Mesh/OpenWRT

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OpenWRT installation

Web interface method

  • Power on router and let it boot.
  • Press and hold power button for 30 seconds.
  • Wait for router to reboot.
  • Connect to the access point using LAN.
  • Go to web interface, e.g. http://192.168.1.1/
If this doesn't work, look up the reset method for your specific router.
  • Find the firmware upgrade page.
  • On your computer, download the firmware.
Different versions are here.
The snapshots directory has recent development versions.
If you have a WRT54G you probably want [1] assuming 12.09 (attitude adjustment) is the most recent stable version.
If you have an Asus RT-N10+, you probably want [2] assuming 12.09 (attitude adjustment is the most recent stable version.
  • Upload the firmware using the web form and wait for the router to reboot.

TFTP method

This requires that the router has a TFTP server enabled. Type these commands with the router powered off, then power on the router and it should work. For some routers (like the Asus RT-N10+) you have to hold down the reset button while you plug in the power, and keep it held in for a few seconds after. 

tftp 192.168.1.1
binary
rexmt 1
timeout 60
trace
tftp> put firmwarefile.bin

If it doesn't work, try omitting the "rexmt 1" line.

Curl method

You may use the command line tool 'curl' on Linux and Mac OS X systems to send files to your router. For instance, to flash the firmware of the Asus R10+ router, using 'curl' instead of tftp, you can issue the following command: 

  $ curl -T openwrt-ramips-rt305x-rt-n10-plus-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin tftp://192.168.1.1

OpenWRT configuration

Logging in and setting root password

Telnet into the device: 

telnet 192.168.1.1

If it asks for a password use 'passwd' (without the quotes).

Set a root password on the router: 

passwd

Verify that you can log in using ssh from your computer: 

ssh root@192.168.1.1

If you can ssh into the router, disable telnet: 

rm /etc/rc.d/S50telnet

Enabling TFTP

Operating Systems: TFTP clients

Windows 7/Server 2008

TFTP is disabled by default. In Control Panel > Programs and Features, click on Turn Windows features on or off, find TFTP Client and tick the box. You should now be able to use TFTP from the command prompt

Linux:

using whatever your Linux distribution's package management might be, you need to check for the presence of a tftp client, and if necessary, install that package. Instructions for xUbuntu/Linux Mint (xUbuntu means any Ubuntu based distribution, including Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc. Instructions for Debian may be similar, but are not yet tested).

(Linux: for Ubuntu/Linux Mint only)

tftp client may not be installed by default on Ubuntu 12.10 or Linux Mint 14. check and see if you have it by issuing: 

  dpkg --get-selections | grep tftp

if you do not have the client, then install it with: 

  sudo apt-get install tftp

Enabling TFTP on various routers

WRT54G / WRT54GL

If you're on an WRT54G or WRT54GL then you should do this to enable TFTP. If you're not on one of those routers, then don't do it!

It makes it easier to upgrade the firmware and recover from serious problems.

CAUTION: This will reboot your router. 

nvram set boot_wait=on
nvram set boot_time=10
nvram set wait_time=10
nvram commit && reboot

Enabling wifi

OpenWRT has wifi disabled per default.

vim /etc/config/wireless

Remove the line indicated: 

        config wifi-device  radio0
	option type     mac80211
	option channel  11
	option macaddr	00:1c:10:bc:a7:1f
	option hwmode	11g

	# REMOVE THIS LINE TO ENABLE WIFI:
	option disabled 1

Reboot.

Wait a few minutes, then ssh back into the router.

Run 'wifi'. You should see the following: 

	root@OpenWrt:~# wifi
	Configuration file: /var/run/hostapd-phy0.conf
	Using interface wlan0 with hwaddr 00:1c:10:bc:a7:1f and ssid "OpenWrt"


Connecting to wifi

You will need internet access to install packages and other things. Edit your config wifi-iface section to match the example below.

vi /etc/config/wireless 

config wifi-iface 
	option device   radio0 
	option network  wwan 
	option mode     sta 
	option ssid     sudoroom
	option encryption none

If you're on an encrypted network add the following options... 

option encryption psk2
option key 1234567890

Next add the "wwan" interface.

