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embedded Linux on old routers

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  • 20-07-2015 4:05pm
    #1
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭


    I've recently start a little project of seeing if I can use old DSL routers for projects.

    So far, I've found they all seem to be using similar if not the same kind of embedded Linux.

    Some of the features have been disabled, different routers different features. It seems to making repurposing and control more difficult (or just to make hacking difficult).

    Anyone know what I need to do, to get more control of these devices. That is have little Linux machines that I can write and run my own code on?

    There are distributions of things like OpenWrt etc, but I've found that I may need to build my own environment for flashing onto the router. I'm not sure of a lot of things, I've just been poking around on them lately.

    How does coding for these devices work?.....Do I code on the device?....Or does my code need to be generated from a tool chain on a PC, then placed on the device. Does it have to be a complete image of the environment.

    I'm using these routers because they have a lot electronics, that I got for free. And the whole thing is a learning exercise.


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    #2
    bpmurray
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭bpmurray


    It really depends on your router, but rather than search for "linux", it's usually referred to as "firmware". Have a look at dd-wrt for an example.


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    #3
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,118 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    Take a look at the BT Voyager 2110 DSL modem. I added support for it to OpenWrt a couple of years ago.


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    #4
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭Labarbapostiza


    Jonathan wrote: »
    Take a look at the BT Voyager 2110 DSL modem. I added support for it to OpenWrt a couple of years ago.

    I know the voyager.......and I don't have one. There's no OpenWrt for two of the routers I have. And I'm worried about using it for one of the routers I have; a Linksys. I've put a modded version of the Linksys firmware on it, but the web interface won't accept it (this is something I believe Linksys put in it). I played around with TFTP, but I can see where to configure the TFTP from the router side. I don't know where it's going to drop the image or if it might brick it.

    From what I can make out of the routers I have, is they're incredibly similar. A bootloader, which I assume gets all the peripheral information; the Ethernet ports, Wifi, DSL. Then a Linux kernel. Routing software such as Zebra. Then a mini webserver. OEM configuration web pages.

    A basic thing I want to do with the routers, is configure the Wifi as the Wan port. I've been reading through the .Asp webpages (the files) on the Linksys, and I can't tell where it's sending the config information. (though I've just had idea how to find them).

    I'm interested in the GPIO ports. (general purpose input output). On the Linksys there is a GPIO file/folder (I'm not hugely familiar with how Linux works - but I assume that file/folder is let's me write and read directly from the ports, without having to get outside userspace.) I don't know much more is on these boards. I believe they're typically generic development boards.

    How fiddly was the voyager port of Openwrt?......


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    #5
    28064212
    Registered Users Posts: 10,494 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    You seem to be trying to run before you can walk. I think it would make much more sense to get something like a Raspberry Pi, which is designed for development work. Use that as a learning tool, before you start trying to hack something together on a machine that wasn't explicitly designed for it

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    #6
    Labarbapostiza
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 963 ✭✭✭Labarbapostiza


    28064212 wrote: »
    You seem to be trying to run before you can walk. I think it would make much more sense to get something like a Raspberry Pi, which is designed for development work. Use that as a learning tool, before you start trying to hack something together on a machine that wasn't explicitly designed for it

    Thanks, but the Odyssey is to see how far I can get with these things, and what I learn in the process.

    A few things about the routers I have to hand. How they're designed. They're based on generic manufacture development boards. For example my Linksys has an Arm 7 processor, it's development board would have been loaded with a micro Linux/ embedded. Then an Infineon chip to act as the Ethernet switch. So, a kind of generic architecture has been used, that allows the device to be cobbled together.

    Now, I'm not sure if they make them anymore, but explicitly designed routers and network equipment, used to come with dedicated Network OS. It would be some kind of Real Time OS, that wouldn't have much interaction with the administrator. There wasn't much to look at........So the little routers I have pulled out of the rubbish are more interesting.

    It's interesting, the Zyxel I have is running Zebra as it's router. But the Linksys is using UPNP - Internet Gate Way Device. Which is something that took a little investigation to understand... I haven't cracked the bit I wanted cracked yet, but I'm more than halfway through the puzzle.

    I'm not really interested in getting a Raspberry, to do some Hello World programs and flash some LEDs. I am interesting in tearing apart old hardware.


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