I’m looking to buy a router for home use, on which I plan to install OpenWRT. After some research, I have come across the TP-LINK Archer AX23, which checks all of the boxes I have:
[x] Comparatively low price
[x] Supports WPA3
[x] Supported by OpenWRT
[x] Has at least three LAN ports
However, before I and my dad go and buy one, it has to pass the final test: the forums.
Has anyone used this router before? What was your experience? Can I do better, or have I found the best router ever made? Please share your thoughts.
This is a great plan. TP Link makes good hardware for cheap but thier software is trash. I have not used this particular router before but I do have experience with their prior versions. I have moved on to PF Sense for my router personally as my budget has grown. I have friends using TP link routers with OpenWRT and they are happy with it.
I’m still using an Archer C7 running OpenWRT that I bought years and years ago, and I like it well enough that I also bought one for my parents and a couple more as backup (when I found them for ~$10 on clearance).
If the AX23 is just an upgraded version that is otherwise similar (i.e. can also run OpenWRT)—and I have no reason to think it isn’t—then I would consider it a fine choice.
Why don’t you buy some TP Link EAP and self host Omada on your server? You can also install some firewall and use the EAP as an AP. I know this might be an overkill but I think you will get better coverage with the EAP series.
Because I just want a router. I don’t need a fully modular home networking setup, and I’ve also never done anything more advanced than YunoHost when it comes to networking.
Besides, the hardware controller alone would cost more than the router I found.
Fair point, but OpenWRT is also complex and requires you to understand some networking concepts. For the record the Omada controller can be self hosted on your own hardware.
I haven’t had an opportunity to try OpenWRT in recent times. But I remember there being a common issue with not supporting WPA3 and limited 5GHz support for 802.11ax.
So confirm that the firmware you want to flash supports all the features you want.
Edit: I’ve had good experiences with other archer routers so it’ll probably be fine.
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This is a great plan. TP Link makes good hardware for cheap but thier software is trash. I have not used this particular router before but I do have experience with their prior versions. I have moved on to PF Sense for my router personally as my budget has grown. I have friends using TP link routers with OpenWRT and they are happy with it.
TP Link is backdoored trash
Sounds like OP is gonna flash OpenWRT… Did you read the post?
I’m still using an Archer C7 running OpenWRT that I bought years and years ago, and I like it well enough that I also bought one for my parents and a couple more as backup (when I found them for ~$10 on clearance).
If the AX23 is just an upgraded version that is otherwise similar (i.e. can also run OpenWRT)—and I have no reason to think it isn’t—then I would consider it a fine choice.
Why don’t you buy some TP Link EAP and self host Omada on your server? You can also install some firewall and use the EAP as an AP. I know this might be an overkill but I think you will get better coverage with the EAP series.
I’m pretty sure Omada is proprietary, which is why I’m not using it even though my TP-Link access points support it.
Because I just want a router. I don’t need a fully modular home networking setup, and I’ve also never done anything more advanced than YunoHost when it comes to networking.
Besides, the hardware controller alone would cost more than the router I found.
Fair point, but OpenWRT is also complex and requires you to understand some networking concepts. For the record the Omada controller can be self hosted on your own hardware.
I haven’t had an opportunity to try OpenWRT in recent times. But I remember there being a common issue with not supporting WPA3 and limited 5GHz support for 802.11ax.
So confirm that the firmware you want to flash supports all the features you want.
Edit: I’ve had good experiences with other archer routers so it’ll probably be fine.