Firmware for Freifunk Bielefeld

The firmware turns a common wireless router into a mesh networking device. It connects to similar routers in the area and builds a Wifi-mesh network but also opens an access point for computers to connect over Wifi. Included is Internet connectivity and a web interface.

To build the firmware you need a Unix console to enter commands into. Install dependencies for the build environment (Debian/Ubuntu):

sudo apt-get install subversion g++ zlib1g-dev build-essential git python
sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev gawk gettext unzip file libssl-dev wget

Build commands for the console:

git clone https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt.git && cd openwrt
git reset --hard 0f757bd2606971252f901ef3faf4dbd0086315f7

./scripts/feeds update -a
./scripts/feeds install -a

git clone https://github.com/freifunk-bielefeld/firmware.git
cp -rf firmware/files firmware/package .
git am --whitespace=nowarn firmware/patches/openwrt/*.patch
cd feeds/routing && git am --whitespace=nowarn ../../firmware/patches/routing/*.patch && cd -
cd feeds/packages && git am --whitespace=nowarn ../../firmware/patches/packages/*.patch && cd -
rm -rf firmware tmp

make defconfig
make menuconfig

Now select the right "Target System" and "Target Profile" for your AP model:

For example, for the TL-WR841ND, select:

• Target System => Atheros AR7xxx/AR9xxx
• Target Profile => TP-LINK TL-WR841ND

Or in case you have the DIR-300, select:

• Target System => <*> AR231x/AR5312
• Target Profile => <*> Default

For other models you can lookup the "Target System" in the OpenWrt hardware table. Your AP model should now be visible in the "Target Profile" list.

Now start the build process. This takes some time:

make

The firmware images are now in the bin-folder. Use the firmware update functionality of your router and upload the factory image. The sysupgrade images are for further updates.

• Use openwrt-[chip]-[model]-squashfs-factory.bin for the initial flash.
• Use openwrt-[chip]-[model]-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin for futher updates.

Many routers have not been tested yet, but may work. Give it a try! :-)