Custom firmware build for R7800 v. 1.0.2.45SF

[Voxel]

Continuation of

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800.36859/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-22sf.37222/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-23sf-v-1-0-2-24sf.37477/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-25sf-v-1-0-2-29sf.38032/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-30sf.38366/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-31sf.39142/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-32sf.39657/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-33sf.40198/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-34sf.40523/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-35sf.40794/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-36sf.41166/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-37sf.41317/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-38sf.41751/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-39sf.41945/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-40sf-1-0-2-41sf.42222/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-43sf.42683/
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-44sf.42882/

New version of my custom firmware build: 1.0.2.45SF.

Changes (vs 1.0.2.44SF):

1. Integration of changes from the latest stock v. 1.0.2.40:

Security fixes:

PSV-2016-0131
https://kb.netgear.com/000053137/Se...on-on-Some-Routers-and-Gateways-PSV-2016-0131​

1.0.2.40 Release Notes:

https://kb.netgear.com/000053068/R7800-Firmware-Version-1-0-2-40​

2. Correction of NG bug in cron setting for logrotate and QoS monitoring (bug is found by kamoj).
3. tar pckage is upgraded 1.29->1.30.
4. uci package is upgraded 2017-09-29->2018-01-01.
5. libubox package is upgraded 2017-10-06->2018-01-07.
6. e2fsprogs package is upgraded 1.43.7->1.43.8.
7. dnscrypt-resolvers.csv is updated.

The link is:

https://www.voxel-firmware.com (thanks to vladlenas for his help with hosting).

No reset is needed to upgrade from my previous versions.

P.S.
Known problems:

Problem reported by Killhippie :

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/netgear-firmware-update-for-x4s-r7800-1-0-2-40.42724/#post-364447

should be there too.

And most probably no correction of L2TP problem reported by Temchenko.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/c...r-r7800-v-1-0-2-44sf.42882/page-5#post-369638

Voxel.

 

[Sizzlechest]

Is this the first custom firmare from Voxel on .40? I thought there were some serious issues with the stock .40 baseline? Were these resolved (other than the known issues posted)?

 

[ajp2k14]

A bit OT but the old dnscrypt-proxy has been archived and he has started on v2 here...

https://github.com/jedisct1/dnscrypt-proxy

Any chance of implementing v2 in the firmware later on? Either that or Stubby for DNS-over-TLS...

 

[Voxel]

I thought there were some serious issues with the stock .40 baseline? Were these resolved (other than the known issues posted)?

I enlisted what I know. Not aware of other except QoS problems. According to my beta testers (thanks to them) they did not have problems with QoS since 1.0.2.44SF.

Voxel.

 

[Voxel]

A bit OT but the old dnscrypt-proxy has been archived and he has started on v2 here...

Ugh... I do not like beta releases not speaking "alpha". Let's use while stable releases.

Voxel.

 

[ajp2k14]

Of course, I meant later on when it matures...alpha is scary.

Thanks for the new FW!

 

[flyboynm]

If you just want to use this firmware in a basic manner (no use of ethtool) but just general wireless networking and MAYBE Readyshare in the future, would you recommend this or would you leave it at factory default firmware? I have a periodic 2.4ghz and 5ghz wireless network drop out and flashing Netgear firmware hasn't helped it.

 

[Razor512]

Awesome

The write performance to USB storage is faster in this firmware than the stock netgear firmware now .

 

[bodean]

If you just want to use this firmware in a basic manner (no use of ethtool) but just general wireless networking and MAYBE Readyshare in the future, would you recommend this or would you leave it at factory default firmware? I have a periodic 2.4ghz and 5ghz wireless network drop out and flashing Netgear firmware hasn't helped it.

For what you want, stock Netgear FW will do the job

 

[nitro322]

Hello. First, Voxel - thanks for this firmware. Had been running DD-WRT and wasn't terribly happy with it. Been hoping for a while something like this would come along. I really appreciate your efforts here.

I just switched over to your firmware today and I'm currently running 1.0.2.45SF. Have all the basics working, including entware configured, but I'd like to do a few slightly more advanced tasks and I'm having some trouble getting started:

1. Most important is dnsmasq - I have a custom dnsmasq.conf that I like to run on my router. I'm not sure how to best do that here. I see it includes dnsmasq by default, but I don't see an obvious way to customize it. I also see a dnsmasq-full package in entware; tried installing that, but it installs a separate copy under opt and, again, I see no obvious way to switch over to that version from the built-in version.

I could write some kind of startup script to either replace /etc/dnsmasq.conf with my own copyHUP the PID, or perhaps kill /usr/sbin/dnsmasq and start /opt/sbin/dnsmasq instead, but I feel like this is overcomplicating things. Is there some proper or preferred way to getting a customized dnsmasq going on this firmware?

2. I'd like to schedule some cron jobs. I see that /tmp/etc/crontabs/root exists - should I overwrite that and HUP cron, or is there a better way?

3. <strike>I'd also like to create a persistent CIFS mount to a fileserver. However, the built-in mount command doesn't seem to support CIFS filesystems.</strike> Scratch that, it does - had my syntax wrong.

