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How to find inexpensive routers to run DD-WRT

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT, Servers and Networking April 1, 2015August 3, 2017Broadcom, cisco, DDWRT, linksys, TL, WAN, wrt54g

I’ve been using and recommending DD-WRT for years, but it’s getting harder to find inexpensive routers to run DD-WRT. Many inexpensive routers now use non-Broadcom chipsets that DD-WRT and other third-party firmware don’t support well, or at all.

But there’s still a way to get inexpensive, compatible routers that isn’t likely to change any time soon.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

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Build the best, most secure wifi in your neighborhood

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT, Servers and Networking March 24, 2015August 26, 2017AES, android, apple, cat5, DDWRT, lowercase letters, malware, Meraki Wifi Stumbler, Micro Center, netflix, Roku, SSID, TL, wi-fi

My neighbor asked me for advice on setting up wi-fi in his new house. I realized it’s been a while since I’ve written about wi-fi, and it’s never been cheaper or easier to blanket your house and yard with a good signal.

Blanketing your house and yard while remaining secure, though, is still important.

Dave Farquhar

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The TP-Link TD-8616. It’s a modem. It seems to work.

Dave Farquhar Hardware December 29, 2014July 5, 2018TL

The TP-Link TD-8616 is a low-priced, acceptable replacement for whatever DSL modem your ISP issued you. As such, it’s less exciting than a can opener, but a DSL modem is one of those things that you shouldn’t ever think about. Just like your can opener, the only time you’re likely to have any opinion at all about your DSL modem is when it’s not doing its job well. This is my review of the TD-8616.

The TD-8616 is just a modem, but then you can pair it with a router with whatever capabilities you want, including the ability to run third-party firmware on it, which I recommend of course. Might I suggest a TL-WR841n running DD-WRT?

Dave Farquhar

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Eliminate wifi dead spots using access points

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT, Servers and Networking July 23, 2014November 14, 2016antenna, Meraki Wifi Stumbler, SSID, TL, wi-fi

I’ve said before how to eliminate wifi dead spots, but perhaps I didn’t give it the focus it deserves. I think almost everyone has wifi dead spots in their house that they would like to eliminate. It turns out you can do it, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either.

The idea is to supplement your existing router with one or two additional access points. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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My impressions of the TP-Link TL-WR841N

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Servers and Networking January 31, 2014December 10, 2015android, antenna, Meraki Wifi Stumbler, TL, wi-fi

The TP-Link TL-WR841N (and the similar TL-WR841ND) is a lower-mid range router that routinely sells in the $20-$25 range. Although many people consider it an off-brand, TP-Link has had a following in the enthusiast community for a couple of years. I’ve been prone to recommend them because they have a better track record than many of the bigger-name brands of continuing to release firmware upgrades that fix security vulnerabilities. If you’re going to buy a router and leave it stock, you’re better off with a TP-Link than anything else.

I only used the stock firmware to load DD-WRT on it though, so about all I can say is that the TL-WR841N runs DD-WRT really well. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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DD-WRT as an access point

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT, Servers and Networking January 7, 2014August 18, 2017android, cat5e, DDWRT, Meraki Wifi Stumbler, TL, wi-fi

There’s an addition on the back of our house, probably added in the 1970s or 80s, where the wi-fi reception is exceptionally poor. Something about the walls makes it tricky, and I also suspect we get some interference from the neighbors behind us. I solved the problem with a cheap router running DD-WRT as an access point. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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How I upgraded a TP-Link TL-WR841N to DD-WRT

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT, security, Servers and Networking January 6, 2014January 11, 2021cat5, command prompt, dd wrt, DDWRT, TL, tp link

If you want a nice router or access point, you can do a lot worse than upgrading a TP-Link TL-WR841N to DD-WRT. The TL-WR841N is inexpensive and reliable, and DD-WRT runs well on it once you get the right build.

You can configure it to be a router, an access point, or a repeater, based on what you need. It usually costs $25 and sometimes you can find one on sale for $20 or even $15, so it’s a huge bargain. Even if you want 802.11ac speeds, a TL-WR841N makes a fantastic secondary access point to improve your connectivity.

Let’s get on with the upgrade. In the case of the TP-Link TL-WR841N (or TL-WR841ND, which uses the same build), it’s really easy–10 steps. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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