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nadir

- nadir
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## openwrt (or router firmware)

Tue Feb 18, 2014 12:47 am

I finally got a router which seems to be supported by openwrt: Asus, WL- 520GU
As of now i:
- ain't got much experience with router firmwar (flashing it, etc)
- only know freetz, which is firmware for a common German router, called fritzbox.
I am asking for general opinions.
Is openWRT a good choice, if i had another one, say tomato, is it worth using that instead.
Have you got experience? Are you happy? Was it difficult?
I still want this router for some fiddling (something like a sharing box), not to connect to the internet. I'd love to go for mesh or freifunk, but i doubt in my hood there is another router doing that. (So: don't conect the router to the internet, no password to connect, attach either a raspberry or a usb-stick and share data like music with strangers).
I know so little, you won't be able to disappoint me (and be it only: Shut up with that crap and do something useful).
nadir

- nadir
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:18 am
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## Re: openwrt (or router firmware)

Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:31 am

I used this how-to (as advised by the wikipage for my router):
http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/asus/wl500gp?s[]=wl500gp
And it worked quite well (yes, i only store that site here, i doubt that exact router is interesting to anyone).
In short all i did was:
1) download the according firmware
2) Set the router in diag mode by unplugging power, holding reset button and plug power back on
3) Use tftp to put the downloaded firmware on the router
(I had to restart it manually, but the wiki says it can happen).
I didn't look much yet, but as of now i am happy. I ran ssh (yup, works right away, after setting a password). Cool. I run "iptables -L" and it is installed. I can check which kernel is running and move around like usually on a linux system.
The webinterface looks ok too (more or less like webinterfaces always look).
Still open for comments, tips, experiences.
PS: The router is available for 35 Euros (more or less 35 Dollars too). I'd say it's a good deal (assuming what one wants is a cool router with all bells and whistles).
fsmithred

- fsmithred
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- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:13 pm

## Re: openwrt (or router firmware)

Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:48 pm

I use tomato. I tried ddwrt and openwrt, but settled on tomato. I can't remember why. Take a look over at slashdot today - there's a discussion about router firmware. At least one post talks about some of the differences between the choices.
nadir

- nadir
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- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:18 am
- Location: here

## Re: openwrt (or router firmware)

Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:50 pm

Thanks for the slashdot hint. I guess you mean this one: http://it-beta.slashdot.org/story/14/02 ... long-to-us
I picked openWRT for two reasons:
a) it is the only name i can remember (ddWRT i always forget and also if it is tomato or tomatoe or such)
b) wikipedia said openWRT is free, the other two contain partly prop software (no biggie, but if you got no reason to pick one over the other it is as good a reason as simply arbitrary)
As you stick to tomato it is clear that you are happy with it. oswaldkelso spoke about it, long ago, i think something good, but i can't remember.
I will probably give it a try too, sooner or later (as long it is possible at all. With all my other routers it ain't possible. Nothing, only Freetz for Fritzboxes. It is rather an addition to the default firmware than a different one. Still good).
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