I was planning a while to do a custom router build, and finally got around to doing that. I started the project by setting myself a budget of AUD 300. Which is the same amount as a decent untangle box.
This build is not as good looking as a custom made router box nor it is small. This is a MATX case.
Components
| Type | Item |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Athlon 3000G 3.5 GHz Dual-Core Processor |
| Motherboard | Asus Prime A320I-K Mini ATX AM4 Motherboard |
| Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 CL16 Memory |
| Storage | WD Green 120GB Solid State Drive |
| Case | Thermaltake Versa H17 MATX Case |
| Power Supply | Thermaltake 400W 80+ White PSU |
| NIC | CERRXIAN Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express PCI-E 1x Slot NIC |
I bought the NIC from Amazon as I could not find a good NIC with Intel Chipset for the budget in Australia and the rest of the parts I got from PCCaseGear which is my goto store for any build, as they have really good customer support.
Router OS
I mainly wanted to try OPNSense and Untangle, I'm not a network engineer and I found the way settings are done and terminology was bit hard to follow with OPNSense but Untangle felt like a more polished product and it was super easy to set up.
If you are thinking of building a router for your home, hope you found this article a good starting point and if you need any pointers, feel free to drop a comment, I will be happy to answer.