Ideas for EdgeRouter Lite

[AdvHomeServer]

I've been thinking about getting a Ubiquti EdgeRouter Lite sometime this year. They have a reputation for having a professional class operating system, and this model costs about $100 and uses only 7 watts at max output.

To me this would be for hobby and lab purposes and may end up as a permanent part of my home network if I can think up enough uses for it. After getting it set up properly and hanging my r6300 off it as a wireleless AP, I want to set up OpenVPN so that it is not a part of my main LAN unless I specifically point it to one or more file servers. It will be primarily for secure internet when traveling or outside the home. I'll save the other port for some undefined future use.

My question: What else can I do with it ... realistically and maybe unrealistically. Why would a home network want to upgrade to this level of performance since it obviously takes more know-how to make it work? What can I do with the 2nd subnet or with the CLI that would add some value, or just make it interesting?

Anyone have a good idea, or an interesting bad idea? I don't plan to start on it until Fall at the earliest. No time just yet. I like to think ahead.

Thanks in advance.

 

[abailey]

The ERL is an amazing router for the price. I stumbled across it when I was getting fed up with the wireless performance I was getting from the SOHO Wireless Routers (as where I needed the router was usually not a good place for a WAP). I wanted to separate the router from the AP. Well all the good SOHO routers also included a WAP which put them above the price point of the ERL (within the same class, meaning processing power). So I decided to give the ERL a try and use separate AP's for my wireless. Now the ERL is a router so one of the main reasons to get it is if you want to run separate networks or subnets. I run a separate subnet and VLAN in my house so the ERL takes care of that. I also use it as a VPN endpoint. My ISP gives me a DHCP address so in order for me to always have the correct address for my VPN, I use Dynamic DNS. For DDNS I use NOIP.com and I have the ERL programmed to send the IP updates to NOIP to keep it updated (as opposed to running a client on my desktop or something like that to keep it updated). I also use a device called AdTrap (this device reduces the number of ads on webpages and on videos like Youtube). The Adtrap device is very simple without a lot of settings. It can either be your outside firewall (which it is pretty weak at) or you can use it in proxy mode. I decided to use it in proxy mode but did not want to try to change all my devices to point to a proxy so I used my ERL to make a transparent proxy. So now all the port 80 traffic that comes in on my interface 1 (my main network) is redirected to the Adtrap IP on interface 2. It also translates the port from port 80 to the port number AdTrap is looking for in proxy mode. It works great. Also if you wanted a true DMZ and not a virtual DMZ you can use the ERL to do that. Another huge advantage of the ERL is that it is rock solid. I got mine in November 2013. After the initial set up I have not had to reboot it yet because of a lockup or any other problem. I have rebooted it twice for OS upgrades but that is it. It just works. Along that note, I also purchased a Ubiquiti WAP. I installed it in September 2013 and have not had to reboot it yet! I am sold on using value pro gear for home networks.
If you look over on the Ubiquiti forums they have a "Stories" section for each device type offering (like routers, AP's, etc) and maybe you can get some good ideas there.
https://community.ubnt.com/t5/EdgeMAX-Stories/con-p/EdgeMAX_Stories

 

[fistv]

That ERL does look pretty good. If I had not been under same day, run out to store and get back home pressure to replace my dead SMC7008 I would have given it a shot and passed on the wrt1900ac.