The Software program Freedom Conservancy (SFC) introduced final week that the OpenWrt One, a Wi-Fi router constructed with open-source software program in thoughts, is now obtainable for buy for $89 on AliExpress. SFC says the router will “by no means be bricked” and offers house owners “the suitable to vary, modify and restore” as they need.
OpenWrt One goals to provide house owners a “hacker-friendly machine” that doesn't depend on non-public firm replace packages and gained't lose help over time. The truth that OpenWrt One makes use of open supply software program—it comes with OpenWRT preinstalled—means, in principle, which you can hold it updated for so long as you care to make use of it.
SFC has partnered with single-board laptop maker Banana Pi — which launched its personal OpenWRT router known as the BPI-WIFI6 earlier this yr — to provide the OpenWrt One. The router additionally comes as a standalone logic board for $68.42, although as tome's Hardware notes, which doesn’t seem like obtainable within the US but. The router has a change that allows you to flash the NOR and NAND elements of its flash reminiscence individually — making it “virtually unbrickable,” in keeping with its AliExpress itemizing. The board additionally has an M.2 growth slot.
In any other case, the OpenWrt One is a no-frills, dual-band affair, utilizing the Wi-Fi 6 customary on the two.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It may be powered both by a USB-C port on the again or by the two.5 GbE Ethernet port subsequent to it utilizing energy over ethernet. It additionally has a gigabit Ethernet LAN port and has each a USB-A and a USB-C port on the entrance.
In comparison with Banana Pi's cheaper $30 router, this mannequin has twice the RAM at 1GB, and whereas it solely has two Ethernet ports in comparison with the BPI-WIFI6's 4, it has PoE help by its 2.5 GbE, the place the BPI-WIFI6 router is. all customary gigabit. The brand new router additionally has three x three MIMO help on the 5GHz band, so it ought to present extra knowledge switch to extra units. It's nonetheless not a wi-fi powerhouse — however given the dearth of flexibility provided by many mass-market alternate options, the truth that it's designed particularly for open-source software program is price celebrating.