[PLUG] Router recommendations for pending Ziply Fiber upgrade

Mon Jan 12 22:48:53 UTC 2026

I am doing a writeup of cheap networking gear that I've cobbled together 
from old enterprise grade hardware for my homelab.

Hardware choices:
* Router:
	* only x86 for pfsense/opnsense
	* Brand new:
		* Radxa x4 if you can get it or ODroid H4
		* Some firewall boards from Shenzhen oems like cwwk.net
		* These are all N100 cpu boards, highly recommended
	* Used:
		* 
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/c3000-based-network-devices-to-install-opnsense-pfsense-and-use-as-a-router-firewall.47423/ 

	* Add an M.2 to pcie like:
		* 
https://www.amazon.com/HLT-Extension-Cable-90%C2%B0Right-Angle/dp/B08D3C91HS
	* Add a 40gbe card like:
		* https://www.ebay.com/itm/286320294854
	* or any 10gbe card:
		* https://www.newegg.com/p/14G-062D-00038?item=9SIC10VKPS1802
* Switch
	* 
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/brocade-icx-series-cheap-powerful-10gbe-40gbe-switching.21107/ 
pick one from here or
	* 
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/beware-of-emc-switches-sold-as-mellanox-sx6xxx-on-ebay.10786/
		* https://www.ebay.com/itm/286224547646
		* https://www.ebay.com/itm/365230313060?
		* Get even numbered models
*wifi ap:
	* https://openwrt.org/toh/extreme_networks/ws-ap3935i
		* I have a bunch of these willing to sell for $20/each
		* https://www.ebay.com/itm/116508756767

Happy to answer any questions.

-Eldo

On 1/12/26 07:40, Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> There isn't any difference between a consumer grade router and a wireless AP - they are both built around a SoC, often the same SoCs.
> 
> But, there's a lot to be said for separating the network address translation function from the wireless function using different boxes, I've done it that way for the last decade.
> 
> Ted
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: PLUG <plug-bounces at lists.pdxlinux.org> On Behalf Of kenjen--- via PLUG
> Sent: Monday, January 12, 2026 2:42 AM
> To: Portland Linux/Unix Group <plug at lists.pdxlinux.org>
> Cc: kenjen at tuta.com
> Subject: Re: [PLUG] Router recommendations for pending Ziply Fiber upgrade
> 
> I've started going mudular on my hardware purchases. Router+WirelessAP instead of Wireless Router. Bluetooth Dac connected to wired IEMs or over ear cans instead of wireless earbuds and wireless studio monitors.
> 
> Ethernet moves slower than WiFi and good headphones are still good without the batteries - and they can be reused with new batteries and newer, higher quality BT radios.
> 
> I also thk it will be easier to source your components that way - then you can "build" what you want.
> Thanks | おおきに / ありがとう | Kiitos | Merci | Gracias | Obrigada | Grazie | 谢谢 | Danke | Wado | спасибо,
> 賢進ジェンナ「Kenshin, Jenna」
> 
> "You should be as alive as you can until you're totally dead!" - Dylan Moran
> 
> 
> 
> 2026年1月12日 1:35 差出人:  tedm at portlandia-it.com:
> 
>> Been around for the MR33 for a while:
>>
>> https://sagacioussuricata.com/posts/meraki-mr33/
>>
>> More discussion on this here:
>>
>> https://watchmysys.com/blog/2024/04/breaking-secure-boot-on-the-meraki-z3-and-meraki-go-gx20/
>>
>> And from here:
>>
>> https://openwrt.org/toh/meraki/z3
>>
>> "... Thus, the only way to install OpenWrt is to physically remove the TSOP48 NAND chip (U30 on the PCB) and flash it in an external programmer. You will also need to reprogram the AT24 (24c64) EEPROM (U32 on the PCB)..."
>>
>> Now, granted, the Z3 isn't wifi6, it's 5.  So even though the Z3's are cheaply available on Ebay, etc. - they aren't worth the money to fuss with.  Unless your just wanting to get some cheap kit to learn on with your prom programmer.
>>
>> There's also a long discussion thread on OpenWRT on the OpenWRT forum on the Meraki MR46 which is an 802.11AX chip.  Pretty much that one will end up like the Z3 - unsolder chip, reprogram it, resolder it.
>>
>> Obviously, there's other devices out there that have secure boot bypasses using that chipset - such as the Netgear WAX 220 - but it's going to be years before these wifi6 devices are available cheaply in large quantity the way that the Aps like the Luma, Meraki, etc. which fail to function if the subscription is not paid, are.
>>
>> Buying 40  Meraki MR-52's for under $20 each to populate out a building with wifi 5 - quite doable.
>>
>> Buying 40 Netgear WAX 220's for under $20 each?  Not happening.
>>
>> Buying 40 Meraki MR-46's for under $20 each to populate out a building with wifi 6?  Well, not doable NOW since that device is currently sold - you can get used ones as cheap as $75 - but the moment Cisco EOLS them the price on them will crash on the used market.
>>
>> I simply don't see price crashing on the stuff sold to consumers like the Netgear WAX stuff.  And you won't see auctions like "lot of 20 WAX for $100" the way you see for the Meraki stuff because it's generally 20 different people buying those 20 WAXs while it's ONE org buying 20 or 200 of the MR-46's.  And when the 20 different people decide to get rid of WAX 220s, it will be 20 different times over 2-3 years while the BigCo will just dump all of them at once.
>>
>> This is why I spoke against the OpenWRT One on the forum although doing so got me a lot of flak.
>>
>> With the used Enterprise gear, someone else has paid the depreciation.  So, it's always going to be dirt cheap.  I felt instead of OpenWRT developers sinking time into yet another $100 wifi AP, that they sink time into the Enterprise gear so that we would have more $20 Aps.  But the devs are techs not businesspeople and to them, $100 is - apparently - nothing.  They don't consider the multiplicative factor of scale....
>>
>> Ted
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: PLUG <plug-bounces at lists.pdxlinux.org> On Behalf Of Russell Senior
>> Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2026 6:12 PM
>> To: Portland Linux/Unix Group <plug at lists.pdxlinux.org>
>> Subject: Re: [PLUG] Router recommendations for pending Ziply Fiber upgrade
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 10, 2026 at 5:22 PM Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm at portlandia-it.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Obviously I want to see OpenWRT ported to the new hardware but the latest porting efforts now, too much gear seem to start out with:
>>>
>>> Instruction #1 - heat up your hot air soldering station, desolder the PROM, put it into your PROM programmer and flash in our fixed boot loader....
>>>
>>
>> I've never seen that. Can you point at an example?
>>
>> -- 
>> Russell Senior
>> russell at personaltelco.net
>>
> 
>