Add on install questions

[Ellenswamy]

Hi all!

I am a total newb when it comes to Add ons for routers, I came from routers like euro. I think I got the install process down, put in A usb drive format it as ext and enable ssh local on the router and run the command and pick what you want to install. Questions are how do I update firmware once something is installed? Do I have to do anything special to prep? also if I want to uninstall one bc of issues or anything is it just as easy as install? Last but not least any issues like if my usb drive fails can it brick my router?

thanks all!

 

[dosborne]

Personally, I don't run any of the available add on products. I don't have a need for them myself.

Just keep in mind that some use a lot of ram and may also impact CPU utilization but also depend on the configuration you choose. Some have little or no impact on resources.

Firmware updates - usually, no impact. In some cases it may be advisable to stop the addon, and in extreme cases, you can eject the USB stick to get around rate firmware update issues. Keep in mind that you may have updates to the add-ons that you may want to manage regularly too.

Addon removal - yes, you can remove them if you don't need them.

Bricked - No, if your USB stick/disk fails, then whatever is on it fails too, but the core router will work. Advisable to get a good quality USB device, and the faster the better.

 

[Ellenswamy]

I have a USB western digital he’s plugged into my ax11000 now, can I use that or does it have to be a separate usb drive?

 

[heysoundude]

You don't need the space of a full HDD - an 8GB flash/jump drive will be more than enough unless you get into ridiculous swap sizes.

 

[Ellenswamy]

You don't need the space of a full HDD - an 8GB flash/jump drive will be more than enough unless you get into ridiculous swap sizes.

wasn't sure if I could just partition it and give it say 8gb or something

 

[heysoundude]

you can, and that's how I'm doing it myself at the moment, but if/when the drive fails, I'm going back to a flash drive

 

[Ellenswamy]

you can, and that's how I'm doing it myself at the moment, but if/when the drive fails, I'm going back to a flash drive

Right and if the drive fails it just takes out the add-on from my understanding

 

[heysoundude]

correct. You'd have to re-install entware and the add-on once you've a new drive, but it's fairly painless if you don't have a complex router config. (the presets cover most bases, and if they don't the install walks you through the process of getting it set up correctly)