
OpenWrt 18.06.4 - tapper82
https://openwrt.org/releases/18.06/notes-18.06.4
======
woliveirajr
I choose my routers based on if they are supported or not by OpenWrt. And for
everybody that asks my opinion, too. Because they might not
need/want/know/have a desire to install OpenWrt now, but it's good to have the
door open for the future.

~~~
Fnoord
Ubiquiti routers don't support OpenWrt. They're still excellent. You could
also install OPNSense/PfSense on a PC Engines machine (they apparently also
run on OpenWrt).

~~~
tmottabr
But I think their bridges firmware is based on it..

~~~
pseudalopex
Ubiquiti forked EdgeOS from Vyatta.

------
tapper82
For people asking about the user interface of OpenWrt. I think it is very well
dun. I get a long with it just fine and I am blind and have to use a screen
reader. A11y in Luci is grate. All the pages make sence to most people you do
not have to be a networking expert.

~~~
hjek
I just installed OpenWRT on a tl-wr841.

The interface is such an improvement over the built-in. It's really well-made.

Tried it out in Links text-only browser, just because, and it works fine there
as well. They did a fantastic job with progressive enhancement IMO. Good to
hear it's working well with screen readers.

The built-in router interface just flat out refused to even show a login form
w/o JS, and disabled right clicking, which was really annoying, because I was
trying to get our PPPoE details from a pre-filled password input.

It was too difficult for me to capture the pw with a script from the console,
as the password input was inside another iframe. Ended up using Wireshark!

------
escanda
This week due a wifi network intrusion I bought a Linksys Wrt3200acm. It looks
good on paper and it has two boot partitions so it doesn't brick. I installed
a device specific distribution recommended on the forums. Well, the 5ghz wifi
range is total crap with Openwrt because the wifi driver is not as advanced as
the one shipped by default and with the open source driver it can't transmit
at full power.

I ditched Openwrt and installed back the stock firmware. But I am returning
this device to Amazon tomorrow.

Which modern device do you recommend?

~~~
Fnoord
I would recommend a Ubiquti UniFi [1]. Although I'm so pissed off that I can't
deeplink to their UniFi product page that I'm almost not making this very
post. Which specific one depends on your needs and budget.

[1] [https://www.ui.com/products/#](https://www.ui.com/products/#)

~~~
escanda
I was a Wisp user for some time so I know the brand and it was a solid device
overall. I looked into the UniFi products and the AP plus a controller is
almost 100 euros more expensive than the Linksys device. I will look in the
future for Ubiquiti devices but I think I am going to use a standard WiFi
device (after all it is a one story flat not too big) and perhaps in the
future I will buy a barebones so I can run pfsense with the current wifi
device as a dumb AP.

~~~
Fnoord
You can run controller in the cloud, or on a Raspberry Pi, or on a VM, or ...

~~~
ac29
Or just on your laptop. The controller is only required for setup, the AP's
can run in standalone mode just fine after being setup (they just don't have
any user interface to speak of on their own).

------
d33
I recently started running into performance issues on OpenWRT 15.05. I found
out that the latest kernels have lots of important optimizations, including
"software offloading" and - if your hardware is supported - "hardware
offloading". I updated the software and found that it instantly sped up by a
large margin, then updated to the latest Git snapshot and managed to NAT at
600mbps at my - rather old - router. So, my suggestion is:

If you had network performance problems before, _DO UPDATE_. You might be
surprised at how much faster it can get. In my case it was doubled.

------
tapper82
I run OpenWrt on my wrt3200acm. It runs grate, but I use it for routing only.
I run 2 TP-Link c7 v2s as dumb APs for both 5 and 2.4 GHZ. The c7s are on
OpenWrt to. The WRT3200acm does adblocking, runs BanIP and DNS over HTTPS.
Plus some firewall rools and BCP38. I am very happy with OpenWrt and my setup!
If you have a router that can run OpenWrt you should giv it a go. We have good
forums and a irc channel. Even a twitter to help.
[https://twitter.com/openwrth?lang=en](https://twitter.com/openwrth?lang=en)
Happy flashing!

------
vmp
OpenWRT is awesome. Though I have my own story of woe: they switched a very
specific WiFi driver implementation to another one which completely broke my
5GHz wifi, it leaked kernel-memory until the AP became unresponsive (fast).
Though OpenWRT is so awesome that even someone like me who has no experience
with embedded hardware can compile a new firmware with the old WiFi driver and
it worked! :)

~~~
metildaa
The first gen Archer C7 routers kernel panic as Qualcomm decided to not
support the 5GHz card in the driver they use (but later revisions of said card
are supported). You end up needing to open the router and remove the card just
to get it to boot.

