OpenWrt

Replacing your router’s stock firmware with OpenWrt buys you control most consumer routers deliberately withhold: real configurability, security updates long after the vendor abandons the hardware, and no manufacturer phoning home. The catch is squarely on you, flashing the wrong image or fumbling the config can brick the device, and the learning curve is steep. Pick it when you want to own your network and your router is on the supported list. If the idea of recovering a bricked router scares you, this isn’t a casual upgrade.