Updated official ipks for building 4.x.x firmware with imagebuilder

[stigi]

I’m using the imagebuilder to build custom firmware images for Spitz X750 devices, but I’m unable to find the updated official ipks for building the 4.x.x firmware based on OpenWrt 22.03.4.

Is the GitHub - gl-inet/glinet: All ipks for GL.iNet's official firmware. repository out of sync or have the tagging strategy changed?

➜  glinet git:(master) git tag | grep x750
v3.027_x750
v3.105_ar150/ar300M/ar300M16/mt300n-v2/ar750/ar750s/x750/mifi/b1300/s1300/ap1300/mv1000/mv1000w
v3.201_ar150/mifi/usb150/ar300M/ar300M16/mt300n-v2/n300/ar750/ar750s/x750/e750/xe300/x300b/mt1300
v3.203_ar150/mifi/ar300M/ar300M16/mt300n-v2/n300/ar750/ar750s/x750/e750/x1200/xe300/x300b/mv1000/s1300/ap1300
v3.211_mifi/ar750/ar750S/x750/e750/xe300/ar300M/mifi/usb150/mt1300/mt300v-v2/b1300/s1300/x300b
v3.212_ar150/mifi/ar300m/usb150/n300/ar750/ar750s/x750/xe300/mt300n-v2/mv1000/b1300/s1300/ap1300/b2200
v3.215_ap1300/ar150/ar300m/ar750/ar750s/b1300/b2200/e750/mifi/mt1300/mt300n-v2/mv1000-emmc/n300/s1300/sf1200/sft1200/usb150/x300b/x750/xe300
v3.216_ar150/ar300m/ar750/ar750s/b1300/b2200/e750/mifi/mt1300/mt300n-v2/mv1000-emmc/n300/s1300/sf1200/sft1200/usb150/x300b/x750/xe300
v3.217_ap1300/mifi/e750/x300b/xe300/x750

[admon]

The strategy in general changed, the firmware isn’t Open Source anymore.
See

Formal statement on Gl.iNet software going closed source?

The open source thing does change. The source code is still in github. Previously we have a builder to build the exactly firmware as the stock firmware but with user’s customizations. That is supposed to be used only by users for peronal use. But someone use that to build firmware, bypassing our restrictions e.g. country code, vpn etc for commerical use. That brings huge risk for our business and users. We removed that builder from github. The source code, sdk, imagebuilders are still in gith…

[alzhao]

The ipks is never opensource. We just don’t put the private packages to download now.

[webknjaz]

@alzhao could you clarify if it is at all possible to use imagebuilder for GL-MT6000 with GL.iNet's images? My googling turned out inconclusive.

GitHub - gl-inet/imagebuilder: Warning！Please look at 'GL.iNET Imagebuilder Introduction' section. + GitHub - gl-inet/glinet: All ipks for GL.iNet's official firmware. seem to be the way to go, but I don't think I saw mentions of this device in their configs.

In general, I have a thing that is able to build images using imagebuilder on top of vanilla OpenWRT which stuff a few files with configs on top and excludes a few packages that aren't needed. Would it be possible to do the same with GL.iNet-provided software? My understanding is that the Wi-Fi driver is better, which is the primary reason I'm checking whether this is possible. This is for dumb APs, so the rest of the upstream software would fit my needs.

[alzhao]

Sorry we are not providing tools to compile the same firmware as us now.

[webknjaz]

Honestly, I don't want the same image. I was hoping if I could get that wifi driver into the upstream openwrt image I'm running at home.

[alzhao]

I understood. But that what technically can do. There are some vendors just make hardware and install our software and we have to do something.

[webknjaz]

Is there a way to get that driver? I wanted to compare it with the upstream but it's not really possible with your firmware due to it being based on a much older openwrt and having too much unnecessary things. I don't really need any UI even.

[alzhao]

@webknjaz

Is there a way to get that driver

Unfortunately that driver is MTK proprietary and have to compile with the kernel.

[webknjaz]

Oh, I see. I didn't realize that it'd be linked to the kernel. So it'd only work if you were to provide a proper ImageBuilder with it. I guess I'll stick with the upstream OpenWRT, then. It seems stable enough and is more flexible anyway.