vi /etc/config/network 

config interface wwan 
	option proto dhcp

Restart networking and you should be set. /etc/init.d/network restart

Installing BATMAN

These are the required packages: 

kmod-batman-adv_3.3.8+2012.3.0-3_<chipset>.ipk
kmod-crypto-crc32c_3.3.8-1_<chipset>.ipk
kmod-crypto-hash_3.3.8-1_<chipset>.ipk
kmod-lib-crc16_3.3.8-1_<chipset>.ipk
kmod-lib-crc32c_3.3.8-1_<chipset>.ipk
kmod-tun_3.3.8-1_<chipset>.ipk
libpthread_0.9.33.2-1_<chipset>.ipk


Router-specific notes

Asus RT-N10+

This router has TFTP enabled out of the box. You _must_ set your computer's IP address on ethernet, however, to '192.168.1.15' in order to be able to use a command-line TFTP client.

Meraki mini

None of the methods on the openwrt wiki page worked, so I had to resort to using the serial console.

  • Open the router (two screws behind the sticker).
  • Connect a USB to 3.3v serial adapter to the serial pins.

Serial pins with the antenna pointing away from you and the ethernet port pointing towards you, from left to right: 

1: 3.3v
2: TX
3: RX
4: GND

The router may either be using 9600 or 115200 baud. Other settings are 8N1 with software and hardware flow control turned off.

Start minicom with e.g: 

minicom -o -D /dev/ttyUSB0

Then configure by hitting ctrl+a followed by an o. Use the arrow keys to select "Serial port setup" and adjust settings. When done, hit escape once or twice to exit the menu. Optionally you can choose to "Save setup as dfl" to save the settings for next time.

When you plug in the router with the serial connected, you should see the following line: 

== Executing boot script in 2.000 seconds - enter ^C to abort

Once you see that line, immediately hit ctrl+c.

You will then get a RedBoot prompt like this: 

RedBoot>

Leave that sitting in its window for a bit. You'll need it later.

You will now need to set up a tftp server on your computer.

Install the tftp server: 

sudo aptitude install tftpd-hpa

Make sure it isn't running with default parameters: 

sudo /etc/init.d/tftpd-hpa stop

Download openwrt: 

cd
mkdir openwrt_for_meraki_mini
cd openwrt_for_meraki_mini
wget http://downloads.openwrt.org/attitude_adjustment/12.09/atheros/generic/openwrt-atheros-vmlinux.gz
wget http://downloads.openwrt.org/attitude_adjustment/12.09/atheros/generic/openwrt-atheros-root.squashfs

You may want to get a different version than attitude adjustment stable. Just make sure you get the two files ending in vmlinux.gz and root.squashfs, and make sure you get them for the atheros chipset.

Ensure that NetworkManager is not managing your network card. The easiest temporary way of doing this is to stop NetworkManager: 

sudo /etc/init.d/network-manager stop

Change the IP of your network card to 192.168.84.9: 

sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.84.9 netmask 255.255.255.0 up

cd into the directory where the .gz and .squashfs files are located, then start the tftp server: 

sudo in.tftpd -l -L -p --address 192.168.84.9 --secure ./

It doesn't tell you it's been started, it just sits there waiting. You can test that it's working using: 

curl tftp://192.168.84.9/openwrt-atheros-vmlinux.gz > /tmp/out.gz

Which should download the .gz file to /tmp/out.gz

Now, go back to the RedBoot console waiting for you in minicom:

Execute the following commands, pressing y when asked questions. The "fis create" commands will take a long time to complete. 

 RedBoot> ip_address -l 192.168.84.1 -h 192.168.84.9
 RedBoot> fis init
 RedBoot> load -r -b 0x80041000 -m tftp -h 192.168.84.9 openwrt-atheros-vmlinux.gz
 RedBoot> fis create -r 0x80041000 -l 0x180000 -e 0x80041000 linux
 RedBoot> load -r -b 0x80041000 -m tftp -h 192.168.84.9 openwrt-atheros-root.squashfs
 RedBoot> fis create -r 0x80041000 -l 0x620000 rootfs
 RedBoot> fconfig -d boot_script_data
    fis load -d linux
    exec

 RedBoot> reset

Thanks to the Hack Notes blog for the above RedBoot commands.

After the router resets, you should have OpenWRT running in the serial console. Change your IP address again: 

sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.100 netmask 255.255.255.0 up

Now you should be able to telnet into the meraki: 

telnet 192.168.1.1

If it worked: Hurray!

When you're done, remember to re-enable network manager: 

 sudo /etc/init.d/network-manager start
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