[PLUG] Question on OpenWRT and wireless bridging

Sun Dec 1 22:43:28 UTC 2024

> your configurations are just sitting in a tmpfs. If you can get an ssh session on them, check "df -h".

I'll check that but when I reboot, the configs (at least, the entries for the virtual interfaces, and the firewall rules, and AP client SSID and password) are all still there.

> . I saw an Archer c7 (dual-band 802.11ac, 16MB SPI-NOR flash, 128MB ram) on ebay for less than $25

That's highway robbery.  I picked up one of those from the Seattle Goodwill for $9.99 3 weeks ago.  I don't buy old wifi devices anymore unless they are roughly around $10 unless they are something really special.  For example right now I'm getting ready to flash a Meraki MR52 with OpenWRT.  But that's PoE.  If it works I'll buy more of them but since Cisco has EOLed them for damn sure I'm gonna expect that they are going to be ultra cheap since the corporate types married to Meraki have no choice but to ask "how high" when Cisco says "jump"

>I recycled all of my old 4MB devices, except one or two mint-in-box WRT54G's, which are waiting for a museum. Stuff with only 32MB of ram >have become basically unusable anymore and I've been shedding them as well.

As I mentioned DD-WRT works fine with certain 4/32  devices.  And building OpenWRT for those can be done.  I have yet to compile my own firmware for any of the Big 3 - Fresh Tomato, DD-WRT and OpenWRT - but when I finally get around to doing that I'd rather risk bricking an AP that is worthless such as a 4/32 with only a 2.4Ghz radio.

Ted

-----Original Message-----
From: PLUG <plug-bounces at lists.pdxlinux.org> On Behalf Of Russell Senior
Sent: Sunday, December 1, 2024 6:32 AM
To: Portland Linux/Unix Group <plug at lists.pdxlinux.org>
Subject: Re: [PLUG] Question on OpenWRT and wireless bridging

My flashbacks have eased off enough that I was able to read further down your email. The behavior of "working until a reboot" implies the possibility (likelihood?) that the flash is so full that there isn't room to persist changes to the writable filesystem and your configurations are just sitting in a tmpfs. If you can get an ssh session on them, check "df -h".

My recommendation is to douse these things with some gasoline and light them on fire, get something more modern with more flash and ram that's supported. I saw an Archer c7 (dual-band 802.11ac, 16MB SPI-NOR flash, 128MB ram) on ebay for less than $25.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/276759564551. A generation older, you can find WDR3600's (dual-band 802.11n radios, 8MB SPI-NOR flash and 128MB
ram) for $15. Eldo has mentioned Extreme Networks WS-AP3825i devices with PowerPC cpu, 801.11ac radio, 64MB (NAND, probably) flash, and 256MB ram, also ~$15.

I recycled all of my old 4MB devices, except one or two mint-in-box WRT54G's, which are waiting for a museum. Stuff with only 32MB of ram have become basically unusable anymore and I've been shedding them as well.

