New Beryl, about to return it, is there a more stable model?

FrankHouston · 2022-06-05T12:51:59.420Z

I have been using OpenWRT for many years, I have even contributed to the project in the past, and love it, have several OpenWRT routers from other manufacturers

I bought the Beryl hoping that the simple interface was convenient to use when we travel, simple enough that my non-technical spouse could set it up, but there is this issues that come up often enough that its just gotten annoying, between OpenVPN, Wi-Fi, and now the internal DNS being unstable.

Don’t get me wrong, the issues can be fixed in the back end, been testing it for a week, and only one time that I powered it on, that it worked on the first try, been testing all the different Firmware versions, including the Beta one, but there is always something that required me to tweak it before it can be used.

This is not my first OpenWRT router, but my first gl-inet one, maybe there is a different model I should look at?

eric · 2022-06-05T13:56:31.164Z

Reading through this forum, there are many people who have had very good luck with the Beryl. In my personal experience with GL iNet routers running their firmware, I have had the best luck with their routers that:

Sell well, so their engineers focus on the product. In this forum, it has been stated by GI iNet staff that they focus their firmware work by how popular a product is.
Have been on the market for more then a year, so the engineers have time to work out the bugs.
Have a solid OpenWRT firmware version that has been released in the main tree.
That do not use the MediaTek chip-set with the proprietary drivers supplied by GL iNet. The GL iNet router that has cost me the most time and headaches has been a n300 with the MT chip-set. Please look through the forum on issues with MT based products.

My go to GL iNet travel routers which are using the GL iNet firmware, are an AR750s and an USB150, as I prefer the GL iNet interface while on travel. Both products are solid, but are not cutting edge. All my other GL iNet routers are now running generic OpenWRT or in a drawer not being used. Others will tell you the Beryl is fine, is faster, and is a better value, but due to past MT driver issues, I’m not buying one. I’m doing a lot of travel and I will give up speed for reliability as I need something I can quickly setup and use when I change places. I don’t have time to test different firmware and play with uboot while on the road.

Just works is what I’m really looking for in a travel router

alzhao · 2022-06-06T10:45:11.638Z

As you are OpenWrt professional users, maybe just choose one that is compatible with latest openwrt venilla firmware.

AR750s is a good choice.

elorimer · 2022-06-06T13:34:50.893Z

eric:

That do not use the MediaTek chip-set with the proprietary drivers supplied by GL iNet.

This, except the drivers are MTK drivers, has been a bit of an issue, but I think the proprietary drivers are used because the open source drivers have their own history.

That said, I haven't had much trouble using my Mango and Beryl as a travel router.