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Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

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Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#101

Post by mmastrac »

merlinscholz wrote: post #89
meomatic wrote: post #81

I don't know, how much they cost in US, but here are couple of solutions: 1. EdgeRouter X (ER-X) or EdgeRouter Lite (ERLite-3). 2. more userfriendly UniFi Security Gateway (USG) with controller (UCK) or UniFi Dream Machine (UDM) - it propose creating cloud account, but __do not__ require it. 3. use devices capable to run OpenWRT or buy some hardware like Supermicro Embedded Solutions (later I can share models list) t…

Be aware that Unifi's products sometimes require cloud accounts, depending on which update is installed. ALso, the dashboard is full of ads. I definitely would recommend MikroTik, sold my Unifi stuff for MikroTik and would never go back.

I haven't seen ads in my Unifi dashboard at all, except possibly for some of their other products (they are so minor I struggled to recognize them as ads).

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#102

Post by AnthonyMouse »

cpach wrote: post #7

I would look for hardware that can run Opnsense or OpenWRT See e.g. https://old.reddit.com/r/OPNsenseFirewall/comments/lemj0r/ha... and https://openwrt.org/toh/start

This is a good solution but make sure to check the idle power consumption for PC hardware. It varies considerably. (Hardware like this will be idle nearly all of the time.)

If you don't have an AC watt meter, get one, they're inexpensive and pay for themselves quickly.

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#103

Post by zx76 »

mdavis6890 wrote: post #32
webstrand wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Omnia looks really nice. But in their advertising script they claim they have "LTE antennas", does anyone know what they mean by that claim? I had thought LTE was only a term used by the cellular telecommunications industry.

Likely for a backup cell/LTE WAN connection. Sounds like a nice feature, if it's actually what I think.

Pretty sure this is the correct answer. I've had a D-link router in the past that could fail over from ADSL to 3G in the event that the ADSL stopped working.

If just one backup isn't enough for you then this article [1] about a developer at Gitpod who works remotely might be of interest. He has 6 redundant LTE and 5G connections on his van!

[1] https://ghuntley.com/internet/

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#104

Post by ramphastidae »

Faaak wrote: post #93
ramphastidae wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMHO, skip OpenWRT. It is much more difficult to get working correctly than HN likes to admit. There’s a non-trivial chance you will spend hours and hours reflashing your router and reading forum posts until you eventually brick it. It’s just like Raspberry Pis. Theoretically the right choice but practically speaking a huge time sink and poor, unstable experience that is best left to hobbiest tinkering or networking…

I don't really see what you're talking about. I've flashed all of my routers and _never_ had a problem. Maybe the thing that took me the most time was to decide which version to use or whether I should use openwrt vs tomato vs other competitors

Your post history says you use Dvorak and Vim, and were tinkering with your school’s network at 15, so I think my point stands :)

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#105

Post by howdydoo »

ramphastidae wrote: post #74
dredmorbius wrote: post #9

Any system capable of running OpenWRT. https://openwrt.org/supported_devices You might find / inquire about specific devices at the OpenWRT subreddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/openwrt/ The Turris Omnia is priced above your preferred range, but is effectively a small server and has excellent capabilities. It runs a specifically-tuned and live-upgradable version of OpenWRT: https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/

IMHO, skip OpenWRT. It is much more difficult to get working correctly than HN likes to admit. There’s a non-trivial chance you will spend hours and hours reflashing your router and reading forum posts until you eventually brick it. It’s just like Raspberry Pis. Theoretically the right choice but practically speaking a huge time sink and poor, unstable experience that is best left to hobbiest tinkering or networking…

Nothing in life has a 100% success rate. But I think the fact that most people recommend OpenWrt, shows that most people don't have these crazy problems. Buy well-supported hardware, follow the directions carefully, and you'll be just fine.

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#106

Post by DangitBobby »

balls187 wrote: post #100
DangitBobby wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't recommend custom router firmware to anyone that isn't 1) confident in their ability to troubleshoot problems you will definitely have and 2) at least somewhat intrigued at the prospect of spending several hours troubleshooting their router.

Even though I still maintain my hacker mindset, as I get older, the more I fall into "I just want it to work."

I said those exact words after sinking the better part of a weekend into trying to get WAN failover working on my (now useless) dd-wrt router. Once it stops being fun I'm ready to reach for my wallet.

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#107

Post by yladiz »

ramphastidae wrote: post #104
Faaak wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't really see what you're talking about. I've flashed all of my routers and _never_ had a problem. Maybe the thing that took me the most time was to decide which version to use or whether I should use openwrt vs tomato vs other competitors

Your post history says you use Dvorak and Vim, and were tinkering with your school’s network at 15, so I think my point stands :)

I would second the parent, I installed and use OpenWRT on my router without much issue. Flashing and configuring was quite easy, and really the most difficult part was actually getting the router because the local shops (MediaMarkt) don’t have many/any compatible routers.

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#108

Post by sib301 »

ABeeSea wrote: post #72
bennyp101 wrote: post #27

None of my TPLink, Netgear, or ASUS routers have ever needed a cloud account - I guess this is a new/regional thing? I use Mikrotik hAP2 (~£60/$80) - if you are comfortable with that sort of thing, otherwise I guess anything that supports OpenWRT as others have said. Have you got examples of ones that need a cloud account? I'm intrigued now

Yea I just bought a netgear router and it didn’t require a cloud account. It did push creating one very heavily during setup.

Also using net gear. I suspect the vast majority of users here are savvy enough to get around the cloud requirement but non-technical users likely would not have figured it out.

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#109

Post by stevenjgarner »

juancn wrote: post #50

Any router (or routerboard) that supports Mikrotik: https://mikrotik.com/ You don't have to buy from them the hardware. I used to use OpenWRT (which is also a nice second option), but the robustness and flexibility of mikrotik is fantastic.

I strongly upvote Mikrotik with its open-source RouterOS software (which you can run on nearly any computer). I have used Mikrotik for years, from their low-end (but powerful) routerBOARD offerings through to their CCR1036-12G-4S optical router and their nRAY 60 GHz point-to-point wireless Internet.

I have supported dozens of router brands for clients since 1996, and I cannot say enough good things about Mikrotik. It allows you to work productively on Terminal CLI (but that is not necessary).

Re: Ask HN: Please recommend a router without need for a cloud account

#110

Post by sircastor »

dredmorbius wrote: post #9

Any system capable of running OpenWRT. https://openwrt.org/supported_devices You might find / inquire about specific devices at the OpenWRT subreddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/openwrt/ The Turris Omnia is priced above your preferred range, but is effectively a small server and has excellent capabilities. It runs a specifically-tuned and live-upgradable version of OpenWRT: https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/

I like the idea of running OpenWRT. I did it for years. I eventually grew tired of being my own Network admin. The risk of bricking my router, and having to review what felt like arcane update rules before every upgrade process made me finally cave and just get an Eero. I don't love the lack of features, and I really don't like Amazon owning the company, but it works for me.
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