Wifi Security

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I don't understand 100% how Home based Router and all the Stuff with Modems work together. And I'm struggling which of both would be more secure.

Home based Wifi Router without Sim-Card, Wifi disabled and only via Ethernet Cable.
Portable Router with Sim-Card, Wifi disabled and only via Ethernet Cable.

Rizzler

[deleted] Probably No. 1

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Rizzler Okay, I was thinking the same.

Rizzler

If you don't understand something specific, let me know, and i'll try ro help.

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Rizzler Thank you. I struggle to understand the difference and why Home based Wifi may be more secure. For example portable Router use Sim Card -> Cellular Data for Wifi but how does Home based Routers use Wifi? I heard that they get it from the communication/Phone Cable -> and they get it from the Provider and I'm wondering if it is cellular data too, which the Provider gives out?

Rizzler

[deleted] They get an input first. That would be either via a COAX cable, or a sim card + celular radio. And both the home router and portable AP usually has wifi bands to transmit network wirelessly. I read that the GrapheneOS team finds that the vast majority of portable routers have very bad security, (worse than if you'd just use the SIM in your phone). I don't know if they have the same opinions about home routers, but i find that less likely, since they just use the router their ISP provided them with in their device testing farm. I'd think that portable APs have more remote attack surface, than traditional routers.

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Rizzler Oh wow! You can not imagine how much this helped me! Can I know, where you did read about the bad security from portable Router? This is a really interesting topic. I was thinking about Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) for Home Router and Spitz AX (GL-X3000) for mobile Router, since I need Internet for Voip when I'm outside. Both Router with OpenVPN TCP, with Wifi disabled and only via Ethernet Cable. (Both Router got Wifi 6 and there will be Wifi 7 Routers like that soon too)
What do you think about this Method? (Maybe you can suggest something better or correct anything if needed)

Rizzler

[deleted] Im glad i could help.

I think i read that they were generally pretty bad on Twitter by the Graphene account.

For portable routers, maybe you could try another phone as a hotspot. It would be more secure.

As for your home router, you might wanna get something with OpenWRT support and/or WireGuard. Wireguard is much more secure and a lot fater on a router with limited resources. You could get a midrange wifi6 router from the OpenWRT table of hardware

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Rizzler Oh okay, I understand.
Oh, that would be a great Idea. Thank you!
I don't know much about OpenWRT and the Website confused me, if I need to be honest. I would prefer OpenVPN more. Could you give me the best possible Router recommendation with OpenWRT and OpenVPN?

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Rizzler I looked it up and the Flint Router which I mentioned, has OpenWRT too? And is recommended by some Member here in the Forum too, as I remember. And why should a portable Router be less secure? Because it has OpenWRT with OpenVPN too. It is like the Home Router but just with Sim-Card. But it also has WPA3 too + Ethernet Cable would be faster.

Rizzler

[deleted] OpenWRT is a small Linux based OS for routers. It supports Wireguard and OpenVPN, and a bunch of other cool stuff. Heres a well supported router for example: https://openwrt.org/toh/asus/rt-ax53u

However, whatever you buy you need to confirm is supported by this OS if you plan to use it. I highly recommend it.

As for the portable AP security, it should be fine. Especially because you don't want to use it for wifi.

Rizzler

As i see, the Flint 2 is well supported. Buy that then, and if you feel like giving OpenWRT a try, i'd say go for it. And when you're there, you should probably use WireGuard not OpenVPN.

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Rizzler Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it! I have one last Question: If I disable Wifi in both Routers and just use Ethernet Cable, what is this called? Is it still Wifi but not visible for others? Or is it not Wifi and only Internet?

Rizzler

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Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it!

My pleasure.

I think its just called Ethernet. The only difference is, that the wifi bands are transmitting the connection wirelessly. WI-FI is still like a wired connection, but without wires. This is the reason its easier to attack than wired internet. The "WI" in "WI-FI" probably stands for "wireless"

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Rizzler Okay that makes sense, thank you.