Linksys Reviving The WRT54G Router In 802.11AC Form

[zigfreed]

Way too expensive.

Also the old Linksys was owned by Cicso.
Nowadays it is owned by Belkin which I trust much less.

But that's the advantage of open source software: the amount of trust to still have a working system is much lower. Broadcom is the real question -- even their newer wl driver only works in special situations. I believe an embedded Intel 802.11ac system would be best (no first hand experience, just smallnetbuilder benchmarks). Qualcomm Atheros would be my second choice and Buffalo will probably do it and cheaper too.

I have a WRT54GL and switched it to a WZR-HP-G300NH because of this issue -- I _really_ wanted fq_codel but it isn't on the older kernels. Note you can install a modern openWRT on the WRT54GL but the system memory can't handle it.

[toyotabedzrock]

Overpriced, did they forget the economy still sucks and the original was a cheap AP.

Anyone have info on building a custom x86 based ap? With all the recent holes I just don't trust these off the self units anymore.

[toyotabedzrock]

This should be about the WRT54GL? The WRT54GL is the router with Linux based firmware that can be easily used with DD/Open WRT (i use one right now with DD-WRT). Some of the G/GS variants arent that OSS friendly AFAIK.

The g/gs came before them and are very functional with dd/open wrt. I have one but recently it has been straining to provide the bandwidth I need and coverage. Mainly because I moved to an area where every channel is used by more than one person so even pumping up the output is not working.

[GreatEmerald]

Anyone have info on building a custom x86 based ap? With all the recent holes I just don't trust these off the self units anymore.

Well, if anything, I have a nice inexpensive Atheros PCIe card in my computing/media/NAS server that I use as a wireless access point. It's working very nicely, all that was needed was to install hostapd and configure it (have network bridges set up and such). I'm using Gentoo (with systemd) on that machine.

The g/gs came before them and are very functional with dd/open wrt. I have one but recently it has been straining to provide the bandwidth I need and coverage. Mainly because I moved to an area where every channel is used by more than one person so even pumping up the output is not working.

Hah, same problem here, and that's actually the reason why I bought that wireless card. Unfortunately I don't get to use it much, though, since the server is rather noisy and thus it's not very pleasant to have it on all the time (but that's just because it has totally overpowered CPU and GPU for the use case).

[prodigy_]

For $300 I'd build a computer and stick a bunch of network adapters in it.

Or just use an old PC. Pretty much anything - even from 10 years ago - still has a better CPU than your typical SOHO router. Though at least Linksys routers are better than most. I've seen some from Dlink and Belkin and I really can't describe those devices without using the word "scam".

[techzilla]

Forgetting the important part

Or just use an old PC. Pretty much anything - even from 10 years ago - still has a better CPU than your typical SOHO router. Though at least Linksys routers are better than most. I've seen some from Dlink and Belkin and I really can't describe those devices without using the word "scam".

I've got a routerboard that has an approximately 650 Mhz MIPS, and 256MiB of Ram, definitely an old PC could do that performance no problem.... But a router isn't like a PC in power draw, AND it's not even close when comparing an old PC. The amount of draw to keep old processors, and their fans, running would eat away any saved money on hardware. An old PC, single socket dual/quad core could chew 100watts just moving packets half idle. Not to mention the power of any add-in NICs. Compared to my router's 3-4 Watts normal draw, that's HUGE. Considering they would both run OpenWRT, we're not even talking about any added benefits.


Now on the flip-side, IF you spent approx 200 on a new low power Mini-ITX + CPU/RAM.... you'd be in semi-acceptable territory... but still at least 25 watts, maybe more depending, but acceptable nonetheless. It would still be 5-8 times the power draw,The only thing you get is not having to work on an embedded platform.

Compared to a semi-inexpensive proper board ... which would be 150$ including case, i'd guess for wireless... Seems like being glued to x86 is a net disadvantage.