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·
        12 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·
                2 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 🙂

  • phanto@lemmy.ca
    7·
    12 days ago

    If you get a cheap n100 or similar style mini PC with multiple network cards and install pfsense on it, the only account needed is the local login. It took me a lot of YouTube tutorials to get it working just the way I wanted, but it’s a great solution.

  • B-TR3E@feddit.org
    7·
    12 days ago

    Not quite clear to me, what you actually need. Only WiFi - then you’d need an access point, not a router. A router wold have something on the other end too, like fiber or ADSL.

    • Colloidal@programming.dev
      7·
      12 days ago

      That usually means a WiFi-Ethernet router. ADSL requires a modem, which can be a standalone bridge modem or a modem-router. I’ve found it better to have modems and routers separate.

  • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    6·
    12 days ago

    I’ve been thinking about GL.iNet routers. They have OpenWRT-based firmware, and it seems typically can also run vanilla OpenWRT.

    Just found them on proxysto.re when looking at physical Mullvad vouchers, and regretting getting that on Amazon for (slightly) more money and with slower shipping.

    • scytale@piefed.zipEnglish
      4·
      12 days ago

      I have one. It’s great. It has a very user-friendly UI that lets you do most things without having to mess with the bare openwrt interface. I have mullvad on it and it works flawlessly.

    • PolarKraken@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      1·
      9 days ago

      Happy to add another data point, I have a Flint 2 and it’s awesome. Whole-house VPN via Mullvad supplied config file, just uploaded to the router using the given config interface…I’d buy it again for the convenience of that alone, and that only scratches the surface of what this thing does out of the box (via the trusted OpenWRT, to boot).

      Just be careful if you get to tinkering, if privacy is your focus, wouldn’t want to accidentally misconfigure some random capability it has that you’re just playing around with.

  • PenguinCoder@beehaw.orgEnglish
    5·
    11 days ago

    Is there any way to get a new router to work without connecting an account to it

    Yes. Look at Mikrotik offerings. You’ll need to have an understanding of networking, it’s not plug and play. But it’s fully self contained and powerful. No external accounts needed, just a local/device admin account and password.

  • scytale@piefed.zipEnglish
    4·
    12 days ago

    I don’t buy the latest flagship routers so I’ve never had to set up one without having to create an online account yet. I bet if you look at some Netgear (or similar) models from a couple of years back, they won’t have online activation and they just have the default admin credentials on a sticker under the router.

    If you want a more up-to-date one, GL.Inet routers ship with OpenWRT installed, and you don’t need an online account to activate them.

  • anon5621@lemmy.ml
    3·
    12 days ago

    I don’t know what are u talking about but used Asus tplink routers for home WiFi all it wanted activate login admin password

  • plinky [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    1·
    12 days ago

    you do be needing login for your isp connection, how else would they recognize you? unless there is some new devilry around. otherwise yeah, openwrt-working routers