Here Are Six Useful Ways To Use An Old Router

Your router is an essential component of your Wi-Fi network. So what happens if it’s out of use?

What do you do next? Catch a glimpse of it, Staring at you from the drawer when a new one has taken its place.

It could be in a box, clogging up a cabinet, or tucked away in the back of a closet. You can reuse your old router or modem/router combo unit in any situation.

We’ve found six ways to repurpose an outdated Wi-Fi router:

1) Internet Radio Streamer

2) Smart Home Hub

3) Build a Wireless Repeater

4) Turn Your Old Router Into a Wireless Bridge

5) Hotspot

6) Make Money from Your Old Router

Let’s take a closer look at each of these old router applications.

1) Internet Radio Streamer

An Internet Radio Streamer is a program that allows you to listen to music.

Some older routers can be set up to listen to the internet radio. You’ll need OpenWrt or DD-WRT custom router firmware, as well as a USB sound card, or you can build the speaker into the router itself. With this website, you can do all this in one go!

You’ll need an 8-bit microcontroller, a tuner, and a volume knob to make it.

You’ll also need some additional software and a USB sound card to output audio.

Even though it is not an easy construct and many other internet radio choices, this is still a fantastic project. It gives you an understanding of how to install custom firmware as well as how to stream music. 

2) Smart Home Hub

A smart home hub is a hardware or software that links and controls devices on a home automation network.

If your old router has a serial port, you can transform it into a home automation server. When you do this, your modem creates a web server that you can access using a browser.

This project is not easy to complete, but it will provide you with a greater understanding of home automation if you want a hands-on approach to technology.

3) Build a Wireless Repeater

What if your Wi-Fi network doesn’t cover the entire perimeter of your home?

While powerline Ethernet adapters are an option, adding a second router to the mix is also viable. This entails using the Wi-Fi signal to link the old router to the new wireless network.

It can then share access to the Wi-Fi network with other devices, increasing coverage.

This is a fast and simple way to expand your wireless network, though there may be some bandwidth issues.

You can use it for various things, including improving your Wi-Fi signal in your home and allowing you to stream video to your tablet while relaxing in the garden.

4) Turn Your Old Router Into a Wireless Bridge

You can turn it into a powerful wireless adapter or wireless bridge for your PC, home entertainment centre, or anything else that requires a physical connection.

This is advantageous because routers typically have more efficient antennas with stronger signal strength than the average Wi-Fi adapter.

What if your new Wi-Fi adapter is only capable of wireless connections?

Perhaps your ISP doesn’t have an Ethernet-capable router, or you’re using a 4G or 5G internet service. A wireless bridge is a solution in either case if you need to link Ethernet devices to your home network.

An old router can be repurposed as a wireless bridge for a low cost.

The wireless barrier functions similarly to a wireless repeater, but it provides Ethernet instead of sharing the Wi-Fi link. Attach devices to the Ethernet ports on the old router to connect to the current Wi-Fi network.

5) Hotspot

You can transform an old router into a hotspot if you have a company or other place to invite guests to connect.

You can set up a captive portal on the hotspot that requires users to agree to your terms, view advertisements, or make payments before proceeding.

If you love tinkering with technology and despise seeing a decent piece of equipment end up in the trash, you would like to try any of these projects to make your home or business network work even harder for you.  

6) Make Money from Your Old Router

Why not sell your old router instead of spending time trying to set it up with new hardware?

Various outlets, most notably eBay, will allow you to make a few dollars from old technology. Write down the device’s make and model number. Of course, anyone searching for a low-cost router would be your average consumer, but networking enthusiasts and retro-tech collectors might also be interested.

Getting money for old equipment is an excellent way to get money for new gadgets.