Ask HN: Any under $60 router suggestions for Homelab | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Any under $60 router suggestions for Homelab

6 pointsbovem11 comments

I want to upgrade my router from tplink archer a5 [1] due to constant connection drops and lack of Gigabit support.

I would like to know how do I go about shortlisting a new router for my homelab. The netgear and ubiquiti options seems really expensive. Are there any options under $60?

I'll be mostly streaming from my Jellyfin server or accessing files on my NAS over tailscale.

[1] https://www.tp-link.com/in/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-a5/

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You said router, so I'm going to assume you meant a router and not a router/wireless access point combo.

I used the NanoPi R4S for a bit with DD-WRT and it did really well and would saturate a gig link. Note that this is a router, and not a wireless access point.

https://www.friendlyelec.com/index.php?route=product/product...

PS: If by connection drops you mean wireless, you should investigate the causes of these drops instead of blindly replacing wireless hardware. The TP-Link Archer series is generally considered pretty decent wireless gear for home use.

Make sure you're using 5 ghz and not 2.4 ghz. Check the TP-Link's logs. Check your client's logs for drops.

If your switch supports vlans, you can use just about any cheap computer (ARM SBC, or some old desktop off of ebay) as a firewall+router combo. That is, on the switch plug the internet modem into vlan A (access), assign LAN ports to vlan B (access), and use the last port to trunk vlans A & B to the cheap computer. From there, you can use vanilla linux or BSD to firewall & route between the two vlans. Only suggesting this because finding something cheap with more than one NIC is a tall order. Best practices, no. Cheap, yes.

If you can get a super-cheap PC, decent gbit nics can be found for under $15, and that would eliminate the vlan nonsense.

This one's $50 at my local Walmart - https://www.walmart.com/ip/TP-Link-Archer-AC1900-Dual-Band-M...

4 GigE wired ports

Thanks I'll take a look. At a glance on Amazon and other ecom websites, it seems like I've to go with TP-Link again.

Guess: You ruled out the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X, because it doesn't also do WiFi?

(Not to say that's a great product, but you're not going to get "great" on a $60 budget.)

Seems like a good option but ~$130.15 (Rs. 10699) in India (https://www.amazon.in/Ubiquiti-Edgerouter-Router-Desktop-Bla...)

What do you think about MikroTik hEX S Gigabit Ethernet Router (https://www.amazon.in/MikroTik-Gigabit-Ethernet-Router-RB760...) is it worth giving a try?

The MT7621 powering it is a classic chipset at this point, and Ubiquiti has neglected updating their EdgeRouter lineup.

Not the best purchase in 2023...

Any hardware which can run OPNsense, OpenWrt or DD-WRT.

Personally I would look at a SOC platform like Banana Pi, Nano Pi or Nano PC.

The tp links are mesh ready. Do you need mesh?

I usually go on ebay and search openwrt

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