OpenWRT on Asus WL-500gP: Installation Guide

Revision as of 08:18, 15 July 2007 by Admin (Talk | contribs)

Replace Firmware with Linux

1. Access Asus router via web browser from PC. Programmed WAN IP address and network information.

2. Powered off the Asus router.

3. Downloaded openwrt-brcm-2.4-squashfs.trx and saved to my PC local disk.

4. Disabled all NIC's on the PC except for the one connected to the Asus.

5. Held in black "restore" button on back of router while powering it on. Waiting until power light (orange broken circle with line in top) stopped flashing.

6. Ran ASUS "Firmware Restoration" utility. Selected the file "openwrt-brcm-2.4-squashfs.trx" and submit. Waiting until status bar went across screen, then watched router reboot. Waiting another five minutes for good measure.

instructions on using firmware restoration:
  • Disable all but one network interfaces on your PC. This is nessesary because the firmware restoration tool is not very intelligent in finding the correct interface to use for communicating with the router.
  • Configure Windows TCP/IP networking to have static IP address 192.168.1.10 as shown in this image.
  • Disconnect the power cable.
  • Press the reset button on the back of the router.
  • Keep pressing the reset button while inserting the power cable again.
  • Keep pressing the reset button until the power LED starts flashing every second.
  • Start the firmware restoration tool on your PC (You can find this tool on the CD or download it from the Asus website).
  • This tool should find the Asus router -> select it.
  • Select the correct firmware file you want to upload. Double check again if it's the correct one!
  • Press upload.

7. Using a web browser on the PC accessed the router on 192.168.1.1 and set a root password.

8. Using SSH accessed the router as 'root' and the new password and checked everything out. 

br0       Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX  
          inet addr:192.168.XY.1  Bcast:192.168.XY.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:264 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:186 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:25278 (24.6 KiB)  TX bytes:46890 (45.7 KiB)

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:18:F3:70:5D:E4  
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING PROMISC MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:260 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1783 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:30678 (29.9 KiB)  TX bytes:161902 (158.1 KiB)
          Interrupt:4 

eth2      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX  
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING ALLMULTI MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:3263
          TX packets:1696 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:107811 (105.2 KiB)
          Interrupt:2 Base address:0x2000 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

vlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:18:F3:70:5D:E4  
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING ALLMULTI MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:264 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1781 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:26334 (25.7 KiB)  TX bytes:149714 (146.2 KiB)

vlan1     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX  
          inet addr:XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX  Bcast:XXX.XXX.XXX.255  Mask:255.255.255.XXX
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

 

Network Configuration

My desire is to have 3 interfaces, one WAN, one LAN, and one WiFi. (screened subnet architecture)

Here are some notes on vlans with OpenWRT:

  • hwname is always eth0, the switch itself.
  • always include port 5 because it is how the traffic is seen by the CPU (internal tagged port)

configuration concept: 

Port 0: WAN:: vlan1 - connect to router, public IP address
Port 1: LAN1: vlan0 - connect to network switch, private LAN IP address
port 2: LAN2: vlan1
port 3: LAN3: vlan2
port 4: LAN4: vlan2
Wifi :::::::: vlan2
  • It's a good idea when choosing a vlan layout to keep port 1 in vlan0. At least the WRT54GS v1.0 will not accept new firmware via TFTP if port 1 is in another VLAN.

1. Configure interfaces and vlans 

nvram set vlan0hwname=et0
nvram set vlan0ports="1 5*"

nvram set vlan1hwname=et0
nvram set vlan1ports="0 2 5*"

nvram set vlan2hwname=et0
nvram set vlan2ports="3 4 5*"

nvram set wan_ifname=vlan1
nvram set wan_ifnames=vlan1
nvram set wan_ipaddr=PUBLIC.IP.ADDRESS
nvram set wan_netmask=255.255.255.248
nvram set wan_proto=static
nvram set wan_gateway=PUBLIC.IP.GATEWAY

nvram set lan_ifname=br0
nvram set lan_ifnames="vlan0"
nvram set lan_ipaddr=192.168.XX.1
nvram set lan_netmask=255.255.255.0
nvram set lan_proto=static

nvram set dmz_ifname=br1
nvram set dmz_ifnames="vlan2 eth2"
nvram set dmz_proto=static
nvram set dmz_ipaddr=192.168.XY.1
nvram set dmz_netmask=255.255.255.0

nvram set ifup_interfaces="lan wan wifi dmz"

echo `nvram get vlan0ports` > /proc/switch/eth0/vlan/0/ports
echo `nvram get vlan1ports` > /proc/switch/eth0/vlan/1/ports
echo `nvram get vlan2ports` > /proc/switch/eth0/vlan/2/ports

I'm going to write this to nvram. 

nvram commit

Note that lan, wan, and wifi are reserved names meaningful to the firmware.

Now I'm switching the wire from port 1 to 4 and changing the PC IP to 192.168.XY.10.

