Comprehensive Series Guides
Total 70 guides and articles
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OpenWrt Complete Series
Comprehensive guides from LuCI setup, networking, to advanced SQM Bufferbloat, VLAN, mwan3, WireGuard, and ImageBuilder compilation.
OPNsense Enterprise Firewall
Professional open-source firewall: Policy routing, VLAN segmentation, Captive Portal, AdGuard Home, and secure DNS forwarding.
MikroTik RouterOS v7
RouterOS configuration: Policy routing rules, client routing, bufferbloat latency optimization, advanced firewall, and WireGuard VPN.
SmartHome & Automation
Self-hosted smart home with OpenHAB, ESPHome, PZEM power monitoring, and IoT automation widgets.
Hardware Teardowns
In-depth teardowns exploring circuit boards, SoC processors, Wi-Fi radio FEMs, and components inside popular routers.
📑 All Serial Guides (70)
Xiaomi BE3600 1.25A White Teardown: Internal Hardware & Cost-Down Analysis
Detailed teardown of the budget Wi-Fi 7 router Xiaomi BE3600 1.25A white version (RD15): Qualcomm IPQ5312 SoC, 2.5GbE PHY QCA8081, switch YT9215S, and a close look at the hardware cost-down changes.
Xiaomi BE3600 Black Edition (RD16) Teardown: MediaTek Platform & Impressive 5GHz Range
Detailed teardown of the Xiaomi BE3600 Black Edition (RD16): A surprising switch to the MediaTek/Airoha AN7563 platform, MT7990AN + MT7976CN Wi-Fi 7 chipset, all-Gigabit ports, and superior 5GHz wall-penetration performance.
Redmi AX5400 Gaming Edition Teardown – No 1G Bottleneck
A detailed teardown of the Redmi AX5400 Gaming Edition router, analyzing the IPQ5018 SoC and the switch chip that eliminates the 1Gbps bottleneck.
Back Up and Restore OpenWrt Configuration with LuCI and SSH
Back up OpenWrt configuration files through LuCI or sysupgrade over SSH, with verification and restore paths.
DNS over TLS on OpenWrt with Unbound: Configuration and Leak Checks
Set up DoT with Unbound on OpenWrt, optionally integrate dnsmasq, enable DNSSEC, and test the result.
LuCI Essentials on OpenWrt: Installation, HTTPS, Alternate Ports, and Offline Setup
Install LuCI with Firmware Selector or offline packages, change uHTTPd ports, and account for flash/RAM limits.
Samba File Sharing on OpenWrt: Configuration, Firewall, and Troubleshooting
Set up Samba on OpenWrt for LAN shares, user accounts, Time Machine, discovery, and firewall handling.
Using a USB Storage Device with OpenWrt: Drivers, Partitions, and Automount
Configure USB storage on OpenWrt from drivers and partitions to filesystems, automount, and disk spindown.
OpenWrt 25.12+: Use apk Instead of opkg Without Bricking the Router
A practical apk v3 guide for OpenWrt 25.12 and newer: commands, repositories, upgrades, proxy use, and limits.
Expand OpenWrt Overlay with Extroot: USB, ext4, and Recovery Paths
A complete extroot adaptation covering USB preparation, overlay migration, verification, troubleshooting, swap, USB dongles, LUKS, and Image Builder.
Connect 2G/3G/4G/5G Modems to OpenWrt with ModemManager
Install USB modules, choose MBIM or QMI support, define a modemmanager UCI interface, and configure LuCI for WWAN.
OpenWrt Wi‑Fi Repeater with relayd: LuCI, CLI, IPv6, and Recovery
Build a relayd repeater on OpenWrt with subnet changes, uplink, firewall, Relay bridge, AP setup, CLI, IPv6, NAT, and troubleshooting.
Static Routes on OpenWrt: IPv4, IPv6, and netifd Routing Tables
Define persistent OpenWrt routes in /etc/config/network, including route, route6, metrics, tables, source addresses, and route types.
802.11s mesh on OpenWrt: wpad preparation, configuration, and peer checks
A complete adaptation of the OpenWrt 802.11s guide, including wpad-mesh packages, wireless configuration, driver checks, CLI, peer dumps, and blocking.
OpenWrt failsafe and factory reset: recover configuration before wiping it
A complete adaptation covering SquashFS checks, failsafe entry, overlay/extroot repair, soft and hard reset, re-flashing, and F2FS limits.
