OpenWRT hardware recommendation - available devices 2024

 

OpenWRT provides a uniform and up-to-date software for different network devices like routers or access points and delivers countless additional setting options, software packages and functions. This makes it possible to combine new and old devices from different manufacturers and, among other things, to use low-cost hardware in a common WiFi, see: Setting up a home network: Extending LAN and WLAN | Improving.

New devices for OpenWrt, not so easy at all

The search for hardware suitable for OpenWrt is anything but simple. The "Table of Hardware" on the OpenWrt page includes around 2000 devices, but very few of them are suitable for use because they are outdated, do not support the current release or certain functions, or are no longer available. After spending some time to find suitable devices and not finding a really good filtered source, I tried to create a list myself. As a basis I used the official OpenWrt device list and filtered it according to the following criteria:

Source is the list from the official OpenWrt page: Table of Hardware: Standard, all devices, this was filtered as follows:

Version Devices that support the current OpenWrt version: 23.05.5 (found: 2024-10-04)
Installation Devices where OpenWRT can be installed via the existing web interface.
Memory min. 8MB Flash / 64MB RAM
WiFi support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi

Regarding availability, I looked up the devices on the Amazon site, removed devices that were not listed, and added a link for devices that were found.

I will update the mentioned devices regularly ...

OpenWrt compatible devices

WiFi Router

on amazon.com:

GL.iNet GL-MT6000(Flint 2) WiFi 6 Router...

Availability: Now
Price: $159.00
as of: 2024-11-03 16:40
Details

GL-MT6000

CPU: 4x 2000 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 8192NAND,eMMC MB
RAM: 1024 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n/ax; 5G a/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz: MT7976GN 4T4R,5GHz: MT7976AN 4T4R)

 

Source / DevicePage for GL-MT6000

on amazon.com:

Linksys EA7300 Max-Stream: AC1750 Dual-B...

Availability: Now
Price: $94.99
as of: 2024-11-03 09:38
Details

EA7300 v2 v1

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB /
RAM: 256 MB /
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603E,MediaTek MT7615N)

Hint: SSH-Command necessary after installation so that the router always boots from OpenWRT.

Source / DevicePage for EA7300 / Source / DevicePage for EA7300 v1

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR WNDR3700 WLESS-N Series Router...

Availability: Now
Price: $18.74
as of: 2024-11-03 12:52
Details

WNDR3700 v5

CPU: 1x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603EN,MediaTek MT7612EN)

 
Attention only 1 CPU core, see: NAT performance

Source / DevicePage for WNDR3700 v5

on amazon.com:

Netgear R6260 IEEE 802.11ac Ethernet Wir...

Availability: Now
Price: $109.99
as of: 2024-11-03 10:34
Details

R6260

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603E,MediaTek MT7615)

 

Source / DevicePage for R6260

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR AC1750 Smart WiFi Router�� WiFi...

Availability: Backorderable
Price: $72.99
as of: 2024-11-03 15:34
Details

R6350

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603E,MediaTek MT7615)

 

Source / DevicePage for R6350

Archer A7 v5

CPU: 1x 750 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (Qualcomm Atheros QCA9563,Qualcomm Atheros QCA9880)

The device is identical to TP-Link Archer C7.
Attention only 1 CPU core, see: NAT performance

Source / DevicePage for Archer A7 v5

on amazon.com:

GL-X750V2 (Spitz) T-Mobile/AT&T IoT Devi...

Availability: Now
Price: $149.90
as of: 2024-11-04 00:30
Details

GL-X750 (Spitz) v1,v2

CPU: 1x 650 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 16,microSDXC MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (Qualcomm Atheros QCA9531,Qualcomm Atheros QCA9887)

 
Attention only 1 CPU core, see: NAT performance

Source / DevicePage for GL-X750 (Spitz) v1,v2

Travel Router

GL-MT3000

CPU: 2x 1300 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 256NAND MB
RAM: 512 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n/ax; 5G a/n/ac/ax (MediaTek MT7981)

 

Source / DevicePage for GL-MT3000

WiFi AP

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR 4-Stream WiFi 6 Dual-Band Gigabi...

Availability: Now
Price: $119.00
as of: 2024-11-03 04:26
Details

WAX202

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128 MB
RAM: 512 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n/ax; 5G a/n/ac/ax (MediaTek MT7915D DBDC)

 

Source / DevicePage for WAX202

on amazon.com:

Zyxel WiFi 6 AX3000 Wireless Gigabit Acc...

