Virtual Router Plus vs Open Garden

Struggling to choose between Virtual Router Plus and Open Garden? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Virtual Router Plus is a Network & Admin solution with tags like router, networking, wifi, firewall, nat, dhcp, dns.

It boasts features such as Network address translation, DHCP server, DNS proxy, WiFi access point, Bandwidth control, Port forwarding, Load balancing, VPN server, Access control and pros including Free and open source, Easy to set up and use, Provides full routing functionality, Can turn old PCs into routers, Good for home and small office networks.

On the other hand, Open Garden is a Network & Admin product tagged with mesh-networking, peertopeer, offline-connectivity.

Its standout features include Allows devices to connect directly via peer-to-peer, Enables mesh networking, Works over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct, Can access internet through mesh networks, Encryption and firewall built-in, and it shines with pros like Works without internet connection, Good for areas with poor connectivity, Mesh networking increases coverage, Encrypted connections, Free and open source.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Virtual Router Plus

Virtual Router Plus

Virtual Router Plus is a free, open source software that allows users to turn any Windows PC into a full-featured router for home and small office networks. It provides features like network address translation, DHCP server, DNS proxy and filtering, WiFi access point, bandwidth control, and more.

Categories:
router networking wifi firewall nat dhcp dns

Virtual Router Plus Features

  1. Network address translation
  2. DHCP server
  3. DNS proxy
  4. WiFi access point
  5. Bandwidth control
  6. Port forwarding
  7. Load balancing
  8. VPN server
  9. Access control

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Easy to set up and use

Provides full routing functionality

Can turn old PCs into routers

Good for home and small office networks

Cons

Lacks some advanced features of commercial routers

GUI could be more intuitive

Documentation could be improved


Open Garden

Open Garden

Open Garden is an app that enables devices to connect directly to each other via peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct connections without an internet connection. It helps users build mesh networks to access the internet.

Categories:
mesh-networking peertopeer offline-connectivity

Open Garden Features

  1. Allows devices to connect directly via peer-to-peer
  2. Enables mesh networking
  3. Works over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct
  4. Can access internet through mesh networks
  5. Encryption and firewall built-in

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Works without internet connection

Good for areas with poor connectivity

Mesh networking increases coverage

Encrypted connections

Free and open source

Cons

Requires other users to expand coverage

Setup can be complex

Mesh reliability depends on users

Only useful if internet access is limited