You might OpenWRT usefulI replaced my aging Asus router with a Debian-based Beelink device this summer. Two built-in ethernet ports was mandatory from my perspective, so didn't go with a Pi, but nothing I did precludes moving it to a Pi in the future.
I disabled the Debian-configured /etc/network/interfaces and used systemd-networkd because I needed some fine-grain controls and lighter weight than NetworkManager (systemd-networkd works on RasPiOS as well of course), threw in my nft-powered very restrictive firewall, and poof! it's a router with passthrough to Pi-hosted services on my LAN (VPN, etc).
That said, I still use NetworkManager on all my other Pi systems with no regrets.
OP, don't know how old "a bit old" is, but I'm a bit old as well (at least from my perspective). Figuring this stuff out keeps my mind active and me happy![:lol:]( "Laughing")
Of course, If you have any questions about my router stuff or anything about routers made from Debian/RasPiOS, ask away!
https://openwrt.org/start
It's a linux distro that's designed for routers. It runs on PI
"OpenWrt is a highly extensible GNU/Linux distribution for embedded devices (typically wireless routers). Unlike many other distributions for routers, OpenWrt is built from the ground up to be a full-featured, easily modifiable operating system for embedded devices. In practice, this means that you can have all the features you need with none of the bloat, powered by a modern Linux kernel. "
Statistics: Posted by kip_the_elder — Sun Sep 14, 2025 4:40 am