Availability: Now
Price: $97.84
as of: 2024-11-03 07:34
Details

NWA50AX

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 256 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n/ax; 5G a/n/ac/ax (MediaTek MT7915 DBDC)

Source / DevicePage für NWA50AX Pro   Step by step practical report, see: NWA50AX Commissioning.

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR Wireless Desktop Access Point (W...

Availability: Now
Price: $91.99
as of: 2024-11-03 18:32
Details

WAC124

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603,MediaTek MT7615)

 

Source / DevicePage for WAC124

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR Wireless Desktop Access Point (W...

Availability: Now
Price: $73.04
as of: 2024-11-03 21:44
Details

WAC104

CPU: 1x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603EN,MediaTek MT7612EN)

(I use this myself, see: My setup

Source / DevicePage for WAC104

Range Extender

on amazon.com:

TP-Link RE650 v1. 0, AC2600 Wi-Fi Range ...

Availability: Now
Price: $67.99
as of: 2024-11-03 21:48
Details

RE650 v1 v2

CPU: 2x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 16 MB / 8 MB
RAM: 128 MB /
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (2x MediaTek MT7615N)

(I have successfully put this into operation myself, see: My setup
Attention only 8MB Flash, Future updates may be limited.

Source / DevicePage for RE650 / Source / DevicePage for RE650 v2

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR EX6150-100NAS? AC1200 Dual Band ...

Availability: Now
Price: $20.00
as of: 2024-11-03 21:32
Details

EX6150 v1 v2

CPU: 1x 880 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 16 MB /
RAM: 64 MB / 256 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7603EN,MediaTek MT7612EN)

 

Source / DevicePage for EX6150 /

on amazon.com:

NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX3700 - Co...

Availability: Now
Price: $16.00
as of: 2024-11-03 21:32
Details

EX3700

CPU: 1x 580 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 8 MB
RAM: 64 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (MediaTek MT7620A,MediaTek MT7612E)

(I use this myself, see: My setup
Attention only 8MB Flash, Future updates may be limited.

Source / DevicePage for EX3700

Before installation, please read the Device Page of the respective device.

Before installing OpenWrt on a device, please read the Device Page of the respective device thoroughly and follow any instructions!

Use as router and NAT performance

When used as a router, a device with multiple CPU cores should be used for Internet bandwidths greater than 300MBit, see: openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer-c5-c7-wdr7500.

Conclusion

It can take some time until a device is listed with the current "stable version" of OpenWrt. Accordingly, the listed devices have usually been on the market for some time, which is not necessarily a disadvantage: Thanks to OpenWrt, the devices get up-to-date, mature software and usually updates for a very long time and are sometimes somewhat cheaper than a newer model, see also:  Alternative router firmware: OpenWrt and no longer DD-WRT. A WiFi router with additional access points could be used to set up a home network. All devices listed here could be used as additional access points: WiFi router, Wifi AP or range extender by configuring this as an access point. The connection between the router and additional access points ideally takes place via LAN cables, see: Set up network for home: Expand and improve your LAN / WiFi.

 

 

positive Bewertung({{pro_count}})
Rate Post:
{{percentage}} % positive
negative Bewertung({{con_count}})

THANK YOU for your review!

created by Bernhard | Updated: 2024-11-04 | Übersetzung Deutsch |🔔 | Comments:4

Questions / Comments


(sorted by rating / date) [all comments(newest first)]

✍anonym
2023-11-10 16:28
A very nice device is missing from the list because it only has 32MB RAM. But the AVM 4040 doesn't deserve that. Its advantage is that all hardware is supported and it is extremely easy to handle (flash, debrick, ...). I have used the box in many demanding scenarios.

✍anonym
2023-08-10 02:52
Is there a similar list for devices without WLAN. I do not need WLAN functionality and try to find a device without unused hardware build in.

✍anonym
2023-05-16 21:43
Xiaomi AX3200 / Redmi AX6S
Xiaomi 4A Giga
Xiaomi AIoT Router AC2350
Xiaomi Redmi Router AC2100
✍Bernhard
comment date 16.05.2023 21:53
Thank you for your feedback. I took a look at the device page. Even they would work, looks like OpenWrt can not simple be installed using the existing webinterface. Looks like they need some kind of hacks to be installed ..

created by Bernhard

By continuing to browse the site, you agree to our use of cookies. More Details