BYO Router

So, lately I haven't been very happy with how my Netgear router is operating with its lack of firmware features and dropout times and my brother and I wanted to make our own router, seeing as Logan made a video on how to do so from an old computer. We went to a local tech shop today and checked out prices for b/g/n/ac routers which came in at around $320, so that's a ballpark figure for the router we want to build.

So far, this is what we've come up with (take note that this is using the Australian PCPartPicker site, so prices will be slightly higher than in the US):

  • PCPartPicker part list: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/YVRByc
  • Price breakdown by merchant: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/YVRByc/by_merchant/
  • CPU: AMD A4-4000 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($39.00 @ CPL Online)
  • Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M Pro4+ Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($47.00 @ CPL Online)
  • Memory: Kingston 2GB (1 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($26.00 @ CPL Online)
  • Case: Silverstone ML03B HTPC Case ($69.00 @ CPL Online)
  • Power Supply: Antec Basiq 350W ATX Power Supply ($42.00 @ Mwave Australia)
  • Total: $223.0

I have yet to include any NIC's because PCPartPicker does not appear to display any that use PCIe, or PCI for that matter.

I would like some opinions on what to change/add to the build. In the meanwhile I will be scavenging the house for old parts so that we can cut down on costs that way, but I'm not counting on it. 

Take a look at some of the Intel Celeron J1900 options. They are usually in an ITX form factor, have an integrated CPU and have two Gigabit NICs.

For Example This Gigabyte Board. A little more expensive than the CPU and motherboard from your build, however it already has an additional NIC. It does uses SO-DIMM memory (but that isn't an issue), but it only has a PCI interface (which limits an additional NIC to 10/100). Other manufacturers do have PCI-e versions though. (IMO you don't really need a third NIC unless you are separating one network into two or require a DMZ area)

Anyway, here is an updated price list thing (Note: I changed the case to something much cheaper) http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/xbMpVn

 

I'll need WiFi on the router as well since we have quite a few Android and Apple devices lying around which, unfortunately, don't support Ethernet cables. If i get the Gigabyte board you suggested, would it be more beneficial to get just 1 PCI, just 1 PCI-e 2 (since apparently PCI-e 2 standards fits into the Mini-PCI slot), or would there be any added benefit of having two WiFi controllers, e.g. dual band?

You're better off using an access point rather than putting a wifi card in. Pfsense has very limited wifi support, as far as I know it doesn't support anything newer than 802.11g.

You can even go with the dual-core version J1800, that'll still be more than capable for this build. Going with one of those Celeron will also save them a lot of energy costs since these things are only 10W TDP compared to the 65W one the AMD A4.