NETGEAR R6230: OpenWrt Compatibility Report

NETGEAR R6230 router
Image: OpenWrt Table of Hardware, CC BY-SA 4.0

The NETGEAR R6230 runs OpenWrt 25.12.2 on the ramips/mt7621 target, and has been supported since 18.06.0. Its WiFi 5 (AC) wireless on the mt76 driver rates good for open-source driver support (0.80/1.0), installation is rated moderate, and it is no longer sold new.

Drivers: Good (0.80) WiFi 5 (AC) Install: moderate

Hardware data and retail listings last checked .

Discontinued. This model is no longer sold new, so this page is kept as a reference for people who already own one. See current alternatives.

Where to buy

We have no current retail listing for the NETGEAR R6230, which is no longer sold new. See current alternatives for devices you can still buy today.

Specifications

SoC MediaTek MT7621ST
CPU 1 core @ 880 MHz
RAM 128 MB
Flash 128 MB (NAND)
Ethernet ports 5
USB 1x 2.0
WiFi generation WiFi 5 (AC)
Radios 2.4GHz: b/g/n · 5GHz: a/n/ac
WLAN hardware MediaTek MT7603EN, MediaTek MT7612EN
WLAN driver mt76
OpenWrt target ramips / mt7621
Package architecture mipsel_24kc
Current release 25.12.2
Supported since 18.06.0
Install method Telnet, see devicepage, see git-commit
Install difficulty moderate
Power supply 12 VDC, 1.5 A
Device type Home router
Estimated throughput 110 Mbps
Availability discontinued

Installing OpenWrt on the R6230

Installation on this device is rated moderate. Expect to use a recovery mode, TFTP or a vendor tool rather than a plain web upload. Documented methods: Telnet, see devicepage, see git-commit.

LuCI Web Interface/uhttpd (also ssh) may NOT be enabled across power cycling after installation, or hard reset. If not - can test by power cycling first, a hard reset brings it back - then ssh, enter '/etc/init.d/uhttpd enable' on the command line, then 'reboot' or '/etc/init.d/uhttpd start' before power cycling or backing up a configuration. Restoring a configuration from after this had been applied also solves the problem.

Flashing third-party firmware can brick a router and usually voids the warranty. Always check that the firmware image matches your exact hardware version.

Still sold and well supported

Ruckus R500

WiFi 5 (AC) Drivers: Excellent $173

MikroTik RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT (hAP ac)

WiFi 5 (AC) Drivers: Excellent $115

Ubiquiti UniFi UK-Ultra

WiFi 5 (AC) Drivers: Excellent $100

Not sure which fits? Take the 60-second quiz.