Edit: forgot to mention that I’m based in Europe, which might be relevant for which devices are easily available.
Hi, I am a newbie looking for a new router, one where I can block ads and tracking (with AdGuard, PiHole or something similar), I can choose my own DNS, and hopefully tinker more once I learn more about routers and networks. I have a home server currently running only locally and would like to access it from outside my home, but I’m afraid of letting the door open to bots, hackers, etc.
I am currently using the router provided by my ISP, which has poor customization options and is also failing a lot lately (it loses internet connection at least once a week and needs restarting).
I have searched a bit around and I think something where I can install OpenWRT or other open source firmware would be good. On the OpenWRT forum I have seen recommended the GL·INet Flint 2 GL-MT6000 https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl-mt6000. I also looked a bit more on GL·INet’s website and saw the GL·INet 3e (GL-BE6500) which has WiFi 7, and wondered if that could be a good upgrade, but seems it doesn’t support (yet) installing official OpenWRT.
As for me and my use case: I am comfortable with the Linux command line, my personal computer runs Linux and I have a home server running OpenMediaVault with a couple of services on Docker (Jellyfin, Navidrome, Radicale, Trilium, Calibre-Web, Wanderer), but I barely know anything about routers and networks. The router will serve to connect that server via Ethernet and use several devices (laptops, desktop PC, phones, tablets, AndroidTV…) via WiFi.
I wonder what the thoughts of people who know about routers and networks are.
- Are these good options for a first non-ISP router?
- Is the 3e (GL-BE6500) worth the update for WiFi 7 or is it overkill for my use-case? Maybe even a bad idea if it doesn’t support the official OpenWRT?
- Anything else I missed and should take into account?
In addition to the physical router recommendation, I have 2 more questions:
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from what I have read in other threads I believe I might need to keep my ISP’s router, or get another device to use as a modem before the router (I don’t know how to do that). Is that correct or can I just replace my ISP’s router with a router running OpenWRT (or similar) and be set?
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does anyone have any good resources to learn more about networks, modems, routers, etc.? for a newbie who is comfortable with the Linux command line but otherwise knows nothing about the topic.
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Mikrotik.
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:
Fewer Letters More Letters AP WiFi Access Point DNS Domain Name Service/System HASS Home Assistant automation software ISP Internet Service Provider IoT Internet of Things for device controllers NAT Network Address Translation NUC Next Unit of Computing brand of Intel small computers PCIe Peripheral Component Interconnect Express PoE Power over Ethernet SSD Solid State Drive mass storage VPN Virtual Private Network
11 acronyms in this thread; the most compressed thread commented on today has 3 acronyms.
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Unless you have fiber from your ISP you need a modem to translate from the TV or phone cable to Ethernet.
I’m not a fan of openWRT. I’d recommend you go look at NUC-style x86 mini PCs with multiple network ports instead and install OPNsense. I find the web interface much more intuitive than LuCI
ipfire is a good alternative to opensense because its simpler to use imo.
I also own a Flint 2. Been using OpenWRT for years, but when I got the flint I was so pleased with the stock interface I chose not to flash vanilla on it. 2 years later and it’s still doing great. Note that even though it’s stock, standard LuCi is still available - the “stock” part just seems to be a custom GL.iNet GUI you can choose not to use.
I went the Flint 2 route, I do not currently need wifi 7 but I did flash it with vanilla Openwrt. With the clean vanilla OpenWRT I have added 2 VPNs, I am considering adding a third (one is personal, one is to show off to friends, and the third one will be for my off site back up). I have a poop load of vLANs (IoT stuff, home lab stuff, my personal stuff, guest stuff, child safe vLAN, Personal VPN vLAN, guest VPN vLAN). I have a bunch of wifi APs, (personal, guest, kiddo safe, IoT, and a few because I am an asshole and believe all them waves belongth to me!).
My plan was to host my own email server but this girl loves her hair and did not want to pull it all out, so I just continued on using a third party for that, this is why I got a firewall I controlled because I needed static IP addresses for email but I would recommend getting one if you are adding your own firewall just to by pass everything your ISP is doing, I have fibre but even when I had DSL my ISP had to keep their modem in there, port 1 is just a dumb switch that goes to my firewall.
Originally I had a VPN running on a pi zero 2 (do not do this it is not that great to do it), but now my Flint 2 takes care of it and I do not notice any slow downs when I am away from the LAN. As a Canadian my PM just recently said we are at war with the US, sure it is a trade war not a pew pew boom war but war non the less and as an ex-Apple fan girl I was already slowly moving my stuff away from Apple things and use a pi 4 for HA I have a pi 5 running a bunch of services including pihole, would highly recommend, I have another pi 5 running stuff, and a pi zero 2 running my secondary pihole. I would highly recommend pihole to anyone who is just starting home labbing or been at it for a while, there is some disagreement with people who use other ad blockers but I found pihole first and feel in love with it. You will be so glad to have a VPN with whatever ad blocker you choose (pihole). But getting a static IP is a good idea, sure there are hacks to get things working with things like duckdns.org, your own domain, or whatever else.
You mention hackers and bots, I have crowdsec running on my firewall with things going to all my other devices and a honey pot on my pi zero 2, but my suggestion is if you do not want to set up crowdsec and just rely on the firewall make sure you use strong passwords, I have vaultwarden for those, and change your ssh ports on your devices and while you are at it do not use anything in the 8080 port range.
The Asus BT8 is a wifi 7 router supported by openWRT and there is quite a few of us running it. I think generally OpenWRT is a good way to go and the Table of Hardware on the OpenWRT site will give you a dizzying array of options for wifi 6 and 7 devices that are supported and you get to pick your spec and price from those available.
You might need the modem device if you are using cable, otherwise its FTTH or DSL then you wont.
If you search for OpenWRT tutorials on youtube you will find a McFly or something like that name and he has a bunch of tutorials on how to set up OpenWRT and a range of more advanced networking topics and how to use OpenWRT to utilise them.
AFAIK you still need a modem with OpenWRT and DSL? Do you have a source that you do not need it?
Get 2 devices, set them up the same and put 1 in a cupboard.
When you make a change / update and / or the hardware fails, then you can still recover.
Personally I have a Fritz router in bridge / pass through mode, then a pfSense firewall - basically a low-ish power microATX (I think) PC - which does all my adblocking and DNS as well as reverse proxy for home assistant, etc.
Works well. But I had a SSD failure once and that was difficult to live with…
If you have cable, you need a modem. You might be able to put the ISP’s modem into passthrough mode. If not, get one of your own, from the ISP’s supported models list.
Thanks for your answer. I wasn’t sure what “you have cable” exactly meant, but after seeing BrightCandle’s comment I looked at my ISP contract and it mentions VDSL 50, so I guess I don’t need a separate modem then.
