this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2026
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Seconding the other user's recommendation of an unmanaged switch.
If your goal is to add more ethernet devices to your network, adding an unmanaged switch to your router is the simplest way to do it. Anything plugged into the switch will operate on the same network as your router and, as a pure hardware solution, it will never need software maintenance.
If your goal is to learn how to build a router-oriented linux install from scratch, then go ahead with your original plan.
Thanks for the answer
Routers aren't cheap around here, and I got this board for free as a prize from a contest, and I plan on running some things on it, so I find it t be the best option. Also, it will end up with fewer devices and less energy consumption. Having to learn a few things isn't really a problem.
You want a switch, not a router though. Any old one will do. You just need extra ports to plug things into, not route traffic. Even if you're somewhere where they might be more expensive than average, they are thrown away regularly. Check eBay or the equivalent in your area and see if anything pops up dirt cheap.