hello, hi, my name is ronie, i am new here, and i am a ms student, my new ms project is based on openWRT and i have to use asus 500g, and i need to know, as i am novice/newbie on this type.......

1. how to understand openwrt
2. i have to install AODV routing protocol on asus, how to do that?
3. have to understand AODV, and protocols, how?
4. which pc language i need to know?
5. how much linux and which linux i need to know? and how?
6. i have 30 days to deadline and i need to know all above,

plz help me, i will be glad...............thanks.

hey...

ad 1: understand gnu/linux, then you'll also understand openwrt
ad 2: google; you'll find plenty of results including how-tos.

greetings,
andy

thanks for helping me, i downloaded debian/linux 3.0.1 iso image and i will burn it to a CD, how to install it on my laptop? i have winxp sp2 running.

without knowledge of GNU/Linux is it ok to install?

any good suggession/web address/links for learning GNU/Linux?

Read OpenWrtDocs carefully, upload OpenWrt to your ASUS and start play with it.

You do not need GNU/Linux for that task. There is a Telnet/SSH client named putty that will run under XP and connect to your OpenWrt router. It will bring you the GNU/Linux console of your router.

Also look at the documentation for BusyBox and google to find a small introduction of how to use linux in console mode.

thanks for the help, but i first time gone through the openwrtdocs and found several command and terms that i dont understand and also the command for uploading firmware to asus router, ping, etc, dont understand, also i note in the docs that they say do not hanlde firmware or upload linksys openwrt on a router without basic knowledge of GNU/linux and *nix shell skills.

wht is *nix shell?

Console mode is a text mode, a blank screen with only text (no graphics and mouse support).
A shell is a program used to start other programs.

If you connect to a OpenWrt router with the putty client, you get a console window and the router starts a shell named ash. The ash gives you a promp where you can write commands (which are small programs) that the router executes.

*nix refers to UNIX or systems that builds on the concept of Unix, for example GNU/Linux and BSD. A Windows system on the other hand refers to 9x, NT and XP.

To get *nix shell skills you have to use a *nix shell and read a lot. You will not understand everything the first time, and you don't need to ether. Take it one step a time.

To exchange firmware in your router and play with commands under OpenWrt is associated with risks. Something can go wrong and you may end up with a useless piece of hardware. Sometimes it is possible to save the router in various ways for example the risky operation of taking it apart and short a pin on the flash chip. But be prepared that your router can be totally trashed even when you follow examples and guides exactly. There is no guaranties.

Here is a guide that worked for me:

1. Download the OpenWrt firmware (openwrt-brcm-2.4-squashfs.trx) to C: on your Windows XP computer
2. Install the ASUS firmware restoration utility from the CD shipped with your router
3. Assigne the static IP 192.168.1.2 to your PC and connect the router to the PC
4. Hold down the router reset button and then insert the power cord to the router
5. Relies the reset button when the power led starts to flash
6. Start the firmware restoration utility, browse C:, select the OpenWrt firmware and press Upload button
7. Wait. Do NOT interfere. Make yourself a cup of coffee or something
8. Type 192.168.1.1 in your web browser to try the OpenWrt web interface and set a password
9. Download the client putty, start it, print 192.168.1.1 as host name and click open
10. Log in as root and use your password
11. Start to navigate the router tree structure with the commands ls and cd
12. Read OpenWrtDoc, BusyBox documentation etc and start to learn

Good luck!

(Last edited by burkgul on 2 Jan 2006, 23:14)

Ronie,

I'm going to be rather negative here, so bear with me.  Here's my advice to you: don't install OpenWRT.  You must understand that OpenWRT is a customised Linux installation that is complex, and you can totally nuke your router unless you know what you are doing.  If you do not know Linux at all, don't use OpenWRT as a means of learning Linux.

In life, you always need to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run.  Honestly mate, you're at the crawling stage with Linux right now and using OpenWRT is the running stage.

