Hardware Selection Guide

Choosing the right Raspberry Pi model and accessories determines your Pimeleon router's performance, reliability, and capabilities. This guide helps you make informed decisions based on your specific needs and budget.

"Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse." - Murphy's Second Corollary (Arthur Bloch)

Choose quality hardware from the start - upgrading later costs more than doing it right initially.

Supported Platforms

Pimeleon router supports two Raspberry Pi platforms, each optimized for different deployment scenarios.

Raspberry Pi 4

Status: Stable platform for new deployments

Ideal For: Home networks, small offices, edge deployments requiring high throughput

Technical Specifications

Performance Expectations

Network Throughput:

• WAN-LAN routing: 900+ Mbps
• WiFi access point: 300+ Mbps (5 GHz)
• DNS filtering active: 850+ Mbps
• Full proxy chain: 400-600 Mbps

Device Capacity:

• 2GB model: 50-100 concurrent devices
• 4GB model: 100-200 concurrent devices
• 8GB model: 200+ concurrent devices

Services Impact:

• Base routing: 5% CPU usage
• DNS filtering (DNS filter): +10% CPU
• Content filtering (Squid): +15% CPU
• Tor routing: +30-50% CPU

When to Choose Pi 4

Choose 2GB if:

• Home network with 20-50 devices
• Internet connection 500 Mbps or faster
• Budget-conscious but want good performance
• Running standard filtering services

Choose 4GB if:

• Small office with 50-100 devices
• Need room for additional services
• Want to run monitoring/analytics
• Planning to expand capabilities

Choose 8GB if:

• Large office or edge deployment
• 100+ concurrent devices
• Running extensive logging/monitoring
• Future-proofing investment

Raspberry Pi 3 B+

Status: Legacy platform (Supported for existing deployments)

Ideal For: Small home networks, budget-conscious deployments, low-power requirements

Technical Specifications

Performance Expectations

Network Throughput:

• WAN-LAN routing: 250-300 Mbps (USB 2.0 limitation)
• WiFi access point: 100-200 Mbps
• DNS filtering active: 200-250 Mbps
• Full proxy chain: 150-200 Mbps

Device Capacity:

• Recommended: Up to 20 concurrent devices
• Maximum: 30-40 devices (degraded performance)

Services Impact:

• Base routing: 15% CPU usage
• DNS filtering: +20% CPU
• Content filtering: +25% CPU
• Tor routing: Not recommended (too slow)

When to Choose Pi 3B+

Ideal for:

• Small home networks (10-15 devices)
• Internet connections 200 Mbps or slower
• Budget-constrained deployments
• Learning and experimentation
• Low power consumption priority

Platform Considerations:

• Network throughput limited by USB 2.0 bandwidth
• Suitable for internet connections up to 200-300 Mbps
• Best suited for smaller device counts (up to 20 devices)
• Lower power consumption compared to Pi 4

Storage Selection

SD Card Requirements

Minimum Viable:

• 16GB Class 10
• Basic brand (SanDisk, Samsung)
• Use case: Testing only, not production

Recommended for Home:

• 32GB UHS-I (U1)
• Application Performance Class A1
• SanDisk Ultra or Samsung EVO+
• Cost: $8-12
• Use case: Most home deployments

Recommended for 24/7 Operation:

• 64GB High Endurance
• Rated for continuous read/write
• SanDisk High Endurance or Samsung PRO Endurance
• Cost: $15-25
• Use case: Always-on routers, offices

Enterprise/Critical:

• 128GB Industrial Grade
• MLC instead of TLC flash
• Extended temperature range
• Cost: $40-80
• Use case: Commercial deployments, critical infrastructure

SD Card Speed Classes Explained

For routers: Look for A1 or A2 rating - these are optimized for random read/write operations that routers perform constantly.

Brand Recommendations

Tier 1 (Highly Recommended):

• SanDisk Extreme (consumer)
• SanDisk High Endurance (24/7 use)
• Samsung EVO Plus
• Samsung PRO Endurance (24/7 use)

Tier 2 (Acceptable):

• Kingston Canvas Select Plus
• Lexar Professional
• Transcend High Endurance

Avoid:

• Generic/no-name brands
• Counterfeits (buy from authorized retailers)
• Ultra-cheap cards (reliability issues)
• Cards without speed rating

Power Supply Selection

Raspberry Pi 4 Power

Official Raspberry Pi 5V 3A USB-C Power Supply ($8)

• Recommended for all Pi 4 deployments
• Ensures stable operation
• Prevents under-voltage warnings
• Guaranteed compatibility

