OpenWrt#Derivative projects

The OpenWrt project was started in 2004 after Linksys had built the firmware for their WRT54G series of wireless routers with code licensed under the GNU General Public License.{{cite mailing list | url=https://lkml.org/lkml/2003/6/7/164 | title=Linksys WRT54G and the GPL | date=7 June 2003 | access-date=5 July 2018 | mailing-list=Linux kernel mailing list | last=Miklas | first=Andrew}} Under the terms of that license, Linksys was required to make the source code of its modified version available under the same license,{{cite web | url=http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3562391 | title=The Open Source WRT54G Story | last=Weiss | first=Aaron | date=8 November 2005 | website=Wi-Fi Planet | access-date=5 July 2018}}{{cite web | url=http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/03/07/06/2121234/linksys-releases-gpled-code-for-wrt54g | title=Linksys Releases GPLed Code for WRT54G | date=6 July 2003 | website=Slashdot | access-date=5 July 2018}} which enabled independent developers to create derivative versions. Support was originally limited to the WRT54G series, but has since been expanded to include many other routers and devices from many different manufacturers.

Using this code as a base and later as a reference, developers created a Linux distribution that offers many features not previously found in consumer-level routers. Early on some features required proprietary software. For example, prior to OpenWrt 8.09 (based on Linux 2.6.25 and the b43 kernel module) WLAN for many Broadcom-based routers could only be had via the proprietary wl.o module (and which required Linux 2.4.x).

OpenWrt releases were historically named after cocktails, such as White Russian, Kamikaze, Backfire, Attitude Adjustment, Barrier Breaker and Chaos Calmer, and their recipes were included in the message of the day (motd) displayed after logging in using the command-line interface.

In May 2016, OpenWrt was forked by a group of core OpenWrt contributors due to disagreements on internal process.{{Cite web

| title = LEDE and OpenWrt

| author = Willis

| first = Nathan

| work = LWN.net

| date = May 11, 2016

| access-date = 2017-08-31

| url = https://lwn.net/Articles/686767/

}} The fork was dubbed Linux Embedded Development Environment (LEDE). The schism was reconciled a year later.{{Cite web

| title = OpenWRT and LEDE agree on Linux-for-routers peace plan

| author = Sharwood

| first = Simon

| work = theregister.co.uk

| date = 10 May 2017

| access-date = 2017-08-31

| url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/10/openwrt_and_lede_peace_plan/

}} Following the remerger, announced in January 2018,{{Cite web

| title = Announcing the OpenWrt/LEDE merge

| author = Wich

| first = Jo-Philipp

| work = LEDE Project Forum

| date = Jan 2, 2018

| access-date = 2018-01-10

| url = https://forum.lede-project.org/t/announcing-the-openwrt-lede-merge/10217

}} the OpenWrt branding is preserved, with many of the LEDE processes and rules used. The LEDE project name was used for v17.01, with development versions of 18.01 branded OpenWrt, dropping the original cocktail based naming scheme.{{cite web |url=https://openwrt.org/ |title=Welcome to the OpenWrt Project (OpenWrt Project) |website=OpenWrt|date=January 2018 |access-date= 16 February 2018|quote=As of January 2018, the current Stable OpenWrt release [17.01.4] was built from the LEDE 17.01 source code, and branded with the LEDE project name. Development versions of OpenWrt are currently branded with the OpenWrt name, and have a version number of 18.01}} "

{{sticky header}}

{{mw-datatable}}

{{about|the wireless network router operating system|other uses|Lede (disambiguation)|section=TRUE}}

