Migrate settings from GL-AR750S-Ext (Slate) [& LinkSys WRT1200AC] -to- GL-MT6000 (Flint 2)?

Technical Support for Routers
1

Hi Everyone,
I have been running my "Slate" for many years (since July 2019!). I have been running on the latest version of legacy firmware v3.216 without any significant issues. Just recently (this week!) I took the opportunity to purchase a "Flint 2" primarily because of the limited OpenVPN(17Mbps) and WireGuard(68Mbps) performance of the "Slate"!

I am also coalescing the two independent systems ("Slate" as the Edge Router/Firewall & the LinkSys WRT1200AC as the Dual-Band WiFi Access Point) into the one "Flint 2" device...

So, the question I have for you all: Is there any kind of guide or other documented suggestions for making the migration from the "Slate" to the "Flint 2" as easy as possible?

I need to configure multiple 2.4GHz and multiple 5GHz networks with certain existing predefined BSSID's (to enable a seamless transition for some devices), the WiFi networks are currently being provided by the LinkSys WRT1200AC running OpenWRT 23.05.3 r23809.

I also want to dump the full DHCP LAN IP Reservation Table in the "Slate" (I use "dynamically assigned static IP's for many devices and systems on my wired and wireless networks).

I then want to take that dumped data (message it, if necessary) and input it into the "Flint 2" to avoid doing EVERYTHING item by item and/or element by element, manually!!!!

I'd also like to dump and copy over the DYNDNS client daemon configuration...

Does anyone, have any suggestions? At least, does any know which of the system CLI commands (or GUI) that I can use to extract the various pieces of information and data?

Can I created a backup in the advanced menu option in LUCI of the "Slate" and "LinkSys" and use that data to then "somehow" input into the "Flint 2"?

Also, one VERY important desire is to seamlessly migrate both the OpenVPN and WireGuard environments in the "Slate" over to the "Flint", so that, I won't have to reconfigure all of the computer systems and smart devices that use those VPN capabilities now????

In summary I want to essentially dump the state of the "Slate" and "LinkSys" devices, turn them both off, power up the "Flint 2" and use any tools or handcrafted scripts to input all of the combined configuration data into the "Flint 2"!!!! I don't want to have to "touch" any computers nor any devices and once the "Flint 2" is powered back up, ALL of my network is operational with the enhanced speed and capabilities of the new "Flint 2" based Edge Router/Firewall and WiFI Access Point...

Thanks, in advance, for ANY and ALL suggestions and pointers!!!!

2

Won't work, don't try it.

Just recreate all settings.
Major firmware upgrades (3 ~> 4) are always without migration.

3

@admon,
I am not trying nor proposing to just take a backup from the "Slate" and the "LinkSys" and just 'jam it' into the "Flint 2"!!!!!

I am asking for a pointer to the CLI commands to dump the various pieces of information, then use CLI commands (if different) to set the various elements in the "Flint 2"!

I know there are a ton of CLI commands that were used by the LUCI to perform the configuration in the first place, I was just asking where can I find a listing ot the CLI commands and syntax to perform the desired tasks!

I am capable of writing the scripts to extract and inject the data, I just need to know where to find the various CLI commands!!!!

I plan to look at the BACKUP "tar.qz" files to see it the desired data is in those archives and perhaps write some scripts/tools to parse the data and write out the proper/respective CLI commands....

The idea situation is of I can parse the BACKUP files for the older "Slate" and "LinkSys" systems, then I could theoretically create a tool to generate and 'RESTORE' file for the "Flint 2" and make my life much simplier/easy...

I can't believe I am the only person to ask this question and I further can't believe NO ONE has not done this before and my have some insight and/or tools already developed...

Thanks!

4

Best way is by viewing the tar.gz file and open every config file and adopt it into the new version.
Or by running uci show and dump all information, then looking through all information and adopt it into the new firmware.

All in all: Horrible kind of work and not very useful.

5

@admon,
I am confused by your negative view of the usefulness of creating a mechanism to programmatically migrate configuration data from one critical network Edge Router/Firewall/AccessPoint device to another!!!!

I have over 175 computer systems and Smart & IOT devices with DHCP IP Reservations defined and I don't desire to have to enter all of that data manually!!!!!!!!!!!

Certain things that are few in number (like defining the the handful of WiFi SSID's I have on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands) doing that manually 'might' be OK.

So, although I disagree with your observations, I very much appreciate you responding to my inquiry... By the way, do you have any suggestions on migrating the server credentials for both OpenVPN and WireGuard from the "Slate" over to the "Flint 2"????

Also, given your involvement in the Singleton-Factory, I would be amazed that you all do a bunch of manual operations for your IT customers and not use both existing and internally developed tools and utilities...

Again, Thanks!

6

This is me except Flint 1 & AP mode TP-Link Archer D9, into Flint 2 upgrade :flushed:.

I can't even find how to backup or import the lan / mac addresses

7

It is simply not supported to migrate the settings between those devices because the underlaying OpenWrt changed.

We don't need to discuss it, there is no official way. Of course you can write yourself some migration tool - but this requires to understand the changes and how OpenWrt works.

Since you do have all config files, you can easily check which settings must be migrated how. But this is a manually task and you need to write the migration path by yourself. You can even just open the config files and put the new information in it.

Use uci and compare how to modify the settings for a migration. For your DHCP, check https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/base-system/dhcp

In general you should read the OpenWrt wiki since it will answer all your questions. Please understand that OpenWrt isn't MikroTik - there are no unified backup files you can simply walk down. It‘s more like a full flagged OS.

Keeping your settings between major upgrades is not supported on any GL.iNet device, I am sorry.

8

@admon,
Thanks for the suggestion about looking into the "OpenWRT Wiki"!!!!!!

I wasn't aware that it existed, hopefully it will provide the base information I am looking for...

By the way, is there anything like that Wiki for the Gl.iNet specific components? As I have asked previously, I would like to get some guidance/insight on how I could potentially take both the OpenVPN & WireGuard server's credentials from the "Slate" and somehow re-instantiate them into the "Flint 2" to make the transition/migration painless (I don't want to have to touch and re-provision a ton of devices "in the field" (family and friends that use my VPN for remote data access and remote system diagnostic assistance)!!!!

Thanks, again!

9

Not really. Only the user docs over here: https://docs.gl-inet.com

I would guess that the WireGuard config should be inside /etc/config/wireguard_server