Simple Wifi Modem Router for home use?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
1

Could you please recommend a decent wireless modem router I can use with LEDE?
I don't need tons of antennas or special features for gaming - in fact I use wired ethernet mostly, and sometimes wifi for my smartphones. I'm currently using a TP-Link TD-W8961ND.

2

See https://lede-project.org/toh/views/toh_available_864 for devices which are supported by LEDE and which fulfill the minimum requirements for flash/ram.

Filter yourself for your criteria.

Hints:

  • LEDE supported current release should be 17.01.x, not snapshot
  • 100M/Gbit ports: Select which one you do not need by entering "-", i.e. no Gbit needed? -> Enter "-" in Gbit column
  • Select the modem you require. Note: There are not that many devices with supported modem available. In general, it's a better idea to get a single modem, and put your LEDE device behind that modem.
3

Usually tl-wr841n is the most widely commercially available and has a good balance of price<->specs, around 25usd.

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4

Avoid non dual band routers, unless live very isolated.
Where do you live?

5

There are a lot of factors that affect the choice of hardware and to be blunt, the LEDE project is moving away from "Simple".

If simple is IPV4, a well supported (open source code) wifi chip and 10/100BaseT ethernet this will readily fit into a 4mb flash image. The project is now encouraging 8mb flash memory though, to be honest memory is relative cheap. Larger amounts of memory allow you the flexibility to add custom features.

You also mentioned "modem" and that begs the question ADSL vs ADSL2+ vs VDSL vs Cable.

My recent experience may be helpful. My ISP only provides ADSL so I bought the cheapest ADSL modem I could find: Netis DL4201 for $19 + shipping. Now at 6 months, this has been a bargain as my ISP pushes modem rental at $10/month I needed NIC ports for a Work Station and a Network Printer. I did not want to be beaming my wireless signal for several blocks and felt Atheros 5/9 and RaLink/Mediatek wifi chips were well supported. My primary OS, OpenBSD, just added Wireless N support. In the states Trendnet offered a Factory Refurbished router with based on Ath9 code, 300N and 8mb flash for $11 + shipping. If my ISP ever upgrades or I move, I just have to replace the modem.

If you primarily use ethernet connections and you need more than 4 NIC ports, you can set up an 8 port switch/router and subnet a wireless access point off of one of the ports.

I personally would like to see the project make an effort to support a few "simple" SOHO wifi routers with Gigabyte ethernet and Dual band wireless. Sometimes you just need to move packets.

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6

As suggested above, which opens you to a much wider selection of products. It also allows you to keep your router if you change to another type of service.

Finally, understand that any device you flash with LEDE has the same functionality other than the hardware related differences. Out of the box they are basic routers, and that you need to add packages to add functionality. NOTE that USB is NOT included in the base firmware, so if you buy a router with USB and want it to work then you need to install packages.

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7

As hinted at above, there is only a handful of routers with built-in xDSL modem that LEDE supports, and without exception they are a royal pain in the behind to set up for LEDE. I wouldn't recommend any of them to someone without the technical acumen to solder to the hardware and set up a serial interface. In fact, most do require that to get LEDE onto them in the first place.

If you need or want LEDE I second the suggestion to get an external modem and use it with a well-supported device. If you're on a somewhat reliable ADSL line, even the cheapest dedicated modem you can possibly find will probably do.

If tinkering is your thing and you know which end of the soldering iron to hold, I have made quite good experience with the TP-Link W8970 and W9980. If you're lucky, you can get them for less than $20 used. Again, they take some time and effort to get running with LEDE, look at their Wiki pages first.

But if simplicity and keeping everything in one device is paramount to you, there must be room for the suggestion not to go for LEDE. There are a lot of cheap, basic modem routers out there, and connecting your wired and wireless devices to the internet works just fine with their factory firmware. I'm the biggest advocate for LEDE you can imagine, but not at any and all cost.

1 Like
8

takimata: "But if simplicity and keeping everything in one device is paramount to you, there must be room for the suggestion not to go for LEDE. There are a lot of cheap, basic modem routers out there, and connecting your wired and wireless devices to the internet works just fine with their factory firmware."

Actually I wanted LEDE for privacy/security mainly - e.g. to avoid things like this: http://www.linksys.com/us/support-article?articleNum=263800

But it looks like it would be more of a hassle than I'd expected, so I'll just have to keep my old wifi device. Thanks everyone for your responses.

9

What would you recommend to use with LEDE, Modem or Router?
Because just according to this article the easiest thing possible to buy a combo.
two-in-one, cable modem and route.

10

Please see above: