OpenWRT: Installation

Summary

This is a tutorial how to install OpenWRT. For this example the Router Zyxel Armor Z2 AC 2600 MU-MIMO dualband wireless router is used.

This tutorial is based on First-time install from OpenWRT

Requirements

• Router supporting OpenWRT (visit OpenWRT)

Installation

Find the openWRT installation image

1. Filter for your router on the official openWRT page
2. Go to "Device Page" or "Device Techdata"
3. Check "Firmware OpenWrt Install URL"

   If you can not find “factory.bin” firmware file (true for 70% of all supported devices), a device-specific custom installation procedure is required (Assuming your device does not already have an older LEDE or OpenWrt version installed). You can find custom installation instructions at the following locations

4. In the case of the Zyxel Router we only have "kernel.bin" and "rootfs.bin" file.

   So we have to proceed with a custom installation

If you have a factory.bin please follow these instructions: OpenWRT factory install

Custom installation for the Zyxel Router

Following the custom installation steps: [1]

OEM easy installation

Telnet (or ssh, if you allowed ssh on the router webpage) to the router

login:root

password:1234(or the set password)

Interestingly OpenWRT is already is already installed by default, but limited and modified by Zyxel

copy the kernel.bin and rootfs.bin to the /tmp/ folder

scp j@192.168.1.67:/home/j/Desktop/openwrt-18.06.4-ipq806x-zyxel_nbg6817-squashfs-mmcblk0p4-kernel.bin /tmp/

scp j@192.168.1.67:/home/j/Desktop/openwrt-18.06.4-ipq806x-zyxel_nbg6817-squashfs-mmcblk0p5-rootfs.bin /tmp/

copy to local folders:

printf "\xff" >/dev/mtdblock6

cat /tmp/openwrt-ipq806x-NBG6817-squashfs-mmcblk0p4-kernel.bin >/dev/mmcblk0p4

cat /tmp/openwrt-ipq806x-NBG6817-squashfs-mmcblk0p5-rootfs.bin >/dev/mmcblk0p5

sync

reboot -f

Update openWRT

Browse to http://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/mini/system/upgrade/ LuCI Upgrade URL

Upload image file for sysupgrade to LuCI

Wait for reboot

Enjoy

Used Hardware

Zyxel Armor Z2 AC 2600 MU-MIMO dualband wireless router

References

• https://openwrt.org/
• https://openwrt.org/toh/zyxel/nbg6817