4. A more general question - is there any documentation available for how scripts work on your firmware? Ie., I see /mnt/sda1/autorun/scripts/post-mount.sh exists by default and, I'm assuming from the name, autoruns after external storage is mounted. Are there different types of conditions under which I can have scripts run, such as before shutdown? If I wanted to add my own script(s), should I just edit and tack on to post-mount.sh, or would it be better/possible to create a separate script for my customizations?

Don't mean to bombard you with a bunch of questions, just pretty excited to dive into this and need a few pointers to get started. Thanks!

 

[flyboynm]

For what you want, stock Netgear FW will do the job

I am having problems with the stock firmware though. I get constant restarts and disconnects.

 

[nitro322]

OK, I got DNS/DHCP working like I need by basically appending the following to post-mount.sh:

cp /mnt/sda1/configs/dnsmasq.conf /opt/etc/
/etc/init.d/dnsmasq stop
sleep 1
/opt/etc/init.d/S56dnsmasq start

Also had to disable the DHCP server in the GUI; udhcp wasn't playing nicely with my custom dnsmasq configuration, so I had to fully take over dhcp with dnsmasq as well. Probably not the most elegant approach, but it works. Still open to any alternative suggestions.

I'm having trouble with my CIFS mount, though. If I run this command manually:

mount //a.b.c.d/share /mnt/cifs -t cifs -o username=xxxxx,password=xxxxx

The share gets mounted. However, if I tack that on to the end of post-mount.sh, it does not. Have tried adding a delay, verifying network is up before the command gets run, outputting command to a log file to make sure it's not getting weirdly escaped or something, but no dice - always works when manually run, always fails in post-mount.sh script. Any ideas?

As for the other items, cron and general guidance or documentation on autostart scripts for this firmware, would still appreciate any pointers.

Thanks again.

 

[Voxel]

2. I'd like to schedule some cron jobs. I see that /tmp/etc/crontabs/root exists - should I overwrite that and HUP cron, or is there a better way?

You can use cron from Entware,

4. A more general question - is there any documentation available for how scripts work on your firmware? Ie., I see /mnt/sda1/autorun/scripts/post-mount.sh exists by default and, I'm assuming from the name, autoruns after external storage is mounted. Are there different types of conditions under which I can have scripts run, such as before shutdown? If I wanted to add my own script(s), should I just edit and tack on to post-mount.sh, or would it be better/possible to create a separate script for my customizations?

post-mount.sh is described in my README. There is also possibility to use own firewall rules since 44SF:

9. net-wall script is corrected to add possibility using own /root/firewall-start.sh script.

(not added yet to README).

There are no (yet) other custom scripts.

The share gets mounted. However, if I tack that on to the end of post-mount.sh, it does not. Have tried adding a delay, verifying network is up before the command gets run, outputting command to a log file to make sure it's not getting weirdly escaped or something, but no dice - always works when manually run, always fails in post-mount.sh script. Any ideas?

If you have installed Entware there could be different "mount" command you test. Either /bin/mount (firmware) or /opt/bin/mount (Entware). Try to use full path to mount command.

Voxel.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

I recommend upgrading to Voxel's v45SF FW. Good and solid FW. Working well.

If you just want to use this firmware in a basic manner (no use of ethtool) but just general wireless networking and MAYBE Readyshare in the future, would you recommend this or would you leave it at factory default firmware? I have a periodic 2.4ghz and 5ghz wireless network drop out and flashing Netgear firmware hasn't helped it.

 

[Sizzlechest]

There's no reason to use the factory firmware. Even if you don't plan on using any of the additional features in Voxel's branch, it is generally better tested and includes fixes you don't know you need.

 

[LongbowArcher]

Hey guys,
just registered because I`m new to flashing custom firmwares and don´t want to do anything wrong

Read a lot about custom firmwares for the R7800 and the conclusion of all that I read was that they are much better than the stock firmware. I don`t need more functionality to the stock firmware but I need a firmware with some bugfixing and improvements on base of the stock firmware. I don`t trust the stock firmware to be any good when I took a look at offical Netgear forums. It seems that Voxel`s firmware is right for me.

So...do I have to download the newest version of Voxel`s firmware and install it via the stock Netgear GUI? Or is there something special like for DD-WRT and such things? And if I want to change back to stock firmware is there something special to do?

Thanks in advance

 

[Voxel]

So...do I have to download the newest version of Voxel`s firmware and install it via the stock Netgear GUI?

Yes, exactly so. Just like it would be stock firmware. Currently even no reset is needed, i.e. your setting set with stock firmware should be OK for use with my build.

And if I want to change back to stock firmware is there something special to do?

Also nothing specific. The same revert back from WebGUI pointing regular stock firmware img file.

Voxel.

 

[LongbowArcher]

Thank you for your fast answer!

That Sounds easy I appreciate your work!

 

[e38BimmerFN]

You'l like it. works better than Stock FW.

 

[Temchenko]

And most probably no correction of L2TP problem reported by Temchenko

No fix, unfortunately...