I’m considering switching from Raspap to PiFi. Is it possible to install it on the same OS without loosing any data?
It needs it’s own installation at the moment (i.e SD card)
It’s based on OpenWRT which is a full operating system. You boot one or the other, not both at the same time on the same install.
OpenWrt boots tiny, runs tiny, and almost everything is optimised for networking - meaning that it’s night and day faster than something like RaspAP or networking software installed on top of another OS
I have looked at it - and won’t rule it out but for now performance wins this way
I saw that the last update was 8 months ago on GitHub… Compared to Raspap, they got updated a week ago.
Also, I never installed another OS other than the official Raspberry Pi one. What’s the difference between the 2?
RaspAP is a fantastic project that brings routing and hotspot features to a very wide range of hardware and Linux distributions. Because it sits on top of a general purpose OS that is always evolving, it naturally needs regular updates to stay aligned as kernels, packages and drivers change.
Our approach is simply different. The firmware is built specifically for networking and runs on OpenWrt. By supporting a narrow set of platforms, currently Pi 4 and Pi 5, we manage the entire stack end to end. That lets the base remain consistent for long periods, with many enhancements delivered through the app, which is how most people use PiFi day to day.
It is essentially flexibility versus specialisation. Raspberry Pi OS is designed to be a full computer. PiFi is tuned to behave like a dedicated router, so services such as OpenVPN, WireGuard, routing and ad blocking tend to be quicker and more predictable, with AdGuard Home available immediately.
If you want to explore it, the simplest method is to use another SD card so you can switch back whenever you like.