Open-Source Firmware for Routers

[Richard-BKK]

Upgrade your older router to the latest options and security features with OpenWRT-Forked LEDE Releases 17.01.

This open-source free aftermarket firmware for routers comes with the Linux 4.4 kernel, most routers available in the market still use a Linux kernel 3.18 or earlier.

Check if your router is supported: https://lede-project.org/

[muratremix]

I hear it needs more ram, unusuable for old routers.

[Richard-BKK]

My first test install was on a Linksys E2000 (which uses a Broadcom DCM4717 chipset with 8MB Flash and 32MB ram what is not much for router I bought in 2010).

 

The flash size of the Lede (OpenWRT) firmware is only 3.75MB, compared to the 7MB Linksys E2000 stock firmware. The Linksys E200 firmware uses more bitmap graphics in the user interface so needs more space.

 

The Lede (OpenWRT) firmware offer much more control over your router, for beginners this can be a bit overwhelming. But when you get used to the options and features you find that the firmware upgrade was useful. Not specific to the firmware, but after the upgrade I moved all WIFI connection to TCP/IPv6 (this makes it much more difficult for hackers to catch data and do something useful with it. The router sadly still communicates with the Internet Service Provider by IPv4 (but all little steps help).

 

The 7 year old Linksys E2000 version 1, with a Broadcom DCM4717 chip @ 354Mhz was never a speed monster, but in my case it did functioned well as test router. I’m planning to upgrade our two main routers to see how that works…

 

Another useful option is that with the Lede firmware you really run Linux and you can install additional packages or uninstall from the user interface. For instance for a router with USB (the Linksys E2000 doesn’t have a USB) you can load packages to make the USB storage part of a NAS … you can even download and install a package to download torrents…

Edited February 28, 2017 by Richard-BKK

[Richard-BKK]

The Linksys E2000 original firmware was based on the Linux Kernel 2.4, the Linux Kernel 2.4 was original introduced in 2001 – that means that the now 7 year old Linksys E2000 (which I bought in 2010) had at the base an operating system that was 16 year old.

 

The last security patch for the Linksys E2000 was from 2014, but many router manufacturers don’t update older products like Linksys-Cisco/Belkin…

 

The Lede firmware uses the Linux kernel 4.4, which is for instance also used in the latest Ubuntu Server LTS (Long Term Support) version.

Edited February 28, 2017 by Richard-BKK

[muratremix]

I kinda liked openwrt, now they are seperated and part of the group created lede.

 

[Richard-BKK]

OpenWRT and Lede are still part of the same team, to explain in simple terms the differences OpenWRT is/will be more conservative, and Lede is/will be more innovative, border pushing… As example the latest OpenWRT firmware still uses the Linux Kernel 3.18, while the latest from Lede uses the Linux Kernel 4.4. Not take my word for it http://openwrtsummit.org

 

One benefit is that the Linux Kernel 4.4 is almost completely in C programming language, which the Linux Kernel 3.18 version still depends on a good amount of assembling language. Nothing wrong with Assembling language, but much harder to track down bugs and correct them.

 

The Linux Kernel (Operating System) is not like MS Windows, that when the newer the version the bigger the memory what is needed. The difference between the Linux Kernel 3.18 and the Linux Kernel 4.4 is only a few hundred kilobytes…

Edited February 28, 2017 by Richard-BKK

[jacnl2000]

Especially today, hardware matters too;-)

 

For many years I used re-flashed WRT54G V2 hardware until recently that particular piece of Linksys router hardware stopped functioning. While searching for a similar router that can be properly flashed again, I started to discover its main disadvantages: (1) relative old hardware may stop working, (2) only accepting 2.4HGz but not 5GHz WiFi connections, (3) rather slow speeds in comparison to most more modern router hardware, (4) no extra sharable USB 3.0 disk connection, etc.. Todays best replacement router happens to be the not so recent anymore Asus RT-68U. This router also improves speeds for 2GHz WiFi connections. And, in case the WiFi hardware in your PC or laptop does not support 5GHz (and its corresponding higher speeds) I do also recommend the Asus USB-AC56 Wireless Adapter Dual-Band Wireless-AC1300. In combination this particular choice of hardware delivers a significant increase in speed by simply applying todays most more modern and faster standards and corresponding approaches. You will also not be limited in your choice of applying freely available firmware (some of them still being closely related to the original and popular user interface of the relative old WRT54G).

[Richard-BKK]

We also have a Asus RT-68U in the office, the problem we have with that router is if we use the USB for network storage the router gets quickly to hot and starts to generate problems. Something what is not uncommon for routers with USB ports.

 

The Asus RT-68U is still available at the shops for a whopping 7,000 THB, and to be honest I don’t think that many people actually need a router like this. For instance the D-Link DIR-809 (1290 THB) is good for most home and small office users. It has dual-band 2.5Ghz and 5Ghz, has all the modern WIFI standards – and doesn’t get hot in tropical Thailand… downside it has no USB ports… Of course the all-time favorite is the Linksys EA6350 which has dual-band (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz) has all WIFI standards, has USB and cost only 3,590 THB