Wlan pcie / usb dongle support?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
1

Hello!

Im new in OpenWRT. Ive got mini pc board with damaged all disks sockets and I think its great board to use as router. Ive got few questions:

  1. Do openwrt generic image for x86_64 run bios and uefi both? If I flash it on some pendrive - is it will portable between old and new boards?
  2. Where can I find list of supported usb dongle for make AP?
  3. Where can I find list of supported wlan pcie cards for make AP too?
2
  1. there are dedicated images for either, given that parts of the configuration are device specific, you cannot move around your USB at will (the network configuration will be broken).
  2. there are none, the forum search will tell you why.
  3. not sensible, the forum search will tell you why.
3
  1. https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/installation/openwrt_x86
4

Ok I will search. But why not sensible? Intel's wifi got great support for Linux.

Thanks for link, there is a lot of useful info. I forgot thats are images for efi too.

5

... as long is AP isn't your main goal.

6

I corrected the link above. I had the installation part bookmarked. If you scroll up on the page though you will see the image type explanations.

7

Yes, I see :smiley:

So next question comes itself. Can OpenWRT make bridge (or nat) to wifi? Then its works as clients and shared internet over some switch (for example, just theoretically).

8

Yes, it can be a wireless client, sharing the upstream connection with others.

9

I think it might make sense for you to describe your goals with the OpenWrt system you want to run. As already explained, your wifi AP options are extremely limited. And in general, you may be able to do what you want with a much lower power device that already has all the necessary internal hardware (i.e. a switch, wifi radios, and a CPU that can give reasonably good routing performance).

So, what is it that you are trying to do?

10

I have some old mini PCs with for example intel atom and I think thats is can I use them if my main router get crashed. Why I should buy new router if may I use some old usff? Openwrt looks a littlet easier in network configuration than some linux distro.

11

because the run cost of the old hw might be higher than the new plastic router you buy for 30$/€.

if it's only for emergencies, why not.

12

30 bucks for a cheap plastic router (and you may even get one for less than half of that, especially if you include the second hand markets) is still cheaper -and faster- than a single AP mode capable PCIe WLAN card (you'd need two, 8 pigtails, 8 antennas, active cooling and power delivery for +2*10 watts).

It can be done, but neither cheap, nor neat, nor small, nor faster than a cheap plastic router.