GL.iNet - Slate 7 (GL-BE3600)

Not for good, look at Gl.inet if you want the most amazing and opensource routers, Flint 2, 3 and it's travel routers as slate 7, (look at them in YouTube) are at own level, better than Synology at each parameters, with extreme software capabilities, and easy to manage but not less powerful neither locked in anyway (os is an skin on too openwrt but also compatible with official openwrt releases), if you need sdwan, vpn-whatever (even tor), bland, multiple segregated networks etc is ts they right stuff, I'm very impressed (I come from Mikrotik).

1. Self-custody of my data and privacy reclamation. The journey started with booting Arch Linux and ThinkPad tinkering. The project that I am most proud of is setting up my own network without hiring a technician over, and it has empowered me. The most expensive equipment I bought is a GMKTec NUCBox K6 2. Both the GL.inet WiFi 7 Router and Remote KVM would make remote management much faster and more efficient. It would also give me KVM-level access on my homelab servers, which is beneficial for OS switching, accessing the firmware, and waking up my connected devices on sleep 3. I learned from official channels, such as OPNsense and Pfsense, to learn about their software. For hardware, I check my equipment brands' official channels to learn how to effectively use my bought equipment, like GMKTec 4. I'd love to see a FrameWork laptop as a prize. It's not only valuable but environmentally friendly. It can be upgraded with newer components My choices: Comet PoE (GL-RM1PE) and Slate 7 (GL-BE3600)

How small you wanna go? Look at Gli-net's travel routers. I carry one in my luggage and they're great.

How small you wanna go? Look at Gli-net's travel routers. I carry one in my luggage and they're great.

I have an older Slate and use it as my travel router. It can connect to my FWG with no issues over wireguard. The FWG applies all of the normal security rules to the traffic, just like being at home.  I personally prefer the Slate for travel and would highly recommend it.  On a side note, I have had issues with some places not allowing VPN traffic, including OpenVPN on port 443. So, in a situation like that, the Purple would be better as it can apply all of the proper network security measures on its own.

1. It's been a while, but it was to learn more about Linux, servers, NAS, hosting. Then it evolved info providing services for the family, to try to prevent vendor lock-in for most stuff. It's also helpful when you want to test something without constraints for work, or just set up a quick PoC. Mostly proud of the smart home setup around home assistant, and the local media library, especially for the kids. Most expensive equipment that helps all of this is my Synology DS920+. Works great, but with more and more caveats recently. 2. The solo item would be the Slate 7. It would help immensely on our holidays and with some remote work. I'd set up a VPN to my home network, and it would not only help privacy, but also with ad-filtering and convenience. If I were to win the duo, I'd add the Comet PoE. I'm just in the process of setting up everything in a mini rack, and have just received a PoE switch. This one would tie-in perfectly to remotely access my mini PC and have it powered by PoE. 3. Mostly reddit, youtube. Usually I check reviews or comments of owners, to see what are the features, then I go look at if there are any internal pictures of equipment, if it's meant to be opened and hardware added. Then it also depends on what I'm going to do with it, do I need anything printed for it to be mounted or additional requirements, are there any models for it already. I also check the manual or the datasheet just to see if it fits my idea. 4. While additional TinyMiniMicro PCs wouldn't hurt, I'd be more interested in some networking gear, routers or APs, from Mikrotik, Ubiquiti, Omada, or some mini rack stuff from GeeekPi, maybe even some storage devices.

Definitely GL-INET for travel. It just has a lot more versatility as it was designed specifically for that purpose.

1. I like having local control of my services and not depending on cloud services and monthly payments. I don't have much equipment; the most expensive thing is my Raspberry Pi 4. 2. Full-speed Wi-Fi 7 and the ability to access my local network from anywhere using WireGuard. Plus, the Slate 7 is a great device for travels. 3. I usually find things through YouTube channels and by talking to people on Discord and forums. What I buy is usually second-hand from Vinted xd. 4. I would love to see a low-power NAS/server. I would love to win Flint 3 and Slate 7

**1. What inspired you to start your selfhosting journey?** What's one project you're most proud of so far, and what's the most expensive piece of equipment you've acquired for? I work in IT and I'm interested in many aspects of IT. So setting up a homelab to learn more about hypervisors, imaging computers, Cisco networking gear, firewalls, and everything lets me play an learn to help me in my IT career. My favorite project was setting up my network rack earlier this year. I got Gigabit fiber last year and had switched to an OPNsense router a couple months before getting fiber. I had bought a 9u wall mounted network rack, and finally got it installed in my laundry room where it's out of the way and out of sight. I have a 24-port keystone patch panel, a Cisco 2960-X POE+ switch, my HP Elitedesk SFF pc with dual 2.5Gb nic that runs my OPNsense router, and the fiber ONT next to the router. My most expensive piece of equipment would be the switches I have for CCNA study. Various Cisco models I've picked up off the used market. 2. How would winning the unit(s) from this giveaway **help you take your setup to the next level?** I would definitely love to have both of the routers in my home. I'm not sure if I would use the Wifi7 home router in AP mode or not, but the travel router would be amazing to have on work trips so I wouldn't have to deal with the stupid captive portals that hotels have everywhere. 3. Which channels do you most frequently use to **learn about or purchase IT equipment?** r/homelabsales is a great place for seeing what everybody has or is wanting. On YouTube, I often catch Raid Owl, LTT, Jeff Geerling, Hardware Haven, Wolfgang's Channel, Jim's Garage, and Craft Computing are just a few I watch for homelab stuff, and to see what gear they are running. 4. Looking ahead, if we were to do another giveaway, **what is one product from another brand** (e.g., a server, storage device or ANYTHING) that you'd love to see as a prize? I would think a NAS of some sort that could hold a minimum of 4 drives, and up to 8 if possible would be a great giveaway. Everybody needs storage, and SFF/mini pcs just don't have that capability.

