"What router should I even buy?"

Not all routers are created equal. Some are expensive, some are cheap. Some support open firmware, some don't. Some can handle a mesh network, some can barely handle a single room.

When you're building a community network on a budget, choosing the right hardware is critical. You need a router that:

• Is affordable — you'll probably need several
• Is supported by OpenWrt — so you can actually control it
• Has enough RAM and flash — to run the software you need
• Is available locally — shipping from abroad adds cost and delay