OpenWRT hardware recommendation - available devices 2022
OpenWRT provides a uniform and up-to-date software for different devices 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Hardware" on the OpenWRT page includes around 2000 devices, but very few of them are suitable for use because they are outdated, do not support the current release or certain functions, or are no longer available.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: 21.02.3 ( found: 2022-04-18) |
|---|---|
| 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.
The mentioned devices are constantly updated ...
OpenWRT compatible devices
WiFi Router
Linksys MR8300
Flash: 256NAND MB
RAM: 512 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2021-08-31
Linksys EA8300 v1
Flash: 256NAND MB
RAM: 256 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2018-07-10
Linksys WRT3200ACM v1 (rango)
Flash: 256NAND MB
RAM: 512 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2018-12-28
Linksys WRT1900AC v2 (cobra) v1 (mamba)
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 512 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2018-12-28
Linksys EA7300 v1 v2
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 256 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2020-10-12
Hint: SSH-Command necessary after installation so that the router always boots from OpenWRT.
Source / DevicePage for Linksys EA7300 / Source / DevicePage for Linksys EA7300 v2
Cudy WR2100
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2021-11-08
Linksys E5600 v1
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2021-06-06
NETGEAR R6350
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2019-09-02
NETGEAR WNDR3700 v5
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2014-11-06
Attention only 1 CPU core, see: NAT performance
TP-Link Archer A7 v5
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2019-11-03
The device is identical to TP-Link Archer C7.
Attention only 1 CPU core, see: NAT performance
GL.iNet GL-X750 (Spitz)
Flash: 16, microSDXC MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2020-07-10
Attention only 1 CPU core, see: NAT performance
WiFi AP
NETGEAR WAC124
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2020-06-27
NETGEAR WAC104
Flash: 128NAND MB
RAM: 256 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2020-06-15
Range Extender
TP-Link RE650 v1
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 128 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2019-11-03
NETGEAR EX6150
Flash: 16 MB
RAM: 64 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2021-02-13
TP-Link RE450 v2 v3 v1
Flash: 8 MB
RAM: 64 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2016-01-07
NETGEAR EX3700
Flash: 8 MB
RAM: 64 MB
WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac
Published on OpenWRT: 2018-06-23
Before installation, please read the DevicePage of the respective device.
Before installing OpenWRT on a device, please read the DevicePage 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.
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