The OpenWrt Project is a Linux operating system targeting 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 developers, 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.

See the Table of Hardware for supported devices. For more information about OpenWrt project organization, see the About OpenWrt pages.

The recently released technical guideline for secure broadband routers is simply a disservice to customers. This guideline will not prevent widespread malfunction of routers and their security problems in the future. The consumers will not get a useful way to distinguish secure and long living devices from risky devices or the possibility to take care of the security by them self.

Vendors are still allowed to block OpenWrt from the devices they sold, even after security support for the device was already terminated, making the device useless.

The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) and OpenWrt took part in multiple review and discussion rounds with the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) and representatives of multiple device vendors and network operators. These are our two main demands:

1. Vendors have to inform customer before buying the product for all devices being sold in Germany, how long the device will get security updates in case problems are found.
2. The customer must have the possibility to install custom software on their devices, to have the possibility to fix security problems even after the official vendor support ended.

Press release in German

People install OpenWrt because they believe it works better than the stock firmware from their vendor. They find it is more stable, offers more features, is more secure and has better support.

• Extensibility: OpenWrt provides many capabilities found only in high-end devices. Its 3000+ application packages are standardized, so you can easily replicate the same setup on any supported device, including two (or even five) year old routers. More...

• Security: OpenWrt's standard installation is secure by default, with Wi-Fi disabled, no poor passwords or backdoors. OpenWrt's software components are kept up-to-date, so vulnerabilities get closed shortly after they are discovered. More...

• Performance and Stability: OpenWrt firmware is made of standardized modules used in all supported devices. This means each module will likely receive more testing and bug fixing than stock firmware which can be tweaked for each product line and never touched again. More...

• Strong Community Support: OpenWrt team members are regular participants on the OpenWrt Forum, OpenWrt Developer and OpenWrt Admin mailing lists, and LEDE's IRC channels. You can interact directly with developers, volunteers managing the software modules and with other long-time OpenWrt users, drastically increasing the chances you will solve the issue at hand. More...

• Research: Many teams use OpenWrt as a platform for their research into network performance. This means that the improvements of their successful experiments will be available in OpenWrt first, well before it gets incorporated into mainline, vendor firmware. More...

• Open Source/No additional cost: OpenWrt is provided without any monetary cost. It has been entirely created by a team of volunteers: developers and maintainers, individuals and companies. If you enjoy using OpenWrt, consider contributing some effort to help us improve it for others! All of the above is possible because OpenWrt is part of the Open Source community, and powered by Linux kernel. Get the source code...

• And more…

Like any open source project, OpenWrt thrives on the efforts of its users and developers.

• If you want to develop the software, please refer to our Developer Guide to learn how to get the source code, build it, and contribute your changes back to the project.

• If you're not a developer, you can still help. The documentation can always be improved (even if it's to verify that the instructions match your experience), or you can help other community members with questions. Don’t hesitate to Register yourself in the wiki, or join our mailing list and IRC channels to get in touch.