Linux

I actually took some older now somewhat defunct google wifi pucks and got them all set up on openwrt not too long ago. Really enjoy having them on something with a dedicated web UI and perfectly nerdy

I've known about it for years, but my router is loaned from the ISP so I can't install any custom OS on it (although I've considered buying my own for a while because I can't even do proper DNS for my internal network on it). A while back I used to have a router, but the default OS was enough for my needs so I also never considered installing anything different.

I've been using OpenWRT as a hobbyist for over 15 years, and as a professional for over 6 years. Extremely underrated OS.

A vanilla install beats any stock router firmware by leaps and bounds. From there you can add pretty much any functionality you desire.

I currently use a Turris Omnia router made by CZ.NIC, who also maintains their own OpenWRT based distro called Turris OS.

I've used it and dd-wrt back in the day on cheap crashy routers. Also Tomato.

Haven't tried it in a long time, but have an EAP225 v2 and v3 I've been considering slapping openwrt on.

Yup. Running it on my home router, right now. It is awesome. A tiny, stripped down OS that you can install minimal packages on. Like a VPN client, or ad-blockers. If your router is compatible, I cannot suggest it enough.

Also, my router's manufacturer had the gall to ask (force) me to sign up and get an ID with them in order to get to the back-end of my own router. Jesus Christ, privacy red flag much?

I could not install OpenWRT fast enough.

I personally use it on a protectli with the 2.5G ports. I also replaced my ISP modern with a protectli running OpnSense. Decided to opt into that as my solution to have two different softwares protecting my network and also so I could scope internet facing devices at the OpnSense level instead of internal to the network. Just in case they get compromised, they can't access the rest of the network. Call me paranoid... But I also find it much easier to manage lol.

I use OpenWRT on my Linksys WRT3200ACM because I used to have a cable connection that suffered from bufferbloat. The SQM feature made a huge improvement. I eventually switched to a fiber connection from a different ISP which does not suffer from bufferbloat, but I kept OpenWRT on my router.

I’ve been debating buying a cheap aliexpress mini 2.5G router pc and doing something of the sort. But I have been too lazy to look into if I can still use my orbis as access points. Maybe tonight’s the night.

Yes. It saved me from crappy firmware on my expensive router. It's a must if you care about security of your home network and devices.

I used to use it, then wanted more control, power, and functionality so I moved to pfSense, and later on to Opnsense where I am today.

I use dd-wrt a little bit, then tomato and variant (usb, toastman, fresh) then Merlin for maybe 5 years now.

Broadcom routers are mostly not openwrt compatible

Yes, I love it. My router is an x86 mini PC running Open WRT, then I have two routers acting as WAPs also running OpenWRT.

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I use openwrt, it's my main router running on proxmox, working perfectly.

I use DD-WRT, it dies everything I need. Is Open-WRT better?

I used dd-wrt for a few years, but I realized I didn't need it as my new router have the functionality I want. I also realized my router had much better throughput with the stock firmware.

A bunch of consumer hardware is based on openwrt.

It is fairly easy as for most hardware it is pre configured in a way that makes sense.

Setting it up in a VM is a different story

I used OpenWRT for years, but I switched to the FreeBSD-based OPNSense router/firewall OS.

About a million years ago, back in 2007/2008 that is, there was this small company called Hexago that did R&D in IPv6 networking, they were behind the Frenet6 project and created the networking stack and the TSP client that would let you tunnel a /56 IPv6 network over a dynamic IPv4 connection.

One the projects was a tiny hardware router, I honestly forget who made it, but Hexago would buy them, then we would flash each one with WRT+TSP client custom image, the idea was you plug this in your network and you have IPv6 connection in your network without doing any magic configuration.

It worked well until we lost finding.

So yeah, OpenWRT is old and not just for Linksys routers :)