3

I’m looking for a WLAN router that runs only free/libre software. It doesn’t need to contain a modem.

ThinkPenguin.com offered the Free Software Wireless-N Broadband Router for GNU / Linux (TPE-NWIFIROUTER2), which even got FSF’s RYF certification, but it’s "no longer for sale/available".

I would prefer a router that ships without any proprietary software, but if there isn’t one, I’m fine with a router that ships with proprietary software, as long as a free/libre OS (and free/libre firmware) can be installed without voiding the warranty, ideally officially supported.

unor
  • 1,075
  • 5
  • 20
  • Do you have any requirements beyond "free/libre", eg. wireless protocols, or number/speed of Ethernet ports? – Mark Feb 06 '17 at 21:54
  • @Mark: As I don’t know what wireless protocols are, I guess … no? Or has this to do with the encryption? WPA2 support would be nice, but I guess this should be standard. No requirements regarding speed or ethernet ports. – unor Feb 06 '17 at 23:00
  • Wireless protocols: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and so on. – Mark Feb 06 '17 at 23:04
  • @Mark: I don’t know enough to decide if it matters or which one I would need. – unor Feb 06 '17 at 23:07
  • 2
    @unor they're in increasing order of bandwidth, effectively. 802.11ac is the best; 802.11a carries little. AC-supporting devices are relatively new and expensive - you're more likely to find N-supporting devices. – ArtOfCode Feb 07 '17 at 11:43

1 Answers1

3

Minifree offers the Libre WNDR3800 Router.

These are refurbished Netgear WNDR3800 or WNDR3800-1CHNAS routers that come pre-installed with free software only (uboot, libreCMC).

While it has no RYF certification as of 2019-01-08, Minifree submitted the router for approval:

It’s a completely FSF-endorseable router: in fact, Minifree has sent the FSF a router for RYF evaluation. We are confident that this will succeed, and our laptops are already endorsed.

Vikings offers the same: Vikings WNDR3800 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router

unor
  • 1,075
  • 5
  • 20