Skill Training for Everyone | [High-Tech Classroom] Issue 238 – A Brief Discussion on Soft Routers

GRADUATION

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A soft router is a router technology based on software, using standard computer hardware as a router, and implementing router functions through software. It is suitable for DIY enthusiasts, home, and small business networks. Compared to traditional hardware routers, the advantages and disadvantages of soft routers are as follows:

Advantages: 1. Low cost: The required hardware cost is much lower than that of traditional hardware routers, as it uses X86 architecture hardware or retired servers, which are relatively inexpensive. 2. Flexibility: Soft routers use open platforms, allowing users to choose hardware and software according to their needs, meeting different scenario requirements. 3. Easy maintenance: Since it uses standard computer hardware and software, maintenance is similar to that of other computer devices, making it easier to repair and update. Disadvantages: 1. Stability: The DIY hardware of soft routers varies in quality, lacking the targeted optimization and adaptation of products from large manufacturers, resulting in relatively lower stability. 2. Security: Soft routers require software installation and updates to ensure security; if not updated in a timely manner, there may be security vulnerabilities, making them susceptible to attacks. In contrast, professional-grade hardware routers use closed systems, which are more secure. 3. WiFi: By default, it does not come with WiFi; you need to find a wireless router to connect to the LAN port and disable the DHCP service to act as a WiFi transmitter. Therefore, both soft routers and professional-grade hardware routers have their advantages and disadvantages, and the choice should be based on actual needs. If high performance, high stability, and high security are required, a professional-grade hardware router should be chosen; if flexibility and low cost are needed, a soft router can be selected. There are many options for soft router systems: OpenWrt, RoutesOS, iKuai, Panabit, LEDE, etc. Hardware recommendations: start with dual gigabit network ports (those with a budget have already entered the multi-port 10-gigabit fiber era).

Here, we choose iKuai to demonstrate the installation, network configuration, speed limiting, application restrictions, and network access restrictions: 1. Installation ① Go to the official website to download the firmware ② Recommended 64-bit (note that 32-bit requires 1G memory, 64-bit requires 4G memory) ③ Official beginner installation (this is the IMG installation tutorial; here we demonstrate the ISO installation tutorial).

Open with “Rufus”

Start → Write to disk image → Select disk drive (make sure to back up personal data as this operation will clear the contents of the USB drive) → Write → Yes → Burning completed (remove the USB drive)

Next, insert the USB drive into the physical machine’s USB port, power on, and press the key to enter the boot selection interface. Different motherboards have different keys; refer to the image below. If you cannot bring up the menu, you can set the USB drive as the first boot option in the BIOS. Select the USB drive to enter the installation process of the iKuai system.

After selecting the USB drive to boot, wait a moment; after a bunch of code runs on the screen, it will enter an option interface asking whether to install UEFI boot. I recommend installing it, as some motherboards only support UEFI boot, like my motherboard. Enter “y” and press Enter to proceed to the next interface.

This step is to select the hard disk for installing the soft router system. You can easily identify which is the USB drive and which is the hard disk by capacity. Here, nda1 is the hard disk, so enter “1” and press Enter. Then confirm whether to install to nda1; if confirmed, enter “y” and press Enter. It will show that the installation is complete; remove the USB drive, or it will re-enter the installation interface. After rebooting, you will see the console interface, and the iKuai soft router is installed.

The default web management address is 192.168.1.1 port 80. If the management address conflicts with other devices, set the LAN1 address by pressing 2 and then 0. By default, eth0 is the LAN port, and eth0-eth3 is the actual number of network ports on the physical machine.

Set the computer’s IP address to the same subnet, and test by pinging the management address.

2. Network Configuration

Enter the management address in the browser, default admin/admin

Connect the LAN port of the optical modem to the WAN1 of the iKuai and set the access method to ADSL/PPPoE dial-up, fill in the broadband account and password, and check the default gateway (set this line as the default gateway). After saving, it will automatically dial to the internet.

Set up the DHCP service and then save.

3. Intelligent Flow Control

In the office scenario, prioritize web pages, and fill in the WAN bandwidth achieved.

4. Application Restrictions

You can quickly search or slowly browse one by one, select and add to block, then save.

5. Network Access Restrictions

Non-bound MAC addresses are not allowed to access the internet to prevent unauthorized access.

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