OpenWRT hardware recommendation – available devices 2023

OpenWRT provides a uniform and up-to-date software for different network devices like routers or access points 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Hardware” on the OpenWrt page includes around 2000 devices, but very few of them are suitable for use because they are outdated, do not support the current release or certain functions, or are no longer available.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: 22.03.3

(found: 2023-01-10)

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.

I will update the mentioned devices regularly …

OpenWrt compatible devices

WiFi Router

WiFi AP

Range Extender

Travel Router

GL.iNet GL-AR750S v1

CPU: 1x 775 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND, 16, microSDXC MB

RAM: 128 MB

WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (Qualcomm Atheros QCA9563, Qualcomm Atheros QCA9887)

Published on OpenWRT:
2018-08-23

Source / DevicePage for
GL.iNet GL-AR750S

v1

GL.iNet GL-AR750

CPU: 1x 650 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 16 MB

RAM: 128 MB

WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (Qualcomm Atheros QCA9531, Qualcomm Atheros QCA9887)

Published on OpenWRT:
2018-04-18

Source / DevicePage for
GL.iNet GL-AR750

Modem

GL.iNet GL-E750 v1

CPU: 1x 650 (Cores x Mhz)
Flash: 128NAND MB

RAM: 128 MB

WiFi: 2,4G b/g/n; 5G a/n/ac (Qualcomm Atheros QCA9531, Qualcomm Atheros QCA9887)

Published on OpenWRT:
2021-12-16

Source / DevicePage for
GL.iNet GL-E750

v1

Before installation, please read the Device Page of the respective device.

Before installing OpenWrt on a device, please read the Device Page 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.