This is my personal experience with several routers and Openwrt:

1) Fonera+ (FON2201), 2 units tested , openwrt 8.09, both bricked after some flashing, rubbish!

2) Linksys WRT54GL, 1 unit tested, great router, Openwrt 10.03.1 very stable, MMC/SD card mod, but I was not able to overlay over MMC.

3) Vodafone Station Huawei EchoLife HG553, 4 units tested, Attitude Adjustment and Barrier Breaker, very good hardware resources but bad USB support, bad WAN support (no switch), no GPIO support, no FXS ports support, no antenna diversity support, no dual core support

4) Tp-Link TL-MR3020, 1 unit tested, Attitude Adjustment OK, Barrier Breaker too big to fit, good router, very stable but only USB2 devices  support.

5) Tp-Link TL-WR710N, 4 units tested, Barrier Breaker, full USB 2 support, very stable, wifi output power limited to 12 db , the best router I tested.

6) TP-Link TL-WR741nd  1 unit tested, OpenWRT Backfire, very stable, good router but low hardware resources.

7) ADB P.DG A4001N1 2 units tested, Barrier Breaker, very stable, good hardware resources but no USB support, no Wifi support.

(Last edited by pilovis on 16 Jan 2015, 14:07)

Cannot confirm, I have several running with AA and BB as well as USB2/EHCI with no problems at all.

Edit: Also, that's a real hodgepodge of OpenWrt versions, some of them ancient. What exactly are you trying to do?

(Last edited by metai on 15 Jan 2015, 18:55)

Sounds like you are having a lot of difficulty. Aside from that, what's your point?

I think buying a router for OpenWRT is not particularly easy.
Most of the routers on the supported list are not available for sale (anymore).
When you read threads about the models you can buy, there are almost always people with problems writing in the threads, and it is quite hard to know how things actually work now.
Many people do their best to keep the wiki updated, but it also tends to focus on what is complicated, not what works just fine.

I don't know if it was with those thoughts pilovis wrote his post.

I think it would be valuable to the community if there was some kind of poll/database counting all devices working just fine for people every day. If I made a post saying "I run BB on my TP-Link WDR4900 and I am just happy with it". And everyone else with the router just answered "Me too" or "Well, I try to use it with XXX configured for YYY, and that does not work fine, otherwise it is good". I think that would be useful (but by far not the best way of collecting the information or using this forum).

Everyone can participate in OpenWrt.
Programming, Testing and even writing and improving wiki takes a lot of time because there are many open issues. (not counting the 10s of support requests the forum has per day)

Recent publications about router security flaw should have shed some light into the Manufacturer / ODM / Branding process - improving software is not a priority for many hardware vendors
see  CVE-2014-9222 where there was a fixed version available but some ppl did not bother to update their production / software package and report those changes down the chain

You are free to set up a webserver and program this database.

But remember : many vendors are plagued with Hardware revisions that are barely indistingushable.
D-Link, Netgear, TP-Link - sometimes the sticker on the board might be the only hint and some users dont want to open their box.

Feel free to keep the database updated.
Many potentially working targets are not listed because some regions have their own vendors / routers.
Another HW resource site is wikidevi for checking similar models/chipsets.

btw - there are already 7 new devices added to trunk / proposed on the mailing list in the first 2 weeks of 2015
- Armada 385 reference
- TL-WA701ND v2
- MERCURY MAC1200R
- Lamobo R1
- Kingston MLWG2
- ZyXEL P2812HNUF1, ZyXEL P2812HNUF3

I own a TP-Link TL-WDR4300, specifically bought for OpenWRT (I just used the original firmware during the five minutes it took to install OpenWRT), and could not be happier. Everything works, everything is rock solid; the interface is incomparable to any vendor-made interface I have seen before (and believe me, I have suffered lots of them); it is very intuitive and extremely flexible, yet it works like a clockwork.

