I’m looking to get a new router, but all of the ones I’ve found try to force a mandatory internet connection/account creation to activate them without any bypass methods (at least that my searching could find).
Is there any way to get a new router to work without connecting an account to it? Or a way to bypass it? If not, is there a specific used router that might be more privacy friendly?
I don’t need anything special, it’s just home wifi.
If you are somewhat tech savvy start here: OpenWRT
I’ll check it out. Thanks.
I’m a DD-WRT fan, mainly for it’s simply, uniform GUI. Here’s a good article comparing the two, plus an honorable mention of ASUSWRT. https://www.xda-developers.com/dd-wrt-vs-openwrt/
Fair enough DD is also a good choice!!
Last I looked one of the typical Linksys recommended model (WRT series) hadn’t been updated in a while in DD.
OpenWRT also had a ton of “internet support”…. or a little more than DD, again last time I looked.
I currently use a Synology, because I don’t have the mental energy to tinker right now 🙂
I just looked up my (backup) router, a Linksys WRT1200AC, and sure enough, OpenWrt has a recently updated firmware dated June 2025, whereas the latest supported build of DD-WRT is from 2020. I’m gonna give OpenWRT a shot, thanks for the recommendation!
You are welcome! I hope OpenWRT works out for you!!