Alternative Quality Supplies:

• CanaKit 5V 3A USB-C ($8-10)
• Anker PowerPort USB-C PD (18W+) ($15-20)
• Any USB-C PD supply 15W or higher

Minimum requirements:

• 5V output (5.1V preferred)
• 3A current capability
• USB-C connector
• Quality brand (UL/CE certified)

Raspberry Pi 3B+ Power

Official Raspberry Pi 5V 2.5A Micro-USB Supply ($8)

• Recommended for Pi 3B+
• Micro-USB connector (not USB-C!)
• Sufficient for router operation

Alternative:

• CanaKit 5V 2.5A Micro-USB
• Any quality 2.5A+ micro-USB supply

Minimum requirements:

• 5V output (5.1V preferred)
• 2.5A current capability
• Micro-USB connector

Power Reliability Considerations

For home use:

• Official power supply sufficient
• Consider surge protector

For 24/7 operation:

• Official power supply + UPS
• Battery backup prevents corruption
• Graceful shutdown during outages

For remote/critical deployments:

• UPS mandatory
• Consider redundant power
• PoE HAT for network-powered operation

Cooling Solutions

For Raspberry Pi 3B+

Passive Cooling (Recommended):

• Aluminum heatsink kit ($5-8)
  • 3-piece kit (CPU, RAM, regulator)
  • Thermal adhesive included
  • Silent operation
  • Sufficient for 24/7 routing
• Aluminum case with heatsink ($15-20)
  • Entire case acts as heatsink
  • Professional appearance
  • Better heat dissipation
  • No fan noise

Active Cooling (Optional):

• Only needed in hot environments (30°C+)
• Small 30mm 5V fan ($3-5)
• Reduces temperature by 10-15°C
• Some noise trade-off

For Raspberry Pi 4

Active Cooling (Recommended):

• Official Raspberry Pi 4 Case with Fan ($10-12)
  • Integrated solution
  • Clean appearance
  • Adequate cooling
  • Quiet operation
• Low-profile cooler with fan ($8-12)
  • Better than stock cooling
  • Fits in most cases
  • Moderate noise
• Tower cooler with heat pipes ($15-20)
  • Excellent cooling performance
  • May not fit in case
  • Some noise
  • Best for heavy workloads

Premium Quiet Cooling:

• Noctua NF-A4x10 5V fan ($15) + heatsink
  • Ultra-quiet operation
  • Excellent performance
  • Premium quality
  • Worth it for living spaces

Temperature Guidelines

Check temperature: vcgencmd measure_temp

Network Adapters (Optional)

USB Ethernet Adapters

Why add a USB Ethernet adapter?

• Separate LAN and WAN physically
• Better network isolation
• True dual-interface routing
• Professional network topology

Recommended chipsets:

• Realtek RTL8153 - Best Linux support, gigabit
• ASIX AX88179 - Excellent performance, well-supported

Specific recommendations:

• Cable Matters USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet ($15-20)
  • RTL8153 chipset
  • Plug-and-play on Pi
  • Reliable performance
• Anker USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet ($15-18)
  • Good build quality
  • RTL8153 chipset
  • Compact design
• StarTech USB 3.0 Gigabit ($25-30)
  • Professional grade
  • Excellent reliability
  • Higher cost but worth it

Avoid:

• Generic/no-name adapters (driver issues)
• USB 2.0 adapters (limited to 100 Mbps)
• Adapters with exotic chipsets (poor Linux support)

WiFi Adapters (Not Recommended)

Built-in WiFi is sufficient for most router deployments:

• 802.11ac dual-band
• 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz support
• Good performance as access point

Only add USB WiFi if:

• Need external antenna for range
• Want WiFi backhaul + separate AP
• Specific advanced configuration

Cases and Mounting

Case Selection

Desktop Cases:

• Official Raspberry Pi 4 Case ($5-8)
  • Good fit and finish
  • Basic ventilation
  • Budget-friendly
• Aluminum Heatsink Case ($15-25)
  • Excellent cooling
  • Premium feel
  • No fan needed

Professional Mounting:

• DIN Rail Case ($20-30)
  • Mounts in network cabinet
  • Professional appearance
  • Good cable management
  • Perfect for offices
• Rack Mount Case ($40-60)
  • 19-inch rack mounting
  • Multiple Pi units
  • Data center ready
  • Enterprise appearance

Outdoor/Industrial:

• IP65 Waterproof Case ($50-80)
  • Weather-resistant
  • Wide temperature range
  • Harsh environment protection
  • Edge deployment ready

