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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

#141

Post by windexh8er »

It really depends on the functionality and performance you want. Given the price range the performance side will be on the low end.

I would recommend moving up your price-point (if at all possible) and buy something slightly more capable that will last, potentially, longer.

Protectli [0] and Qotom [1] are popular among the OPNsense[2] / PFsense[3] / Untangle[4] firewall distros with respect to small form factor devices.

If all you want is a cheap "router" with a bare bones feature set for Internet edge routing I'd recommend a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X [5]. At $59 it's the best piece of hardware you're likely to get for the money with total control and less big-brother.

If you can't find one email me at my HN username at counterbrea dot ch. I have a few different unused EdgeRouters I could send you for the cost of shipping.

[0] https://protectli.com/ [1] https://www.qotom.net/product/list-58.html [2] https://opnsense.org/ [3] https://www.pfsense.org/ [4] https://www.untangle.com/ [5] https://store.ui.com/products/edgerouter-x

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

#142

Post by jcpham2 »

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…

OpenWRT is the only thing I would recommend - all the consumer routers have turned to trash.

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

#144

Post by alphabettsy »

I wouldn’t trust the people in the reviews know what they’re talking about.

I just bought a new Netgear router, I’ll be returning it, but it doesn’t require a cloud account.

Outside of Google Nest or Eero I don’t think many require a cloud account unless you want particular features like remote management, etc.

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

#145

Post by md_ »

xnyan wrote: post #82
md_ wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently can also run OpenWRT, though I haven't tried and it's not clear to me if everything is well-supported.

I'm running openWRT on my edgerouterX, and so far (about 2 months) everything has been really well supported including hardware offloading of various features. In most cases, I'm getting better than stock performance. UI is much better too. I'm a big fan.

Cool. From what I find online, it seems like PoE and SFP (with the X-SFP) are both supported? Any experience with those?

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

#146

Post by sliken »

lytedev wrote: post #83
aborsy wrote: post #2

Protectli boxes running OPNsense seem good. A bit more expensive though. I advocate separating APs and WiFi from router.

May I ask why you advocate for such separation?

Routers are security sensitive and are long lived. Much like the unix philisophy, do one thing and do it well. A GigE router has been plenty for many years and will likely be fine for most people for many more. Ideally routers are kept as simple as possible and as secure as possible.

WIFI APs however are changing quickly, beam forming, MIMO, 802.11ac, 802.11n, wifi6, 802.11g, etc. Not to mention ideally APs are placed for optimal propagation and might even having more than one per home.

So ideally you don't have to throw away your router to get the current gen WIFI or to add a second AP. Similarly with separate AP and router you don't have to throw away your AP because you need more/faster ports, better buffer bloat mitigation, or improved QoS on your router. When troubleshooting it's really nice to be able to tell if it's an AP problem or a router problem.

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

#147

Post by mmastrac »

merlinscholz wrote: post #131
mmastrac wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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).

Personally, I do not classify that as minor: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EzgB7QFX0AEAQIs?format=jpg&name=...

I probably don't see that because I have those devices, but yeah I can see that being annoying.

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

#148

Post by tonymet »

dadro wrote: post #111

I've been pretty happy with MikroTik routers. I have an extra HapAC2, if you cover shipping it is all yours (I'm based in US).

is there a good guide on the firewall and routing config? i’m interested in this unit and want to set up separate vlans, NaT, multiple dhcp servers

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

#149

Post by sliken »

eu wrote: post #130

How about a custom built solution? Protectli Vault FW4B - 4 Port with OpenBSD and a Ubiquiti AP.

Sounds good, just waiting for an updated flavor with 2.5Gbit ports. I keep routers for a long time and 2.5G is pretty common for the last few years. Seems like in the last few years many motherboards and Comcast modems come with 2.5G. Even some Intel chipsets are supporting 2.5G these days.

Currently I have a EdgeRouter 6p + 2 Ubiquiti APs. But I'd like to update the router to something with at least 4x2.5G, or maybe 2x10G and a few 2.5G.

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

#150

Post by globular-toast »

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…

I think you just need to go in with an understanding of what a router and related things (access point, switch, modem etc.) actually are. Too many people think router is just "that thing that gives me internet via wifi". If you are one of those, you might not have a good time with OpenWRT or Pfsense etc.
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