iOS Shortcut for Diversion

[ComputerSteve]

merlin firmware 386.7

Can anyone else confirm that on the latest Merlin the shortcut is not working. Thanks.

 

[thelonelycoder]

That‘s confirmed. Running any of the commands in the terminal works, but the iOS Shortcut is left hanging with no action or output. Let me try to get to the bottom of this new mystery.

 

[thelonelycoder]

The bad news: It looks like that the beloved and underrated Diversion Shortcuts app is dead with the release of Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7 firmware

My bad: This is something I did not check during the beta test of 386.7 despite the obvious pointers and strong hints, see here and in previous messages by me and other members: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...ta-is-now-available.79282/page-17#post-769599

For some reason, logging in with SSH to your router through a standard SSH client e.g. Xshell, any Linux terminal, MobaXterm appears to work.
Using a more exotic client like SmarTTY that @jsbeddow was using or in this very case, the iOS Shortcuts app changes how the $PATH environment is set for the console.
This is something for @RMerlin to re-consider.

The iOS app returns the following when running these commands:

user@router: echo $PATH
/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin

user@router: which sh
/usr/sbin/sh

The expected output is the following in previous Asuswrt-Merlin releases, with Entware installed:

user@router: echo $PATH
/opt/bin:/opt/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/home/tlc:/mmc/sbin:/mmc/bin:/mmc/usr/sbin:/mmc/usr/bin:/opt/sbin:/opt/bin:/opt/usr/sbin:/opt/usr/bin

user@router: which sh
/opt/bin/sh

OR in some cases

user@router: which sh
/bin/sh

Interestingly, the output of which $SHELL returns correctly /bin/sh for both pre 386.7 and the current latest release.

The good news: Changing the iOS Shortcuts app command to the full path of the Diversion file will fix this calamity in technological marvels.
Changing all occurrences in your Diversion iOS Shortcuts app from

diversion sh-<rest of command>

to

/opt/bin/diversion sh-<rest of command>

does the trick for now.
I will release an update for the Shortcuts app ASAP.

Thanks for your attention and be patient.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

The bad news: It looks like that the beloved and underrated Diversion Shortcuts app is dead with the release of Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7 firmware

My bad: This is something I did not check during the beta test of 386.7 despite the obvious pointers and strong hints, see here and in previous messages by me and other members: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...ta-is-now-available.79282/page-17#post-769599

For some reason, logging in with SSH to your router through a standard SSH client e.g. Xshell, any Linux terminal, MobaXterm appears to work.
Using a more exotic client like SmarTTY that @jsbeddow was using or in this very case, the iOS Shortcuts app changes how the $PATH environment is set for the console.
This is something for @RMerlin to re-consider.

The iOS app returns the following when running these commands:

user@router: echo $PATH
/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin

user@router: which sh
/usr/sbin/sh

The expected output is the following in previous Asuswrt-Merlin releases, with Entware installed:

user@router: echo $PATH
/opt/bin:/opt/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/home/tlc:/mmc/sbin:/mmc/bin:/mmc/usr/sbin:/mmc/usr/bin:/opt/sbin:/opt/bin:/opt/usr/sbin:/opt/usr/bin

user@router: which sh
/opt/bin/sh

OR in some cases

user@router: which sh
/bin/sh

Interestingly, the output of which $SHELL returns correctly /bin/sh for both pre 386.7 and the current latest release.

The good news: Changing the iOS Shortcuts app command to the full path of the Diversion file will fix this calamity in technological marvels.
Changing all occurrences in your Diversion iOS Shortcuts app from

diversion sh-<rest of command>

to

/opt/bin/diversion sh-<rest of command>

does the trick for now.
I will release an update for the Shortcuts app ASAP.

Thanks for your attention and be patient.

Surprised this behavior can't be changed with /jffs/configs/profile.add or over ridden by some other custom script method.

 

[RMerlin]

This is something for @RMerlin to re-consider.

Re-consider what? I didn't change anything...

Why are these clients overriding the current default path with an arbitrary (broken) one?

 

[RMerlin]

Re-consider what? I didn't change anything...

Why are these clients overriding the current default path with an arbitrary (broken) one?

I think I might have found why this has changed. In the latest Dropbear changelog:

+- Add /usr/sbin and /sbin to $PATH when logging in as root.
+  Patch from Raphaël Hertzog
+  https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=903403

I haven't reviewed the change, but I suspect it might possibly be adding it at the start of the PATH instead of the end with some clients (why only these clients however I don't know).

If you are able to reproduce the issue, try compiling a test build with that change reverted.

Add /usr/sbin and /sbin to default root PATH · mkj/dropbear@0e04247

When dropbear is used in a very restricted environment (such as in a initrd), the default user shell is often also very restricted and doesn't take care of setting the PATH so the user ends up ...

github.com

Or, try just changing the DEFAULT_ROOT_PATH in default_options.h then recompile it.

EDIT: Untested, but in theory should be fixed with https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/commit/eddf5e9f42a3c806d52346f1952fe4d71d1c7b6d .

 

[thelonelycoder]

iOS Shortcut v1.4 is now available

What's new in v1.4
- Compatibility fix for Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7
- Adds amtm script update check!

amtm can return a list of available script updates through an SSH command and its SSH UI. To make use of the former, I added this command to the Diversion Shortcuts app, rather than create a new amtm Shortcuts app.
So now you can comfortably check for script updates from the comfort of your bed, if you like that sort of thing

How to install on your iOS device
See this page on diversion.ch or read instructions in post #1. Once the new Shortcut is configured and working, you may safely delete older version(s) from your Library.

Sorry, this update is obsolete as it requires a Diversion update first. I will get to it ASAP.

