If you are somewhat tech savvy start here: OpenWRT
this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2025
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Privacy
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I'm a DD-WRT fan, mainly for it's simply, uniform GUI. Here's a good article comparing the two, plus an honorable mention of ASUSWRT. https://www.xda-developers.com/dd-wrt-vs-openwrt/
Fair enough DD is also a good choice!!
Last I looked one of the typical Linksys recommended model (WRT series) hadn’t been updated in a while in DD.
OpenWRT also had a ton of “internet support”…. or a little more than DD, again last time I looked.
I currently use a Synology, because I don’t have the mental energy to tinker right now 🙂
I just looked up my (backup) router, a Linksys WRT1200AC, and sure enough, OpenWrt has a recently updated firmware dated June 2025, whereas the latest supported build of DD-WRT is from 2020. I'm gonna give OpenWRT a shot, thanks for the recommendation!
You are welcome! I hope OpenWRT works out for you!!
It did work out - and just in the nick of time! My main router, a Cudy, was glitching badly; I took it apart yesterday and found a bulging capacitor about to burst. So I flashed my old Linksys with the latest OpenWrt - it was so effortless that I wasn't sure I configured it properly! Even though it's an older WiFi 5 model, speedtests show no measurable drop in performance. Interestingly, packet latency is half of the Cudy's, so it feels much snappier and responsive. It honestly feels like an upgrade lol. I love the app store it has too, very useful. Thank you very much for the recommendation!
I’m glad it worked out. IIRC, the Cudy can run OWRT as well. Assuming it doesn’t have a bulging capacitor of course ha.
The folks over at the OWRT project deserve the thanks, to be honest 🙂
I'll check it out. Thanks.
If you get a cheap n100 or similar style mini PC with multiple network cards and install pfsense on it, the only account needed is the local login. It took me a lot of YouTube tutorials to get it working just the way I wanted, but it's a great solution.
Not quite clear to me, what you actually need. Only WiFi - then you'd need an access point, not a router. A router wold have something on the other end too, like fiber or ADSL.
That usually means a WiFi-Ethernet router. ADSL requires a modem, which can be a standalone bridge modem or a modem-router. I've found it better to have modems and routers separate.
I have a modem. I connect the Ethernet cable from the modem into a wifi router.
I've been thinking about GL.iNet routers. They have OpenWRT-based firmware, and it seems typically can also run vanilla OpenWRT.
Just found them on proxysto.re when looking at physical Mullvad vouchers, and regretting getting that on Amazon for (slightly) more money and with slower shipping.
I have one. It’s great. It has a very user-friendly UI that lets you do most things without having to mess with the bare openwrt interface. I have mullvad on it and it works flawlessly.
Happy to add another data point, I have a Flint 2 and it's awesome. Whole-house VPN via Mullvad supplied config file, just uploaded to the router using the given config interface...I'd buy it again for the convenience of that alone, and that only scratches the surface of what things thing does (with OpenWRT) out of the box.
Just be careful if you get to tinkering, if privacy is your focus, wouldn't want to accidentally misconfigure some random capability it has that you're just playing around with.
Is there any way to get a new router to work without connecting an account to it
Yes. Look at Mikrotik offerings. You'll need to have an understanding of networking, it's not plug and play. But it's fully self contained and powerful. No external accounts needed, just a local/device admin account and password.
Looks like what I'm looking for. Thanks for the suggestion.
I don’t buy the latest flagship routers so I’ve never had to set up one without having to create an online account yet. I bet if you look at some Netgear (or similar) models from a couple of years back, they won’t have online activation and they just have the default admin credentials on a sticker under the router.
If you want a more up-to-date one, GL.Inet routers ship with OpenWRT installed, and you don’t need an online account to activate them.
Build your own
I use pfSense with eero access points.
PCWRT is OpenWRT on easy mode.
A cheap mikrotik, and just use the quickset page.
https://mikrotik.com/product/hap_ax_lite
Not sure where you are ordering from, if Canada I ordered my SFP router from these guys. Here's the page for that ax lite https://www.store.mikrotikcanada.ca/wireless-for-home-and-office/511-hap-ax-lite-4752224008480.html