Is it really OpenWRT?

Technical Support for Routers
1

Hi!

I found this topic:

Can anyone comment this please?

2

What do you need to know?

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Is it really OpenWRT (I don’t care if it is modified or not)? Or it’s something looking like this?

Because person here said that LuCi broken…

4

It is OpenWrt but an older version and some scripts are custom. But it’s still OpenWrt because this is just the base system.

Luci works fine, but depends on the router.

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5

Will it ever update to new?

GL GUI is nice, so I think it is even better

6

Difficult to explain with the update strategy. Basically, GL wants to make the latest OpenWrt version available - unfortunately, this depends on third-party drivers, for example, which do not work with the latest version.

Also, the update strategy is currently not optimal. So I would say that if there are updates, they will not be in the foreseeable future - although this is only an estimate on my part.

If you always want to have the latest version, you should use a router from GL which is supported by plain OpenWrt.

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Are there internal updates though? For example vulnerability fixes?

For example?

8

Afaik yes but not often for 3rd party applications.
So tailscale or AdGuardHome are pretty old.

Please look into the device pages here: [OpenWrt Wiki] GL.inet

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No not really.
GL.iNet like Zyxel, Belkin, TP-Link, Netgear, Linksys and Asus, use Openwrt Software Development Kits made by the chosen chipset vendor, with proprietary drivers included and ancient kernel sources.

GL.iNet’s biggest difference is that they allow the end user access to opkg, and host their own opkg repository.

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10

That does not make sense.
Of course, it is OpenWrt.

Just because you got preinstalled Windows with some strange apps (Well, hello Dell!) or restrictions it’s not less Windows than before. You can still use manuals created for OpenWrt, you can still write scripts using uci - so why shouldn’t it be called “OpenWrt”? It’s definitely powered by OpenWrt.

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Real Openwrt uses opensource drivers and opensource firmware, not proprietary ones that are included with all GL.iNet firmware and SDKs.

so GL.iNet is definitely wrt, but it’s not truly opensource and therefore is not Openwrt or powered by it, it’s based off of it but all those proprietary bits taint the distribution.

GL.iNet stock firmware is like buying a Tesla because it runs on electric and then finding out you can only use Tesla charging points, due to incompatible proprietary bits.

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I am not paranoid about this. If something I can easily flash real OpenWRT. But I like nice GUI and ability to use app for control

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Do not pick up the Opal SFT1200 then, as you cannot flash real Openwrt on it, you are stuck with vendor lockin and all the proprietary stuff.

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14

If it is capable with OWRT - no problems. I will sniff traffic to check whether it connects whatever it not allowed

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15

Oh no. Not this argument again please. Who cares what it is as long as it does what it should (which it does not at this stage).

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16

People keeps crying about the same s…t, just sent the router back and get you something else :saluting_face:

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I bought GL router. It is not perfect (too much things I was adjusting by myself to make it work with certain ISP) but it is really better than routers that don’t support plugins or OWRT. For GL I advise to add to firmware option to remove external (not related to GL) crap. I removed ties to some VPN providers but it took me forever.

In general - I love their UI and app. But they definitely should work to shrink firmware and make it pluggable (like install what you need but from box it will be bare minimum). Or extend memory on all devices.

Also it will be really great if GL will add automatic exroot memory extension so this will fix all my problems.

I checked with sniffer and their router really NOT connect to anything strange or suspicious. I saw only calls to their opkg repo, firmware update server and time server request. So you should not be paranoid about proprietary software.

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I think you replying to the wrong person partner, :thinking: I decided to keep my GL.iNet router so I stop crying about the firmware and deal with it as it its and make the best of it.

To the forks out there still crying about the firmware, please sent the router back and get something else if you can’t deal with it, please. :call_me_hand:

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Let’s not aruge if old openwrt, modified openwrt is real openwrt or not.

We will make a web page list all the openwrt support info so that you can decide before purchasing.

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