TAKE YOUR ROUTER BACK FROM ITS MAKER IN NINETY SECONDS
Over a thousand router models can run open Linux instead of the closed firmware they shipped with, and on most of them the swap takes ninety seconds and needs no soldering.
by OpenWrt Project
HomeAutomation
- difficulty
- ●●○○○
- time
- an evening
- license
- GPLv2
- repo
- repo ACTIVE27,890 stars
●●○○○ · an evening · GPLv2 · 27,890 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
OpenWrt is the honest answer to what happens when a router manufacturer stops shipping updates: you keep shipping them yourself. The stock firmware on most consumer routers is closed, unauditable, and abandoned within a few years of release. OpenWrt replaces it with a full Linux distribution that you control, that keeps receiving security patches, and that unlocks features manufacturers usually lock behind a subscription or reserve for enterprise models — VLANs, WireGuard VPN, SQM queue management, ad blocking, traffic monitoring, proper firewall rules. On many popular routers the install is a ninety-second file upload through the manufacturer's own firmware upgrade page; no soldering, no serial cable, no command line. The hardware table lists well over a thousand supported models, so the router in your hallway might already be on it. What will actually be hard is choosing the right image for your exact hardware revision — TP-Link Archer C6 v2 and v3 need different files, and flashing the wrong one bricks the device. The documentation is thorough but assumes you understand what a VLAN is and why you would want one. If you have never logged into your router's admin page, start there first. If you have, and you want control over the one piece of network hardware every ISP assumes you will never touch, this is the weekend that pays for itself every month afterward.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —OpenWrt is a complete Linux distribution licensed under GPLv2, free for personal and commercial use.
- —The hardware compatibility table lists over a thousand supported router models, but not every router is flashable without hardware mods — check yours first.
- —Installation images, documentation and the LuCI web interface are all included; there is no BOM because you use a router you already own or buy a supported model.
- —On many routers installation is a single file upload through the stock firmware upgrade page; on others it requires serial access or TFTP recovery.
- —The project is mature and actively maintained, but flashing the wrong image or interrupting the process can brick the device.
- —There is no central GitHub repository — OpenWrt maintains its own Git infrastructure at git.openwrt.org.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterBluHub reads and burns Blu-ray/DVD/CD, adds USB-C, USB-A, SD/TF and 10 Gbps data — plug and play, grand-piano finish.
Videos
Installing OpenWrt on a home router
There is no official OpenWrt installation video; the best walkthroughs are community-made and device-specific. The footage in the reel is from Krisseck's TP-Link Archer C6 v3 install, but we were not given that video's URL.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Check the OpenWrt Table of Hardware to confirm your router model and hardware revision are supported (Hardware revision matters — Archer C6 v2 and v3 need different images, and the wrong one will brick the device.)
- 2.Download the factory image for your exact model and revision from the device's OpenWrt wiki page(Not every router can be flashed via the web interface; some need serial access or TFTP recovery.)
- 3.Upload the image through your router's stock firmware upgrade page and wait for the reboot(Do not interrupt the flash. Work from mains power.)
- 4.Access LuCI at 192.168.1.1 and configure your network, firewall, and any additional packages(The base install is minimal; ad blocking, VPN, and monitoring are separate packages you install afterward.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Flashing the wrong image for your hardware revision will brick the router — TP-Link Archer C6 v2, v3, and v4 all need different files, and the version is usually printed on a sticker on the underside of the device.
- Not all routers on the compatibility table can be flashed via the web interface; some need a serial connection, TFTP recovery, or hardware modifications that are not mentioned until you read the device-specific wiki page.
- Interrupting the flash process bricks the device, and not all routers can be recovered without opening the case and connecting a serial cable.
- The base OpenWrt install is minimal by design; features like ad blocking, WireGuard, SQM, and traffic monitoring are separate packages you install and configure afterward, and the documentation assumes you know what those features do.
- Some routers lose Wi-Fi performance or range after flashing because the stock firmware uses country-specific power limits that OpenWrt does not replicate by default.
- If your ISP uses VLAN tagging or PPPoE, you will need to configure that manually in LuCI before the WAN connection works, and the stock settings do not carry over.
Can I go back to stock firmware if I change my mind?
Yes, on most routers you can flash back to the manufacturer's firmware through LuCI or TFTP recovery, but you will lose all OpenWrt configuration and the process carries the same bricking risk as the original flash.
Will this work on my ISP's router?
Only if that model is on the compatibility table and your ISP has not locked the bootloader. Many ISP-supplied routers are locked or use custom firmware that OpenWrt cannot replace.
Do I need to keep my old router as a backup?
Yes, if this is your only router. If the flash fails or you misconfigure the network, you will need a working device to research recovery steps.
What is the real risk of bricking?
Low if you verify the image matches your hardware revision, do not interrupt the flash, and work from mains power. Higher if you flash a router that requires TFTP recovery and you have never done that before.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Over a thousand router models are supported, and most people already own one that is on the list. Which feature would you configure first — WireGuard VPN, ad blocking, or SQM to stop one download killing the whole house's video calls?
OpenWrt Project
OpenWrt started in 2004 as a fork of the Linksys WRT54G firmware, released under GPL, and has grown into a full Linux distribution maintained by a global community. It is the longest-running open router firmware project and the reference implementation for what consumer network hardware can do when the manufacturer is not in the way.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM16d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: OpenWrt does not maintain a GitHub repository in the way most projects do — the source lives at git.openwrt.org, and the main web presence is the wiki and forum. There is no official installation video; the best walkthroughs are device-specific and community-made, and we were not given URLs for those. The reel footage is from Krisseck's TP-Link Archer C6 v3 install, demonstrating the ninety-second web-upload method, but that only works on routers where the bootloader is unlocked and the stock firmware accepts unsigned images — plenty of models on the compatibility table need serial access or TFTP instead, and that detail is buried in the device's wiki page. The single biggest trap is flashing the wrong image for your hardware revision; TP-Link alone has five revisions of the Archer C6, and each needs a different file.