{{Infobox OS

| title = LEDE

| logo = 150px

| screenshot = 300px

| caption = Login banner

| developer = LEDE Project

| family = Unix-like

| working_state = Merged with OpenWrt

| source_model = Open source

| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2016|05}}

| language = 26 languages{{cite web|url=https://git.lede-project.org/?p=project/luci.git;a=tree;f=modules/luci-base/po;hb=HEAD |title=Lua Configuration Interface: /modules/luci-base/po |date=2017-05-10 |access-date=2017-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926144241/https://git.lede-project.org/?p=project%2Fluci.git%3Ba%3Dtree%3Bf%3Dmodules%2Fluci-base%2Fpo%3Bhb%3DHEAD |archive-date=2017-09-26 |url-status=dead}}

| updatemodel = opkg

| package_manager = opkg

| supported_platforms = 23 platforms using the following Instruction sets: AVR32, ARM, CRIS, m68k, MIPS, PowerPC, SPARC, SuperH, Ubicom32, x86, x86-64{{cite web|url=https://git.lede-project.org/?p=source.git;a=blob;f=target/Config.in;hb=HEAD |title =LEDE Source Repository: /target/Config.in |date=2017-03-30 |access-date=2017-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926190938/https://git.lede-project.org/?p=source.git%3Ba%3Dblob%3Bf%3Dtarget%2FConfig.in%3Bhb%3DHEAD |archive-date=2017-09-26 |url-status=dead}}

| kernel_type = Monolithic (Linux)

| userland = BusyBox, GNU

| ui = CLI, WebUIs

| license = Free software (GPL and other licenses)

| website = {{URL|https://lede-project.org/}}

}}

The Linux Embedded Development Environment (LEDE) project was a fork of the OpenWrt project and shared many of the same goals.{{cite web| title=OpenWRT Gets Forked By Some Of Its Own Developers As LEDE Project| url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OpenWRT-Forked-As-LEDE| first=Michael| last=Larabel| date=2017-05-14| publisher=Phoronix| access-date=2016-05-03}}{{cite web| url=https://lwn.net/Articles/686767/| title=LEDE and OpenWrt| first=Nathan| last=Willis| date=2016-05-11| publisher=LWN.net| access-date=2017-05-14}}{{cite web| url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/05/05/router_hackers_reach_for_the_fork_lede_splits_from_openwrt/| title=Router hackers reach for the fork: LEDE splits from OpenWRT| first=Richard| last=Chirgwin| date=2016-05-05| publisher=The Register| access-date=2017-05-14}}{{cite web| url=https://www.golem.de/news/lede-project-openwrt-kernentwickler-starten-eigenen-fork-1605-120726.html| title=OpenWRT-Kernentwickler starten eigenen Fork| first=Sebastian| last=Grüner| date=2016-05-05| website=golem.de| language=de| access-date=2017-05-14}}{{cite web| url=https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Router-Firmware-LEDE-als-offenere-OpenWRT-Alternative-3197417.html| title=Router-Firmware: LEDE als offenere OpenWRT-Alternative| first=Ernst| last=Ahlers| date=2016-05-04| publisher=Heise Online| language=de| access-date=2017-05-14}} It was created in May 2016 by a group of core OpenWrt contributors due to disagreements on OpenWrt internal processes. The schism was nominally reconciled a year later in May 2017 pending approval of the LEDE developers.{{Cite web| title = OpenWRT and LEDE agree on Linux-for-routers peace plan| author = Sharwood| first = Simon| work = theregister.co.uk| date = 10 May 2017| access-date = 2017-08-31| url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/10/openwrt_and_lede_peace_plan/

}} The remerger preserves the OpenWrt branding, but uses many of the LEDE processes and rules. The remerge proposal vote was passed by LEDE developers in June 2017,{{Cite web|title = LEDE call for vote on remerge proposal V3|author = Mehrtens|first = Hauke|work = LEDE-DEV mailing list|date = June 26, 2017|access-date = 2017-08-31|url = http://lists.infradead.org/pipermail/lede-adm/2017-June/000552.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170901114839/http://lists.infradead.org/pipermail/lede-adm/2017-June/000552.html|archive-date = 2017-09-01|url-status = dead}} and formally announced in January 2018.{{Cite web| title = Announcing the OpenWrt/LEDE merge| author = Wich| first = Jo-Philipp| work = LEDE Project Forum| date = Jan 2, 2018| access-date = 2018-01-10| url = https://forum.lede-project.org/t/announcing-the-openwrt-lede-merge/10217}} The merging process was completed before the OpenWrt 18.06 release.{{Cite web|url=https://openwrt.org/releases/18.06/start|title=OpenWrt Project: OpenWrt 18.06|website=openwrt.org|date=May 18, 2018|language=en|access-date=2018-11-02}}