Let me provide some reasons why I'm saying this:

1. There is no keyboard or mouse on the router, so the only way to manage it is via the network.
2. You can and will break it, and need to perform recovery using firmware uploads via TFTP, because there's no keyboard and the only way to fix most problems is to get it back on the network and login to it via SSH or Telnet
3. You may possibly break it and need a JTAG cable to recover it (major work, and requires soldering and also requires strong Linux knowledge to operate)
4. Configuration of OpenWRT - specifically the wireless settings - are complex and you will be trying to work out how the hell they work at the same time as spending hours where to find the configuration settings because you don't know Linux

If you persist with running OpenWRT without learning Linux and UNIX in general first, here's what's going to happen:

1. You will break the router
2. You will come back here to the forums and ask for help
3. People (especially the developers) are going to get very upset that you didn't read the FAQ's or other documentation, and bother them incessantly with inane Linux questions like "what does the 'ls' command do", which are NOT what this forum is for.  This forum is not for educating people on how Linux works.  It is for helping people who already know Linux how to get the best out of OpenWRT.

I understand if you think I'm being really mean and negative.  I guess I'll have to accept that you will probably hate my guts forever, but it's in your own best interest that you leave your router alone until you know Linux, and networking protocols in much greater detail.  My recommendation for you is to grab a spare PC and install Linux on it.  At least that way if you break it you can rebuild it.  If you really want to learn Linux FAST and in great detail, install "Gentoo" Linux, which requires that you compile your Linux kernel and do pretty much everything at the command line for installation.  If you can't navigate your way through a Gentoo Installation, you are not going to get OpenWRT working and make the changes you want as time goes on.

I repeat my original statement again: DON'T install OpenWRT.  Go and learn UNIX and Linux in first.  This will take a few months!  Only then come back and try to get involved with OpenWRT.  For your own good, don't open this Pandora's box right now, because you will only get pain and suffering out of it.

Kaldek

(Last edited by kaldek on 3 Jan 2006, 00:34)

i understand u r trying to help me and thanks for that. i am new in linux and my question is sort of basic of linux, if this forum for advanced people then i should leave but this is a wonderful place for asking help, what should i do then? ok, first of all, i have use openwrt. i have to upload a AODV routing protocol on an asus router and i need to know all the stuffs needed for tht. Some guy told me just upload openwrt, some told me dont need to learn linux (see in this thread), some says have to learn basic. U said learn linux few months (crawl) and strat with openwrt. but i dont have couple of months for tht, i need to know basic linux, if possible , only things that i need for my project. can you help me with that? i am not asking a lot, some , a few , can u give me ur expertise?

i downloaded debian/linux 3.0.1  iso image and ready to install it on my laptop (acer travalemate 292LMi), wht should i do? i have some manual for debian linux.

then can u tell me about wht should i learn to install a routing protocol (AODV) on an asus 500g router and operate and connect with 2 laptop?

i am sorry if i disturb u, but i need help and if my questions are unmatured plz i beg all ur perdon.
if u agree and have time to help me, i will disturb u my friend, time to time for my queries, plz dont get upset, feel free to comments...................

Here's an installation guide for someone who is new to Debian/Linux:

http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=2016

That looks like a good place to start.

Hey hi to all.ronie i do understand u coz i am just the same as u and my object is similar tats getting a package rather a protocol to the openwrt box.
Heres wat i did:-

1.Read www.openwrt.org.Its an amazingly made site and will really give u an insite of the whole openwrt project.

2.Understand the basic linux stuff which includes the commands,how devices are handled ie drivers and importanly the file system along with some basic programming and belive me it will just take u 3-4days to the max.refer to site like www.wikipedia.com for basic definitions and overview.

3.Then u need a bit of netwrking knowledge tat shudnt b much of a prob for a guy doing ms i guess.

4.Now wat i did was dwld the openwrt firmware ie the squashfs 1 and as my linksysy router had a upgrade firmware site in the web interface it was damn simple getting open wrt on to it.

5.Next was to search for the package i saw it out here : http://tracker.openwrt.org/packages/
Dwnld tis package and chk out how to install packages frm the how tos in the openwrt.org pages.

6.Now if u wer unable to get the router online just connect using putty have a ftp server running on ur comp use the command  ipkg install ftp://urftpip/package.ipk.

7.Tats it u have the package on it but belive me these may sound simple and r simple but it takes lots of patients  to really get things wrking and not much of the guys out here seem to be noobs like some of us so help atleast to me does come pretty late

And in the process ull will tend to screw up things but tat cant be avoided if u know it all too btw ull get to know things only wen u screw them up

ronie,

I've done a bit of research, and found I think where you got your idea for running AODV on the router.  Was it from this site: http://www.nmsl.cs.ucsb.edu/~krishna/aodv-linksys/ ?

