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#1 2018-04-01 01:14:32
- Daxter
- Member
- Registered: 2017-09-03
- Posts: 8
Hardware for home ethernet/wifi router?
Specifically for running arch; what x86 (or none arm) hardware can I use for a home router purpose? I would want a little extra performance (best performance for dollar) to use it as a torrent client, game traffic and data center. Thanks if I posted this in the wrong spot please let me know, my apologies.
Last edited by Daxter (2018-04-01 02:15:26)
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#2 2018-04-01 01:34:36
- jasonwryan
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- From: .nz
- Registered: 2009-05-09
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Re: Hardware for home ethernet/wifi router?
If it is a Pi, it won't be running Arch...
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#3 2018-04-01 01:41:08
- ewaller
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- From: Pasadena, CA
- Registered: 2009-07-13
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Re: Hardware for home ethernet/wifi router?
Specifically for running arch; what x86 (or none arm) hardware can I use for a home router purpose? I would want a little extra performance (best performance for dollar) to use it as a torrent client, game traffic and data center. Should I consider a raspberry pie; would it perform? Thanks if I posted this in the wrong spot please let me know, my apologies.
I always find these questions interesting. What are your needs? If you want a simple thing that acts as a single band access point that will provide internet access to a couple wireless devices, sure.
Do you want a DHCP server?
Do you want to be a VPN server?
Are you planning on being a firewall?
Do you want multiband WiFi? 2.4,? 5GHz?
G, N, AC?
Do you want MIMO ? 2x? 4x?
Do you want wired ports? How many?
Are the ports controlled by a Level 2 Switch? (MAC routing)
Do you need Level 3 routing? With Hardware Acceleration?
How about VLANS?
Do you want Guest Lans?
Print Server?
File Server?
QoS?
Print Server?
File Server?
I think you would be much happier with something designed to be a router such as an Asus 66U (about US$50 on eBay) running Merlin firmware. It has everything I mentioned above (except 4x MIMO), allows ssh login, can accept a USB drive for storage, acts as a media server, runs Linux, and supports a nice package manager called Entware right out of the box (once you install Merlin). I have this setup -- It even runs emacs, vim, htop, nginx and Python.
For the record, aside from being a user of RasPi and Asus/Merlin, I have no interest in any of those projects.
Last edited by ewaller (2018-04-01 01:42:03)
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#4 2018-04-01 01:42:32
- Daxter
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- Registered: 2017-09-03
- Posts: 8
Re: Hardware for home ethernet/wifi router?
If it is a Pi, it won't be running Arch...
https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv6/raspberry-pi
I guess that's considered a separate Distro? I just wanted to mention it if someone thought its performance would be ample.
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#6 2018-04-01 02:13:29
- Daxter
- Member
- Registered: 2017-09-03
- Posts: 8
Re: Hardware for home ethernet/wifi router?
Do you want a DHCP server? no static would be fine and I'm almost finished writing my own scripts for running the internal side of the network (with out performance in mind yet)
Do you want to be a VPN server? just a wlan client
Are you planning on being a firewall? Iptables and few other security features
Do you want multiband WiFi? 2.4,? 5GHz? ad-hoc 2.4 would be fine I think. I'm really not sure what the performance difference would be I have heard 5GHz is better for streaming movies (if i went x86 I have the WiFi chip covered)
G, N, AC? not sure, any power source would be fine
Do you want MIMO ? 2x? 4x? dont know enough to know if it is necessary?
Do you want wired ports? How many? more the better
Are the ports controlled by a Level 2 Switch? (MAC routing) yes
Do you need Level 3 routing? With Hardware Acceleration? yes not sure if i would want hardware acceleration
How about VLANS? yes
Do you want Guest Lans? no
Print Server? no
File Server? yes
QoS? not sure
Running arch is a must, although those OSs sound awesome! It is going to go connect ip pass though through a Cisco router (DHCP on that side i think). The wifi is only going to be for my arch running laptop. Its going to be a data center (maybe) other wise it will need to communicate desktop (Ethernet) to laptop (WiFi) efficiently. Other wise a few services (BitTorrent.cache,logging, vpn client, ssh server,) which is where performance comes into play.
Thanks a ton for the reply and interest.
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