OpenWrt

What is OpenWrt?

OpenWrt is described as a Linux distribution for embedded devices.

Instead of trying to create a single, static firmware, OpenWrt provides a fully writable filesystem with package management. This frees you from the application selection and configuration provided by the vendor and allows you to customize the device through the use of packages to suit any application. For developer, OpenWrt is the framework to build an application without having to build a complete firmware around it; for users this means the ability for full customization, to use the device in ways never envisioned.

> Supported Devices

New HAL release for Atheros Hardware

We would like to announce the release of a new HAL for Atheros WLAN devices. The new HAL is the result of a collaboration between OpenWrt.org, DD-WRT and MakSat Technologies (P) Ltd. It is the first result of a common effort, and the present collaborators would like to share the product of this work. We intend to provide reliable and continued support for other projects using this new HAL for Atheros WLAN devices.

The HAL provides a defined API to access and contol Atheros WLAN chipsets, and is an integral part for many drivers such as MadWifi. Comparing it with the HAL that's currently used by MadWifi, the most important changes are:

    * many known bugs have been fixed
    * improved noise immunity measures
    * added support for additional architectures, such as ARM11, MIPS64 and MIPS32r2
    * enhanced support for Atheros WiSOC (Wireless System on Chip)
    * added support for Atheros AR7100

Home of the new HAL will be the website of the madwifi.org project, http://madwifi.org.
Future development will be coordinated here, and the bug tracking facility can be used to report bugs or file feature requests.
For commercial requests please contact hal@maksat.de

The following is a list of links to involved projects and/or already available vendor solutions using the new HAL for Atheros WLAN devices:

.             
OpenWrt.org - embedded linux distribution and development environment

.             
DD-WRT.com - professional and end user firmwares for common wireless routers and boards

.             
MakSat Product Line - offers tough hardware and special software enhancements for all areas and very inexpensive small APs

Notice: This announcement can be copied as is, as long as the hyperlinks, emails and names are not changed

Gateworks switches to OpenWrt

The OpenWrt project is pleased to announce that Gateworks' new Cambria Network Platform now ships with OpenWrt as the factory BSP.

The first member, the GW2358 is targeted at next generation high performance multi-radio wireless access points, mesh networks, backhauls, repeaters and VPN appliances.

Features:

CPU:                                Intel IXP435 @ 667MHz
Memory:                          128MB
Flash:                              32MB
Ethernet ports:               2x 10/100 Mbits/s
Expansion:                     4x miniPCI slots, 2x USB 2.0, CF
Other features:              Digital I/O, EEPROM, RTC, temp/voltage sensor, serial ports, extended temperature
Optional features:         RS485 serial, GPS reciver

Full support for the Cambria family is already available in the development tree and will be part of the next stable release.

OpenWrt at LinuxWorld

This years LinuxWorld Conference and Expo hosts The Mobile Linux Conference. This conference in a conference is intended to explore the present state of the art in terms of mobile and embedded Linux-based solutions, and how these are pushing the development ahead. One of the tutorials on the program takes a closer look at embedded Linux development, using the NSLU2 in combination with OpenWrt Kamikaze as example: http://www.linuxworldexpo.com/live/12/c … ONYB007TJR

New OpenWrt Kamikaze Release in August

The OpenWrt project will over the next two months focus on a new Kamikaze release. The official name is to be: OpenWrt Kamikaze 8.08 Release. The planned schedule will take the following shape:

*Last day in July - final release candidate: 8.08 RC-1. This will be a feature freeze, and all changes after this point will be bug fixes.

*Last day in August - final release: OpenWrt Kamikaze 8.08 Release.

OpenWrt Kamikaze 8.08 Release will, amongst other, focus on bringing the following features:

- Firewall rewrite
- Broadcom 47xx running reliably with the new Kernel, not including wifi
- IMQ and Traffic shaping tested with newer kernels, especially 2.6.25
- Sysupgrade for more platforms (x86 is tested again)
- The new web interface (LuCI, Lua Configuration Interface)
- Full support for new platforms and targets
- Attention towards the integration of security updates
- Package maintaining and updates between releases

The OpenWrt Team

OpenWrt presentation at the Fosdem 2008 in Brussels

We thank everyone who attented the OpenWrt Fosdem 2008 presentation. The room was crowded and a lot of good questions got raised.

Paper submitted during the Call for Paper:
http://downloads.openwrt.org/people/flo … em2008.pdf

PDF of the presentation:
http://downloads.openwrt.org/people/flo … tation.pdf

Sources of the paper and the presentation can be found here:
http://downloads.openwrt.org/people/flo … m/sources/

Kamikaze 7.09

The new Kamikaze 7.09 release is ready. It is a bugfix release for 7.07.

Changes since Kamikaze 7.07:
  - Fix a crash at boot time on atheros-2.6
  - Documentation updates
  - UCI updates - uncommitted changes are now active on config reads
  - PPP fixes
  - Firewall fixes for dynamic interfaces
  - Config enhancements for dnsmasq
  - Timing fixes for BCM947xx (fixes flash access problems on some models)
  - Fix for BCM947xx and Atheros cards on Linux 2.4
  - Prevent interfaces from accidentally being started twice at boot time
  - Fix QoS for dynamically assigned interfaces
  - Fix IMQ errors when ip6tables is installed (Linux 2.4)

Download at http://downloads.openwrt.org/kamikaze/7.09/

Kamikaze 7.07

The new Kamikaze 7.07 release is ready.

Changes since Kamikaze 7.06:
  - PPPoE support fixed
  - Failsafe on Broadcom fixed
  - Failsafe on Atheros AR2315+
  - Improved system boot time
  - New 2.6 kernel with stability fixes for Broadcom
  - Improved qos-scripts rate calculation
  - Improved wireless-tools compatibility on Broadcom with Linux 2.4
  - New version of MadWiFi with improved stability and performance
  - New platforms: AMCC, AVR32
  - WPA related bugfixes in the wifi scripts for Broadcom and Atheros
  - RouterBoard 500 NAND flash fixes.