Edit: forgot to mention that I'm based in Europe, which might be relevant for which devices are easily available.
Hi, I am a newbie looking for a new router, one where I can block ads and tracking (with AdGuard, PiHole or something similar), I can choose my own DNS, and hopefully tinker more once I learn more about routers and networks. I have a home server currently running only locally and would like to access it from outside my home, but I'm afraid of letting the door open to bots, hackers, etc.
I am currently using the router provided by my ISP, which has poor customization options and is also failing a lot lately (it loses internet connection at least once a week and needs restarting).
I have searched a bit around and I think something where I can install OpenWRT or other open source firmware would be good. On the OpenWRT forum I have seen recommended the GL·INet Flint 2 GL-MT6000 https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl-mt6000. I also looked a bit more on GL·INet's website and saw the GL·INet 3e (GL-BE6500) which has WiFi 7, and wondered if that could be a good upgrade, but seems it doesn't support (yet) installing official OpenWRT.
As for me and my use case: I am comfortable with the Linux command line, my personal computer runs Linux and I have a home server running OpenMediaVault with a couple of services on Docker (Jellyfin, Navidrome, Radicale, Trilium, Calibre-Web, Wanderer), but I barely know anything about routers and networks. The router will serve to connect that server via Ethernet and use several devices (laptops, desktop PC, phones, tablets, AndroidTV...) via WiFi.
I wonder what the thoughts of people who know about routers and networks are.
- Are these good options for a first non-ISP router?
- Is the 3e (GL-BE6500) worth the update for WiFi 7 or is it overkill for my use-case? Maybe even a bad idea if it doesn't support the official OpenWRT?
- Anything else I missed and should take into account?
In addition to the physical router recommendation, I have 2 more questions:
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from what I have read in other threads I believe I might need to keep my ISP's router, or get another device to use as a modem before the router (I don't know how to do that). Is that correct or can I just replace my ISP's router with a router running OpenWRT (or similar) and be set?
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does anyone have any good resources to learn more about networks, modems, routers, etc.? for a newbie who is comfortable with the Linux command line but otherwise knows nothing about the topic.
I've used a Flint 2 GL-MT6000. Works fine for me. If you want a high-spec new OpenWRT machine, it's near the top end, from my skim. It may be overkill if you don't intend to do anything elaborate.
So, you're still going to need to have a cable modem or DSL modem or whatever, if you have cable or DSL service, and it (or some other hardware, if you can get that working) going to be necessary for that bit. There are three pieces to this equation: a modem or whatever translates your satellite/long-range-wireless/cable/DSL/etc link to your ISP to Ethernet. A wireless access point, to provide WiFi. A router, to NAT connections, do things like setting up what traffic goes where, what's blocked, etc. The Flint 2 will act as a wireless access point and as a router. But it doesn't have a modem built in.
You can turn off a lot of functionality on your ISP-provided router, but you're going to keep it in the loop (with the Flint 2 plugged into it) unless you have the ability to use an alternative modem. It may be possible to replace it with a different modem, depending upon your particular situation; I believe that some ISPs may embed authentication information in the modem specifically to keep people from using alternatives.
Thus, if the ISP-provided router keeps failing in that configuration, this isn't going to fix your problem. You can reduce the functionality that the thing uses, like, maybe throw it into bridge mode (which just passes traffic through, doesn't NAT anything) and let the Flint 2 act as a router. That'll reduce what the ISP-provided router does, and if that's triggering some bug on the thing, that might resolve your problem.
If the existing router is honestly failing in some way---like, once it has problems, it never comes back without a reboot, isn't just connectivity problems---you might request a replacement.
If none of the above fixes your problem (i.e. the ISP-provided router, stays in the loop and keeps failing and only a reboot fixes things) a mitigation, albeit not a fix, would be to set something up on your network to ping the outside world and then power-cycle the router automatically if it fails for a certain amount of time.
I second the Flint 2. It's the best router I've ever used.