The two bad problems I encountered with Openwrt are:

1) when you install a new package there is no preliminary verification if the remaining space on the internal flash memory is enough, neither there is any indication of how many packages will be installed (dependencies), nobody knows how much space it will take ...
it is a russian roulette, you will discover if the space is enough only at the end of the process, in case it's not enough you'll get the internal flash memory completely filled and the package not installed. This is not acceptable for a serious system.

2) The bluetooth support is a fake, I tested many routers with different openwrt releases and many bluetooth adapters and I've NEVER been able to pair anything, simply bluetooth does not work on Openwrt so please remove that wiki page, someone might be deluded

Also there is no ADSL support, we are talking about routers, a router without adsl support is like a man without a leg 

My point is:
if you have an old router you don't use, it's ok to play with Openwrt, but if you plan to buy a new hardware to play with it, buy Raspberry (same cost but most powerful) and install a serious linux distribution

(Last edited by pilovis on 16 Jan 2015, 14:16)

I'm on Huawei HG553 with OpenWrt Barrier Breaker RC3, this router is very good, when this router is bricked you don't have to open up the case to unbrick it, you just have to push the reset button for 30 seconds and you're ready to reflash your original firmware again, unlike most routers where you have to play around with the hardware when they're bricked. This router is the best for newbies like me. I have MR3020 but it's bricked and I'm too lazy to unbrick it since I already have HG553 and this one's got bigger RAM and ROM too.

Buy Raspberry and you will forget about the term "briked"

I've just posted on this forum a specific how-to about a possible use of this router with Openwrt
https://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct= … 9542,d.bGQ

but ...

if you install Openwrt on Huawei HG553 you'll loose ADSL functionality, FXS functionality, Voip functionality, antenna diversity functionality, dual core functionality.
With Openwrt you will transform a high end router with a lot of functionalities, to a generic router with LAN, WIFI & WAN (maybe).
I don't think this model it is a good start point to play with openwrt.

I will suggest you to install D-link DVA-G3672B modified firmware (http://wiki.perugiagnulug.org/mediawiki … 508_VS.zip), you won't lose any of the above functionalities and you'll get a lot of new services: Samba, Torrent, print server.

(Last edited by pilovis on 16 Jan 2015, 14:14)

Hi, TL-MR3020 worked fine with BB last time I had my hands on it. I buy mostly wr841n v8/v9 and wr1043nd V2 if gigabit/usb is needed. Both models are working perfectly. wr841n V9 has slow wifi with BB, but on CC the wifi throughput is ~100mbit.

For those of you in the US (or any other country we can export to) who are interested in buying openwrt compatible routers pre loaded with genuine openwrt, at bargain rates we can supply them. We have been searching Chinese market for such routers and have found a good supplier. It was not an easy task. There are many routers in China which claim to be openwrt routers but instead are using Chinese offshoot of the openwrt with wifi drivers  being used in copyright violation. They will not tell you this, nor does the copyright violation matters in China. But if you are deploying solutions based on such routers, dont be surprised if at some time in point the copyright violation comes in your way and your deployed solution.

Any how, the way it works is we have a company in the US and one in China. You can pay us in the US or in China and we will ship your tested, preloaded openwrt router from China with legal open source drivers. We would like to sell in bulk, but its possible for us to send single units. Pricing will depend upon the quantity you will buy, but overall the pricing is very reasonable for all legal stuff. If anyone is interested, please feel free to contact us for details.

houstontoca@hotmail.com

(Last edited by ron on 16 Jan 2015, 12:22)

I forgot to mention this

if you try to connect an external display to Openwrt by using  lcd4linux, it's a waste of time, when you try to install lcd4linux-full you'll get the following error message:

Collected errors:
* satisfy_dependencies_for: Cannot satisfy the following dependencies for lcd4linux-full:
*     libdpf *
* opkg_install_cmd: Cannot install package lcd4linux-full.

Obviously libdpf does not exist on openwrt

This is just an example of the many problems that Openwrt has,  I would suggest the developpers instead of rushing to release new versions, to fix the problems of the current stable releases.

