Compiling in defaults to firmware

lostdog · 2016-08-13T07:05:24.000Z

How difficult would it be to compile in new default setting to the openwrt fimrware? I nearly exclusively run linux at home and while I don’t code I regularly compile some of what I use so I’m not afraid of playing with the source.

At work I manage a group of ~10 Sales Engineering who are all over the US (and sometimes international). I had a (crazy?) idea to give them all routers (I’ve picked up the GL-AR300M) configured to work in WISP mode and with OpenVPN credentials for our server at work (in using the TAP interface so they can access network shares). Most are not very security savvy so having them using WIPS and OpenVPN when they are using public hotspots would be a huge step towards securing their activities.

Some are proficient with computers but others are technically challenged. If something goes wrong and they need to factory reset I’d like it to keep the important work setting because many of them would require much hand holding to get it working again.

I’d like to compile in to the firmware things like a set router password, OpenVPN settings and WISP wifi access-point name and password. I can make some simple work instructions to show them how to connect but my big concern is if they need to factory reset I don’t want them to have to send it back to me to get it working again.

I pulled the OpenWrt code from git but I’ve not gone through the exercise of compiling yet. Is it a matter of just editing some of the source and compiling the changes in to the firmware? Is this a bigger headache than it’s worth?

Thanks!

alzhao · 2016-08-14T23:21:50.000Z

It takes some time to compile and configure a good firmware.

Especially you need to check what setting do you want to config in the firmware, like those in /etc/config/ and save the contents to files and put them in openwrt path before you compile.

Please check this 404 Page not found - GL.iNet

But it is not easy to configure a good firmware. We have made some good progress to automatically connect WISP repeater so that you don’t need to reset your router if it cannot connect. Also, I don’t think TAP works good in router. Seems only TUN works. The reason is that TAP will try to bridge all the clients, which seems a problem for the router. It can bridge the router with other openvpn clients, but the router cannot give an IP address to each devices from your openvpn server.