OpenWrt features a writeable root file system, enabling users to modify any file and easily install additional software. This is in contrast with other firmware based on read-only file systems which don't allow modifying installed software without rebuilding and flashing a complete firmware image. This is accomplished by overlaying a read-only compressed SquashFS file system with a writeable JFFS2 file system using overlayfs.{{cite web | url=https://openwrt.org/docs/techref/flash.layout | title=The OpenWrt Flash Layout | website=OpenWrt Project | date=January 18, 2010 | access-date=7 July 2018}}{{cite web | url=https://lwn.net/Articles/447650/ | title=Debating overlayfs | last=Corbet | first=Jonathan | date=15 June 2011 | website=LWN.net | access-date=7 July 2018}} Additional software can be installed with the opkg package manager and the package repository contains approximately 8000 packages (by 2022).

Image:Openwrt-luci-firewall.png

OpenWrt can be configured through either a command-line interface or a web interface called LuCI. OpenWrt provides set of scripts called UCI (unified configuration interface) to unify and simplify configuration through the command-line interface.{{cite web | url=https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/base-system/uci | title=The UCI System | website=OpenWrt Project | date=September 16, 2009 | access-date=8 July 2018}} Additional web interfaces, such as Gargoyle, are also available.

OpenWrt provides regular bug fixes and security updates even for devices that are no longer supported by their manufacturers.

OpenWrt provides exhaustive possibilities to configure common network-related features, like IPv4, IPv6, DNS, DHCP, routing, firewall, NAT, port forwarding and WPA.

Other features include:

• Extensible configuration of the entire hardware drivers, e.g. built-in network switches and their VLAN-capabilities, WNICs, DSL modems, FX, available hardware buttons, etc.
• Mesh networking through B.A.T.M.A.N., OLSR and IEEE 802.11s-capabilities of the WNIC drivers and other ad hoc mesh routing protocols that have been implemented within Linux.
• Wireless functionality, e.g. make the device act as a wireless repeater, a wireless access point, a wireless bridge, a captive portal, or a combination of these with e.g. ChilliSpot, WiFiDog Captive Portal, etc.
• Wireless security: Packet injection, e.g. [http://airpwn.sourceforge.net/Airpwn.html Airpwn], lorcon, e.a.
• Dynamically configured port forwarding protocols PCP, NAT-PMP, and UPnP IGD
• Port knocking
• TR-069 (CWMP) client{{cite web|url=https://events.ccc.de/congress/2012/Fahrplan/events/5112.en.html|title=29C3: ISP's black box|date=January 19, 2013|website=events.ccc.de}}
• IPS via Snort
• Active queue management (AQM) through the network scheduler of the Linux kernel, with many available queuing disciplines. CoDel has been backported to Kernel 3.3.{{cite web|url=https://dev.archive.openwrt.org/changeset/31756 |title=kernel: add codel and fq_codel to generic 3.3 patch set |website=dev.archive.openwrt.org |date=2012-05-16 |access-date=2018-07-02}} This encapsulates Traffic shaping to ensure fair distribution of bandwidth among multiple users and quality of service (QoS) for simultaneous use of applications such as VoIP, online gaming, and streaming media without experiencing the negative impacts of link saturation.
• Load balancing for use with multiple ISPs using source-specific routing
• IP tunneling (GRE, OpenVPN, pseudowire, WireGuard, etc.)
• Extensible realtime network monitoring and statistics through e.g. RRDtool, Collectd, Nagios, Munin lite, Zabbix, etc.
• Dynamic DNS services to maintain a fixed domain name with an ISP that does not provide a static IP address
• OpenWrt supports any hardware that has Linux support; devices that can be connected (e.g. over USB) include
• Printers
• Mobile broadband modems
• Webcams
• Sound cards
• Notable software packages to use the hardware support are
• File sharing via SAMBA, (Windows-compatible), NFS, FTP, SFTP. Printer sharing over the print server CUPS (spooling) or p910nd (non-spooling)
• PulseAudio, Music Player Daemon, Audio/Video streaming via DLNA/UPnP AV standards, iTunes (DAAP) server
• Asterisk (PBX)
• MQ Telemetry Transport through Mosquitto

