IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Unifi Travel Router

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Reliability and Extensibility of GL.iNet Routers

Users praise GL.iNet for long-term durability, OpenWRT support, and prosumer features.
"wateralien: I never travel without my GL-AXT1800. Saved me so many times... I’m actually on it right now."
"kstrauser: Heartily seconded!... It’s easily paid for itself by avoiding ludicrous per-device daily charges."
"xgbi: My wife’s work WiFi is handled by a gl.inet 150... since at least 2019... Uptime is in years... Cost me 15€ in 2016."

2. Bridging Public WiFi (e.g., Hotels) to Private Network

Travel routers enable sharing hotel WiFi across devices, handling captive portals, and avoiding per-device logins/limits.
"raw_anon_1111: When you are some place with a captive network... Every device looks like one device to the captive network."
"figmert: GL.iNet routers... has an option to pass through captive portals... Once the internet is active... it will then re-enable things like VPN."
"WillPostForFood: An iPhone can't bridge a wifi network. So you need something like a travel router to share a wifi connection."

3. VPN/Tailscale for Home Network Extension

Routing traffic via home VPN avoids geo-blocks, fraud alerts, and per-device config.
"neither_color: Run one wireguard server in your home... now all of your devices can share the same residential VPN connection... No fraud blocks... use your home netflix account."
"davedigerati: chromecast - godsend... need to dial in through my home (wireguard) so no license issues with streamers."
"guiambros: install Tailscale... you don't need to install tailscale client in any of your travel devices."

🚀 Project Ideas

Travel Captive Portal Proxy

Summary

  • A lightweight, open-source Android/iOS app or CLI tool that acts as a captive portal proxy: connect your phone to hotel WiFi, authenticate once via the app, then share the authenticated connection via hotspot to a travel router or other devices, bypassing per-device logins and MAC limits.
  • Core value: Single authentication for all devices, works with any phone (even iPhones via USB tethering), saves time and avoids fees.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Travelers with multiple devices, families, non-tech users frustrated by captive portals (e.g., "connect on your phone... clone MAC" - mmerickel).
Core Feature Auto-detects portals, injects auth cookies/headers into traffic for downstream devices; supports MAC spoofing and TTL adjustment.
Tech Stack Flutter for cross-platform app; Node.js/Go for proxy server; integrates with OpenWRT via API.
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Freemium ($4.99 unlock unlimited sessions).

Notes

  • HN users rave about GL.iNet's portal passthrough but want it universal: "GL.iNet routers don't even need this... presume... on any OpenWrt device" - figmert.
  • High utility for hotels/cruises/flights; sparks discussions on bypassing throttles.

Tailscale Router Wizard

Summary

  • Web-based configurator service that generates QR codes or scripts for one-click Tailscale/WireGuard setup on travel routers (OpenWRT/GL.iNet/UniFi), auto-configuring exit nodes, subnet routing, and same-SSID home extension without CLI/SSH tweaks.
  • Core value: Demystifies Tailscale for prosumer travelers ("I went to check out this tailscale thing... huge wall of business jargon" - jasonkester), enables "bring your home everywhere" seamlessly.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience HN techies and families using travel routers ("I value my time enough... preconfigure and plug in a tiny device" - vidarh).
Core Feature Scans home Tailscale setup via API, outputs router-specific configs/images; handles NAT traversal, ACLs, exit nodes.
Tech Stack React/Vue frontend; Tailscale/Headscale API backend; OpenWRT image builder.
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: $9/year pro (multi-tailnet support).

Notes

  • Addresses setup friction: "flip one setting via ssh command" (varenc); "Adding another device just requires adding a peer... Way more work" (cheeze).
  • Viral potential on HN for simplifying "managed Wireguard" (KnuthIsGod).

Pocket 5G Bridge Kit

Summary

  • Affordable USB-C 5G modem dongle ($50-80) with companion OpenWRT firmware/app for travel routers/phones: auto-failover between hotel WiFi/Ethernet and eSIM/5G, battery-powered, clones home SSID/VPN.
  • Core value: Combines WiFi bridging + cellular in one tiny package ("I'd rather this be in one device instead of two" - echelon; "no 5G router... insanely expensive" - mariopt).

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Road warriors needing reliable uplink ("different venues differ wildly in WiFi and cell coverage" - sokoloff).
Core Feature Plug-and-play into GL.iNet/UniFi/phone; app manages eSIM provisioning, multi-WAN bonding, Tailscale integration.
Tech Stack Quectel 5G module + ESP32 for control; OpenWRT firmware; React Native app.
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: Hardware kit $79 (includes eSIM credits).

Notes

  • Fills gap in compact 5G: "GL-XE3000... great... but $400 and 3/4 kg" (SergeAx); users want "built-in battery... 5G" (cyberrock).
  • Practical for "family travel... unlimited data on the road" (sokoloff); HN loves extensible hardware.

Read Later