this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2023
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submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

I'm looking to replace my portable modem with a GL.iNet router because I saw that they claim to use OpenWRT which is a open source firmware.

My question is:

Is their OpenWRT version actually reliable?

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 11 months ago (2 children)

You can always reflash it with your own if you hold that concern.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

On OpenWRT official Table of Hardware from what I researched, it only lists older models and not new ones, I'm afraid of buying them and not being able to install vanilla OpenWRT on them.1000087187

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

The newest Flint 2 model has mainline OpenWRT support. It will be included in the next stable release but can already be used through the testing branch.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)

If you have any question on truth worthiness, you can flash stock openwrt on them. You just lose out on their proprietary webUI and pre installed plugins. I believe their firmware is public on GitHub though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

but in your opinion Do you think their proprietary UI could be a risk for privacy /security ?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

I haven't done a code review so I can't answer that question with facts. I do think however, that anything that bootstraps a FLOSS framework like openwrt could easily be a risk to privacy.

You use privacy and security interchangeably here. They are not the same.

[–] grue 6 points 11 months ago

I don't actually know for a fact whether their firmware is trustworthy, but the fact that they put being Free Software front-and-center as a feature instead of forcing you to flash it yourself if you want OpenWRT makes me inclined to trust them more than I would any brand that doesn't do that.

(I only own one GL.iNet product -- a Mango v2 that I impulse-bought because it was OpenWRT and cheap -- but if stuff like the GL-AP1300 had existed at the time I was upgrading my network I would've gone with them instead of TP-Link.)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

I bought a Slate Plus just last month and simply flashed it with vanilla OpenWRT as soon as I opened the box. I certainly wouldn't trust the stock firmware, but this is so easy to remedy it's barely worth talking about.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

I'm using a Slate router as an access point. It's really awesome. They just provide a UI on top of vanilla openwrt, but you can still go to that UI via "advanced mode". We need more of OSS routers!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Their plugins arent really reliable. Can tell you that. The Mullvad VPN Plugin does not like it at all if you ever should run out of VPN Time. If your VPN is not being paid the connection shits itself and doesnt reconnect properly when the VPN is being paid for again. Besides that, the Seamless-Tunnel Option (aka. dont allow network traffic if its not through the VPN) is working but hella buggy if you want to disable it for testing.

Got myself a Opal one. Not sure what I will be using it from now on tbh. Maybe the other Options are more reliable but I couldnt be bothered to check em out in the last months.

[–] TheBiscuitLout 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I’ve never had any problem with Mullvad reconnecting after I’ve run out and paid up again, that has worked seamlessly on mine

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Thanks for the info. Maybe something is bugged with mine. I'll have a look into it. Currently its not being used of the first few months of use, that were... lets say bumpy at best...

[–] [email protected] -5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

an open source firmware

Firmware isn't a countable, any more than you'd say "a traffic" as a noun.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

🫢 traffic is easy, but i didn't know about firmware