OP, people often mention openwrt, but you can also buy a FreshTomato compatible router and also try that. It’s super user friendly, regularly updated, and has a significant amount of features you would likely never find on average routers, just like openwrt.

I really like using the VPN functionality and running an openVPN server and dynamic DNS setup so I can always connect my phones to a trusted VPN and backhaul my connection through home while I’m out and on a risky open connection.

As a Cybersecurity professional, I feel like it’s got a lot of good things going for it that I really appreciate, and you can control it without the ISP being able to intrude on your network.

I run my wired connections through that and use the router for DHCP, and then also have a separate mesh system for my wireless. I can set up separate virtual networks as needed and have them separated/isolated altogether, or allow specifically how I want them to see each other, etc.

You can even set up entirely different networks by port on the back of the router. Cool stuff. Openwrt is good too, but most people don’t know about FreshTomato I don’t think, it spun off of Tomato several years ago when those devs quit updating it.