cageymaru

Fully [H]
Joined
Apr 10, 2003
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OpenWrt is an open source Linux operating system targeting embedded devices such as routers, smartphones, pocket computers, and residential gateways. OpenWrt version 18.06.0 is the first stable version after the OpenWrt/LEDE project merger and the source code is available on the project's GitHub page.

The OpenWrt Community is proud to present the OpenWrt 18.06 stable version series. It is the first stable version after the OpenWrt/LEDE project merger and the successor to the previous stable LEDE 17.01 and OpenWrt 15.05 major releases. The OpenWrt 18.06 series focuses on support for network flow offloading and modernizing the Atheros AR71xx target.
 
As someone who's not done anything with pfSense (one day i'll make my own router), is this a competing OS or would OpenWrt drive pfSense if pfSense decided to use OpenWrt as the underlying OS?

Edit: Did some googling and it looks like OpenWrt would be a competitor against pfSense.
 
OpenWRT is a "kinda competitor" to pfSense. While they can do pretty much the same thing they are targeted to very different applications.

OpenWRT is targeted as a replacement OS/Firewall for embedded WiFi routers. It if FOSS to run on your Linksys/Cisco/Ubiquiti/etc wifi box as a router/firewall. It has powerful features to take full advantage of the WiFi embedded in these boxes, but it is less extensible than pfsense and its firewall capabilities are a bit limited. OpenWRT is targeted to run on low power hardware with limited memory footprint - though it runs fine on x86 if you really want to do that.

pfSense is a more general firewall and is very easily extensible. It is targeted as a more powerful edge device with multi-LAN and extensive VPN capability. While it can manage a WiFi device directly it is pretty basic in doing so. Its targeted at x86 with a bit larger memory footprint, though recently ARM versions have been released.

Both are somewhat extensible. E.g., you can run SNORT for IDS/IPS on OpenWRT, but most of the hardware you might run OpenWRT on will probably die trying to run SNORT, while pfSense boxes on x86 with enough RAM will run things like SNORT without blinking.

They both do some of the same things but target different use cases.
 
Basically if you separate your routing and your access points, you might be inclined to run pfSense; OpenWRT would be more effective for the type of all-in-one network appliance you might pick up at a retail consumer electronics chain.
+1. This. Exactly.
 
CAKE. I nee not say more. Hell ive installed openwrt cake boxes inline, just for buffer bloat.
 
Updated my Unifi AC LR (was on an older SNAPSHOT build) without any issues.
 
This intrigues me- why not run the Unifi UAP OS?

[I can think of reasons, but I'd like to hear yours!]
Don't need their controller software to change settings or update the firmware. Also the 2.4GHz has always been performing worse on the stock firmware, not sure why.
 
2.4GHz range is supposedly a feature of the -LR, see them used in conjunction with higher-end APs specifically for IoT channels, sometimes dedicated. Of course range and throughput are somewhat inversely proportional, so I could see different firmware working better in specific situations.

And yeah, not having to run the Unifi Controller on the AP is a draw; I currently have a Unifi switch too, and I don't necessarily need it, but it's just so cheap for the features and what it can do with the Unifi Controller is actually kind of nice.

And I have a further question: on your AC LR, can you link SSIDs to VLANs? I'm fine with setting this up per-device (which one really should do anyway), just want to make sure that I can isolate guest and IoT WiFi access from my personal stuff.
 
As someone who's not done anything with pfSense (one day i'll make my own router), is this a competing OS or would OpenWrt drive pfSense if pfSense decided to use OpenWrt as the underlying OS?

OPNsense is a direct competitor to PFsense.
 
Basically if you separate your routing and your access points, you might be inclined to run pfSense; OpenWRT would be more effective for the type of all-in-one network appliance you might pick up at a retail consumer electronics chain.

this is what i do-
i had to get used to working in pfsense for my job so im running it at home and just using an access point specifically for wireless.
 
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