Not mentioned: switching the firmware away from the stock one to something like DD-WRT or OpenWRT.
Upside with open-source firmware is that at least the firmware is going to be (relatively) top-notch and free of major bugs and major security exploits. Which, unfortunately, almost all firmware from the major manufacturers tend to be infested with. The only exception being firmware you pay a subscription for to keep updated, such as on commercial routers.
Downside is that your router may not be applicable for, and compatible with, either.
OpenWRT has larger constraints on what hardware can be flashed with its firmware because it is an objectively more powerful piece of kit and needs more storage space and CPU power. This means that only a fraction of all routers have the oomph to run it.
DD-WRT can be flashed onto many more routers, as it is smaller and more resource-friendly, but - IME - can be more unstable than OpenWRT for less popular routers, and may not always come with all features fully functional.
And there is a large underclass of routers that will never be compatible with any open-source firmware because certain drivers - WiFi being the main ones - are proprietary and copyrighted and not available for use beyond the manufacturer. And for many of these, to add insult to injury the storage is locked down against modification by unauthorized software, further frustrating users from doing what they want with their routers.
Both projects have a “router database” that can tell you if the router you have is capable of being flashed, just triple-check the documentation and ensure that you are actually looking at the latest docs. Old and obsolete instructions - especially for DD-WRT - have a curious habit of lingering long after they become irrelevant, mainly because both projects are 100% volunteer-based and due to that, stuff can and will be missed.
The final downside is that all updates are manually-applied, and require you to set aside about 5-15 minutes two to six times a year to manually upgrade to the most recent version.
However, OpenWRT is also moving towards automatic updates that should become seamless within the next major version release or two. “Attended upgrades” that allow you to upgrade (and shepherd the process) with just a few mouse clicks is already available for installation through the software packages.
rekabis•2mo ago
Upside with open-source firmware is that at least the firmware is going to be (relatively) top-notch and free of major bugs and major security exploits. Which, unfortunately, almost all firmware from the major manufacturers tend to be infested with. The only exception being firmware you pay a subscription for to keep updated, such as on commercial routers.
Downside is that your router may not be applicable for, and compatible with, either.
OpenWRT has larger constraints on what hardware can be flashed with its firmware because it is an objectively more powerful piece of kit and needs more storage space and CPU power. This means that only a fraction of all routers have the oomph to run it.
DD-WRT can be flashed onto many more routers, as it is smaller and more resource-friendly, but - IME - can be more unstable than OpenWRT for less popular routers, and may not always come with all features fully functional.
And there is a large underclass of routers that will never be compatible with any open-source firmware because certain drivers - WiFi being the main ones - are proprietary and copyrighted and not available for use beyond the manufacturer. And for many of these, to add insult to injury the storage is locked down against modification by unauthorized software, further frustrating users from doing what they want with their routers.
Both projects have a “router database” that can tell you if the router you have is capable of being flashed, just triple-check the documentation and ensure that you are actually looking at the latest docs. Old and obsolete instructions - especially for DD-WRT - have a curious habit of lingering long after they become irrelevant, mainly because both projects are 100% volunteer-based and due to that, stuff can and will be missed.
The final downside is that all updates are manually-applied, and require you to set aside about 5-15 minutes two to six times a year to manually upgrade to the most recent version.
However, OpenWRT is also moving towards automatic updates that should become seamless within the next major version release or two. “Attended upgrades” that allow you to upgrade (and shepherd the process) with just a few mouse clicks is already available for installation through the software packages.