~~~
mangix
That issue will be fixed in 19.07.

[https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/commit/34113999ef430ce74a...](https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/commit/34113999ef430ce74a627ab6e6a5370aa41c9d20)

Given that the pci card is removable, it makes sense to replace with something
else.

------
prvc
Need a quick primer on the differences between various current flavors of open
router firmware.

~~~
mangix
Tomato - Broadcom only - 2.6.22/.38 kernel (with multiple patches on top).

DD-WRT - Most compatible - various kernels - some drivers are closed source

OpenWrt - Fully open (except for firmware) - Latest LTS kernels. 19.07 will
use 4.14 for almost every target.

~~~
mdaniel
And a shout-out to Asuswrt-Merlin for ASUS models ([https://www.asuswrt-
merlin.net/](https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/) and
[https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin](https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-
merlin) and [https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-
merlin.ng](https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng)), which I have on my
ASUS RT-N66U and have been very pleased with. I am actually running a self-
compiled image just to ensure it's possible, and I found that process
relatively painless

------
molticrystal
Thanks for letting me know about the update!

Thanks to a helpful reddit post I found out that people can be notified by
subscribing to the github project or this atom feed to be alerted to new
releases:

[https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/releases.atom](https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/releases.atom)

~~~
tapper82
Hi there is the email list, but It can get a bit spammy. Or follow me on
twitter @OpenwrtH:
[https://twitter.com/openwrth?lang=en](https://twitter.com/openwrth?lang=en)

------
chx
Let me grab this occassion: is there a Elecom WRH-583BK2-S sized similarly
dual RJ45 dual band router -- with OpenWRT compatibility?
[https://twitter.com/ysks/status/773135671057784833/photo/1](https://twitter.com/ysks/status/773135671057784833/photo/1)
it is not OpenWRT compatible. Specs at
[https://twitter.com/ysks/status/773141289197981696](https://twitter.com/ysks/status/773141289197981696)

~~~
aspenmayer
The GL.iNet GL-AR750 is a bit bigger at 88x68x24mm @ 66g vs 65x35x20.5mm @ 45g
but does have OpenWRT preinstalled.

[https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750/](https://www.gl-
inet.com/products/gl-ar750/)

Edit: it is also dual-band, unlike the GL-iNet 6416 or other smaller units
from same vendor.

~~~
chx
I have the AR750. It's not a "bit" bigger. I mean, 143ml vs 46ml, that's a
three times difference.

~~~
aspenmayer
Maybe try to find a GL-AR300MD? They are discontinuted, but they were
58x58x25mm for a volume of 84.1ml. That's the only product I could find
anywhere that met your requirements and is smaller than the GL-AR750.

Edit:

[https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar300m/](https://www.gl-
inet.com/products/gl-ar300m/) (scroll to bottom to see GL-AR300MD)

IA link to when the product page still existed:

[https://web.archive.org/web/20180113053817/https://www.gl-
in...](https://web.archive.org/web/20180113053817/https://www.gl-
inet.com/product/gl-ar300md/)

~~~
chx
GL called the GL-AR300MD a beta product.

~~~
aspenmayer
Out of curiosity, what do you recommend for the use case you originally
mentioned?

------
fencepost
I'm still running OpenWRT on a Netgear WNDR3700v2 (one of the earlier routers
to have all gigabit), but it feels like it's showing its age.

I'm thinking that when I replace it it's more likely to be with something
running either Untangle's free-level options or pfSense (plus a separate AP
for either, most likely). Could also go with something Mikrotik to be cheap,
but I'm more interested in getting used to working with something that has UTM
options as well.

~~~
jrrrr
v1 still going strong :)

Shut off its wifi radios a few years ago but it still routes and runs dynamic
dns just fine.

Are you using any extra OpenWRT functionality?

~~~
fencepost
I'm still using the radios - no AC, but N works well enough for me and gets me
more speed than my Internet connection. Besides, I'm using old-enough laptops
that they also don't go higher than N.

As for extra functionality, at one point I had things set up to VPN into my
home network for either remote access or coffeeshop security, but I turned it
back off after not using it for something like 6 months. I've been amused by
all the Asterisk packages available, but I'm pretty sure I don't actually want
to try to _run_ it on a 7+ year old ARM device with 16MB of flash (or with
extended storage via USB2).

------
terminalhealth
Why didn't the upgrade take over my OpenVPN packages? I had to install the
packages openvpn and luci-app-openvpn manually, but the settings were still
there, fortunately.

~~~
mangix
Stock firmwares do not include a big package like OpenVPN. Hence, it muat be
redownloaded.