 

[ComputerSteve]

iOS Shortcut v1.4 is now available

What's new in v1.4
- Compatibility fix for Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7
- Adds amtm script update check!

amtm can return a list of available script updates through an SSH command and its SSH UI. To make use of the former, I added this command to the Diversion Shortcuts app, rather than create a new amtm Shortcuts app.
So now you can comfortably check for script updates from the comfort of your bed, if you like that sort of thing

How to install on your iOS device
See this page on diversion.ch or read instructions in post #1. Once the new Shortcut is configured and working, you may safely delete older version(s) from your Library.

So the shortcut seems to be not working correctly.. I tried the disable diversion service and it didn't actually disable it meaning if I go to the Lan / Diversion tab it says its still on & then I can't actually disable it -- The shortcut also produces some weird output -- I've saved a video to my dropbox heres the link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/vbmxxqi2s9z2lhd/Screen Recording 2022-06-26 at 11.32.08 AM.mov?dl=0

 

[thelonelycoder]

So the shortcut seems to be not working correctly.. I tried the disable diversion service and it didn't actually disable it meaning if I go to the Lan / Diversion tab it says its still on & then I can't actually disable it -- The shortcut also produces some weird output -- I've saved a video to my dropbox heres the link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/vbmxxqi2s9z2lhd/Screen Recording 2022-06-26 at 11.32.08 AM.mov?dl=0

Sorry, the Diversion Shortcuts app v1.4 requires an as of yet unreleased Diversion update. I will get to it as soon as I can.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I think I might have found why this has changed. In the latest Dropbear changelog:

+- Add /usr/sbin and /sbin to $PATH when logging in as root.
+  Patch from Raphaël Hertzog
+  https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=903403

I haven't reviewed the change, but I suspect it might possibly be adding it at the start of the PATH instead of the end with some clients (why only these clients however I don't know).

If you are able to reproduce the issue, try compiling a test build with that change reverted.

Add /usr/sbin and /sbin to default root PATH · mkj/dropbear@0e04247

When dropbear is used in a very restricted environment (such as in a initrd), the default user shell is often also very restricted and doesn't take care of setting the PATH so the user ends up ...

github.com

Or, try just changing the DEFAULT_ROOT_PATH in default_options.h then recompile it.

EDIT: Untested, but in theory should be fixed with https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/commit/eddf5e9f42a3c806d52346f1952fe4d71d1c7b6d .

I don‘t have an Ubuntu system running. Would you be able to compile a version for my RT-AC86U so I can test it?
This goes deeper as I had to change Diversion to use the full path to the Diversion file everywhere or else the withdrawn iOS Shortcuts v1.4 release still wont work.
Thanks.

 

[RMerlin]

I don‘t have an Ubuntu system running. Would you be able to compile a version for my RT-AC86U so I can test it?

Here you go:

RT-AC86U_386.7_1-geddf5e9f42_cferom_ubi.w

W File

1drv.ms

 

[thelonelycoder]

Here you go:

RT-AC86U_386.7_1-geddf5e9f42_cferom_ubi.w

W File

1drv.ms

I can confirm that fixes the $PATH issue with these exotic SSH clients, including that with SmarTTY with the option enabled to use "Smart Terminal".
It also fixes the Diversion Shortcuts app v1.3 that users complained about.

Here's the output of SmarTTY:

Welcome to Smart Terminal.
user@router:~$ echo $PATH
/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/opt/bin:/opt/sbin:/opt/usr/bin:/opt/usr/sbin

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

Here you go:

RT-AC86U_386.7_1-geddf5e9f42_cferom_ubi.w

W File

1drv.ms

Will you be pushing an updated release tag for this patch? Or does it only impact certain routers?

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

I think I might have found why this has changed. In the latest Dropbear changelog:

+- Add /usr/sbin and /sbin to $PATH when logging in as root.
+  Patch from Raphaël Hertzog
+  https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=903403

This proves @Tech9 point about watching out for those drop bears...

Reference:

VPNMON - POLL: Who is your preferred VPN provider?

I prefer Mullvad which inst on the list. Regards, Kieran..

www.snbforums.com

 

[RMerlin]

Will you be pushing an updated release tag for this patch? Or does it only impact certain routers?

I don't have anything planned yet at this time. If this is the only issue, then it will most likely have to wait for the next major release.

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

I don't have anything planned yet at this time. If this is the only issue, then it will most likely have to wait for the next major release.

And so shall I.

 

[ComputerSteve]

I can confirm that fixes the $PATH issue with these exotic SSH clients, including that with SmarTTY with the option enabled to use "Smart Terminal".
It also fixes the Diversion Shortcuts app v1.3 that users complained about.

Here's the output of SmarTTY:

Welcome to Smart Terminal.
user@router:~$ echo $PATH
/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/opt/bin:/opt/sbin:/opt/usr/bin:/opt/usr/sbin

So what is happening with this? Is it going to be fixed in the next release of merlin firmware ?

 

[L&LD]

See Post 95.

 

[thelonelycoder]

So what is happening with this? Is it going to be fixed in the next release of merlin firmware ?

Yes, it will be fixed with the next firmware release. In the meantime I try to get updates out for Diversion, amtm and the Diversion iOS Shortcut.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Let's try this again, I hope this time it lasts

iOS Shortcut v1.4 is now available

What's new in v1.4
- Compatibility fix for Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7.
- Adds amtm script update check!
- This version requires Diversion 4.3.0 installed, see release notes here.

amtm can return a list of available script updates through an SSH command and its SSH UI. To make use of the former, I added this command to the Diversion Shortcuts app, rather than create a new amtm Shortcuts app.
So now you can comfortably check for script updates from the comfort of your bed, if you like that sort of thing

How to install on your iOS device
See this page on diversion.ch or read instructions in post #1. Once the new Shortcut is configured and working, you may safely delete older version(s) from your Library.