"There's no internet here!"

You arrive at the community center. There's electricity, there are people, there's enthusiasm — but there's no internet.

Maybe there's a local ISP that can run a cable. Maybe someone has a mobile data plan you can share. Maybe there's a satellite link available. Whatever the source, the first step is always the same: get a connection, any connection.

But the router the ISP gives you? It's a black box. You can't configure it properly, you can't see what's happening, and it only covers one room. You need something better.

You need your own router — one you control.

Next steps:

• What router should I even buy?
• What is OpenWrt and why should I care?
• I think I bricked my router. What now?