Poll: Do you want a Librem router?

[whistler]

Unofficial poll suggested by @irvinewade

Some background (among other older threads):

Who wants a Librem router?

Context: Apple keeps a database of wifi MACs and uses it for precise location. Presumably Google and every other major player in this space does the same. Apple’s database was found to be publicly exposed at one point, resulting in a field day for the security press, but closing that hole did nothing to preserve the privacy of anyone who plans on taking their router with them when they move. What we need is an OpenWRT-friendly router which has: Old school DIP switches on the back for flippin…

• I don’t want a Librem router.
• I want a Librem router.
• I’ve read some of the discussion but I’m undecided.

[tracy]

Make it so you can use it from your L5 acting as a hotspot or tethered. (Too bad it is only 4G for bandwidth.)

[spacemanspiffy]

I chose the “undecided”.

Do I want one? Yeah.
Would I buy one? Not likely.

I built a router out of an x86 mini-PC a couple years back and it’s been serving me great. No reason to change it up.

That said, were a Librem router around when I thought to do this project, I might have bought the Librem router instead. What I would have wanted out of it is what I got from my build - a small but powerful-ish x86 device with at least 4 ports, Open-WRT, and the speed to run a few services on top of the OS (VPN, ad-blocking, etc.)

[OpojOJirYAlG]

I’m personally more interested in the router this guy is making: https://m.youtube.com/@tomazzaman

I prefer his communication compared to what I’ve seen from Purism.

[FranklyFlawless]

@OpojOJirYAlG

I’m personally more interested in the router this guy is making:

Same channel proxied through my Poke instance:

Tomaž Zaman - Poke

[Xarcell]

I want a Librem router, only if it is mesh though. I am poor, but i would pay more for a Librem router than my Google Nest router.

[irvinewade]

I would certainly be interested. However it would have to meet my functional and other requirements - and that is one of the challenges since everyone has slightly different requirements and there is a very large set of possible functions for a router. For example

@Xarcell

mesh

would be a negative for me. I really would want only a router and if WiFi were mandatorily available, I would just turn it off. (If WiFi is an option then that is better because I could order without WiFi.)

Still, that raises a good question about the state of play in the Linux world of WiFi distribution via mesh or similar technologies.

@Xarcell

Google Nest

I wonder if Google chose the name with a deliberate nod to cuckoos and brood parasitism in general. No way would I invite Google into my nest. Or maybe a nod to Nest of Spies.

[FranklyFlawless]

@irvinewade

I wonder if Google chose the name with a deliberate nod to cuckoos and brood parasitism in general.

Google Nest - Wikipedia (on my Wikiless instance)

The Nest brand name was originally owned by Nest Labs, co-founded by former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers in 2010.[3]

…

Google acquired Nest Labs for US$3.2 billion in January 2014, when the company employed 280.

…

In July 2018, it was announced that all Google Home electronics products will henceforth be marketed under the brand Google Nest.[9]

[irvinewade]

Spoil sport.

[fossman]

Normally I would but I think there are already others doing it:

• Turris Omina: OpenWRT based, open hardware afaik, pricey, more easily available in Europe
• OpenWRT has announced they’ll create their own officially supported router
• Start9 is crowdfunding on their site for one

So wouldn’t it be better for Purism to dedicate efforts elsewhere?

[whistler]

I rather doubt either of those are offering MAC randomization on the router/WAP side. That’s the killer app in my view, but everyone has their own aspirations for a custom router. Anyway it’s still good to know what’s out there so the dev team will know what they’re competing with.

I like all the other debate above but I’ll step aside for the most part and let it roll. Highly enthused!

[j_s]

Router ignoramus here, but isn’t MAC randomization already possible in software and you are looking for hardware switches for convenient and deterministic control?

The Turris MOX is modular (1 to 25 LAN ports, 0 to several WiFi cards, etc). I would think a MOX addon module with physical switches and some glue electronics would be a more feasible project for Purism.

https://www.turris.com/en/products/mox/

[irvinewade]

@whistler

I rather doubt either of those are offering MAC randomization on the router/WAP side.

Taking a step back to the bigger picture … the router was to offer WiFi as the WAN side before it is even relevant whether it offers MAC randomization.

I’m reasonably confident that my current COTS router wouldn’t even be capable of making the WiFi the WAN side, rather than part of the LAN side where it normally is.

@j_s

physical switches

Can’t you just physically unplug the module? (Does it allow hot plug?) I admit it has been a while since I looked at the modular offering from Turris.

If you look back at the topic from whence this one came, the OP really wanted something portable. I personally think that modularity and flexibility are in conflict with portability but in any case, you would want to look at the size and mass of a suitable set of modules.

[j_s]

@irvinewade

Can’t you just physically unplug the module? (Does it allow hot plug?)

I doubt the modules are hot pluggable, but unplug which module and why? And a module with physical switches to set an IP address doesn’t exist.

@irvinewade

OP really wanted something portable.

I’ve never seen one in person, but from their forum I gather a MOX is considered more portable than an Omnia, in part because any antennas are internal.

[irvinewade]

@j_s

unplug which module and why?

Unplug the WiFi module as an alternative to having a Hardware Kill Switch for it.