--
Russell Senior
russell at personaltelco.net

On Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 9:44 PM Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm at portlandia-it.com> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
>
>
> So I have a network that (among other things) has several devices on 
> it that have ethernet only ports and are not conveniently located to 
> be able to run cable to them.
>
>
>
> So for a number of years I have made do with so-called "wifi-to-ethernet"
> bridges using DD-WRT.
>
>
>
> DD-WRT had a nice "client bridge" selection in it's GUI that with one 
> click would allow you to create a client bridge.
>
>
>
> Unfortunately, a few years ago Broadcom made some changes in their 
> binary blob wifi drivers and it damaged the house of cards that client 
> bridging was built on.
>
> (DD-WRT supports Broadcom devices you see, and these devices used to 
> be far more common on the used market)
>
>
>
> The 10/28/2021 release of DD-WRT is the last reliable release that 
> supports a client bridge on Broadcom gear.  In recent years the client 
> bridge
>
> Functionality has been completely eliminated in favor of "station bridge"
> from DD-WRT even on Broadcom gear.
>
>
>
> DD-WRTs "Station Bridge (routed)" configures the "relayd" daemon and 
> it works well on devices such as
>
> The TP-Link TL-WR940ND v4/v5 and the Linksys WRT400N which OpenWRT 
> USED to support but now turns up it's nose at.  OpenWRT also
>
> Supports relayd.  Unfortunately, "Station Bridge" is only reliable if 
> you have ONE device behind the wifi AP while the old "client bridge"
>
> That was in the Broadcom driver allowed more devices.  Fortunately, 
> these older AP's are cheap enough to use 1 per device.
>
>
>
> Anyhoo, I came into position of 2 little Netgear WNR2000v5 wifi 
> routers and decided it was time to see if I could duplicate this 
> functionality on
>
> OpenWRT.  (DD-WRT does not support these models, unfortunately)
>
>
>
> I loaded version 18 of OpenWRT onto these devices (there is a 
> user-contributed build of OpenWRT for this model out there that 
> thoughtfully includes the
>
> Relayd daemon) and dug up the instructions here to do this:
>
>
>
>  <https://gist.github.com/AzimsTech/fee582c7c5a89e9295e78f4c8bbda824>
> OpenWrt Wireless Network Bridge (With IPv6 Support) . GitHub
>
>
> <https://wiki.terrabase.info/wiki/WRT_Router_Series_Wireless_Client_Br
> idge_M ode_with_OpenWRT> WRT Router Series Wireless Client Bridge Mode 
> with OpenWRT
> - Wiki.TerraBase.info
>
>
> <https://www.nerd-quickies.net/2019/08/20/setup-lan-wlan-bridge-with-o
> penwrt -luci/> Setup LAN/WLAN Bridge with OpenWrt (LuCI) (updated) - 
> Nerd Quickies
>
>
>
> After sorting through the various misconceptions in these instructions 
> I came up with these instructions - and they work - with one small problem:
>
>
>
> 1) Factory Reset router (either from command interface or from hidden 
> reset button on bottom)
>
> 2) Make sure the 18. lede special build of OpenWRT is loaded on the 
> router
>
> 3) Configure PC with 192.168.1.80 and secondary IP of 172.16.100.80
>
> 4) Login to router and set password (system, Administraton)
>
> 5) Network, Interfaces set Ethernet interface to 172.16.100.8.   Clicking
> Apply, Unchecked never works here.
>
> 6) Once it takes, remove the secondary IP address
>
> 7) Put in Gateway and Custom DNS servers
>
> 8) Set Ignore DHCP for ethernet interface
>
> 9) Network Wireless, remove master interface
>
> 10) Wireless, Scan, Join Bit O Heaven network  (set encryption to AES)
>
> 11) Status, make sure it's associated, Diagnostics Ping 75.75.75.75  
> make sure it responds
>
> 12) System Startup , relayd  enabled
>
> 13) Network, Interfaces, Add Interface, name stabridge. Protocol Relay 
> Bridge, Submit
>
> 14) In Relay Between Networks that appears, dropdown  lan and wwan 
> check both save and apply
>
> 15) Network Firewall, Zones Add, name bridgezone change Forward to 
> Accept, in covered networks select Lan wwan, save & apply
>
> 16) Change static IP in PC back to DHCP and it should get an address, 
> should work
>
>
>
> The small problem is that even after saving the configuration - once 
> the router is rebooted - the client bridge does NOT work
>
> On restart.   Relayd is running, the firewall and additional interface is
> there, everything seems to be in order - it simply does not
>
> Pass packets.  I can telnet into the router and ping the Internet, it 
> does re-associate with the wifi network.
>
>
>
> I can factory reset the router and rebuild the config again - and it 
> works - passes packets and so on - until reboot.
>
>
>
> The DD-WRT routers configured as station bridges have no problems with 
> saving their config and restarting station bridging.
>
>
>
> I am wondering if POSSIBLY the problem might be in some kind of 
> startup ordering issue - that is, relayd has to be started after
>
> The AP has associated - or after the soft interfaces are created - or 
> something.
>
>
>
> Of course, it would also be cool to build a newer OpenWRT for these 
> devices
> - there ARE community built versions of OpenWRT 22
>
> For 4MB flash devices such as the Netgear WNR1000 and the WNR2000v3, - 
> so it is possible to do it (if you delete the non-essential stuff)  
> But,
>
> This is a basic networking function and I don't think the versions of 
> things are too old.
>
>
>
> Anyone have any suggestions?
>
>
>
> Ted
>