(Last edited by pilovis on 16 Jan 2015, 16:14)

i hate repeating but
"Everyone can participate in OpenWrt."

dpf was introduced in 2012 ( https://dev.openwrt.org/changeset/31648/ )
but apparently at that time nobody really tested this ...
well the ticket is almost 2 years old : https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/13391

Everybody can learn and then fix these issues. Its not that hard.

I'm very happy with my rock-solid ZyXEL P2812-HNU F1 modem/router running OpenWRT. ADSL is fine. The modem (and OpenWRT) even supports VDSL2, but I haven't been able to test it. Don't know about the FXS ports.

A router with ADSL support is as a married man. Not everyone needs a wife.

Because a Raspberry has ADSL and gigabit ethernet?

I gave my part by writing some How-tos, unfortunately I am not able to develop packages since I'm not a programmer

but...

someone has compiled lcd4linux for Openwrt since this package is in repository, did he tested it or it was just a matter to compile it and throw it in the repository and  maybe someday someone will test it and solve eventual problems?

Same for bluetooth support, same for many other broken packages that have open and unresolved tickets for years.

Please tell me what is the meaning of putting broken packages in the "stable" repositories and than tell to the users: "Everybody can learn and then fix these issues. Its not that hard".

Again, wouldn't be better to solve problems on current stable (maybe) releases before releasing newer versions with the same old problems?

(Last edited by pilovis on 16 Jan 2015, 18:15)

I don't get your problem and it looks you don't like to read wiki before burning something out.

not speaking for lcd4linux package but for packages in general:

there is compile test and after that probably a test on real hw
BUT : how long do you suppose one has to spend time ?
Testing every config permutation is not viable - there are certain test strategies but these might not fully cover all cases. Since testing involves equipment - not every developer has access to all hardware. However people should report issues if they discover then and then maybe somebody has the time and energy to fix things.

Speaking for myself - I might probably be able to fix this but I dont have any LCD device - especially a DPF device that would be needed to make this work (I am still testing other things and have several unsubmitted patches nearly ready for submitting)

I have some usb bluetooth (bt2.1 micro usb stick) and some android mobile with bt - and I did some work regarding bluez (see https://github.com/nakarotori/packages/tree/bluez5 ) - that is not committed

but I have no Idea how/with what concrete use cases I can test if these created stuff works in OpenWrt - I had no time reading about possible things I can do to test this
- bt audio ? - I dont have a bt headset.
- bt file sync ? - what apps do I need ? Is there some guide (Openwrt wiki entry/use case)?
- other bt profiles / energy savings ? those seem to need bt 4.0 or greater usb adapters - I dont have these.

- Don't be afraid of learning
- "Programming" can be done by kids using LEGO - so sometimes "programming" has nothing to do sth you can only do with a high iq/university etc.

With that in mind I will try to list some things that can be done with increasing difficulty:

1) Simple Text writing: Document stuff. Where ? OpenWrt Wiki
After That: Document stuff in package Makefiles (they have description sections)
This is important for new developers and that want to search and might not find "obvious" packages. With Linux several solutions are possible (which ftp server to use etc...)

2) Send in patches correcting trivial issues.
see https://dev.openwrt.org/changeset/40039 ... 40290 - deleting whitespaces (according to coding guidelines) PS: there are other fixes like that
3) Send in patches for updating
Many packages can be updated by changing just 2 lines (version number, md5sum) and then "just" testing.
4) Fix some minor build issue.
Sometimes a dependency is missing or was forgotten. Disable the feature or add the dependency to the DEPENDS list.
Some software requires other software. This is more "project management" - keeping track what your software does / does not do (what you have deactivated when you compile it from source). Maybe some knowledge about "Makefiles" and the generic openwrt building process might be helpful (What is done with which files/programs at each step).
Using a compiler ("just type in some text and press enter") is completely different from knowing how a compiler works
5) Introduce new packages/Track versions
Well those Makefiles almost write themselves. If a package does not build ? If the package is popular maybe somebody already stumbled across the error you are having. Maybe the fix is already integrated in Debian but not in the source package. Most Open Source projects have licenses that should be compatible to use with OpenWrt (debian, buildroot.net,gentoo).
6) fix more elaborate issues
You have to look more carefully in build logs. You might have to know a little bit more about the tools (autoconf) and the language (C) in which many programs are written. Beginning here you are carefully might be doing some programming. You disable/enable features already in the source code and you might be able to fix some source code errors because of basic knowledge how C Language and its compiling/"cross compiling" works

