Enterprise 802.11ac 3x3:3 dual-band access point, liberated from its vendor controller and ready to drop into any network. No Extreme Networks controller required. No license required. No cloud. Full root. The same hardware deployed in enterprise and education networks, repurposed as a fully standalone OpenWrt device — and now configurable two ways: as a classic Access Point OR as a self-contained Travel Router you can take anywhere.

TWO CONFIGURATIONS — CHOOSE WHEN YOU SET IT UP

This unit runs stock OpenWrt 23.05.5, so it can operate in either of the two roles below. Tell me which you prefer at checkout and I can pre-stage it for you, or switch between them yourself anytime in LuCI — no re-flash required.

1) ACCESS POINT MODE (default as shipped)

• LAN interface set to DHCP client, OpenWrt's DHCP server disabled.

• Plug it into your existing router/switch and it pulls an IP from your network — no IP conflicts, no double-NAT.

• You add your own SSIDs, band plan, encryption and password.

• Best for: home/small-office Wi-Fi, wired-backhaul mesh/roaming nodes, VLAN + SSID separation, homelab.

2) TRAVEL ROUTER MODE

• WAN on one Ethernet port, LAN + Wi-Fi behind its own firewall/NAT.

• Connect the WAN port to a hotel/Airbnb/conference Ethernet drop (or upstream device) and it broadcasts YOUR OWN private, encrypted SSID.

• All your devices join one trusted network that travels with you, isolated from whatever untrusted network you're plugged into.

• Add a VPN client (see below) and every device behind the router is tunneled automatically — secure Wi-Fi anywhere, no per-device VPN setup.

• Best for: travel, working remotely, keeping IoT/personal devices on a consistent trusted network.

SECURE WI-FI ANYWHERE WITH THE BARREL-PLUG POWER OPTION

This AP can be powered two ways: 802.3at PoE+ OR a 12V / 2A center-positive DC barrel jack. The barrel-jack option is what makes it genuinely portable. Instead of needing a PoE switch or injector, you can run it from:

• A compact 12V/2A wall adapter in a hotel room.

• A 12V vehicle/cigarette-lighter adapter for road trips or RVs.

• A USB-C PD power bank with a 12V trigger/barrel cable for fully off-grid, battery-powered Wi-Fi.

Pair that with Travel Router Mode + a VPN client and you have a pocket security perimeter: plug into any untrusted Ethernet drop, power it from a barrel-jack supply, and every device you own rides your own encrypted SSID over an outbound VPN tunnel. (Power supply not included — any quality 12V/2A center-positive barrel supply works.)

VPN PROVIDERS THAT WORK ON OPENWRT 23.05.5

OpenWrt 23.05.5 ships with kernel 5.15, which has native in-kernel WireGuard, plus OpenVPN available from the package feed. That means it works with any VPN provider that supports standard WireGuard or OpenVPN config files. Confirmed-compatible, WireGuard-first providers include:

• Mullvad — generates standard WireGuard configs; widely documented on OpenWrt. WireGuard recommended.

• ProtonVPN — offers downloadable WireGuard and OpenVPN configs that import directly.

• IVPN — provides WireGuard and OpenVPN configs; well-suited to router use.

• AzireVPN — native WireGuard configs, straightforward on OpenWrt.

• NordVPN — works via its WireGuard (NordLynx-compatible) keys or OpenVPN configs.

• Surfshark, Windscribe, AirVPN — all provide WireGuard and/or OpenVPN configs that work on OpenWrt.

How it works on this device: install the relevant package (wireguard-tools / luci-proto-wireguard, or openvpn-openssl / luci-app-openvpn) from the 23.05.5 feed, import your provider's config, and point the firewall's WAN-out at the tunnel. In Travel Router Mode this means the whole network behind the AP is protected with no per-device setup. NOTE: VPN packages are NOT pre-installed and no VPN subscription is included — you bring your own provider account and install the client. WireGuard is recommended on this PowerPC hardware for the best throughput.

HARDWARE

• SoC: Freescale/NXP P1020 (PowerPC e500v2, dual-core 800 MHz)

• RAM: 256 MB

• Flash: 64 MB NOR

• Wi-Fi: Atheros radios — 2.4 GHz ath9k (3x3 802.11n) + 5 GHz ath10k (3x3 802.11ac), up to ~1.75 Gbps aggregate PHY

• Ethernet: 2x Gigabit (LAN1 / LAN2)

• Power: 802.3at PoE+ or 12V / 2A DC barrel jack

WHAT I DID TO THIS UNIT

• Flashed with OpenWrt 23.05.5 (Linux 5.15) — current stable release. Vendor firmware fully replaced.

• Pre-configured as a drop-in access point (see AP Mode above). Easily switched to Travel Router Mode in LuCI.

• Wi-Fi radios left unconfigured so you set your own SSID, band plan, encryption and password on first login. Nothing to clean up from a previous owner.

• Bench-tested: boots cleanly, both radios enumerate, both Ethernet ports link at gigabit.

HOW TO ACCESS IT ON FIRST BOOT

1. Power it via 802.3at PoE+ or a 12V/2A barrel-jack supply (neither included).

2. Plug LAN1 into your network. Your router will assign it an IP via DHCP.

3. Find its IP in your router's DHCP leases (hostname starts with OpenWrt).

4. Browse to http://<that-IP>/ for the LuCI web UI. No root password is set — set one on first login (LuCI will prompt you).

5. Configure your SSIDs under Network -> Wireless, or switch to Travel Router Mode, and you're done.

OPENWRT 24.10 ROADMAP

This unit ships on OpenWrt 23.05.5, the current stable branch. Official OpenWrt 24.10 support for this exact board requires a small loader-fix backport that is currently open and approved upstream, awaiting final merge: openwrt/pull/23437. Once that lands in an official 24.10 release, owners can upgrade with a standard sysupgrade — no re-flash, no serial console, no TFTP. Timing on the merge is up to the OpenWrt maintainers; I can't promise a date, but the PR is open, reviewed and approved, and you can track it at the link above.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• 1x Extreme Networks WS-AP3825i access point, pre-flashed with OpenWrt 23.05.5 and pre-configured as described above.

• No power adapter. Power it via any 802.3at PoE+ injector/switch, or any 12V / 2A center-positive barrel-jack supply.

• No mounting bracket. Stock Extreme brackets are sold separately on the secondhand market; the AP also sits fine on a flat surface.

• No Ethernet cable.

CONDITION

Used. Pulled from working production service. Expect cosmetic wear consistent with enterprise deployment — rack/mount scuffs, possible asset tags or marker. Tested and fully functional.

NOT FOR YOU IF

• You want a plug-and-play consumer AP with a mobile app — OpenWrt is configured via LuCI (web) or SSH.

• You need Wi-Fi 6 / 802.11ax — this is 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5).

• You want to run it on stock Extreme firmware — that firmware has been replaced and is not provided.

Questions before you buy? Message me — happy to answer OpenWrt-specific questions about this hardware, the travel-router setup, or VPN configuration.