My Netgear Nighthawk wifi router just crapped out last weekend and I’m gimping along on the rental wifi router from my ISP, so I’m looking to buy a replacement and am torn: should I go with a single WiFi Router or a wired router plus a wireless access point?
I don’t need crazy throughput, just enough to handle some lite home automation, streaming, and a future NAS. My house isn’t large, so wifi coverage with a single device hasn’t been a problem so far. I’m also interested in flashing OpenWRT or DD-WRT to the router, so compatibility is a consideration. Hardware recommendations would be great!
I need a separate router and AP, but given a choice I’d ditch the AP. IMO there’s no reason to have two devices if one provides sufficient features and wifi coverage, and it’s one less thing to manage.
Regarding DD-WRT vs OpenWRT, after years of use my DD-WRT routers began intermittently losing their configurations when reset and I was unable to resolve the problem. The switch to OpenWRT was difficult but worth it because the firmware is so flexible and well supported. It has been rock solid.
Take a look at the GL-iNet Flint 2. It runs OpenWRT and should easily support everything you mention and more.