Entware on R7800 (Luuc Paauw)

[Voxel]

Let us continue here. Please do not use the thread 1.0.2.69SF

mkfs.ext4 –L optware -O ^metadata_csum /dev/sda1
mke2fs 1.44.5 (15-Dec-2018)
mkfs.ext4: invalid blocks 'optware' on device '–L'
root@R7800:/opt$

. . .
what is wrong with the command and what blocksize do i choose ?

Wrong in this command is the symbol "–". It is not "-" (ASCII minus) but "–" (UTF-8, U+2013). Probably COPY/PASTE problems.

Try to copy/paste this command (from telnet):

mkfs.ext4 -L optware -O ^metadata_csum /dev/sda1

then after you create ext4 disk, reboot your router. Then:

mkdir /mnt/sda1/tmp
cd /mnt/sda1/tmp
wget https://voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/Entware/entware-cortex-a15-3x-initial-generic.tar.gz
cd /mnt/sda1
tar xf ./tmp/entware-cortex-a15-3x-initial-generic.tar.gz
reboot

After next reboot:

/opt/bin/opkg --version

And please do not change file permissions to 777 or so.

Voxel.

 

[kamoj]

I used this code to format a "naughty" USB device:

#Prepare another USB-memory to install Entware on.
#This USB-memory always has to be inserted in the router to run Entware!
#To format the USB-memory:
#Insert A USB-memory to the router. Only one. And reboot before continuing:
DEV="/dev/sda1"

\ls -al /dev/sdb1/* >/dev/null 2>/dev/null && DEV="/dev/sdb1"

umount $DEV
mkfs.ext4 -v -F -F -t ext4 -L optware -O ^metadata_csum $DEV
reboot

 

[Luuc Paauw]

kamoj

it is now an ext 4 drive with label optware and all groups/users are root...but for som reason it always starts the wrong version opkg (maybe from ram ?)

the code you use, do i have to put it in a file with vi and why the sdb1 line ?

 

[Luuc Paauw]

oot@R7800:/$ ./kamoj
./kamoj: ./kamoj: 1: re: not found
umount: cannot umount /tmp/mnt/sda1: Device or resource busy
mke2fs 1.44.5 (15-Dec-2018)
/dev/sda1 contains a ext4 file system labelled 'optware'
last mounted on /tmp/mnt/sda1 on Thu Jan 1 00:00:27 1970
/dev/sda1 is mounted; mke2fs forced anyway. Hope /etc/mtab is incorrect.
fs_types for mke2fs.conf resolution: 'ext4'
/dev/sda1: Device or resource busy while setting up superblock
reboot: Halt use signal=2 done.
reboot: got reboot and ppid pgid is 13211|13211..
reboot: Halt send signal to init...

 

[kamoj]

Just execute the commands one by one, manually from the command prompt.
You can use copy/paste to the telnet command window.
But be sure to only have one USB device inserted when booting.

The sdb1 line takes care of when the device is auto-mounted at sdb1 instead of sda1.
PS
(If you put the commands in a file called kamoj, you should add a first line "#!/bin/sh",
and make it executable: e.g.:

chmod +x /kamoj
/kamoj

)

 

[Luuc Paauw]

after following voxel instruction it worked...something is wrong by unpacking tar file with windows to share of the usb

questions

- do i have to create swap and why is it needed ?
- how can i get the PATH envirement perminent ?
- is there a way i can copy entware to my storage usb (NTFS) so i dont need the optware usb to be mounted ?

 

[kamoj]

You can try the search function here in the forum, and you'll find e.g.:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/having-troubles-installing-entware-on-r7800.55918/#post-477999
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/c...-4-31hf-1-0-4-31-1hf.56941/page-2#post-503564
Hope you are happy soon and show Voxel some appreciation.
Have a wonderful day!

 

[Luuc Paauw]

well that answered one question..
- can you also shed a light on the swap (and do i have to swapon every reboot) ?
- does my last question work ?

- can i get an full screen view in putty with mc and how is that to be done ?

 

[kamoj]

I've been using mc, it's working if you make the terminal settings mentioned in :
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/having-troubles-installing-entware-on-r7800.55918/#post-477999
You make the the swap area once only.
Guess you can use mc to copy whatever you want.
You can even rename the disk label to optware.
Hope you are happy soon and show Voxel some appreciation.
Have a good day!

