Looking for new router - Any experience with Banana Pi BPI-R3?

[topt]

I have been looking at upgrading my router and had decided on an Asus - until I realised how many features were tied up with having to allow Trend Micro access to various data points. I also discovered that apparently Asus can now remotely upgrade the firmware automatically even if you have that feature switched off.

 

So in reading various forums I saw mention of the Banana Pi which, please forgive the pun, for the price looks very tasty.......

 

It runs on Open WRT and I would look to buy it with the case, power supply and fan as per here -

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004911451911.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.promoteWysiwyg_6001949050688.1005004911451911&gatewayAdapt=glo2tha

 

I have looked (briefly) for a Raspberry Pi equivalent but can't see one that has the case/aerials and wi fi performance. (I think you need a usb connected wi fi card as well?) I would be happy if someone could point me in the direction of one?

 

Anybody tried the BPI -R3 or anybody have any views or other suggested alternatives?

[BigStar]

Looks pretty good, but read reviews here:

 

https://www.amazon.com/OpenSource-Wireless-Dual-Band-MediaTek-Bundle3-BPI/product-reviews/B0BDG6R41Q?reviewerType=all_reviews

 

 

[topt]

13 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Looks pretty good, but read reviews here:

 

https://www.amazon.com/OpenSource-Wireless-Dual-Band-MediaTek-Bundle3-BPI/product-reviews/B0BDG6R41Q?reviewerType=all_reviews

 

 

Yes thanks. I had already thought if I go ahead I will probably need to buy at least longer pig tails for the aerials.

Pleasantly surprised that the current price via the link I showed is just over 100 bucks compared to around 140 in the US/UK

[BigStar]

20 minutes ago, topt said:

Pleasantly surprised that the current price via the link I showed is just over 100 bucks compared to around 140 in the US/UK

 

Yes. And you'd have to pay $19.64 "import charges" from the USA to Thailand. I learned that if ever you find something on Amazon first, like a promotion you'd seen mentioned somewhere, before ordering it always pays to check for the same product on Lazada and Aliexpress. The common knee-jerk "more expensive in Thailand" often doesn't hold true.

[moana]

I bought a Xiaomi AX3000T off Lazada for US$29 a few weeks ago and flashed OpenWRT on it (the stock firmware is actually OpenWRT based too, but no SSH access). It's the best bang for your buck in the market right now, imo. RAM is a bit limited, but I haven't seen it affect performance yet. It's also a filogic CPU (weaker naturally) with hardware offloading capabilities and 160mhz support.

[topt]

8 minutes ago, moana said:

I bought a Xiaomi AX3000T off Lazada for US$29 a few weeks ago and flashed OpenWRT on it (the stock firmware is actually OpenWRT based too, but no SSH access). It's the best bang for your buck in the market right now, imo. RAM is a bit limited, but I haven't seen it affect performance yet. It's also a filogic CPU (weaker naturally) with hardware offloading capabilities and 160mhz support.

Thanks I had noticed a couple of posts in my searches mentioned Xiaomi and that price seems ludicrously cheap.......

I will have more of a look.

[topt]

On 7/15/2024 at 2:33 PM, moana said:

It's also a filogic CPU (weaker naturally) with hardware offloading capabilities and 160mhz support.

I just finished reading through/skimming the OpenWRT thread on this.......

Which actual build are you using and have you had any issues - also does 160mhz work ok?

 

From what you say I presume you didn't have any issues with the flashing which seems to have caused quite a few posters problems? 

Thanks in advance for any more feedback.

 

I will probably order one of these on the basis if I brick it, it won't be the end of the world...... 

[moana]

22 hours ago, topt said:

Which actual build are you using and have you had any issues

I flashed (via UART) a nightly snapshot which was working fine at the time, but it can get a bit risky with those as you've seen. You can use one of the linked working builds from that forum thread (e.g. ImmortalWRT seems to be working well) or you can wait for the next stable OpenWRT update with official support for AX3000T (~2 months wait).

 

Regardless, it's pretty difficult to hard-brick it, and soft-brick is easy to recover from via TFTP.

 

160mhz works fine once you set country to one that allows it (mine is set to philippines) use AX and channel 36.

Edited July 17 by moana

[topt]

4 hours ago, moana said:

I flashed (via UART) a nightly snapshot which was working fine at the time, but it can get a bit risky with those as you've seen. You can use one of the linked working builds from that forum thread (e.g. ImmortalWRT seems to be working well) or you can wait for the next stable OpenWRT update with official support for AX3000T (~2 months wait).

 

Regardless, it's pretty difficult to hard-brick it, and soft-brick is easy to recover from via TFTP.

 

160mhz works fine once you set country to one that allows it (mine is set to philippines) use AX and channel 36.

Many thanks for the feedback.