Affordable, commercial-grade router not made in Asia?

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belham2
Posts: 1715
Joined: Mon 15 Aug 2016, 22:47

Affordable, commercial-grade router not made in Asia?

#1 Post by belham2 »

Hi everyone,

The vast majority of us (home Internet users) use the combo router/cable or DSL unit provided by their ISP provider. I'm not talking about many of us here, but the true vast majority of end-consumer internet users worldwide.

Those units provided by the ISP providers have one massive flaw. That is they are continually open through backdoor administrative means to that ISP. Mainly this is so the ISP can keep the unit up-to-date, and not have to rely on the customer to do it, and also save money, in not sending people out to homes to keep units up-to-date.

But, for those of us in the know, this administrative backdoor to the router is a no-no, a major no-no. It is simply a too juicy target for malware/hackers to go after the ISP itself (and their systems) and/or also try to exploit the backdoor themselves when hitting the end-users router. Despite changing your router's login & password, you have ZERO control of what the administrator password has been set by the ISP.


The answer, for the consumer in protecting his/herself, has always been this: set your ISP unit provided in "BRIDGE-Mode" (so it effectively becomes a dumb unit and passes through everything). Then, run your own, hardened router behind that which handles all internet access/negotiations and---MOST IMPORTANTLY----is only accessible by you as either an administrator and/or user.

I have done this for some 14 years now, and after personally, over the years, seeing compromised home routers from others (friends and/or not), I sleep better at night.


But, in my protected setup, I have always used consumer-end routers that are then boosted up considerably using either DD-WRT, OPENWRT and/or Tomato.

What I'd now like to find is this: a "commercial" (business) level router that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and one that already has all...or more...of the functions built into its OS that DD-WRT & gang (mentioned above) bring to the table.

Anyone know of such a "commercial" router that doesn't break the bank? And most importantly, is NOT made in Asia/China??? Googled for weeks now, and, still, it (Googling) is not helping in this matter. I've heard these non-made in Asia, affordable commercial routers exist, but I am only finding online routers that either are affordable or are not made in Asia, but never both.

Call me biased, but I don't want anything router-wise (commercial and/or end-consumer) right now that is coming out of China and/or Asia. And I want a company who's skin is in the game with their commercial OS software, and not the head-games of developer whims that DD-WRT, OPEN-WRT and Tomato have been bringing over the past few years.

Thanks for any help, tips and/or information.

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rufwoof
Posts: 3690
Joined: Mon 24 Feb 2014, 17:47

#2 Post by rufwoof »

Grab a PC otherwise destined for landfill and https://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/example1.html
[size=75]( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) :wq[/size]
[url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=1028256#1028256][size=75]Fatdog multi-session usb[/url][/size]
[size=75][url=https://hashbang.sh]echo url|sed -e 's/^/(c/' -e 's/$/ hashbang.sh)/'|sh[/url][/size]

belham2
Posts: 1715
Joined: Mon 15 Aug 2016, 22:47

#3 Post by belham2 »

OpenBSD is a pain in the butt to stay on top of. Plus, it still doesn't do well with running multiple VLANs, which I do here in our home. VLAN set up and running in DD-WRT, OpenWRT and/or Tomato is very simple, unlike what has to happen in OpenBSD (and, like mentioned, even then OpenBSD does not run/do well).

I know you love OpenBSD, Rufwoof, and indeed it is great as a secure OS Desktop, but I don't think (as people who have fallen deeply in love with it) how incredibly "out-there" OpenBSD is on the bell-curve of being user-friendly---which, in the end, is what matters to what home router setups need to be. Too many other things (in the home) to worry about than also having to overlord a machine/computer that is strictly a "router" plus take care of your home server behind it, and all the machines on the various lans. User-friendliness is where routers with powerful OSes shine. It's why Cisco offers routers with DD-WRT ability, and also why a few other router manufacturers do too.

It just would be nice if a commercial router model was available that had all that DD-WRT-like power, maybe even something more, was made somewhere in America and/or Europe, and most importantly, did cost several Benjamin Franklins (or, in your case) many several Matthew Boulton and James Watt notes.

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rufwoof
Posts: 3690
Joined: Mon 24 Feb 2014, 17:47

#4 Post by rufwoof »

Like and use is a big difference to love. More a case of dislike of the way Linux is progressively turning into a even worse version of Windows absent the likes of signed drivers etc.
[size=75]( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) :wq[/size]
[url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=1028256#1028256][size=75]Fatdog multi-session usb[/url][/size]
[size=75][url=https://hashbang.sh]echo url|sed -e 's/^/(c/' -e 's/$/ hashbang.sh)/'|sh[/url][/size]

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