1. I got into self hosting because I was tired of paying for services that never quite delivered how I wanted and stopped working if my internet did. 2. I travel enough that I frequently use an older Gl.Net router to provide some protection and get more of my devices connected if I have to pay for a connection. I have also been wanting a KVM for my home server so I can better administer it from afar. In particular one that might let me restart or power it up with button presses or a jumper interface. 3.I learn a lot from Reddit, but probably most from encountering a problem and researching it until I find a solution that suits my needs and capabilities. That research takes me everywhere… but mostly Reddit these days. 4. I’d love a lower-power feature rich NAS. I consult for a lot of friends and families, and these have become a popular request. Ugreen might have the best offering for now, but I do feel like there’s still room for improvement. Edit: Products I’d choose if I won would be the POE KVM and travel router.

1. Desire to have devices tailored to my personal usage scenarios, with all the features I want, but also without inherent extra functionality that compromises security, nor restrictions that hurt the experience - got me into self-hosting. **When one can't buy what they want, making it is often the most straightforward solution - at least when it comes to computers.** **My most expensive project to date is a DIY NAS.** It started as a compact, lightweight and stealthy ARM system inside Playstation 2 case, only revealing its true nature if one looked closely at the ports in the back. However, after some time I grew disenamored with the original concept, so first moved the hardware into a standard NAS case to increase the number of spinning disks and improve their cooling, and later upgraded it to a less interesting, conventional - but also very reliable - x86 system. Of the original components, only a pair of 18TB WD HC550 drives are still in use - everything else was replaced. For this project, single most expensive item was one of the 20TB Toshiba MG10 drives. **The project I am most proud of is a DIY 802.11be router I built last week.** Wanted to build one using Qualcomm AP-grade hardware for years, but was hesitant, only having prior experience with MTK AP hardware, and overall rather limited experience in the field. My wireless router is far from perfect, but fulfills its purpose well, all while being quite compact and travel-friendly, and running latest OpenWRT and WLAN firmware giving me some peace of mind. I am very grateful to everyone who guided me and helped me out on this journey! For this project, single most expensive item is the base device - Rock 5B itself. 2. **While I love it, I also have to admit my DIY wireless router's limitations.** For starters, I used a miniPCIe WLAN card - since it was easier to source, didn't require external power and was much more affordable than its m.2 counterpart, which was also an important consideration in my first foray into 802.11be. This choice results in lower signal strength than typical high-end 802.11be routers or physically larger m.2 cards with external power, more on par with compact/travel routers. Next, I'm having trouble with MLO, one of the key 802.11be features, and have to rely on a single band until I resolve this issue. My wired network infrastructure being 2.5GBe, main WLAN clients equipped with capable BE201 & QCNCM865 802.11be adapters supporting 320MHz channel width on 6GHz band, and most important traffic being LAN to WLAN potentially saturating 2.5GBe link - there is definitely room for wireless performance improvement, particularly far from AP. **Flint 3 with its superior wireless performance would greatly improve my experience, and take my network to the next level!** Comparing my DIY implementation to Slate 7, while RK3588 has more raw power, my device is also physically larger, and requires external dongles for additional LAN interfaces. Frankly, Rock 5B with its single built-in 2.5GBe port (and 16GB RAM+256GB EMMC on the particular board) is much better suited for server duty - which it operated as before I started my 802.11be experiments. For additional peace of mind, I strongly prefer not to utilize networking appliances, particularly wireless APs & routers, in any other tasks - otherwise, instead of assembling a standalone wireless router, would just stick my wireless AP card and WWAN modem into the NAS, set up virtualized OpenWRT, and call it a day. Under the circumstances, **Slate 7 is an overall much more balanced device, and would be noticeably better in the travel router role than my DIY one.** **I'd love to win both Flint 3 and Slate 7, to cover all my usage scenarios, and return my Rock 5B currently acting as a 802.11be wireless router to server duty.** 3. I mostly read **cnx-software.com** , **r/homelab** , r/datahoarder , r/thinkpad and notebookcheck.net . Aliexpress, eBay, local online stores for purchases. 4. **I'd personally love to see giveaways of higher-end NASes and mini-PCs with extensive storage options.** Minisforum MS-A2, Aoostar WTR Max and the likes; machines, purchasing which is often hard to justify, but nevertheless spark one's imagination with their capabilities.