I’d like to suggest a potential product direction for Framework: a modular router or network appliance designed around open firmware such as OpenWrt and pfSense. The core idea would be a networking device where key components like Wi-Fi radios, Ethernet ports, and even the compute board itself are modular and upgradeable over time instead of requiring full device replacement.
The main problem this would solve is how quickly networking hardware becomes obsolete despite still being physically functional. Most consumer routers are disposable devices with fixed ports and locked firmware support. When standards change—such as moving from 1G to 2.5G or 10G Ethernet, or upgrading Wi-Fi generations—the entire unit has to be replaced. This creates unnecessary cost, waste, and fragmentation, especially for users who want long-term, stable infrastructure. At the higher end, users are often forced into either complex DIY mini-PC setups or expensive enterprise gear just to get flexibility and longevity.
Framework is uniquely positioned to address this gap because its entire design philosophy already centers on modularity, repairability, and long-term upgradeability. Applying that same approach to networking hardware would extend the ecosystem beyond personal computing into core home and small-office infrastructure, which is another area dominated by short lifecycle products.
The potential user base would include homelab enthusiasts, small businesses, privacy-focused users, developers, network engineers, and current users of platforms like OpenWrt, pfSense, or Ubiquiti who want something more flexible and future-proof. The value would be a single platform that can evolve over time from a router into a firewall, VPN gateway, or even a lightweight edge compute node without replacing the entire system.
From a re-use perspective, this would be excellent. Currently I have a mini-PC running a *Sense, which is just a laptop cpu with extra ethernet ports running as a firewall/router, and a big vendor wireless router running in Access Point mode. Having the option when upgrading a laptop motherboard to move the old one to a router cpu would increase the value of Framework for me. Assuming modular parts to make routers with ethernet and wifi as required. Switching would probably not be covered, this would be for wireless and routing. Not sure how many people are interested in this, but with routers being blocked in the US (Note I’m not in the US), along with subscriptions, security issues, etc. This would be handy, especially with the wifi radio’s.
But, not sure if there’s any business case for a full product vs. modular radio/ethernet for existing motherboard enclosures, and then is that enough market for the development effort? Not sure, but I’d sure like to see it. The radio might take some custom work unless it can all be done in OpenWrt (I haven’t done much in that so I don’t know), but most of the router side would just mean partnering with OpenSense, PFSense, IPfire, OpenWrt, etc.
I just want to make you aware you can already convert any computer to a router. As I have never done so, I took a quick google search and found this guide:
It would be great to hear back if any tries, and what issues they run into.
I think the largest benefit for a Framework product would be in the radio, that’s not something so easy to add into a PC. With a modular radio and modular Ethernet and a modular CPU, could make adaptable network gear. But again mostly for home use probably.
I have used mini-PC’s to build routers, just because they’re smaller and lower power than a desktop. That leads me to buy a separate machine, rather than re-use an old PC (re-use options are laptops and gaming PC’s). The main issue is getting multiple Ethernet ports, but those are available in min-PC’s, not so easy for laptops (the other low power option).
You can have up to 4 network ports in an reused FW 13 mainboard, I don’t know if I would trust them fully for router use without extensive testing though.
yeah, can convert any pc like dell sff by installing pfsense on it, but it is still a big sized box compared to typical routers, and power consumption it is around 30 to 40 watt vs 5 to 10 watt home router.
I answered the idea of reusing the framework motherboard as a router, with a reminder that any computer can be a router. that ofcourse include framework motherboards.
I also linked to the ethernet net adapter, as a reminder that you can add up to four ports, only one less than most typical home routers. I think I missunderstood a comment about the radio, as all framework laptops come with fully functional wifi card making that a non-isseu.
on the issue of power consumption, it should be a non-concern all framework motherboard are recently modern laptop cpus with fully functioning, as far as I’m aware, power management.
All this comes with the caveat that I don’t know how well it would hold up in the real world, but I’m considering doing this with my 11th gen intel mainboard, after I upgrade. If i remember I would be happy to report back how it went.
I think the radio is the tricky one. I could be wrong because I don’t know that much about radio tech. But I don’t think a wifi client is sufficient to act as the base of a router, at minimum would need better antennae? But probably a whole new module to handle a house full of clients connecting to it? I’m not sure if the current 2.5Gig modules would do the job either, and there’s also the new 10Gig module. The motherboard/CPU/Ram/Storage are fine. So the point is a lot of the building blocks might be really close, but I think maybe just a little short?
While it can be an ap just fine (assuming you are using a nic that supports it), it would not be very good.
Would still make a good router combined with a few dumb aps for wifi through.
Do what job? 2.5Gbit goes quite a long way and it uses a very proven chipset to do that. The 10gbit also kinda works but you’ll need out of tree drivers for that so iffy on linux and probably not gonna happen on bsd. You could also connect a pcie nic to the wifi slot if you were not going to use wifi.
Sorry, I think I have replied to quickly/casually/superficially here, I’ll try to expand a little. If I grab a PC to run as a router/firewall, one of the main things I’m looking for is what NIC’s does it use. For example OPNSense general recommendation is:
“As the FreeBSD hardware-lists and -recommendations say, Intel® network interface cards (NIC) for LAN connections are reliable, fast and not error-prone. Intel chipset NICs deliver higher throughput at a reduced CPU load.”
Often the Intel ones are a good choice, well supported hardware, but there not the only option. I did a quick look for what the Framework 2.5G ones are, and I’m not sure. The 10G looks like Realtek? That’s not confidence inspiring for a router use case. Also, to my recollection/knowledge, I’ve never used NIC’s connected over a USB interface before, I’ve never considered how much impact that could have on a router.
I have never tried to use a laptop wireless as an Access Point, but that’s because I honestly wouldn’t even think to try it. I just assume it doesn’t have the firmware/hardware capability of handling dozens of client connections, and performing other AP functions. But, I could be mistaken.
There were some pretty big issues with the intel 2.5gbit chipsets on bsd that affected opnsense/pfsense a lot, x brand is better than y brand is not a total statement.
Realtek seems to be the only ones making decent usb ethernet chipsets these days. The chipset used in the 2.5Gbit one is very well supported these days. The 5 and 10gbit usb nics are technologically neat but the drivers are not great, the out of tree ones do work and the performance is good but stability not so much.
You’d probably rather not do it but it can and does work. If you don’t want to you also theoretically have 2 pcie slots (the 4x from the ssd and 1x from the wifi slot) so you could boot from usb and put in a pcie card. With the 4x slot you could just plop in a a 20$ chinesium x540 and have (very power hungry) dual 10gbit.
It can work a lot better than nothing but client cards certainly won’t perform as well as dedicated ap ones and cheap openwrt capable aps are extremely cheap for the wifi roll so I’d recommend going that way. You can get consumer aps that can run openwrt wifi6 with 160mz channels for sub 50$.
Is a framework mainboard the perfect router platform? Probably not, can it be used for one? Certainly. Would not buy one speciffically for that though
The idea is good. There seems to be a gap between consumer routers that get replaced every few years and enterprise gear thats expensive and often overkill for home users. A Framework-style networking appliance with upgradeable Wi-Fi modules, Ethernet ports, and compute hardware could be very appealing to homelab users and small businesses. Instead of replacing the whole router when moving to Wi-Fi 8 or 10G networking, you’d just swap the relevant module.
biggest issue is wifi chip drivers are good as client, but stability as AP leaves a lot to be desired. Intel, mediatek are the two brands I have tested, both wifi 6 and 7 hardware. Have not tried qualcomm but I assume it has similar issue