~~~
josteink
Stupid question:

Will doing a “opkg upgrade” give the same effective result as flashing an
updated stock/sysupgrade image?

Asking because it’s annoying remembering which packages I need to reinstall.

~~~
mangix
Almost. The kernel will stay the same.

~~~
josteink
Any reliable, device-agnostic way to upgrade the kernel only, without fiddling
with dd?

Being completely up to date always feels better :)

~~~
mangix
On some devices it's located on a separate partition. I wouldn't do it though
as it might cause issues with the kernel modules.

------
mikepurvis
How is the UX story on OpenWRT these days? I have an Archer C7 running stock
FW in my basement that keeps acting up, and my default would be just to flash
DD-WRT. I'm not opposed to a little bit of CLI fiddling, but I definitely also
like my router to be a set and forget type of device.

As far as what to do with it, I could picture house-wide ad/tracker blocking,
sending traffic analytics to elastic, potentially some homeassistant/rtlsdr
type stuff.

~~~
jotm
It's good these days. Slightly less logical than DD-wrt, but pretty great
overall.

See other people's comments on running Openwrt on the C7, seems to have issues
with 5ghz WiFi?

~~~
floatboth
C7 rev 2 works flawlessly with OpenWRT

------
dhruvkar
What exactly are the benefits of having Openwrt installed on your router? What
additional functionality does it provide the average HN user?

~~~
dredmorbius
Vastly more power and flexibility, with a highly usable Web interface (LUCI)
_and_ console access.

Regular updates.

Excellent documentation.

[https://openwrt.org/docs/start](https://openwrt.org/docs/start)

And a whole set of packed applications and tools. There are about 6,000
packages in total, ranging from device-specific and kernel support to advanced
applications such as media servers. Link below is just the larger apps.

[https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-
user/services/start](https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/services/start)

Re-romming my DSL modem (500 Mhz dual-core CPU, 64 MB RAM, 8 MB Flash), as
advantages over stock vendor firmware, I get:

\- SSH access, rather than periodically-enabled telnet

\- adblock

\- remote logging capabilities.

\- performance and activity monitoring.

\- consistent interface with my router (also running OpenWRT).

\- Full-featured shell tools rathee than barebones Busybox versions, if I
like.

\- Remote filesystems / additional storage.

Depending on your device(s) and capabilities, your modem, router, or other
hardware can serve as a home server: NAS, UuuNextCloud, Webserver, VOIP
services, media server, PXEBoot (useful for testing images/deployments), guest
network(s), VPN, proxy servers, email, mesh networks, messaging, captive
portals, and far more.

~~~
foresto
> Regular updates.

...and continued updates for much longer than you will get from most
manufacturers.

------
sercand
I am having an issue with OpenWrt when I upload binary to Apple AppStore with
XCode. The router stops workings and restarts during upload. My current router
is Archer A7 and I don't have an issue with another router which also has
OpenWrt.

It is really a strange problem. How uploading a binary to apple servers can
cause this?

~~~
tapper82
Hi I think the best thing would be for us to take this to the forums.
[https://forum.openwrt.org/](https://forum.openwrt.org/) Pleas post as mutch
info as you can. make of router and build of openwrt. Or post a bug here:
[https://bugs.openwrt.org/](https://bugs.openwrt.org/)

------
bmc7505
Are there any 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) compliant OpenWrt routers on the market
today?

~~~
tapper82
No sorry. There is no open drivers.

------
mr_sturd
Running DD-WRT on my router, currently. Would people tend to recommend
OpenWRT, these days?

I haven't been in the loop WRT open router firmwares in a while...

~~~
mangix
Yes

DD-WRT remains a hacky codebase with several things breaking all the time. I'm
aure some people are running it just fine though.

It also uses close-source drivers for some equipment.

Last time I tried it on an Archer C7v2, the 5ghz didn't work properly.

~~~
mr_sturd
Thank you.

I did some digging and my router, the Asus RT-AC68U C1, being Broadcom-based,
has no working WiFi. Guess I'll stay put.

~~~
rzzzt
Merlin's firmware might be interesting to you: [https://www.asuswrt-
merlin.net/features](https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/features)

(I did not install it, because the model I have has fallen out of the
supported hardware list a while ago, but it'd be great to hear how well it
does for anyone else.)

------
dredmorbius
Awesome, as I was just trying. to recompile the image for my (small) device,
which failed after 9 hours(!) of building.

OpenWRT itself is amazing.

------
girish1729
If you have any work on openwrt I have relevant experience doing a GPS project
and a home router project.

My page is

Http://profile.gayatri-hitech.com

