Installing OpenWrt development snapshots

For experienced users only! The steps below install OpenWrt development snapshot firmware on your device.

Development snapshots are also known as simply “snapshots” or the outdated term “trunk builds”. Snapshots are versions of OpenWrt that are “in development”. They are rebuilt frequently, often multiple times a day.

See also Development builds / snapshots

No!
Although they are the latest version, there is no guarantee that any particular snapshot build will be bug-free, or even work at all. Snapshots are not likely to be stable enough to be used on your home router, where you or members of your family rely on the network. As a standard consumer stick to the official release versions of OpenWrt.

See also Development builds / snapshots

On snapshots, LuCI has to be installed manually (if needed).

Manual LuCI installation by package may require more free flash storage than a 4MB flash device can handle, see 4/32 device warning.

To manually install LuCI, follow the LuCI installation guide.

To install (or “flash”) an OpenWrt snapshot firmware image, just follow the standard flashing instructions: Factory install and Sysupgrade, with the only difference to use it for a firmware file from the snapshot download section.

Once the snapshot is installed on your device:

• Install LuCI, if required
• Consult the User Guide
• Install other packages with opkg install ...
  • You should definitely install the SQM-QoS package to minimize lag/latency. Use opkg install luci-app-sqm, then read how to configure it in the SQM Howto.
  • Other useful packages include snmpd, netperf, and any of your favorites.
• If you have an unbranded / low-end / low-cost router that came shipped with OpenWrt / LEDE, you can find out the architecture it is using by connecting to it over ssh and opening /proc/cpuinfo. A combination of the system type and machine is what you are looking for.
• If you will be flashing OpenWrt firmware snapshots frequently, you can create a script that makes configuration changes in a reliable and repeatable fashion. See, for example, the config-openwrt.sh script that updates most settings.