14 effective ways to reuse old routers (don't throw them away!)

Did the old router make a mess of your drawer? Here's how to handle an old router and save some money instead of throwing it away!

Is it time to buy a new router? Perhaps your new Internet Service Provider (ISP) has already sent one, or you just want to upgrade. Anyway, you are facing a problem:

What should you do with your old router?

When switching to an ISP, you are often asked to return your old device. But if you have an old router, there are several uses here.

What can you do with an old router

It may be in a box; It may be a messy drawer or lost in the back of the wardrobe. In either case, your old router or modem/router combination unit can be reused.

We have discovered 14 new uses for old routers:

1. Wireless Repeater
2. Visitor Wi Fi connection
3. Cheap internet radio
4. Use an old router as a network switch
5. Adjust it to a wireless bridge
6. Convert the router to NAS
7. Using an old router as a web server
8. Homemade VPN router
9. Selling Routers on eBay
10. Set up a separate network for IoT devices
11. Learn more about home networking
12. Configure the router as a public hotspot
13. Blacking your router into the intelligent home automation center
14. Donate it to a church or school

Let's take a more detailed look at these uses of old routers.

Establish a wireless relay

What if your Wi Fi network cannot cover the entire home? Although you may choose a power line Ethernet adapter, adding a second router to the combination is a good choice.

This means using Wi Fi signals to connect the old router to the new wireless network. Then, it can share Wi Fi networks, providing greater coverage. Although there may be some latency issues, this is a fast and easy way to expand wireless networks.

It has multiple uses, from enhancing Wi Fi signals at home to allowing you to stream videos onto your tablet while relaxing in the garden.

Visitor Wi Fi connection

If someone frequently visits and uses your wireless network, why not give them their own network?

This is like a wireless repeater project, but it's different. This router can connect to existing, password protected networks, but can access new devices for free. This will use the guest network characteristics of the old router. By default, this will prevent guests from accessing other devices on the network.

If this level of security is not sufficient, check the firewall settings on the main router and make adjustments.