Network Edge Router Performance Evaluation: An OpenWrt-Based Approach

In recent years, there has been a significant improvement in the broadband Internet offered to end-users, which demands equipment with increasingly efficient hardware and software. Although large data centers adopt high-performance equipment, including networking equipment, end-users often use low-cost equipment. In this context, this paper evaluates the performance of routers at the edge network on the end-user side to investigate low-cost alternatives. This study shows that the OpenWrt Linux distribution, installed on a Raspberry Pi 4, presented an average RX value equal to 964 Mbps, while the Cisco 1905 presented an average RX value equal to 963 Mbps; already for the TX, the average values were 947 Mbps and 963 Mbps for the Raspberry Pi 4 and Cisco 1905 respectively. We conclude, therefore, that the performance results obtained are similar and that it is possible to guarantee performance and availability with financially viable equipment.