OpenWrt's development environment and build system, known together as OpenWrt Buildroot, are based on a heavily modified Buildroot system. OpenWrt Buildroot is a set of Makefiles and patches that automates the process of building a complete Linux-based OpenWrt system for an embedded device, by building and using an appropriate cross-compilation toolchain.{{cite web

| url = https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-developer/build-system/start

| title = OpenWrt Buildroot – About

| access-date = 2013-10-21

| website = openwrt.org

}}{{cite web

| url = http://downloads.openwrt.org/docs/buildroot-documentation.html

| title = OpenWrt Buildroot - Usage and documentation

| date = 2006-01-08

| access-date = 2013-10-21

| website = openwrt.org

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131021013828/http://downloads.openwrt.org/docs/buildroot-documentation.html

| archive-date = October 21, 2013

| url-status = dead

}}

Embedded devices usually use a different processor than the one found in host computers used for building their OpenWrt system images, requiring a cross-compilation toolchain. Such a compilation toolchain runs on a host system but generates code for a targeted embedded device and its processor's instruction set architecture (ISA). For example, if a host system uses x86 and a target system uses MIPS32, the regular compilation toolchain of the host runs on x86 and generates code for x86 architecture,{{cite web

| url = https://boardor.com/blog/comprehensive-guide-to-openwrt-network-configuration

| title = Comprehensive Guide to OpenWrt Network Configuration

| date = 2025-01-26

| website = boardor.com

}} while the cross-compilation toolchain runs on x86 and generates code for the MIPS32 architecture. OpenWrt Buildroot automates this whole process to work on the instruction set architectures of most embedded devices and host systems.{{cite web

| url = http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/noubir/Courses/CS6710/S12/material/OpenWrt_Dev_Tutorial.pdf

| title = OpenWrt Development Guide

| date = 2012-02-13 | access-date = 2013-10-21

| author = Tao Jin | publisher = Wireless Networks Lab, CCIS, NEU

}}

OpenWrt Buildroot provides the following features:

• Makes it easy to port software across architectures
• Uses kconfig (Linux kernel menuconfig) for the configuration of all options
• Provides an integrated cross-compiler toolchain (gcc, ld, uClibc etc.)
• Provides an abstraction for autotools (automake, autoconf), CMake and SCons
• Handles standard OpenWrt image build workflow: downloading, patching, configuration, compilation and packaging
• Provides a number of common fixes for known badly behaving packages

Besides building system images, OpenWrt development environment also provides a mechanism for simplified cross-platform building of OpenWrt software packages. Source code for each software package is required to provide a Makefile-like set of building instructions, and an optional set of patches for bug fixes or footprint optimizations.{{cite web

| url = https://openwrt.org/docs/devel/packages

| title = Creating packages

| access-date = 2013-10-21

| website = openwrt.org

}}

OpenWrt runs many different routers and includes a table of compatible hardware on its website.{{Cite web |url=https://openwrt.org/toh/start |title=OpenWrt Project: Table of Hardware |website=openwrt.org |date=January 19, 2016 |access-date=2018-07-02}} In its buyer's guide,{{Cite web |url=https://openwrt.org/toh/buyerguide |title=OpenWrt Project: Buyers' Guide |website=openwrt.org |date=December 29, 2010 |access-date=2018-07-02}} it notes that users recommend devices equipped with wireless chips from either Qualcomm's Atheros, Ralink (now MediaTek) or any vendor with open source drivers and specifications. It specifically avoids Broadcom chipsets as the feature set is very limited due to having no open drivers. OpenWrt also recommends choosing a device with a minimum of 16 MB of flash and 128 MB of RAM, preferably higher amounts.{{cite web |url=https://openwrt.org/supported_devices/432_warning |title=4/32 warning |website=OpenWrt |date=2020-09-28}}