SSH into the router 192.168.XY.1 

nvram set lan_ipaddr=192.168.XX.1
nvram set lan_dns=DNS.SERVER.YOU.CHOOSE
nvram set wan_ipaddr=PUBLIC.IP.ADDRESS

/etc/init.d/S40network restart

I'm going to write this to nvram. 

nvram commit

2. Checking to see if all my RAM is enabled: 

free
              total         used         free       shared      buffers
  Mem:        30516         8768        21748            0          872
 Swap:            0            0            0
Total:        30516         8768        21748

It is.

3. Configure the wireless interface 

nvram set wl0_ssid="myhotspot"
nvram set wl0_mode="ap"	(skip, default)
nvram wl0_closed=0		(set to 1 to hide ssid)
nvram set wl0_radio=0		(disabled radio if you run 'wifi' afterwards)

defaults: 

wl_radio_x=1
wl0_radio_x=1
wl0_radio_power_x=17
size: 11539 bytes (21229 left)
wl0_radioids=BCM2050
wl0_radio_time_x=00002359
wl0_radio_date_x=1111111
wl_radio_time_x=00002359
wl_radioids=
wl0_radio=0
wl_radio=1
wl_radio_date_x=1111111
wl_radio_power_x=17

wifi				(command to apply changes)

nvram show			(see the configuration)

4. Build a current package list, this step requires an Internet connection. 

nvram set wan_ipaddr=10.21.204.250     (just until I am done configuring)
nvram set lan_ipaddr=192.168.XX.3      just until I am done configuring)
nvram set lan_gateway=192.168.XX.1     (just until I am done configuring)
vi /etc/resolv.conf                    nameserver 64.21.192.5
/etc/init.d/S40network restart 

ipkg update                    (update package database)
ipkg list                      (view list of available packages)
ipkg status                    (view packages you have installed)

ipkg install kmod-usb2
insmod ehci-hcd
ipkg install kmod-usb-storage
insmod scsi_mod
insmod sd_mod
insmod usb-storage

reboot

dmesg|grep -i usb

ipkg install kmod-vfat
ipkg install kmod-ext2
ipkg install kmod-ext3

Using the insmod is not necessary if you reboot. 

insmod fat
insmod vfat
insmod ext2
insmod ext3
insmod jbd

ipkg install http://downloads.openwrt.org/backports/rc5/fdisk_2.12r-1_mipsel.ipk
mkdir -p /mnt
fdisk -l
mount /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1 /mnt

These settings should be retained after a reboot. I have noticed that sometimes after a reboot the USB device does not show up.

Installing and using IPKG packages in mount point other than root

  • (I did not complete this procedure) 
echo dest usb /mnt/disc0_1 >> /etc/ipkg.conf

Booting from the USB drive, with failover to the Flash 

umount /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1
fdisk /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1
  • Press 'd' to delete 1, 2, 3, and 4
  • Press 'n' for new
  • Press 'w' for write 
ipkg install http://downloads.openwrt.org/backports/rc5/e2fsprogs_1.38-1_mipsel.ipk
ln -s /proc/mounts /etc/mtab
mke2fs -j /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1

mount -t ext3 /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1 /mnt
mkdir /tmp/root
mount -o bind /rom /tmp/root
mount -o bind / /tmp/root
cp /tmp/root/* /mnt -a
umount /tmp/root
umount /mnt

rm /sbin/init

And replace it with this script: 

#!/bin/sh
# change this to your boot partition
boot_dev="/dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1"

for module in usbcore ehci-hcd scsi_mod sd_mod usb-storage jbd ext3; do {
  insmod $module
}; done
# this may need to be higher if your disk is slow to initialize
sleep 4s
# mount the usb stick
mount "$boot_dev" /mnt
# if everything looks ok, do the pivot root
[ -x /mnt/sbin/init ] && {
  mount -o move /proc /mnt/proc && \
  pivot_root /mnt /mnt/mnt && {
    mount -o move /mnt/dev /dev
    mount -o move /mnt/tmp /tmp
    mount -o move /mnt/jffs2 /jffs2 2>&-
    mount -o move /mnt/sys /sys 2>&-
  }
}
# finally, run the real init (from USB hopefully).
exec /bin/busybox init

Make sure your new /sbin/init is executable: 

chmod a+x /sbin/init

If it mounts correctly it will look like this: 

root@OpenWrt:~# mount
/dev/root on /mnt/rom type squashfs (ro)
none on /dev type devfs (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
/dev/mtdblock/4 on /mnt/jffs type jffs2 (rw)
/jffs on /mnt type mini_fo (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw)
none on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
/dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1 on /mnt/mnt/disc0_1 type ext3 (rw)
/dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1 on / type ext3 (rw)
  • Actually the disc0_1 line may not be correct. Unconfirmed if this is the result of a previous attempt to mount that is "stuck" in mtab.
  • If booted from the USB flash drive, then packages installed by ipkg will go on the usb drive anyway. If the system boots failover to the internal flash, that package will be absent.

If everything went alright, you will not have to change your root password, and when you execute a 'ipkg list' you will see all of the packages from the database, which would otherwise have been absent. Use 'ipkg status' to show installed packages.

incomplete, more to come...

Last modified on 15 July 2007, at 08:18