Originally posted on June 30, 2008 @ 11:18 pm
Netgear has recently announced the first native open-source consumer router.
The WGR614L’s capabilities are a bit murky at this point as Netgear representatives have not been able to give additional details except that it is now available in the US and will retail for $69.
The basis for this development though is on projects like Tomato, which has allowed a way of replacing firmware (albeit illegally) on Broadcom-based routers like Linksys WRT54G with new programming instructions that let users customize the router as well as give additional features like more robust security and more simultaneous connections.
Netgear’s router will encourage users to develop new projects. An example would be this firmware project that allows WPA2 support as well as guest SSIDs that allow guests to a network to use the internet without being allowed into the host network.
I’m inclined to get this kind of router because of my love to tinker with electronics and the special firmware would also make it harder to exploit especially with war drivers.