[yjftsjthsd-h]

I would argue that OpenWrt is the best we've got. (I grant that the hardware side remains messy)

[p1mrx]

Yes, but you usually have to choose hardware that's a couple generations behind, in order to run OpenWrt.

[Borealid]

I don't think that's the case, exactly.

You can choose current-generation hardware from a company that chooses to implement less advanced wireless specifications. For example, the gl-inet Flint 2 (MT-6000) runs a fork of OpenWRT out of the box and can be flashed with stock OpenWRT snapshots. That's a very modern piece of hardware that will do wifi 6 (not wifi 6E/7).

So hardware-wise you get the current gen, software-spec-wise you get one generation behind. I don't think practically speaking you're going to feel much pain from using Wifi 6 for the next few years, as it can saturate a 1Gbps link pretty easily.

[treflop]

You could run a separate switch/gateway and a separate Wi-Fi access point. Worth it? Idk

But it’s nice when your Wi-Fi is just a dumb box with almost no settings that you can upgrade independently.

[hunter2_]

Pfsense (on a Proxmox VM, on a laptop with 2 NICs), tp-link managed switch with PoE on half the ports, all-in-one ASUS box configured as an AP only (and switch). It's only WiFi 5, but in a pinch that could go back to doing everything. Rock solid, with no reboots in years other than what ended up being unnecessary ones. Went 390+ days at one point on pfsense.

[ikiris]

No you don't. You just have to learn how to compile things.

[pseudosavant]

I run, and love, OpenWrt, but if you make your wifi with routers configured as 'dumb APs', you can keep most of the complexity on the router connected to your internet. I have had (gasp) non-OpenWrt APs on my network at times.

Currently I have 3 TP-Link AC routers running OpenWrt, RPi 4 running OpenWrt for the router.

[kjs3]

I grant that the hardware side remains messy

Other than that, how was the play Mrs Lincoln.