Methodology

This page explains exactly where our information comes from and how we turn it into recommendations.

Facts and opinions are kept apart

Every router page separates two kinds of information, and labels them:

• Factual data: specifications and OpenWrt compatibility, taken from primary sources (see below).
• Editorial opinion: our recommendation level, scores, pros and cons, “would we buy it today” and suitability estimates.

You can disagree with our opinions and still rely on the facts.

Where specifications come from

1. The manufacturer: product pages, datasheets and regulatory (FCC) filings.
2. The OpenWrt Table of Hardware: the community-maintained hardware database, which often lists the exact SoC, RAM and flash chips.
3. OpenWrt source code: device tree files are the most reliable source for flash size and port layout when other sources disagree.

When sources disagree we note it, and our synchronisation tool records the discrepancy for an editor to resolve. We never fill gaps with guesses: unknown values are shown as “—”.

How OpenWrt compatibility is verified

We check every router against the official OpenWrt build data published on downloads.openwrt.org, the same data used by the Firmware Selector:

• a router is fully supported when official stable release images exist and the important hardware works;
• it is partially supported when images exist but the Table of Hardware lists functions that do not work;
• it is snapshot only when images exist only in development snapshots;
• the first and latest release numbers are the official releases that include images for the device.

An automated synchronisation runs regularly. It only updates factual fields, never editorial ones, and every change is logged. Fields an editor has checked by hand are locked: if the official data later differs, the tool records the conflict instead of overwriting it.

Hardware revisions matter. Many routers are sold in several revisions with different internals, and often only some are supported. Router pages show a warning when this applies; always check the revision on the label before installing.

Warnings

We show warnings that are easy to miss in the official tables:

The memory thresholds follow the OpenWrt project’s own guidance that devices with little RAM and flash struggle with current releases and extra packages.

How we evaluate routers

Our editors weigh:

• OpenWrt friendliness: upstream support, how long it has been supported, how active the community is, and how easy it is to recover.
• Installation: whether a factory image can be flashed from the stock web interface, or whether it needs TFTP, a serial console or an exploit.
• Performance headroom: CPU architecture, cores and clock, RAM, and hardware offloading support.
• VPN suitability: WireGuard and OpenVPN are CPU-bound on most routers. Our suitability ratings are estimates from the CPU, not measurements.
• Value: what you get for the typical price, compared with alternatives.
• Longevity: whether the hardware will still be comfortable with OpenWrt releases in a few years.

Tested or researched?

Each router page states “Tested by us: yes/no”. When a router has not been physically tested, its page says: “Specifications and compatibility independently researched from manufacturer and OpenWrt documentation.” We never imply hands-on testing that did not happen.

Benchmarks

We only publish measured numbers, each with its source, OpenWrt version and date. If no benchmark exists we show “Benchmark not yet tested”. We never estimate or invent throughput figures.

How recommendation scores work

Scores are editorial and go from 0 to 10:

• OpenWrt friendliness, ease of installation (higher is easier), performance, VPN performance and value are rated separately.
• The overall score is an editorial judgement informed by those ratings, not an automatic average: a router with a great CPU but a risky installation can rightly score lower.

Recommendation levels: Highly Recommended, Recommended, Good Budget Option, Advanced Users Only, Older Hardware and Not Recommended.

Comparison pages highlight which router has more RAM, more flash, faster Ethernet, a newer Wi-Fi generation or an easier installation, but we never declare a winner from specifications alone.

Photos

Every photo is shown with its source and, where required, its licence. We use, in this order:

• OpenWrt wiki photos, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Our synchronisation tool takes the device photo from the Table of Hardware or its device page and stores a resized copy.
• Manufacturer images, only with the manufacturer’s permission, our own photos, and other images whose licence allows it.
• Amazon product images, only through Amazon’s official API, shown directly from Amazon’s servers without modification, refreshed at least every 24 hours and linked to the product on Amazon.

When there is no suitable photo, we show a neutral drawing instead.

Prices

The “typical price” shown in lists is an editorial reference used for filtering (for example “under $100”); it is not a live price. Retailer prices are only displayed when they were updated in the last 24 hours, always with the time of the update.

How affiliate links work

Some retailer links are affiliate links. Affiliate relationships are stored separately from our evaluations and never influence scores, rankings or recommendations: a router or VPN provider without an affiliate programme is ranked exactly as it would be with one. Read the full affiliate disclosure.