The router piece covers just about everything except for some handholding options good for users uncomfortable in this aren and unable to configure themselves or have a tech at hand to do it for them for free.
While DD-WRT and most alternative firmwares are free and I have tested and utilizied many of them, I have found that once you tell a friend that can or have installed it and have configured some “advanced” options like VPN everyone and their cousin is looking for one on one help.
While I don’t mind helping here and there, time for me like many equals money. Between researching builds and support and versions on forums. Actually getting people to give me the right model so I can try and help them. Scheduling a call or visit to their home. It all sounds fun and free until you have to do it.
That is one reason I stumbled on Flashrouters DD-WRT Router Sellers & Support. Not only do they offer pre-flashed and configured devices but they do it for a somewhat reasonable price, back it with their warranty/setup guides/support/knowledge base and include a remote support session which is invaluable to noobs and never want to learns.
They also offer Remote Flashing and VPN Setup Support Plans with e-mail support which is a bit more reliable than hoping someone on a message board in Germany might reply to you for free and give you an answer rather than point you to an outdated guide on a Wiki somewhere from 2011. Which is an understandable answer, it is not their job and they do not get paid. Flashrouters gets paid because it is their job and primary focus and a valuable/desirable and niche it appears.
Too bad it was left out of this article and instead their are links to custom options that will get people stuck in a rabbit hole of frustration only leading to their friends because they wanted to save a few bucks. As I said, time = money and from the feedback I got from a few people I sent over to them, Flashrouters does a heck of a job dealing with grandma’s worried about hackers.
And of course DIY and pfsense solutions are good solutions for a certain tier but raising tides lift all boats and getting people away from default routers with outdated firmware and no security is definitely a start.
