Hi all,

I want to setup a router in my network that would cover my whole household under VPN. I bought a DSL-AC88U but I think it might be too outdated for this purpose (I’ve seen a lot of posts online with people having trouble setting it up after 2021) so I think I will be returning it.

I manged to get it for $70 on an auction, and that’s a rough ballpark of my budget on it atm. Maybe stretching it to $100 (I don’t mind buying used).

Is there a router you could recommend? Thanks

  • Perrin42@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    It’s outside your budget, but you should look at Firewalla. I think their least expensive model is the Blue Plus, but it provides security capabilities like firewall and VPN as well as routing and DHCP. The Gold even supports Docker containers - I’m running PiHole in a Docker on my Gold. I’m not using VPN client capabilities, but I know they’re there.

    • CoachDom@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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      1 year ago

      I’m asking as I’m in the process of degooglifying myself (including a Synology NAS drive) and I want to restrict access to my data from 3rd parties.

      I have a plethora of devices in my household, some of them don’t support any sort of VPN Client apps (like video game consoles) so I thought it would be a good idea to have a VPN on the router level so I don’t have to install a client on every possible device.

      Is expensive router an only way of doing this or achieving this level of anonimity on a network level?

      • Perrin42@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        ZDNet has an article recommending 5 VPN routers from $79 to $250. I am not familiar with all of them, but it should get you started. I like the Firewalla product because of the other security features it provides, like blocking incoming traffic flows or device-specific service rules, and PiHole is amazing.

  • quizno50@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    I would honestly recommend buying an old laptop with a broken screen (or an old netbook or something, make sure it has an Ethernet port), a decent DSL modem, a USB network adapter, and a switch if you need it. Now you’ve got everything you need to make a super capable router. Install a very basic Linux distribution and get NAT setup (it’s like 4 or 5 commands), configure the firewall, and your VPN software of choice. I’ve run a setup like this for years and it’s great, because any time a component is “out-of-date” you just update that component. For example, you need AX WiFi instead of AC, just upgrade the WiFi adapter).

    • Felix@mastodon.social
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      1 year ago

      @quizno50 @CoachDom
      Sometimes you get cheap leasing returns as well. Those mini workstations where you just need to buy a hard disk and get a well equipped computer.

      It looks better than a Laptop and can be extended more easily (less soldered parts).