IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

How to turn anything into a router

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Key Themes fromthe discussion

  1. One‑NIC routers with VLANs

    “A router only really needs one network interface.” – louwrentius

  2. Low‑power CPUs can route gigabit traffic

    “A CPU from the last 20 years can route traffic at gigabit speed.” – louwrentius

  3. Open‑source router OS on cheap generic hardware

    “I would add openwrt x86 provides a decent interface for management.” – newnewfun

  4. Cost‑effective devices (Raspberry Pi, N100 bricks, old laptops) work fine

    “You don’t need fancy gear for routing – any x86 from the last 10 years is energy efficient and fast enough.” – louwrentius

🚀 Project Ideas

Single‑NIC VLAN Router Builder

Summary- Turns any x86 box with one Ethernet port into a full‑featured router using VLAN tagging on a single physical interface.

  • Eliminates the need for extra NICs or dedicated hardware while providing DHCP, NAT, firewall, and web UI.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Hobbyists, home‑lab users, small‑office IT
Core Feature One‑click VLAN trunk setup, automatic NAT/DHCP, web UI
Tech Stack Docker + Alpine Linux + nftables + dnsmasq + lighttpd
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • HN commenters asked for an easier VLAN‑on‑single‑port solution (e.g., “router on a stick”).
  • Solves the single‑interface bottleneck concern while keeping power use low.

Switch‑Router Manager (SRM) SaaS

Summary

  • Cloud‑based dashboard that provisions and manages VLAN‑aware routers on any commodity hardware.
  • Automates switch port configuration, router OS installation, and ongoing updates.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Small businesses, ISP resellers, network hobbyists
Core Feature Bulk provisioning, remote config versioning, automated rollback
Tech Stack Node.js backend, React front‑end, Terraform for infra, Docker for router containers
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: subscription $7/mo per device

Notes

  • Louwrentius noted VLANs are “everywhere where it matters” and a UI would lower the barrier.
  • Users frustrated by manual switch config would value a centralized, error‑proof workflow.

Version‑Controlled Router OS Image

Summary

  • A minimal, reproducible router image (based on OpenWrt/OPNsense) that stores its entire configuration in Git.
  • Enables atomic updates and easy rollback of firewall/NAT settings.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience DIY router builders, security‑focused users
Core Feature Config stored as JSON/YAML, integrated git hooks for safe deployments
Tech Stack OpenWrt base, Python script for config export, Git backend, SSH deployment
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Several HN users expressed a need for “version controllable config files”.
  • Addresses the desire highlighted in the “router on a stick” discussion for reliable, reversible updates.

Edge‑Router Marketplace for DIY Hardware

Summary

  • Curated marketplace that matches users with refurbished, energy‑efficient hardware (e.g., Intel N100 mini‑PCs) pre‑installed with a vetted router OS.
  • Offers optional support contracts and add‑on services (wireguard, traffic shaping).

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Home users seeking cheap, reliable routers, retirees of old hardware
Core Feature Pre‑tested hardware bundles, one‑click OS install, optional support
Tech Stack E‑commerce platform, Docker images, Ansible playbooks for provisioning
Difficulty Low
Monetization Revenue-ready: one‑time hardware markup + optional $15/year support

Notes

  • Users repeatedly asked “What’s the cheapest new computer that can drive a 1Gb port with NAT?” indicating demand for ready‑made bundles.
  • Aligns with the “old hardware repurposed as router” sentiment and the desire for long‑term, low‑maintenance appliances.

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