dd-wrt compatible router, with usb for attaching external drive

[neerajvohra]

Final Verdict:

Installation of openwrt (I recommend getting the optimal version of the pandora-openwrt from the page, in the above posts):

As described above, initial language change is kind of painful.
In addition flashing 'may ' not be so straightforward. I personally took the long route of flashing multiple firmwares via command line - linky, before reaching my final setup.
But the short method above 'may' also work. I didn't know about it earlier , so didn't try. And don't know.

NAS/streaming:
100mbs ethernet on this, that's 11 MegaBytes/sec speed over lan. Which is more than enough for me.
Streaming over LAN via a 10 meter cable is as good as instantaneous on PC. Seeking is also instant.

Range is simply great! for my average size 2.5 bedroom, everything is covered.
streaming over wifi: No problems playing a 2GB file abt 10 meters away from the router on a redmi prime 2.

!!IMP!! wifi streaming speed and range were pretty bad on the official openwrt firmware... download page for the curious : https://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calmer/15.05.1/ramips/mt7620/

Excellent. I'll order it today itself. I've managed to flash couple of my friends router earlier on TPlink with command line, hope this won't be any trouble.

Thank you for your time.

 

[vidyut]

@cute-bandar
Does this pandorabox firmware have dlna server? And does it allow to save database in RAM?

 

[cute.bandar]

dlna - I tried, but got no space left on device error., don't know about database in RAM option . sorry

btw default package manager points to pandora.org.cn, which is dead for whatever reason.
Googling showed that pandora.com.cn is working. Not sure how legit that is.

to change/update

$ vi /etc/opkg.conf

Then add to the top of this file:

src/gz packages http://downloads.pandorabox.com.cn/pandorabox/packages/mt7620/packages/packages/
src/gz luci http://downloads.pandorabox.com.cn/pandorabox/packages/mt7620/packages/luci/