Submitted 4 weeks ago by abeorch@friendica.ginestes.es to selfhosted@lemmy.world
Why not OpenWrt?
The R3 isn’t really powerful enough for that.
On small x86 routers you can install Opnsense or IPfire which come with some non-router software to run a reverse-proxy or so. IP fire also allows to run full VMs, but the more advanced features are pretty limited.
Some people also do the reverse and run a full OS on them and then virtualize Opnsense and directly pass through a NIC to that VM.
You can run a router VM but I run my opnsense on a thin client directly.
I’d run the lightest full OS that you can, and run containers for services.
If you really want to get fancy you could use something like the frrrouting package to make any Linux based operating system your router, but that’s almost entirely configured through a cisco-like command interface
I’ll be honest, I was writing while pooping and didn’t really think it all the way through. A router in a container probably doesn’t make sense. Maybe run the router on the OS, and then services in containers alongside. I’m not sure how janky the networking will be, if docker and the router will both be creating rules. Maybe one VM, so that it’s just a plain bridge adapter, and containers in there.
atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 4 weeks ago
Generally speaking I would avoid combining critical networking infrastructure with other services. Just from a reliability standpoint.
Let your router be just a router. Simple = reliable.