There really aren't that many modem/router combos out there you can actually flash with open source firmware.
Router? Sure, no problem.
Modem? Outside of some very niche Fritzbox devices and others listed on OpenWRT Table of Hardware
There really just aren't that many.
So, fine. I will use a proprietary modem.
I will put it into bridge mode, let it decode the DSL analog signals into ethernet and feed that into a router of my choice.
Question is: Which modem?
I don't want two devices heating up my shelf. I just want a tiny modem that converts analog to digital into an RJ45 and then let's the router do its thing.
Does such a magical device exist, because my search on this front has proved largely fruitless
The fibre modem my ISP uses is pretty small, about the same size as one of those small unifi switches, but it still feels like there's almost nothing in it.
I have taken apart the fibre modem of a different provider before, which was just a small PCB no larger than a raspberry pi and a fibre extension cable.
It was packed in this hunk of junk.
collapsed inline media
Hmm! Good to know there's some hope with the size of fibre modems