Best Router device for openwrt 2025

I am completely new to OpenWRT/Pi-hole and need a recommendation for a device that could run OpenWRT/Pi-hole on it to replace my current router. I’m not even sure if I used the correct wording in this sentence, lol.

I have checked:

I need recommendations for devices to get some hands-on experience. And please explain the advantages of the devices you recommend a bit. There are indeed a lot of options listed on the internet, but not enough reasons are provided.

  • I need Pi-hole because I want local DNS, but I guess OpenWRT could do the job as well.
  • My current router does not support changing the DNS server.
  • I need a simple substitute.
  • I need good performance because it might need to connect to about 15 devices (though I have no idea what good performance means in terms of a router).
  • So I guess a device with at least 256MB of RAM is needed.
  • No limitation on price as long as it is not excessively expensive.

  • Users should consider multi-core, ARM-based (or x86_64/AMD64) devices for mid-range and higher applications. (From https://openwrt.org/toh/recommended/_routers)

Thanks for your help in advance!

  • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    12·
    8 days ago

    I bought an used Netgear Nighthawk X4S R7800 off Ebay for around $50 and it works well. Despite its age it’s currently running Wireguard, Adguard and Dynamic DNS and it loafs along at below 1% CPU usage most of the time. I have about 30 devices connected locally and another 10 through WG.

    If I were to buy new, the GL.iNet Flint 2 ($160) would be at the top of my list.

      • sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.todayEnglish
        4·
        8 days ago

        If you get a Gl.inet router be aware that you can reflash the firmware with one based on the mainline OpenWRT kernel or also completely get rid of the gl.inet stuff and run straight OpenWRT. The flint 2 is a really nice router that has Adguard Home (PiHole competitor and arguably better) integrated for ease of use.

        • L3ft_F13ld!@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          2·
          8 days ago

          Slightly off-topic from the post, but why do you say AdGuard Home is better than Pi-hole? I’ve tried both and so far Pi-hole seems like the better pick to me.

          • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            3·
            8 days ago

            I ran Pi-hole for a couple of years and switched. Besides preferring the UI on Adguard Home, IMO the big advantage of running a DNS server on OpenWRT is that if the router is up, my DNS server is running. I don’t have to rely on a 2nd device and lose Internet access when the Pi is taken down for some reason.

            • L3ft_F13ld!@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
              2·
              8 days ago

              The setup and config for Adguard Home just felt very clunky to me. Pi-hole makes adding multiple lists at once very simple in the GUI or using CLI. Couldn’t find something similar for Adguard Home. The setup and configuration felt like it took much longer than it would have with Pi-hole.

              • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                1·
                7 days ago

                “Add Blocklist” > “Choose From List” on Adguard pops up a list of about 75 different block lists and you can check any number of them before saving. I don’t remember setup being a lengthy task either, but it’s been over a year since I switched. Once set up I rarely touch it except to occasionally turn it off for a couple of minutes so some device can update.

                • L3ft_F13ld!@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                  1·
                  7 days ago

                  I’m referring to the custom lists I like to use. And adding stuff to whitelist to ensure everything works.

                  Pi-hole gives a command to add them muiltiple at a time instead of typing or copy-pasting one at a time. Couldn’t find the same for AdGuard Home.

  • Max@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    8 days ago

    I quite like my dynalink wrx36. It’s quad core ARM with 1GB of ram, and supports WiFi 6. Sadly it appears to no longer be available, but it wasn’t very expensive (like $80 or $90 when I bought it).

    I think a lot of the openwrt wiki recommended routers page is massively out of date. Or at least it was when I was searching two years ago.

    I wanted something that could actually saturate a 1Gb link, which my previous archer a7 really struggled to do, I think because of the CPU limitations. It also got annoying having to choose openwrt packages with the very limited ram.

    The top two comments on the reddit thread you linked seem correct. The MT6000 seems good in light of the dynalink being gone, but it’s recently expensive at $150 or more