Don't throw away your old router... 5 smart ways to turn it into a useful device in your home

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Unlike many devices in the home, you probably don't think much about upgrading your router. Routers can operate for many years, and it's easy to miss noticing that one of them no longer gets firmware updates or doesn't support the latest Wi-Fi standards.

This can make the decision to upgrade to a new router more difficult, especially when getting rid of a device that is still working well seems irrational or wasteful.

But it is not necessary to throw away the old router or send it to recycling. There are many ways in which you can reuse it as a secondary or even a third device within the home network, according to a report published by the “engadget” website and reviewed by “Arabic Business”.

It is true that modern routers provide better levels of security, coverage, and performance, and therefore it is preferable to use them as the main device, but most networking basics have not changed radically over the decades. This means that your old router is still able to perform a range of useful tasks.

If your new Wi-Fi router is having trouble reaching some corners of the house, you can use your old router as a dedicated access point, rather than purchasing a wireless signal booster or other device dedicated just for this task.

There are two ways to do this: wired or wireless.

A wired connection provides a more stable connection and faster speeds, but requires extending an Ethernet cable from the new router to the old router.

This may be impractical if the two devices are in separate rooms, unless you are prepared to run cables into the walls.

It is not recommended to broadcast two wireless signals from two devices that are too close together, as this may result in wireless interference and decreased performance.

But you can disable some frequencies on one of the two devices to reduce congestion.

A practical option is to set up the old router to operate on the 2.4GHz band, while disabling this band on the new router.

This is because 2.4GHz signals can penetrate walls better, while most of the improvements in Wi-Fi technology in recent years have focused on higher frequencies such as 5GHz and 6GHz.

Many routers support Wireless Repeater or Bridge functions, so you can look for them in the control panel or user manual.

In some old TP-Link devices, you may find this function hidden under several submenus under the name WDS Bridging.

However, this method has an important drawback, as the router is forced to allocate part of its limited wireless capacity to communicate with the main router, which may lead to a decrease in the actual speed when connecting to the secondary router.

Some routers can also act as a node within a Mesh Wi-Fi network. For example, Asus calls this function AiMesh, and it allows different models to be combined to create one unified network.

If you have not purchased a new router yet, and your old device supports this technology, it may be useful to choose a new device from the same family to take advantage of this function.

If your new router doesn't have enough LAN ports to connect devices that need high bandwidth, such as smart TVs, computers, and gaming consoles, you can turn your old router into a Network Switch.

Basic switches usually cost between $10 and $20, so you can save on purchasing an additional device if you have an old router that still works.

The setup process is relatively simple. All you have to do is connect an Ethernet cable from the new router to the old router, using the LAN port on each device, then connect your devices to the remaining ports on the old router.

But do not connect anything to the WAN port on the old router.

Many routers provide Access Point (AP) or Switch Mode within the control panel settings, and you can activate it from there.

If you don't find one of these modes, you'll have to manually disable the DHCP server, along with any other routing functions like Firewall and NAT.

The warning regarding radio interference also applies here. If you only want to use the Ethernet ports, it is best to disable all wireless functions on your old router.

Many routers have a USB port that you may not notice, but it can be useful for more than one use.

You can connect a printer to your router, then start printing from any device connected to your network, even if the connection is wireless. If you have an old printer that doesn't support Wi-Fi, this might be an easy way to add wireless connectivity to it.

You can also connect a storage device, such as an external hard drive or USB stick, to turn the router into a simple storage server.

Thus, you can read and write files from any device connected to the network.

The cost of NAS devices and dedicated storage can be relatively high, so an old router can be a low-cost way to start experimenting with this type of storage.

But there's an important point: routers typically don't offer the reliability and backup features of true NAS devices, which are the main strengths of specialized NAS devices.

Also, the USB port on the router will often not be the fastest, so file transfer speed will be limited.

After connecting the storage device or printer, you can go to the router's control panel and look for the USB device sharing settings to adjust them appropriately.

Many modern routers support VPN functionality, but enabling this functionality usually means routing all traffic through a VPN tunnel.

Alternatively, you can install a VPN app on each device individually, but running the VPN for long periods of time can drain your mobile devices' battery.

Here, converting your old router into a dedicated VPN client can be a practical solution.

By using a separate VPN router, you can connect to it when you need to, without forcing all the devices on your main network to pass through the VPN connection, or burdening phones and mobile devices with the responsibility of constantly running the service.

The exact setup steps vary depending on the VPN service provider and router manufacturer, but the process usually begins by connecting the old router to the new router and activating Access Point mode.

Next, find the VPN settings inside your router's control panel, enable the function and enter your VPN account credentials.

We may not look at routers this way, but they are essentially low-power computers, typically combining a power-efficient processor with limited amounts of RAM and storage.

These devices run on lightweight operating systems designed specifically for their primary task, which is managing network traffic and associated functions.

But this can become a problem when the manufacturer stops providing the latest firmware updates for the router, or when the limitations of the original system prevent you from performing the functions you need.

Here comes the importance of open source software projects developed by specialized communities to run on routers.

One of the most prominent of these projects is OpenWRT, which replaces the manufacturer's software with a more flexible operating system that gives you greater control over the device, including the ability to install external applications such as torrent downloaders.

This software can be an effective way to extend the life of your old router, and many of the previous uses become easier when running dedicated systems such as DD-WRT or FreshTomato.

Choosing the appropriate software depends on the router model, as not all routers support these systems.

Due to the large number of models on the market, you will need to review the documentation for each project to ensure that the software is compatible with your specific device before installing it.

So, instead of your old router turning into a neglected piece of electronics, it can get a new job within your home network, whether as a Wi-Fi booster, a switch, a file server, a VPN router, or even a more flexible device thanks to custom software.