IPv6 configuration on OpenWrt: WAN, prefix delegation, RA, and relay
An independent technical adaptation of the official IPv6 guide covering dhcpv6/static, prefix delegation, SLAAC, relay, routes, and ULA.
PBR with netifd on OpenWrt: split VPN, WAN, and exception routes
A complete adaptation of the OpenWrt netifd Policy-Based Routing examples for VPN, WAN, IP sets, ports, OpenVPN, Tailscale, and prohibitive routes.
Build a WireGuard server on OpenWrt with UCI and verify the tunnel
A complete adaptation covering packages, key pairs/PSK, firewall, interface, peer, traceroute, and runtime/persistent checks.
ZTE Starry MAX and BE3600Pro+: wired mesh first, wireless mesh second
A guide to ACWiFi guidance for pairing the ZTE Starry MAX with BE3600Pro+, comparing wired and wireless mesh behavior.
Connect OpenWrt to another Wi‑Fi network as a routed client
Connect OpenWrt to an upstream Wi‑Fi network through wwan, keep the LAN in a separate subnet, and route traffic with NAT.
Firewall4 and /etc/config/firewall on OpenWrt
Understand OpenWrt 22.03+ firewall4/nftables configuration, zones, forwardings, rules, redirects, IP sets, and includes.
Installing OpenWrt: four methods and the recovery boundary
A careful OpenWrt installation guide covering OEM firmware, Ethernet bootloader, serial, JTAG, and ramdisk paths without guessing device values.
Prepare TFTP recovery over Ethernet for OpenWrt
Set up TFTP recovery on macOS, Windows, and Linux, restrict UDP 69 to the LAN, and troubleshoot firmware transfers.
VLAN on OpenWrt: swconfig, driver VLANs, and DSA
Explain tagged and untagged ports, identify swconfig versus DSA, and preserve the OpenWrt VLAN configuration paths.
TL-AC100 v6.0: A Practical Teardown and Comparison
A practical field note adapted from acwifi.net
Building a bridged Wi-Fi AP with LuCI, DHCP, and configuration files
Building a bridged Wi-Fi AP with LuCI, DHCP, and configuration files
Audit and Manage OpenWrt Base Services
A complete workflow for init scripts, ports, configuration, service testing, and rollback
Organizing OpenWrt Interfaces and Firewall Zones
A complete guide to linking network interfaces to zones and verifying policy
Block-Level NOR Backups on OpenWrt
Complete backup and recovery methods for NOR-based OpenWrt devices
Separating Guest Wi-Fi with OpenWrt VLAN and Firewall
Complete procedure for a guest network, SSID, DHCP scope, VLAN boundary, and isolation
OpenWrt Network Configuration with UCI: Devices and Interfaces
A complete guide to reading, editing, applying, and recovering /etc/config/network
OpenWrt owut: controlled upgrades and package handling
OpenWrt owut: controlled upgrades and package handling
Reducing bufferbloat on OpenWrt with SQM and CAKE
Reducing bufferbloat on OpenWrt with SQM and CAKE
Upgrading OpenWrt with LuCI and CLI without accidental configuration loss
Upgrading OpenWrt with LuCI and CLI without accidental configuration loss
Installing and expanding OpenWrt on x86: PC, VM, and server
Installing and expanding OpenWrt on x86: PC, VM, and server
OpenWrt Multi-WAN with mwan3-nft: Requirements and Preparation
Prepare multiple WAN connections on OpenWrt with mwan3-nft, including version requirements, interfaces, metrics, and failover testing.
Reduce Bufferbloat on OpenWrt with SQM for a Home Network
Install and configure SQM on OpenWrt to reduce latency while the connection is under heavy download or upload load.
Basic Network Configuration on OpenWrt with LuCI and UCI
Understand interfaces, protocols, IP addresses, and basic network troubleshooting on OpenWrt.
OpenWrt Firewall Zone: Create a Guest Network with Internet-Only Access
Understand OpenWrt firewall zones and isolate a Guest network from the internal LAN with LuCI.
Basic Wi-Fi Configuration on OpenWrt for Beginners
Configure radios, SSIDs, security, and Wi-Fi status on OpenWrt with LuCI.
How to Safely Back Up and Restore OpenWrt Configuration
Back up, inspect, and restore OpenWrt configuration before upgrades or major router changes.
RouterOS v7: Route Clients Through Multiple WANs with Routing Rules
Use Routing Rules on RouterOS v7 to route individual clients through VNPT1, VT2, or the main routing table.
