Building a router?

[TheGhzGuy]

Hello all!

I wanted to build a router for my house, however, I really don't know what I'm doing. I know Linus did a video on it, but I'm still confused. I want to put in WiFi (Because, you know, not all my devices run off of Ethernet) Any quick suggestions or ideas? (I'm not apposed to useing older hardware too)

 

Sorry if I'm being too vauge.

Thanks!

[79wjd]

Why do you want to build your own router? Is it for fun/curiosity? Or because you need some additional functionality? 

 

What I would personally do is buy a cheap system with dual NICs or buy a PCIE NIC or two and then buy a wireless AP/router to handle the wifi. 

[Mug]

Literally no point unless you care about a select few features.

 

It's worse in almost every single way.

[TheGhzGuy]

Literally no point unless you care about a select few features.

 

It's worse in almost every single way.

Good to know.

[Fetzie]

It really isn't worth the effort. Just buy a decent pre-built router and install DD-WRT on it if you want a "custom" experience.

 

I guess if you want to do it for the learning experience, CPU, RAM doesn't need anything powerful. Small SSD for the OS. You'd need at least two network ports (one for the modem and one for the switch).

 

If you are using a gigabit switch for internal data transfer and you don't have higher than 100Mbit internet you don't need gigabit ethernet on the router so that can save you a few bob, because your devices will cache each other's MAC addresses so they don't need the router.

[Scheer]

If you are wanting a PFSense router, the PCEngines APU board is by far the best way to go about it. About $130 plus shipping for the board, case, and power adapter. Its also way cheaper to run long term due to the low power consumption compared to running an old PC.

 

http://www.pcengines.ch/apu.htm

 

The APU board has one mSata for a SSD (I use it for caching Windows updates so they only download once then each computer pulls from the router), and two mPCIe for wireless cards (typically one for wireless internet in the house and the other a wireless receiver if you wanted cellular backup).

 

Personally I wanted a more robust wireless, so I only use mine for a router and then have Ubiquiti access points.

 

 

It is completely overkill for a home network, but I was sick of POS consumer routers and this is something that I will likely never outgrow. Plus it was only $200 all said and done with the SSD... so relatively it is extremely cheap.

[KuJoe]

Mikrotik/Routerboard

 

You can buy the hardware, the case, and software license and assemble it yourself and you're done. I didn't build my own, but I run a CRS125-24G-1S-2HnD-IN at home and it's an awesome piece of hardware and the Mikrotik software is amazing (I prefer it over Vyatta, Tomato, and DD-WRT).