It looks like you will need to compile AODV for the router.  This is going to be tricky, because you will need one of the following:

- Somebody else to compile AODV for you, OR
- Your own existing Linux installation on another computer where you can cross-compile AODV for the mips architecture and install it

The second option is complex and you could easily spend your 30 days just getting that to work for you.

I recommend you try using the "Sveasoft" firmware, which you do have to pay for but I think already has AODV built-in (in the "mesh" version).  It's also configurable via a web interface and you could probably learn it in a couple of days max.  Contact the guys at sveasoft (http://www.sveasoft.com) and ask them if they have AODV support for you.

Kaldek

(Last edited by kaldek on 3 Jan 2006, 09:34)

hi ronie

in order to get familiar with linux, i would recommend using a live-cd/-dvd. it contains a complete linux and is bootable, so you put it into your cd drive, reboot and have a linux (shell inclusive). it does not install anything on your harddisk, so when you reboot you have your 'normal' operating system back.
of course to do serious work under linux you need to install a distribution (like Debian) on your computer's harddrive.
there are many live-linux-cds, each with its own set of programs and features. i would recommend Knoppix, as it is probably the most widely known, updated regularly and has a good documentation.

but maybe going through the (sometimes frustrating) process of a first-time distro installation is the better way to learn linux ?! (i did it this way )

thnks all of you....i am starting now.....1st knoppix then try to understand it....after boot from CD is thr any basic command i hv to type for operate?

this may be helpful, start with the chapter "The Bash shell". You don't need the preparation of adding a new user as a further advantage of using a livecd is that you can't "break" anything (the downside is that you cannot add a lot either)

but i have to warn u: it's a long way from this basic tutorial to installing the routing protocol on openwrt. 30days is very tight! be prepared to spend a lot of time and better make sure you have a good stock of coffee

maybe kaldek's advice for looking for a firmware which already has support for AODV is a better idea!

(Last edited by synthrax on 3 Jan 2006, 15:13)

hey

nope, just start knoppix! read the knoppix documentation online, there is a knoppix-cheatcodes file where you can get information about the various startup commands (if things don't work out automagically, which is quite possible on a rathern new laptop).
i'd recommend that you'll make yourself familiar with the console, although you don't need it in knoppix, you'll probably need it in openwrt!

i learnt linux by installing and breaking things, my first install took me around a year until it was running the way i wanted it too (well, that was back in 1998, the installers are way better now!). the big advantage is that you can do anything you want when the system's running! my second linux installation is still running today, on my home-server!

greetings,
andy

i run knoppix form CD, how can i configure my wireless LAN connection, i mean using internet and also basic commands.....

and the other thing, now whts the next step familiarize with openwrt,AODV, OLSR protocols and asus 500g router?

i install debian but grafhics dont  start...whts the prblm

You need to lube the graphics bearing.

how can i do tht?

You're questions really are beyond the scope of these forums, however, if you are using XFree86 then this is the command you would run to configure X in Debian:

# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

If you are running X.org then this would probably be the command (although I have only run XFree86 on Debian so not sure about that):

# dpkg-reconfigure xorg

Once it's configured if you do not have it set to start up your X display manager just type "startx" from the console prompt. You should probably find a Debian forum if you want to get really good help for Debian though. Or stop by my forums and I'll try and help where I can:

http://voidmain.is-a-geek.net/

Debian does have good documentation. For instance, here is the installation manual in many different languages:

http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/installmanual

Main documentation page:

http://www.debian.org/doc/

thnx i will try

i install debian and configure graphics...running karnel 2.6...the problm is i cant configure my wireless network....acer hotkeys r not fully functional seems to me...my configuration is ACER travalemate 292LMi, internel wireless 2200BG....whts the prob and how i solve??

any boss help me? sometimes wireless works when reboot wireless card on but no activity shows in kwifi manager.....

go to www.tuxmobil.org or www.linux-on-laptops.com and search for your model and/or use www.google.com/linux
again, this forum is for OpenWRT on not for your laptop!

greetings,
andy