Raspberry Pi 4 OpenWRT (OpenMPTCProuter) Router Case

Description

This is a case design for a custom OpenWRT Router using a Raspberry Pi 4, a Noctua Fan and TP-Link 5 Port 1GB Switch. Why didn't I just buy a normal OpenWRT router capable router do you ask? This is actually an OpenMPTCP router - an Open Source Multi Path TCP Router (OMR) - Which is used alongside a VPS to aggregate multiple WAN lines (ASDL, VDSL, ethernet WAN, 4G dongle) into 1 for increased broadband speeds... I live in area with shoddy broadband. I needed something with a little more CPU power, and the software doesn't have a 'non-beta' version for routers just yet, so... hence - A Raspberry Pi router! The case is sturdy. I made the wall 4mm thick and used 90% infill. The case has plenty of airflow. With that, together with a Noctua fan (only needs running at 3v - Best to make it silent) and a decent heatsink stuck on with proper thermal paste, my temperatures are between 39 - 44 degrees Celsius (depending on load). You can power the Raspberry Pi by soldering directly onto the power connections on the switch's PCB board - The link the the TP-Link I've provided outputs just short of 6v (5.7v) which is perfect - And is connected to the Pi's GPIO (yes, the Pi needs 5.25v officially, not 5.7v, no it doesn't matter, so long as it's below 6v). SHOPPING LIST (I live in the UK FYI): - Raspberry Pi (2GB Model is more than enough) https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b - TP-Link 5 Port 1GB Switch https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-SG1005D-Desktop-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00ZOOJXEG - 5V 3 Port (FLX) Fan https://www.amazon.co.uk/Noctua-NF-A4x10-5V-3-Pin-Premium/dp/B00NEMGCIA/ref=sr_1_2?crid=105O76FAHTX58&keywords=noctua+5+volt+flex+fan&qid=1644789459&s=computers&sprefix=noctual+5+volt+flx+fan%2Ccomputers%2C71&sr=1-2 - Heat Sink https://thepihut.com/products/aluminum-heat-sink-for-raspberry-pi-3-or-4-15-x-15-x-15mm?variant=32053089697854¤cy=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAiA9aKQBhBREiwAyGP5lRSWsRp5NmDKdWINNtlyg2e2125lex4fgf59ino_Q5VFIHP1Mex2AxoCilkQAvD_BwE - M2.5 Pillar Set https://www.amazon.co.uk/Geekworm-Raspberry-Installation-Standoff-Accessories/dp/B07MN2GY6Y/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2T8HXKGUOXM5O&keywords=raspberry+pi+pillar+set&qid=1644789558&sprefix=raspberry+pi+pillar+set%2Caps%2C54&sr=8-4 - Thermal Paste https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BNDPKL5/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MT99GJV098AXPTVSJWEZ - USB 3.0 Extension Cabe (L-Bend) (You need to buy 2 of these, cause you need two 'L-Bend' ones) https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SLYC9YQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - Rubber Feet https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rubber-Adhesive-Bumpers-Dampening-Cabinet/dp/B06XD47D79/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=rubber+feet&qid=1644789518&sr=8-6 Think about the orientation of the fan when printing the fan mount STL - Do you want the fan blowing air 'out' like an exhaust or 'in' and directly onto the CPU? - You'll need to flip the STL file accordingly as there's a little hole for the wire to go through - I decided to blow air out in the end (different from the pictures, due to the fact that the motor body of the fan is directly above the heatsink - So I thought that mind by the 'eye' (blind spot), but honestly, that's just me being anal - Probably don't need to worry about it. ABOUT OpenMPTCProuter https://www.openmptcprouter.com/ Basically, this guy Ysurac (who I think is a genius - https://github.com/Ysurac) has turned the effort it takes to script this kind of thing on a VPS and Linux box into a doddle. He's forked the OpenWRT software and wrote all the scripting needed and included the UI to be able to easily achieve MPTCP / channel bonding / aggregation for home use... All you need to do is run his provided script on a VPS server, which spits out a set of keys, and flash the firmware onto an SD card and rest is relatively straightforward... Businesses provide this very feature for industry use and it can cost thousands! Just for router (which we're making) and a VPN and an overprices VPS subscription which we can get for £3 per month! This video is a very good one, it explains what MPTCP is and how to actually set up the software: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYYoIDCWszo&t=679s I have mine connected with 2 VDSL lines and a 4G dongle and it sits between those and another Router acting as an access point for decent Wifi.... And there's very little overhead - Hardly any speed is lost. The latency has increased by 1ms only! - Mind you, in the UK most data houses are in the London, and since I chose a VPS that has a data house in London (I'm using OVH), then there's not much of a 'hop'. QUESTIONS - Does it need to be a Raspberry Pi 4? Will a Pi 3, or 2 do? -- Raspberry Pi 4 has a proper 1 gigabit ethernet port and enough CPU power to do the aggregation - So yes - Will the Pi 4 2GB RAM model do? -- Yes, it's way more than enough - Will a Raspberry Pi bond 2 or more 500 Mbps / 1Gbps WANs -- No, you'd need more CPU power, and probably a dedicated VPS server with a high priced subscription - I would be also interested to see someone going speed crazy with their setup though - Let me know. - What VPS should you use? -- One that covers the bandwidth you want to achieve and that guarantees and doesn't cap bandwidth, and that has a data house as close to possible to you. Preferably in your own country - I use OVH. It seems pretty reliable, highly available, cheap, lots of data houses in different countries and reading the forums of OpenMPTCP router - seems to be what is suggested.

Statistics

Category

Tags