 

[Luuc Paauw]

i copied the optware usb to the storage usb (Ntfs), rebooted and it worked
i appreciate your support
i was on dd-wrt and now am back to voxel...what a great job he did
only thing i miss is QOS and power antennes on 30db

is the swap also needed on the ntfs usb ?

i tried your commands but no full screen...the mc window stays small
i also used TERM=xterm, that way i can use the mouse, but it also remains a small mc window in a large windows window (with putty)
any other suggestions ?

 

[Luuc Paauw]

another region amplified my antennes to 29 db....great work !
i also installed kamoj add on...wow...

 

[Luuc Paauw]

the mc works with full screens ..it was putty configuration

https://www.thegeekstuff.com/2009/07/10-practical-putty-tips-and-tricks-you-probably-didnt-know/

internal copy speed 50 MB

 

[Voxel]

i copied the optware usb to the storage usb (Ntfs), rebooted and it worked

NTFS for Entware is highly not recommended. Linux deals with its native filesystems. Some programs could be workable but some not. It is better to use small flash drive e.g. 4-8GB exclusively for Entware. And second/third/fourth disk(s) as NTFS. USB hub or so maybe.

swap is optional. Also some programs will work w/o swap. But some not.

Voxel.

 

[Bendon]

Hello voxel, kamoj
Sorry for beginner's request,
can you help me how to install openresolv and ddclient,
it's all not in your entware. Because i always have problems with DNS using OpenVPN.

 

[Voxel]

Hello voxel, kamoj
Sorry for beginner's request,
can you help me how to install openresolv and ddclient,
it's all not in your entware. Because i always have problems with DNS using OpenVPN.

Regarding ddclient. There are a lot of technical problems with ddclient with Entware. Mainly: ddclient is using Perl and its modules (e.g. SSL). So Entware team guys suggest to make them yourself using not trivial development movements:

https://github.com/Entware/Entware-ng/wiki/Self-installation-of-perl-modules

including native compilation. So a lot of efforts.

I would suggest you to consider use of Debian (I recommend it for advanced users in my README). ddclient could be installed on Debian:

https://packages.debian.org/jessie/ddclient

For example I am using ddclient myself now with Debian on my PC. And I was using it long time ago with Debian on on the router (R7500). Before I switched to Debian on PC. This way does not require compilation/development. Just installation and configuring.

openresolv. I cannot say, did not try and I do not know all details. But this package exists in Debian too.

https://packages.debian.org/stretch/openresolv


Voxel.

 

[Bendon]

Thank you Voxel for the explanation. So for the time being it is enough. Time to read again first

 

[Voxel]

Time to read again first

chroot-ed Debian is not so difficult. Similar to Entware but with much more possibilities. Just instead of running

/opt/bin/opkg update
/opt/bin/opkg upgrade
/opt/bin/opkg install package-name

run e.g.

cd /mnt/sda1
./set-debian.sh
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get install ddclient

Voxel.

 

[Bendon]

Thanks again voxel, I'll try it later

 

[Luuc Paauw]

Voxel,

i installed debian and mc...it works great, as an alternative i installed doublecmd, but it asks for an x server
so i installed xorg..but if i start it it syas no screens found and ;

Fatal server error:
(EE) no screens found(EE)
(EE)
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
at http://wiki.x.org
for help.
(EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
(EE)
(EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
xinit: giving up
xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
xinit: server error
xauth: (argv):1: bad display name "R7800:0" in "remove" command
root@R7800:/etc/X11#
root@R7800:/etc/X11#

what can i do to start the x server or is this not possible (i know im a newbie...)

 

[Voxel]

i installed debian and mc...it works great, as an alternative i installed doublecmd, but it asks for an x server
so i installed xorg..but if i start it it syas no screens found and ;

Funnily... Xorg will not work directly on the router because there is no graphics card and monitor attached directly to the router.

P.S.
Generally it is possible to run X11 applications on remote XServer. For example I can start and can use XFCE desktop or concrete X11 application (e.g. sometimes I start Google Chrome for Linux or GUI SMART control application) on my Windows 10 computer running "XServer for Windows" program. When application itself is working on remote Debian server using its CPU. And I see its window with menu on my Windows 10 computer when I am far away from my Debian sever and the last is accessible only by Internet. The same could be done for R7800 with Debian. But really I do not presume to explain you all specific of such scheme with remote X11 desktop...

Voxel.