# martin-ger/esp32_nat_router

An AI-enabled NAT Router/Firewall for the ESP32

Repository: https://github.com/martin-ger/esp32_nat_router
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/esp32_nat_router
Language: C
License Family: other
Topics: esp32, esp-idf, nat, router, dhcp-server, firewall, mcp-server, wireguard, vpn, pcap, wt32-eth01, home-assistant-integration
Last push: 2026-06-27T05:53:47+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 72/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 89, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2389, "days_push": 67, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2126, forks 478 (observed 2026-08-28T04:06:16.923022+00:00)

## What it is
Open-source firmware that turns an ESP32 into a WiFi NAT router and firewall, routing between an AP interface and a STA or Ethernet uplink. It supports WireGuard VPN uplink, DHCP reservations, port forwarding, ACL firewall rules, packet capture, and AI agent control via an MCP server.

## Use cases
- turn an esp32 into a wifi range extender
- set up a guest wifi network with restricted access
- use a wireguard vpn router on cheap hardware
- convert wpa2-enterprise wifi to wpa-psk for simple devices
- isolate iot devices on a separate network
- monitor and debug wifi traffic with wireshark
- control my network with an ai agent via mcp
- integrate presence detection into home assistant

## When to choose
- you need a cheap, hackable router or repeater on ESP32 hardware
- you want WireGuard VPN or firewall ACLs on a tiny embedded device
- you need packet capture or Home Assistant integration on a small network appliance

## When to avoid
- you need high throughput beyond ~15 Mbps
- you want a production-grade router for a large home network
- you need a maintained, licensed product for commercial use

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: networking, security, monitoring, vpn, mcp
- domain: networking, security, iot, self-hosted, privacy
- platform: embedded, iot
- tags: esp32, nat-router, wireguard, firewall, wifi-repeater, dhcp-server, pcap, home-assistant, firmware, wt32-eth01

## Member repositories
- martin-ger/esp32_nat_router (main) score 72

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:16.923022+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:52:31.766067+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/martin-ger/esp32_nat_router (fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:16.923022+00:00, sha f91795558c14)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.