I built my own Wi-Fi router with a Raspberry Pi for Starlink and solar control - here's how

As a tech enthusiast, I recently found myself in need of a wireless router that could connect to Starlink or tether to a handset. Given my specific requirements, I decided to build my own using a Raspberry Pi. My needs were quite particular: I required a router that could operate off-grid, act as a hub for my Starlink, and control my solar power station.

It also needed to be small, energy-efficient, and customizable. The Raspberry Pi, one of my favorite pieces of kit, seemed like the perfect solution. Although Raspberry Pi boards aren't as cheap as they once were, you can still pick up a 2GB Raspberry Pi 5 for $65.

I happened to have one lying around from an old AI project, which made the process even more straightforward. Using your own router offers a lot of flexibility, from installing ad-blocking software to securing your connection with a VPN. To get started, I installed RaspAP onto a microSD card for my Raspberry Pi.

The process, known as imaging the card, was made easy by the official Raspberry Pi Imager tool available for Windows and Mac. After imaging the card, I popped it into the Raspberry Pi, booted it up, and waited a few minutes for it to start up. I then connected to the Raspberry Pi's default Wi-Fi hotspot, RaspAP, and accessed the RaspAP dashboard via a web browser.

One of the best features of this setup is its versatility. I can connect the Raspberry Pi to my Starlink and have it act as a capable Wi-Fi router with tons of functionality. I can also set it up as a bridge to connect to an existing Wi-Fi network or tether a cellphone using USB to transform it into a mobile hotspot.

However, I did encounter some limitations, particularly with Wi-Fi range. The Raspberry Pi 5 isn't bad, but for around $60, you can get much better range and reliability with a PCIe to M.2 Wi-Fi module adapter expansion board and an Intel BE200 Wi-Fi 7 network adapter card. Another exciting aspect of this project was making it solar-powered.

With a decent power bank and a 10W solar panel, I can give my setup a decent amount of daily runtime. The exact runtime will vary depending on factors such as workload and sunlight exposure. For those who might not want to go through the trouble of building their own router, there are alternatives available.

The GL.iNet Mango mini smart router, for instance, is a self-contained travel router that can do many of the same things, albeit with some hardware and software limitations.