Limitations of the missing LAN port on the GL-AR300M-Lite

I’m comparing the GL-MT300N-V2 with the GL-AR300M-Lite. It seem the GL-AR300M-Lite is better because it has a faster processor, external antenna option, and is fully open source. However, the lack of a LAN port concerns me. What is the limitation of not having a LAN port if I will only be using this as a WIFI device?

I have read that if I want to install the original OpenWRT software, it requires connecting only via a LAN port to configure it. Does that mean that the GL-AR300M-Lite can never reinstall OpenWRT?

Any other major differences between these devices that I didn’t mention above?

Could you try the lastest firmware? You can have a choice to use the port as lan port or wan port on GL’s GUI.

It’s nice that it can be switched, but I want to install the original OpenWRT firmware from openwrt.org. If I do that, can I access the device using the ethernet WAN port? As you may know, when you install the original OpenWRT the first access must be using a LAN port, before wifi access can be enabled. I want to know if the GL-AR300M-Lite’s WAN port will allow running hte original OpenWRT. Thanks!

Why do you want the original OpenWRT? As far as I know, the GL version contains everything that has + has the GL GUI.