Description
"OpenWrt router" in the bibliography typically means a cheap consumer router based on an Atheros AR9xxx chipset (TP-Link WDR4300, Archer C7, N750, AC1750), reflashed with OpenWrt and the patched atheros-csi-tool driver. They are the cost-effective alternative to commodity laptops for distributed CSI deployment: low power, mountable on walls/ceilings, ~$30-80 each. For the thesis they represent the "real AP that also extracts CSI" deployment pattern alongside asus-rt-ac86u (Broadcom-based equivalent).
Specs / capabilities
- Atheros AR9xxx Wi-Fi (802.11n, 2x2 or 3x3 MIMO depending on model)
- MIPS-class router CPU (400-720 MHz typically) — enough to log CSI but not to run heavy preprocessing
- Gigabit Ethernet (on better models)
- USB port for external storage on some models
Tooling
- OpenWrt: https://openwrt.org/
- atheros-csi-tool kernel module port for OpenWrt
Used by (papers)
- Multi-AP CSI deployments needing >5-10 sensing nodes
- "Real-world testbed" sections that emphasise deployable infrastructure