I’m looking to get a new router, but all of the ones I’ve found try to force a mandatory internet connection/account creation to activate them without any bypass methods (at least that my searching could find).

Is there any way to get a new router to work without connecting an account to it? Or a way to bypass it? If not, is there a specific used router that might be more privacy friendly?

I don’t need anything special, it’s just home wifi.

      • randomcruft@lemmy.sdf.org
        7·
        13 days ago

        Fair enough DD is also a good choice!!

        Last I looked one of the typical Linksys recommended model (WRT series) hadn’t been updated in a while in DD.

        OpenWRT also had a ton of “internet support”…. or a little more than DD, again last time I looked.

        I currently use a Synology, because I don’t have the mental energy to tinker right now 🙂

        • quid_pro_joe@infosec.pub
          2·
          11 days ago

          I just looked up my (backup) router, a Linksys WRT1200AC, and sure enough, OpenWrt has a recently updated firmware dated June 2025, whereas the latest supported build of DD-WRT is from 2020. I’m gonna give OpenWRT a shot, thanks for the recommendation!

            • quid_pro_joe@infosec.pub
              2·
              3 days ago

              It did work out - and just in the nick of time! My main router, a Cudy, was glitching badly; I took it apart yesterday and found a bulging capacitor about to burst. So I flashed my old Linksys with the latest OpenWrt - it was so effortless that I wasn’t sure I configured it properly! Even though it’s an older WiFi 5 model, speedtests show no measurable drop in performance. Interestingly, packet latency is half of the Cudy’s, so it feels much snappier and responsive. It honestly feels like an upgrade lol. I love the app store it has too, very useful. Thank you very much for the recommendation!

              • randomcruft@lemmy.sdf.org
                1·
                3 days ago

                I’m glad it worked out. IIRC, the Cudy can run OWRT as well. Assuming it doesn’t have a bulging capacitor of course ha.

                The folks over at the OWRT project deserve the thanks, to be honest 🙂