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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

#181

Post by fartcannon »

garbagecoder wrote: post #176
fartcannon wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Again, it's a download and a 'flash' in a GUI. Probably couldn't be simpler. As for reliability, my house has two of the same routers - one runs openwrt, the other runs the factory default (unfortunately it's not mine, so I can't just change it at will). Can you guess which is unreliable? It's the factory default. This is not to mention the security implications of having a non-open source router. Never trust a third…

“Works on my machine” isn’t a very constructive response. You have a lot more work than that to do if you don’t get the right hardware. It’s decent if you don’t change the defaults, I guess but then what’s the point?! Try installing almost any package and sometimes it will just lock up. An actual misconfigured/buggy router is a bigger security concern for me than a potential back door. Also, what makes you think open…

I wish! That'd be rad.

There was an article just the other day about how google is sunsetting a mesh router they built. That's what you get if you don't take the frankly small amount of time to wrench control of your hardware from its parent companies. You're worried about security? Bad news, if you're not doing your own updates, your security can and will be sunset.

But I get it, you don't wanna. Not much more to be said than that I suppose.

... Does pine make a router?

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

#182

Post by ryantgtg »

kubik369 wrote: post #157
ryantgtg wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t know that much about APs. They have to be wired into your router? I have some nearly-dead spots in my house, and so I think I need APs. Not sure that I could send wires around the house. I use a buffalo airstation with dd-wrt.

It would be best to run wires with APs to those dead spots. If that is not possible, make it possible. If it is really not possible, then you have the option of powerline adapters or mesh networks, but those are a mostly inferior solution to running a cable and putting an AP there. I recommend not even thinking about repeaters if you are not desperate. Don't forget that the APs can be powered through PoE (Power over…

Thanks, that was a really useful reply. I could probably run a wire (once I figure out where).

Do you recommend a router that doesn’t use wifi, and the wifi comes only from APs? This is not something I had ever considered prior to reading the comments in this post. I’m concerned this is going to be a rabbit hole..

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

#183

Post by Overtonwindow »

cpach wrote: post #169
Overtonwindow wrote: post #19

What about a linux box with Smoothwall, and a switch? If you’re unhappy about cloud routers (as I am) perhaps build your own.

Smoothwall & Co are nice alternatives. But it can sometimes be tricky to find good hardware that has two Ethernet ports and are quiet, small, etc.

Good point, to clarify, I was thinking you could take a cheap PC, a couple of nic cards, and spend less than $100. Size would be a problem. I’m thinking a small mini desktop.

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

#184

Post by tonymet »

3guk wrote: post #33

For small family home deployments I've always used ASUS stuff flashed with AsusWRT-Merlin - https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ - has been super stable and I've never required anything other than a local account to set them up.

I agree this is the best ‘technical family’ solution. Good balance of easy-to-use, stable as well as some advanced features if needed.

OP : If you are technical you can buy a TM-AC1900 on ebay for $40 and flash it with the AC-68U

https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/

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

#185

Post by cyanydeez »

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…

took about q5 minutes to setup. perhaps you chose the wrong router.

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

#186

Post by mikecoles »

md_ wrote: post #61
otterley wrote: post #59

Ubiquiti's EdgeRouter X is relatively inexpensive, has plenty of features, and does not require a cloud account of any sort.

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

I put OpenWRT on an ERPro-8. It worked very well and had more features than the stock firmware. USB modem support was what pushed me to OpenWRT. The storage took a dump in the router (soldered on) so it was fun while it lasted. The MikroTik RB5009UG+S+IN is looking pretty sweet.

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

#187

Post by mikecoles »

3guk wrote: post #33

For small family home deployments I've always used ASUS stuff flashed with AsusWRT-Merlin - https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/ - has been super stable and I've never required anything other than a local account to set them up.

Merlin supports ai.mesh. Very nice. The roaming support from the stock firmware works well from the small installations I've done. Have you made use of the feature in the Merlin variant?

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

#188

Post by unmole »

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…

> IMHO, skip OpenWRT. It is much more difficult to get working correctly than HN likes to admit.

Does not match my experience at all. My router would regularly go offline with the stock firmware which never happened after I flashed OpenWRT.

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

#189

Post by numpad0 »

fartcannon wrote: post #174
garbagecoder wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think most people are capable. It’s whether it’s worth it. I loved learning more about Linux and networking with it, and loved having automatic cell failover, but at the end of the day, it was too unreliable. So, forgive me for how this sounds, but the general HN user probably needs a reliable as possible internet link.

Again, it's a download and a 'flash' in a GUI. Probably couldn't be simpler. As for reliability, my house has two of the same routers - one runs openwrt, the other runs the factory default (unfortunately it's not mine, so I can't just change it at will). Can you guess which is unreliable? It's the factory default. This is not to mention the security implications of having a non-open source router. Never trust a third…

Say you pick up an average HNer and if they couldn’t pick up a Pi make it do a barrel roll in couple days, you might be disappointed. But if you could give them an Amazon URL and he could set up a Wi-Fi infra with >95% SLA in 5 minutes, there can literally be cost difference measured at $10k range, for a minor detriment of having an annoying router in the household.

There are the other kind of HNer who are that pillar in xkcd Dependency comic, but for the former kind, OpenWRT as it is right now is just waste of their time.

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

#190

Post by numpad0 »

PaulKeeble wrote: post #116
shadowoflight wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd personally recommend FreshTomato[0] over OpenWRT, as it has a more approachable UI, is still open-source, and (in my experience) tends to run a bit smoother while needing less babysitting. [0]: https://freshtomato.org/

It has serious updating issues however requiring you to completely setup the router every time you update and the update process is entirely manual. I like FreshTomato I have used it for some years but the wifi performance sucks and the constant clearing of settings just grates over time. This is something commercial routers get right, updates keep your settings. This requirement will cause you to delay if you use an…

That is also something Cisco gets rightest.

hostname# _

hostname# sho run

This is all it takes to backup ALL config. Also a short form of “show running-config”. If you follow best practices and take logs of all ssh connection it’s naturally there a second after.

Restoring? Just paste it on HyperTerminal. Cisco sues anyone who dares to replicate this exact behavior(e.g. Huawei-3Com), but similar commands exist for most professional network equipment such as Vyatta/VyOS’ `show configuration commands`.

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