After I've got sick and tired of all pre-built router setups like the D-Link DIR-6xx and DIR-8xx series, the Linksys WRT3xx and WRT6xx series and my latest go with the WNDR3700 resulted in me facing the most dummy friendly, non advanced router firmware I've ever seen. I have decided to build something my own, in order trying to reach the perfect combination of powerful routing hardware and great firmware capabilities!


But I'm not sure how powerful system I actually need to fully utilize our home network, I was looking for something 2x Gigabit port (1x WAN + 1x LAN, as I have a HP ProCurve 1400-8G switch that I'll use) with two wireless radios, one for 5GHz and another for 2.4GHz all going to run 803.11n only.

We got lots of connections going around locally, I have a Q-Nap TurboNas TS-439Pro with 4x Western Digital 2TB Black Edition running 2x CAT7 cables, being accessed more or less 24/7, and there is a bit true BluRay rip streaming over both wireless and cable connection.

Our connection is currently at 82/83mbit fiber, which might get upgraded into 100/100mbit or even 150/150mbit within the next year or two.


For wireless radios I was thinking of going either:

- SR71-12
- SR71-15
- SR71-A

For 5GHz, and SR71E as client card in our notebooks
Some sites claim one of these to be AR9220 based and not AR9160, but I guess thats wrong?

sounds like yoor only RB that would support your environment is a RB433AH which has 3xmPCI, but only 3 FAST ethernet jacks(you could bond them together but you'll have to check the procurve and use 3 ports).
The only other routerboard with gigabit lan ports and minipci slots is the RB800 but it's on another hefty price point, there was the RB600 but it's discontinued

Or go X86...
Scale as needed.
Same OS.

Same bunch of crazy people to hang out with !!

Is there a compelling reason you want your radios to be on board?

I've considered this from time to time, but have always gone with discrete ap's to avoid the rf loss that will occur between the router and the actual antenna.

I've been using Engenius AP's, but may switch to Ubiquity's Bullet 2HP.