Cheap" also should be contrasted with the enthusiast category, which is running close to US$200 at this time.
40-50 USD/EUR seems a reasonable cutoff, allowing not just the no-name imported devices, but also low-end/used devices from better-known manufacturers.
As long as there are price indications there of some sort (maybe two or three bands), I think it would be more helpful to have a somewhat broader range. I'd rather spend another $10-20 over the cheapest, barely functional, slow, imported by slow boat, to get a device that will be a lot easier to install and manage, provides 802.11ac, and isn't going to be obsoleted by the memory requirements in a year or two.
In europe people also sell devices for 50cents, 1euro and so on. You can choose between different devices.
PLEASE dont put fulls working ath9k based wifi devices in the trash. Put this WLAN-AC closed-source crap in the trash if you like until someone have finally released a WLAN-AC device/driver that can run without closed-source software.
and btw: This is still a "topic for testing" and not for real discussion so far i understood
