Your time is valuable. Spend it on hardware that respects your freedom.
For the average user, attempting to flash OpenWrt onto a RTL8196E device is generally discouraged in 2024. Here is the practical reality: rtl8196e openwrt
Typically paired with 16MB–64MB RAM and 4MB–8MB Flash. Networking: Five 10/100M Ethernet ports. OpenWrt Support Status Your time is valuable
If OpenWrt is too heavy or unsupported:
There are "unofficial" builds available, but they often lack hardware NAT support, meaning routing speeds may be slower than the original factory firmware. rtl8196e openwrt