Go with me here. Routers are routers, and servers are servers. Some people mix and match things, but generally, ideally, this is how it goes. And I agree.
But the router I just set up, the Google WiFi, has 4gb storage, 512mb of ram, a quad core CPU at 800mhz, is easy to flash, and only costs $10-15 on eBay all day long.
If you used it as only a little computer, no routing.. Then..
If I wanted to say... Set up a tailscale node at my family's house. Why spend $45-80, or even $130(!) on a raspberry pi with an Ethernet port, when the Google WiFi works just as well if not better for that job?
Maybe a tiny matrix server? Tiny web hosting?
Or, for a less ideal solution, but still reasonable. What if I wanted to set up a remote backup node for my main server? If my needs were small enough, the Google WiFi would be much more economical, although you'd need to add a USB hub to break out the USB ports. And there would be limitations obviously.
Or getting really crazy, you could potentially squeeze one or two bigger services onto a router, just to see if it's possible.. Minecraft server?
My question is. What is the best device for this? The Google WiFi is dirt cheap at $10-15, I'm about to pull the trigger on a second one just to play with. But I wanted to see if you guys had any other suggestions?
I tried searching the toh for similar devices, but even restricting it down every way I can think of, I've still got over a hundred devices to look at.
Basically, I think older router hardware is an overlooked, cheaper alternative, to raspberry pis, for some scenarios.
You can totally do this but there are a few gottas:
Make sure you have external storage. Do not rely on the internal flash as it isn't designed for frequent writes
Keep your performance expectations in check
My advise would be to spend a bit more and get something a little nicer. Find something with a relatively new Qualcomm chipset. I would also recommend that you get one or more dedicated APs.