Best box for server (and captive portal)

[mytheory]

Hi folks,

I'm a student and I work on a project that aims to use inexpensive android tv boxes as servers that could allow anyone within a wifi range to access local resources like Wikipedia or Khan academy for free - even in areas where the internet and electricity is unreliable.

I would like to know what would be the best box to run a server on what will use content on an SD card.

Ideally, I would like something that is

• affordable
• use common CPU and wifi drivers
• easy to root
• and can be used to create a captive portal (something like this)

Ok to be fair, I'm very new to this, but it's for a good cause.

You guys are better at this than me, I can tell already.
Any suggestions? I will name the first boxes we deploys in remove villages after you!

Thanks,

[mitchell4you]

I would start at my local second hand store(s) ... aka kringloop stores
Some, might have a arm tvbox or rassberry pi

Balbes150 has some good linux roms...here at freaktab
- This might give you some hint on what hardware you are looking for

Perhaps you can tell where you live
-If you are in the EU I might have a arm board with root for free

If I think about a webserver on arm.. I think rockchip with linux.. for example asus 3288 or rassberry pi
How many users are you thinking off?

anyway.. goodluck

[mytheory]

I live in Canada.
I can use Amazon prime and return it worst case scenario.
I got this to start testing - and maybe home use - : https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It was rooted by default

Running as an android app could give me a bunch of advantages down the line. But if android is too limiting, I guess I could always just flash it to linux.

About 10 users at the same time should be a good start.

Raspberry pie doesn't seems that cheap VS an android box if you factor in that you need all the accessories and assembly time (per unit)... or am I missing something?

[mytheory]

any suggestions?

[mitchell4you]

So, how is this project going?
What device did you choose ?
What OS.. and software did you choose
Learned allot ?
Was it hard.. or easy to get it running?

Cheers