Mounting Accessories

• VESA mount bracket ($10) - Mount behind monitor
• Wall mount kit ($8) - Clean wall installation
• Velcro strips ($5) - Temporary mounting
• Cable management ($10) - Professional appearance

Complete Build Recommendations

Budget Home Router ($75-95)

For: 10-15 devices, learning, experimentation

Hardware:

• Raspberry Pi 3B+ ($35)
• SanDisk Ultra 32GB SD card ($10)
• Official 2.5A power supply ($8)
• Aluminum heatsink kit ($5)
• Basic case ($8)
• Ethernet cables ($5)

Performance: 200-300 Mbps routing, adequate for most home internet

Pros: Low cost, low power, quiet operation Cons: Limited throughput, fewer devices, less headroom

Standard Home Router ($110-140)

For: 20-50 devices, fast internet (500+ Mbps), room to grow

Hardware:

• Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB) ($45)
• Samsung EVO+ 32GB SD card ($12)
• Official 3A USB-C power supply ($8)
• Case with integrated fan ($12)
• USB Ethernet adapter ($18) - Optional
• Ethernet cables ($5)

Performance: 900+ Mbps routing, excellent for home use

Pros: Excellent performance, future-proof, good value Cons: Slightly higher cost, fan noise (minimal)

Professional Office Router ($170-220)

For: Small office 50-100 devices, 24/7 operation, reliability critical

Hardware:

• Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB) ($55)
• SanDisk High Endurance 64GB ($25)
• Official 3A USB-C power supply ($8)
• Premium tower cooler ($18)
• DIN rail case ($25)
• USB Ethernet adapter ($20)
• UPS battery backup ($40)
• Ethernet cables ($10)

Performance: 900+ Mbps routing, extensive logging, stable 24/7

Pros: Enterprise-grade reliability, professional mounting, UPS protection Cons: Higher initial cost, active cooling noise

Edge/Remote Router ($140-180)

For: Remote locations, edge computing, difficult access

Hardware:

• Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB) ($45)
• Samsung PRO Endurance 64GB ($30)
• PoE HAT ($20)
• Aluminum heatsink case ($20)
• USB Ethernet adapter ($18) - Optional
• PoE injector if needed ($15)

Performance: Remote management, power flexibility, reliable operation

Pros: PoE power, remote manageable, reliable storage Cons: Higher cost, PoE infrastructure needed

Development/Testing Setup ($120-150)

For: Developers, testing, experimentation, learning

Hardware:

• Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB) ($55)
• SanDisk Ultra 32GB SD card ($10)
• Official 3A power supply ($8)
• Low-profile cooler ($12)
• Basic case ($8)
• USB Ethernet adapter ($18)
• Spare SD card for backups ($10)

Performance: Headroom for development, fast compile times

Pros: Good performance, extra RAM for development, easy reconfiguration Cons: Higher cost than needed for production

Where to Buy

Authorized Retailers (Recommended)

United States:

• Adafruit - Excellent support, makers-focused
• CanaKit - Complete kits available
• Micro Center - In-store pickup, good prices
• Raspberry Pi Official - Direct from source

International:

• Raspberry Pi Approved Resellers - Official list by country

What to Avoid

Counterfeit indicators:

• Price too good to be true
• Seller has poor reviews
• No manufacturer warranty
• Ships from unusual locations
• "Compatible with" instead of "Raspberry Pi"

Buying tips:

• Buy from authorized resellers
• Check seller reputation
• Verify manufacturer warranty
• Compare specifications carefully
• Save receipts for warranty claims

Upgrade Paths

When to Upgrade

From Pi 3B+ to Pi 4:

• Internet upgraded to 500+ Mbps
• Adding 20+ devices
• Need faster DNS resolution
• Want additional services
• Experiencing performance issues

From Pi 4 2GB to 4GB/8GB:

• Running out of memory
• Want extensive logging
• Adding monitoring/analytics
• 100+ concurrent devices
• Future-proofing

Migration Strategy

1. Flash new SD card with latest image
2. Backup configuration from old router
3. Parallel run - Test new router alongside old
4. Verify functionality - All services working
5. Cutover - Switch network to new router
6. Keep old router as backup/spare

Cost Summary

Next Steps

After selecting your hardware:

1. Purchase components from authorized retailers
2. Flash SD card with Pimeleon router image
3. Physical setup - Assemble and connect
4. First boot configuration - Initial setup

Related Documentation

• Flashing Guide - Write image to SD card
• Physical Setup - Assemble and connect hardware
• Cooling Science - Temperature management
• Network Integration - Add to your network