OpenWrt, especially its Buildroot build system, has been adopted as the structure for other efforts. For example

• [https://beta.altiwi.com/ AltiWi] "one-time-fee-only" replacement for Cloudtrax.
• Bufferbloat.net (Cerowrt)
• Freifunk and other mesh network communities
• IETF IPv6 integration projects HIPnet and HomeNet are OpenWrt-based
• prplOS, carrier-grade framework designed to power ISPs routers and gateways made by Prpl Foundation
• SIMET Box, developed by NIC.br, is OpenWrt-based{{cite web |url=https://simet.nic.br/simetbox.html |title=Simet Box |access-date=2017-09-14}}

{{See also|List of router firmware projects}}

• [https://www.arednmesh.org/ AREDN] The Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network uses a firmware based on OpenWrt: [https://github.com/aredn/aredn_ar71xx GitHub Project]
• CeroWrt{{snd}} (2011—2014) project to resolve bufferbloat in home networking, support IPv6, integrate DNSSEC, for wired and wireless, to complement the debloat-testing kernel tree and provide a platform for real-world testing of bufferbloat fixes.{{cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/429943/ |title=ANNOUNCE: debloat-testing kernel git tree |publisher=LWN.net |access-date=2014-02-13}} The CeroWRT project is completely by 2014, when the finalized fixes were merged into OpenWRT. The "Bufferbloat project" behind CeroWRT went on to research new methods such as CAKE.{{cite web |title=Cerowrt Wiki - Bufferbloat.net |url=https://www.bufferbloat.net/projects/cerowrt/wiki/ |website=www.bufferbloat.net}}
• Coova chilli{{snd}} OpenWrt-based with focus on wireless hotspots, a fork of chillifire with focus on wireless hotspot management
• Flukso{{snd}} Wireless sensor nodes using an Atheros AR2317 chipset running a patched OpenWrt OS for communication. Sources and hardware schematics available on GitHub.
• Fon{{snd}} OpenWrt-based wireless routers acting as hotspots. Sources and toolchain available on fonosfera.org
• Gargoyle{{snd}} a web interface for OpenWrt with a strong emphasis on usability that later forked into a separate distribution
• Gluon{{snd}} Framework for building OpenWrt-based firmwares fitted for mesh network deployment: [https://github.com/freifunk-gluon/gluon GitHub Project]
• JUCIWRT{{snd}} a modern distribution using the JUCI webgui that later became an OpenWrt feed instead. The source code for JUCI is available at [https://github.com/mkschreder/juci mkschreder/juci] and is still usable by installing openwrt feed found at [https://github.com/mkschreder/juci-openwrt-feed mkschreder/juci-openwrt-feed]
• libreCMC{{snd}} OpenWrt-based distribution which excludes non-free software or binary blobs, endorsed by the Free Software Foundation{{cite web|url=https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-adds-librecmc-to-endorsed-distros-list |title=Free Software Foundation adds libreCMC to its list of endorsed distributions |website=FSF.org |date=2014-09-04 |access-date=2014-12-21}}
• LibreMesh{{snd}}Framework for creating OpenWrt-based firmwares for wireless mesh nodes. [https://github.com/libremesh/lime-packages GitHub Project]
• Linino{{snd}} OpenWrt-based distribution for the MIPS-based Arduino Yùn: [https://github.com/arduino/linino GitHub Project]
• Midge Linux{{snd}} an OpenWrt-based distribution for devices based on Infineon Technologies ADM-5120 SoCs, such as Edimax BR-6104K and BR-6104KP.
• [https://www.openmptcprouter.com OpenMPTCProuter]{{snd}} aggregation of multiple Internet connections using Multipath TCP
• OpenSAN{{snd}} iSCSI target Storage Area Network realization.
