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June 30th, 2008

Is there really a market for an open source router?

Posted by Dana Blankenhorn @ 6:06 am

Categories: General, Infrastructure, LANs and WANs, Network Administration, Hardware, support

Tags: Router, NetGear, Open Source Router, Tomato Download, Home Networking, Routers & Switches, Network Technology, Open Source, Networking, Personal Technology

We’re about to find out.

Netgear, a reputable name in routers, has launched the WGR614L, an open source 802.11g router.

It looks like any other Netgear router, it can even run under Vista (thanks Nachi), but it can run everything at a new Netgear site, MyOpenRouter, and more besides.

While Cisco accidentally created an open source router a few years ago, getting caught with Linux in its Linksys, the company never exploited this as a feature, but treated it as a bug, blaming chip supplier Broadcom.

Netgear is definitely treating this as a feature.

MyOpenRouter offers developers a comprehensive user guide, applications forums and downloads. Best of all this isn’t a stinky would-not-sell-otherwise router. It’s got an internal diversity antenna to improve performance, and supports WPS.

The site’s home page also has direct links to popular open source router software like Tomato and DD-WRT. Tomato downloads are even hosted from the site.

Nachiketa Prachanda, no relation (we assume) to the Nachi worm of five years ago, seems to be the main host-blogger at MyOpenRouter, and that’s a great idea because it immediately personalizes a site, gives it a voice.

So if there is a substantial open source router market out there, in 2008, Netgear will find it. I just wish the industry had this attitude back in 2003.

Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

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Perhaps the term should have been....: can the firmware flashed using Vista?

Depending on where you download the firmware; either through the router to an outside source, or from the interior LAN desktop/server.... (Read the rest); Posted by: JCitizen Posted on: 07/08/08 (Edited: 07/11/2008 @ 04:36) You are currently: Logged In | Log out

Certainly is Norcross | 06/30/08

The main issue is the ..... ShadeTree | 06/30/08

ShadeTree makes an excellent point DanaBlankenhorn

| 06/30/08

Not completely... Patrick Jones | 06/30/08

Why? DanaBlankenhorn

| 06/30/08

I wouldn't even mind if it .... ShadeTree | 06/30/08

Because the real object zdnet@... | 07/01/08

Since when did Netgear .... ShadeTree | 07/02/08

It isn't the cost rhodescus | 06/30/08

It is cost. ShadeTree | 07/02/08

linksys WRT54GL _dietrich | 06/30/08

I love DD-WRT! Patrick Jones | 06/30/08

But did they really support it? DanaBlankenhorn

| 06/30/08

Sure. _dietrich | 06/30/08

But daengbo | 06/30/08

It was Cisco, all right RamonFHerrera | 06/30/08

What? $500? rkuhn040172@... | 07/01/08

You must not be able to understand English.. JCitizen | 07/08/08

What about USB/serial ports rarsa | 06/30/08

RE: Is there really a market for an open source router? nprchanda | 06/30/08

11g is an obsolete standard, where's the 11n? richardbennett | 06/30/08

"where's the 11n?" bmerc | 07/01/08

Re: "where's the 11n?" zdnet@... | 07/01/08

You are so wrong. ShadeTree | 07/01/08

Maybe you should zdnet@... | 07/01/08

Wi-Fi Alliance is certifying 11n richardbennett | 07/01/08

Your statements are .... ShadeTree | 07/02/08

11n doesn't trample richardbennett | 07/01/08

Mr. Bennett zdnet@... | 07/01/08

Define "trample" if you please richardbennett | 07/07/08

Thanks Nachi DanaBlankenhorn

| 06/30/08

Dana zdnet@... | 06/30/08

Perhaps the term should have been.... JCitizen | 07/08/08

RE: Is there really a market for an open source router? Chris Cantwell | 06/30/08

What about VPN? JCitizen | 06/30/08

OpenVPN rhodescus | 06/30/08

Thanks!.... JCitizen | 07/08/08

RE: "Open source router" is wrong term! bsaunders43 | 06/30/08

Uh zdnet@... | 06/30/08

Yeah seanferd | 07/01/08

11n zdnet@... | 06/30/08

11g obsolete zdnet@... | 06/30/08

11g is definitely obsolete richardbennett | 07/01/08

What could it do any better? StorageGuru | 07/01/08

What it could do better... 20kwfence | 07/01/08

Fixed external antenna! Joed_M | 07/01/08

This is just dumping obsolete hardware richardbennett | 07/01/08

Awesome kokuryu | 07/01/08

RE: Wasn't there a Linux Router Group once? Mahegan | 07/01/08

RE: Is there really a market for an open source router? treibs | 07/01/08

11g gigabit ydrol | 07/02/08

Wouldn't buy new though ydrol | 07/02/08

Why bother? randallr | 07/02/08

Why bother? Alan(UK) | 07/02/08

You Forgot MikroTik r_bigcat@... | 07/04/08

What do you think?

3 Trackbacks

The URI to TrackBack this entry is:
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Netgear dumps trash with Open Source
Dana Blankenhorn is excited about Netgear’s announcement that it’s fully supporting a router intended to run open source software, but he’s off on the relevance of the hardware:. MyOpenRouter offers developers a comprehensive user guide ...
Trackback by Broadband Politics — June 30, 2008 @ 9:25 pm
An open source router
Is there really a market for an open source router? by Dana Blankenhorn. We’re about to find out. Netgear, a reputable name in routers, has launched the WGR614L, an open source 802.11g router. It looks like any other Netgear router, ...
Trackback by BDPA Detroit TAC — July 1, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
Is there really a market for an open source router?
Open source goodness. Coming soon to a router near you (if it isn't there already). I have a confession to make. Today's headline isn't mine. I snatched it from Dana Blankenhorn's June 30th piece over at ZDNet. ...
Trackback by That grumpy BSD guy — July 2, 2008 @ 11:08 am