Lighten the MT300N v2

bmessy · 2019-10-25T11:27:13.318Z

Hello all,

I’m trying to install python-pip (9.0.3-1) but unfortunately its gives me the following message

Stderr: Collected errors: * verify_pkg_installable: Only have 304kb available on filesystem /overlay, pkg python-pip needs 1475 * opkg_install_cmd: Cannot install package python-pip.

so my question is, any suggestions on things i could uninstall to lighten the box a little bit?
I’m using a Mango V2 and am only going to use it as a VPN router, I don’t need any other service from it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Johnex · 2019-10-25T12:24:22.092Z

I don’t think it will be possible. The mango only has 16mb rom, and PIP needs 1.413mb.
You wouldn’t be able to run the GL UI or anything. Just bare OpenWRT might do it, but all your configuration would be manual via config files, no UI of any kind.

bmessy · 2019-10-25T12:36:29.478Z

Okay @Johnex, thanks for the reply

Johnex · 2019-10-25T12:54:28.080Z

I would recommend you get one of the newer routers like the Slate (AR750s) that have 128mb of NAND flash, you would be able to run anything you want without issues on those.

jeffsf · 2019-10-25T14:50:09.842Z

It is possible to install a “full-custom” build with some Python support in the ROM on a 16 MB, ath79 device. However, all of LuCI and all of the great GL.iNet features need to be removed.
My notes seem to indicate that I could install python3-lite and python3-pip, but that’s about all (Python 2 is EOL).

As a heads up, even on a larger-capacity device, only “pure Python” modules can be installed with pip. This is because OpenWrt doesn’t provide the ability to compile source code and link firmware on the device itself in any reasonable way. Other modules would need to either already exist as OpenWrt packages, or have a package crafted for them and built on a separate Linux-based OS machine, then installed on the device.

I don’t know what you’re intending to do with Python, but I wouldn’t consider anything very compute or memory intensive on any all-in-one router¹. The lack of RAM, typically 32-bit architectures, and lack of an FPU are not well-suited for “fancy” applications. A single-core device adds in the challenge that if the CPU is swamped by a running application, the routing performance is going to suffer.

¹ The Brume with its 1 GB of RAM and dual-core ARM processor a notable exception to this. As I understand it, it also runs Ubuntu, which is better suited for general or advanced Python use than is OpenWrt.