Creating packages from software already available is more like writing "management" files - managing the compiler, copying the files ...

I dont think that writing text files, where you have to follow some sort of fixed rules (what sections are required, what are optional - how do sections affect outcome) can be called "programming"

Many times "programming" also follows guidelines ("ISO standards" , Documentation, man pages etc) that are available for anyone who can read them. (always beginning with simple things first - for many cases you dont need to understand the difficult use cases ) - the "hello world" program is quite simple but each language standard requires certain "text" to make it work
- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_He … m_examples
You can probably see the similarities - Open the <Insert language> standard and search for required things , how to output/print text etc.

(Last edited by zloop on 16 Jan 2015, 18:41)

Wiki?

Please help me to find lcd4linux wiki page or please take a look at Bluetooth support wiki page, maybe you can help me find some hidden pages I don't see.
Also, please tell me about a wiki page where I can understand if I can install a package without risking to fill the Flash memory because that specific package and its dependencies need more space than I have available.

Am I asking too much?

(Last edited by pilovis on 16 Jan 2015, 18:52)

The problem seems to be that people think of OpenWrt as some kind of Debian or Ubuntu, just for routers. That's certainly not the case. Especially things like LCD or Bluetooth support or completely out of the scope of the core development group, all thats done with those packages in preparation for a release is a compile-only test - the actual packaging and runtime quality is dependent on whoever contributed those packages and how many people use and actually maintain them.

Also OpenWrt's emphasis has never been on binary repositories and opkg installable packages, they're more like a side effect of the build process. It is unrealistic to fit things like graphics or bluetooth stacks on 4 or 8MB of flash memory which are already shared with the OS, the bootloader, eeprom data and a kernel image.

The best way to fit big things into the router is to make them part of the image, either by compiling or by repacking them.
If one claims that this is too hard then we can only say that this is the way it is, there is a reason that "serious" distros do not run on the platforms OpenWrt usually targets.

As for the RaspberryPi suggestion above: that hardware is totally unsuitable for network routing, the same way an vanilla OpenWrt network distribution is unsuitable for multimedia related appliances.

I have used, built and abused routers and openwrt for many years. I have found the support from the volunteers like Jow great. The one thing about openwrt is it can be customized to perform on a router for what is was intended for. Being able to do other things is great and that is the "gravy". I thank all who contribute to this " embedded system".

If there's no page / too little information: Create that page / add that information.
It's easy. If you're afraid, ask the forum, reassure you, before editing the wiki.

Yes.

Golden rule of Open Source: If nobody does it for you, do it yourself.

From my experience: Yes, it works!

I have the same router, same experience. This is the "mee to" post  that it's being asked
Everything works really fine. It's easy to hit several months of uptime.
My experience about OpenWrt ? It's a great piece of software.
Developers have done/are doing a great work.

Yes, the documentation could be improved, sometimes it's not clear which HOWTO refers to which version of OpenWrt but one can always ask their money back if not satisfied

For what it's worth, I have had excellent OpenWrt hardware support using the cheap D-Link DIR-615 C1 router with BB. Absolutely no issues whatsoever. From previous testing, wireless was working great as well. Although in my current setup I have the wireless radios disabled and using simply as a DNS server for filtering in a chain of several OpenWrt routers.