• PacketProtector{{snd}} OpenWrt-based security distribution that includes IDS, IPS, VPN, and web antivirus capabilities. Packages included Snort, Snort-inline, FreeRADIUS, OpenVPN, DansGuardian and ClamAV. These tools were accessible via the old web GUI management interface of OpenWrt, called X-Wrt or webif^2. Project ended on June 7, 2012.{{cite web |url=https://packetprotector.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5007 |title="closing time" message from author on PacketProtector forum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421070224/https://packetprotector.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5007 |archive-date=April 21, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}
• Qualcomm's QCA Software Development Kit (QSDK) which is being used as a development basis by many OEMs is an OpenWrt derivative
• RutOS{{snd}} an operating system for all Teltonika routers, based on OpenWrt. Source code found at [https://wiki.teltonika-networks.com/view/GPL GPL - Teltonika Networks Wiki].
• [https://smoothwan.com SmoothWAN]{{snd}} aggregation of multiple Internet connections and network conditioning using Speedify, Engarde and tinyfecvpn.
• Turris Omnia and Turris MOX routers run on an OpenWrt derivative
• Ubiquiti's wireless router firmwares are based on OpenWrt
• Diverse grassroots projects for wireless community networks, including Freifunk, Libre-Mesh and qMp
• Some TP-Link, Xiaomi, ZyXEL and D-Link router firmwares are derived from OpenWrt{{Cite web|url=https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/gpl-code/|title=GPL Code Center | TP-Link|website=www.tp-link.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://tsd.dlink.com.tw/downloads2008list.asp?SourceType=download&OS=GPL|title=GPL Source Code Support; D-Link|website=tsd.dlink.com.tw}}
• FreeWRT was a Linux distribution that was used in embedded systems such as WLAN devices from Linksys and Asus. Not related to a project (with same name) based on Sveasoft firmware.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
• Friendly Electronics manufactures the NanoPi series of SoC devices and makes available an OpenWRT derivative OS called FriendlyWRT.{{cite web | url=https://www.friendlyelec.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=7 | title=FriendlyElec Downloads }}
• Ansuel's Technicolor Custom GUI a modified management web interface developed on the basis of the official Technicolor for Homeware firmware, which runs a fork of OpenWrt, unlocking Technicolor Modem/Routers.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-16 |title=Ansuel GUI | url=https://github.com/Ansuel/tch-nginx-gui |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=Ansuel Github |language=en}}

{{Portal|Linux}}

• List of router firmware projects
• Prpl Foundation
• Banana Pi

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org OpenWrt Firmware Selector]
• [https://downloads.openwrt.org OpenWrt Downloads]
• [https://sysupgrade.openwrt.org OpenWrt Sysupgrade Server]
• {{github|OpenWrt}}
• [https://lists.openwrt.org OpenWrt Mailing Lists]
• [https://forum.openwrt.org OpenWrt Forum]
• [https://github.com/openwrt/luci/wiki LuCI project]
• [http://openwrtsummit.org/ OpenWrt Summit] & [https://www.battlemesh.org Wireless Battle Mesh]
• [https://store.linksys.com/support-article?articleNum=50485 GPL Code Center] at Linksys

{{Routing software}}

{{Firewall software}}

{{Software in the Public Interest}}

Category:Custom firmware

Category:Embedded Linux distributions

Category:Free routing software

Category:Homebrew software

Category:Linux distributions without systemd

Category:Lua (programming language)-scriptable software

Category:Network operating systems

Category:Wi-Fi

Category:Free and open-source software

Category:Free software programmed in C

Category:Linux distributions

Category:Open-source firmware