OpenWrt facts for kids
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OpenWrt 18.06.1 login screen
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| Company / developer | OpenWrt Project |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Open source |
| Initial release | January 2004 |
| Latest stable release | 23.05.3  / Error: first parameter is missing. |
| Available language(s) | English, Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Welsh + 25 partially translated languages |
| Update method | opkg |
| Package manager | opkg |
| Supported platforms | 50 different platforms using the following Instruction sets: ARC, ARM, m68k, MIPS, PowerPC, SPARC, SuperH, x86, x86-64 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Userland | BusyBox |
| Default user interface | CLI, WebUIs (LuCI) |
| License | Free software (GPL and other licenses) |
OpenWrt (which means open wireless router) is a special type of operating system for small computers. It's based on Linux and is mostly used in devices that help connect you to the internet, like your home router.
OpenWrt is made from different parts, including Linux, and other tools like BusyBox. All these parts are made to be very small. This way, they can fit into the limited storage and memory found in typical home routers.
You can control OpenWrt using text commands (a command-line interface) or through a web page called LuCI. There are also thousands of extra programs you can add to OpenWrt using a special tool called opkg.
OpenWrt can run on many different devices. This includes home routers, smartphones, and even small pocket computers. It can also run on regular personal computers and laptops.
Contents
The Story of OpenWrt
The OpenWrt project began in 2004. This happened after a company called Linksys used code licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) for their WRT54G wireless routers. The GPL license means that if you use someone else's open-source code, you must also share your changes.
Because of this, Linksys had to share their code. This allowed other developers to use it and create their own improved versions. At first, OpenWrt only worked on the WRT54G series. But over time, it grew to support many other routers and devices from different companies.
Developers used this code to create a Linux distribution (a version of Linux) that added many new features. These features were not usually found in regular home routers.
For a while, OpenWrt releases had fun names, like different cocktails. These names included "White Russian" and "Kamikaze." The recipes for these drinks would even appear when you logged into the system!
In 2016, some of the main OpenWrt developers started a new project called LEDE. This was because they had disagreements about how OpenWrt was managed. But a year later, in 2017, they decided to join forces again. The project went back to being called OpenWrt, but it adopted many of the good ideas from the LEDE project.
OpenWrt Updates Over Time
OpenWrt has been updated many times since it started. Each new version brings improvements, fixes bugs, and adds support for more devices.
Here's a quick look at some recent major updates:
- Version 17.01 (Reboot) came out in 2017. This was the first version after the OpenWrt and LEDE projects started working together again.
- Version 18.06 was released in 2018.
- Version 19.07 came out in 2020 and added support for WPA3, which makes Wi-Fi more secure.
- Version 21.02 was released in 2021. It improved security with TLS and HTTPS support by default.
- Version 22.03 came out in 2022. It brought a new firewall system and a "dark mode" for the web interface.
- Version 23.05 is the latest version, released in 2023. It added support for even more devices and updated core parts of the system.
What OpenWrt Can Do
OpenWrt is special because it has a "writeable root file system." This means you can change any file and easily add new software. Most other router software doesn't let you do this without completely rebuilding and installing a new version. OpenWrt makes it easy to customize your router. You can install extra programs using the opkg tool. There are about 8,000 different programs available!
You can set up OpenWrt using text commands or a web page called LuCI. OpenWrt also has special scripts called UCI that make it easier to change settings using text commands. Other web interfaces, like Gargoyle, are also available.
One great thing about OpenWrt is that it gets regular bug fixes and security updates. This is true even for devices that their original makers no longer support. This helps keep your router safe and working well.
OpenWrt lets you control many common network features. These include IPv4 and IPv6 (internet addresses), DNS (like a phonebook for the internet), DHCP (giving out IP addresses), and routing (directing internet traffic). You can also set up a firewall to protect your network, and manage WPA security for your wireless connection.
Other cool things OpenWrt can do:
- Control your router's hardware: You can change settings for things like the network switches, Wi-Fi cards, and even physical buttons on your router.
- Create mesh networks: This lets multiple routers work together to create a larger, stronger Wi-Fi signal.
- Boost your Wi-Fi: Make your device act as a wireless repeater (extending Wi-Fi range), a wireless access point (creating a Wi-Fi hotspot), or a wireless bridge (connecting wired devices to Wi-Fi).
- Improve internet speed for everyone: It helps share your internet connection fairly among many users. This is great for things like VoIP calls, online gaming, and streaming media so they don't slow down.
- Connect multiple internet providers: You can use more than one internet connection at once for better speed or reliability.
- Secure connections: Set up IP tunneling like OpenVPN or WireGuard to create secure connections over the internet.
- Monitor your network: Keep an eye on how your network is performing and see statistics.
- Use dynamic DNS: If your internet provider gives you a changing IP address, this helps you keep a fixed domain name for your network.
- Connect other devices: OpenWrt can work with many USB devices like printers, Mobile broadband modems, Webcams, and Sound cards.
- Share files and media: You can use your router to share files (like with SAMBA for Windows computers) or stream music and videos.
How OpenWrt is Developed
OpenWrt is built using a special system called OpenWrt Buildroot. This system helps developers create the entire Linux-based OpenWrt system for different devices.
Most embedded devices (like routers) use a different type of processor than the computers developers use to build the software. So, a special "cross-compilation" tool is needed. This tool runs on the developer's computer but creates code that works on the router's processor. OpenWrt Buildroot makes this whole process automatic.
This development system helps make it easier to adapt software for different types of processors. It also helps manage all the different parts needed to build OpenWrt, like downloading code, fixing bugs, and putting everything together into a working system.
What Hardware Works with OpenWrt?
OpenWrt can run on many different routers. Their website has a list of compatible hardware. When choosing a device, it's recommended to pick one with Wi-Fi chips from companies like Qualcomm's Atheros or MediaTek. These often have open-source drivers, which means developers can work with them easily.
It's best to avoid devices with Broadcom chipsets because they don't have many open-source drivers, which limits what OpenWrt can do with them. OpenWrt also suggests choosing a device with at least 16 MB of flash storage and 128 MB of RAM, but more is always better!
Other Projects Using OpenWrt
OpenWrt's build system has been used as a base for many other projects. For example:
- Freifunk and other groups that create community mesh networks.
- prplOS, a system for internet service provider routers.
- SIMET Box, a device developed in Brazil.
Projects Based on OpenWrt
Many other router software projects are based on OpenWrt. Here are a few examples:
- AREDN: Used by Amateur Radio enthusiasts for emergency data networks.
- CeroWrt: A project that worked on fixing internet slowdowns (called "bufferbloat") in home networks. Its fixes were later added to OpenWrt.
- Gargoyle: A different web interface for OpenWrt that focuses on being very easy to use.
- Gluon: A tool for building OpenWrt-based software for mesh networks.
- libreCMC: An OpenWrt-based system that only uses completely free software, with no secret parts.
- OpenMPTCProuter: This project combines multiple internet connections to make your internet faster.
- PacketProtector: An older security-focused version of OpenWrt that included tools for detecting intrusions and setting up secure networks.
- RutOS: The operating system for all Teltonika routers, also based on OpenWrt.
- SmoothWAN: Another project that combines multiple internet connections.
- Many routers from companies like TP-Link, Xiaomi, ZyXEL, and D-Link use software that came from OpenWrt.
Images for kids
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