OpenWrt SDK and Toolchain: Choosing the Correct Build Tool
Understand the difference between the OpenWrt SDK, toolchain, and build system, and build a package for beginners.
How to Use the OpenWrt ImageBuilder
Create a customized OpenWrt firmware image quickly with ImageBuilder instead of compiling the entire source tree.
How to Build OpenWrt from Source for Beginners
Download the source, select a target, and build OpenWrt firmware from source.
[OpenHAB] Share a Vietnamese Lunar Calendar Script for OpenHAB
Display the current lunar date, can-chi information, solar terms, and holidays in OpenHAB using an API.
[OpenHAB] Xiaomi LYWSD03MMC Temperature and Humidity Sensor with ESPHome on ESP32-C3
Read temperature and humidity from Xiaomi's LYWSD03MMC sensor with ESPHome on an ESP32-C3 and publish the data over MQTT.
[OpenHAB] Energy Meter with PZEM004T and ESPHome on ESP32-C3
Combine ESPHome on an ESP32-C3 SuperMini with a PZEM004T energy meter and publish measurements over MQTT.
[OpenHAB] Share a Remote-Control Widget for LG WebOS TV
A full-featured widget for controlling an LG WebOS TV remotely.
Inside the TP-LINK BE6500 7DR6560 Wi-Fi 7 Router
Explore the construction and internal components of the TP-LINK BE6500 7DR6560.
MikroTik Firewall Filter Rules for Better Security
A collection of MikroTik firewall rules for blocking common attacks and improving router security.
How to Resize the OpenWrt RootFS for EXT4 and SquashFS
Expand the OpenWrt root filesystem to use the full capacity of an SD card or USB drive.
How to Install AdGuard Home Directly on OpenWrt
A complete guide to installing and configuring AdGuard Home directly on an OpenWrt router.
Manually Install AdGuard Home in a MikroTik Container (Method 2)
Install AdGuard Home and other services manually inside a MikroTik container using a blank Docker image.
Tips for Optimizing Ping and Bufferbloat on MikroTik
Use FQ-CoDel and queue management on RouterOS v7 to reduce latency under load.
How to Install AdGuard Home Directly on a MikroTik Router
Install AdGuard Home in a MikroTik RouterOS container to block ads and trackers for the whole network.
How to Configure DDNS on OpenWrt
Configure Cloudflare or DuckDNS Dynamic DNS on OpenWrt so a changing public IP can be reached through a domain name.
How to Redirect All DNS Queries to OPNsense
Force client DNS queries through the local OPNsense DNS service regardless of which DNS server a client is configured to use.
How to Port Forward on OpenWrt
Open a port on a router running OpenWrt or an OpenWrt-based firmware in three steps.
How to Connect NordVPN and Isolate VPN Traffic on a Separate AP (Part 1)
Create a VPN VLAN on OPNsense so a separate Wi-Fi SSID can use NordVPN without a VPN app on each phone.
How to Connect NordVPN and Isolate VPN Traffic on a Separate AP (Part 2)
Configure the NordVPN client on OPNsense and route a dedicated VLAN and Wi-Fi access point through the VPN.
How to Configure Fast Roaming with OpenWrt
Use two or more OpenWrt or OpenWrt-based routers as a wired fast-roaming Wi-Fi system.
How to Configure PPPoE with a VLAN ID on OpenWrt
Configure PPPoE with a VLAN ID on OpenWrt or OpenWrt-based firmware.
How to Configure PPPoE on OpenWrt
Configure a PPPoE connection on a router running OpenWrt or OpenWrt-based firmware.
How to Configure a Captive Portal on OPNsense
Configure an OPNsense captive portal and limit guest-network bandwidth.
Cloudflare DDNS, Let's Encrypt SSL, and Reverse Proxy on OPNsense
Use a domain name to access OPNsense, issue a Let's Encrypt certificate, and prepare a reverse proxy for web services.
Install AdGuard Home on OPNsense
Install AdGuard Home on OPNsense to block advertisements and trackers with DNS for all network clients.
Create a Guest VLAN, Limit Bandwidth, and Configure Captive Portal on OPNsense
Separate Guest traffic from the main network, manage Guest bandwidth, and require a captive-portal page before Internet access.
How to Configure PPPoE on OPNsense
Put the ISP modem into bridge mode and configure PPPoE on OPNsense.
How to Configure OpenWrt as an Access Point and Add a Guest VLAN
Use an OpenWrt router as a wired access point behind a DHCP router and isolate Guest Wi-Fi with a VLAN.