Rooter Firmware

[Nickie Koskinen]

Thisis the home of the ROOter project, open source firmware for over one hundred different routers that provides extensive support for the use of USB Cellular modems in routers that don't support this from the factory. It is based on firmware from the OpenWrt project.

The goal of this project is to provide support for a large number of USB modems and have them operate at full speed on your Provider's Network. Plus it provides detailed information about your connection such as signal strength and cell tower details.

This official version now mirrors the release that have been happening with the Pre-Release Firmware and has all the new features and bug fixes. Many features have been improved and a number of bugs have been taken care of. More routers and modems are now supported as well.

Currently, ROOter has images available for over 100 different routers spanning the range from small 'Travel Routers' to high end dual Wifi models, and everything in between. Click on the Learn More button below to see if your router is supported or see if we can support it.

ROOter has support for a large number of different makes and models of USB modems and more are being added all the time. Click on the Learn More button below to see if your modem is supported and, if it isn't, see how to get support added for it.

Find information about the features in a ROOter router and many tutorials on flashing and dealing with router related issues by clicking on the Learn More button below. All information that is ROOter related is gathered in this area.

ROOter has a very active thread on the Whirlpool Australia Forum where you can ask questions, make comments and receive information pertaining to ROOter. The ROOter experts frequent this forum thread regularly and are always willing to respond to users. If you have a problem with any aspect of ROOter or are just looking for information on the subject of routers, please join us there by clicking on the button below.

Are you a commercial user of routers and want a customized version of ROOter to make them better fit your needs? Click on the Custom Firmware button and see what modifications are available.

These files are distributed in the hope that they will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

If you wish to stay up to date with your ROOter firmware there is now a system in place that generates new firmware on a regular basis. This firmware is made using the same build system that is used to make the release versions of ROOter except that the build system has all the bug fixes and new features that have been added since the official release.

There are a number of different ROOter images provided and what features they contain depends on the router and on your desire. First of all, routers that have only 8meg of flash are limited in the features that they will have. They will have the same modem support that all routers share but have a smaller list of router features included. 8meg routers do not have any USB storage (Samba) support but do have OpenVpn and Wireguard.

With routers that have 16meg or more of flash you can choose to use a firmware that has Load Balancing installed. This is useful if you have multiple Internet sources but is not neded if you use a single modem. Firmware with or without Load Balancing are included.

If you wish to stay up to date with your ROOter firmware there is now a system in place that generates new firmware on a regular basis. This firmware is made using the same build system that is used to make the release versions of ROOter except that the build system has all the bug fixes and new features that have been added since the official release. Not all routers may have prerelease firmware available for them but the most popular will.

And where do you draw the line at what a person should post here? If I'm using a ROOter firmware and I have a question about doing QOS on a group of IP Addresses should I be told to use the ROOter forum only? This is an OpenWrt question that probably can only answered here. This isn't a question about modems as handled by ROOter but something that is totally part of OpenWrt.

So uncivil behavior should not be taken to task? I don't think so. That just encourages them to keep posting that way. Forums are famous for post like "RTFM" and "do a search to find what you want ". That helps no one and being rude about it just makes it worse.

It is one of the better Linux forums I've seem but there is always room for improvement. If people get turned off from posting here because of a few with bad attitudes that does the community no good.

So you are saying that we should be experts in every facet of OpenWrt if we supply a customized firmware? I would like you to point out to me anyone on this forum who is an expert in every area. The people doing the community builds certainly aren't. They need to ask questions of the experts in various areas to solve their problems.

I'm an expert in using modems with OpenWrt after doing it for 10 years but I'm certainly no expert on networking or DSA or many other areas of OenWrt that don't deal with modems. But sounds like you say I should be.

Once again we find ourselves asking who should post on this forum. Just because you are a contractor selling a version of OpenWrt doesn't mean you should be excluded. Or is the idea that anyone selling custom OpenWrt firmware should have a team of experts at hand to solve all the problems?

For example, I provide free ROOter firmware to anyone who wants to download it. The code is Open Source and available to all. I finance this by myself with no donations. It is totally free and I never ask or want donations.

But I also sell customized versions of ROOter to Rural ISP that provide cellular Internet to areas that have none. This covers the cost of maintaining ROOter and keep it free. Am I banned from this forum because I charge for customized firmware? And am I looking for a free handout on the backs of those that are here?

When you a have few extra minutes, could you build a RaspberryPi3 version of the current ROOter tester? My RaspberryPi2 is working exceptionally well as my everyday router, but I'm getting ready to deploy an outdoor "closely-coupled" version using an RPi3.

Strangely, I am unable to flash a TP-Link WR1043ND v4, which actually runs on GO 2017-10-10.

Firmware file is lede-wr1043nd-v4-GO2017-12-15.bin but I get the error message:

"The uploaded image file does not contain a supported format. Make sure that you choose the generic image format for your platform."

Am I missing something?

Align the center of the 2-1/2" holes for the IP32 air vents with the center of the closure buckles, and be sure they're centered left-to-right on the door. There's just enough clearance for the rings you'll be screwing on from the inside if you've measured and marked carefully.

Mark the 1" hole for the Amphenol waterproof Ethernet connector 44/64" down from the sealing lip and centered. Mark the two 5/8" holes for the panel mount "N" antenna connectors 44/64" down as well, and centered in the remaining spaces on the sides of the Amphenol connector.

Mount the RaspberryPi3 to the Bud Internal Board on the fourth row down from the top by creating an additional hole just to the right of the last hole in the fourth row. The holes on the left side of the RPi will use standard holes present in the board. The mounting board hole for the lower right RPi mounting hole will also be a specially drilled hole just to the right of the last hole in the row it lines up with. The two new holes on the right side are necessary to create the room needed for the right angle USB RPi power cord. The RPi should be mounted with 2.5mm x 25mm stand-offs from the parts kit. Use nuts from the kit on the back side.

The USB modem enclosure (with the modem already installed inside it!) should be mounted as high as possible on the internal board. It should butt up against the 25mm stand-offs and be centered left-to-right under the RPi. Line it up with existing internal board holes, but be prepared to slightly drill the bottom one, as they don't line-up perfectly. I needed to use 2.5mm x 8mm fasteners that I had from a previous computer build with more nuts from the stand-off kit.

With the USB modem enclosure shifted to the right just like the RPi, this creates room for the PoE splitter to be mounted on its side just to the left of the modem and lined-up with the bottom of the modem enclosure. 3M VHB tape or other strong double stick material works well.

Now's a good time to route the USB cable from the modem enclosure to one of the RPi USB ports. Also, connect the right angle USB to DC barrel connector adapter. The internal board can now be screwed into its threaded inserts in the box. The Amphenol Ethernet connector should be removed at this point, as it blocks the bottom screw on the internal board. Re-install Amphenol connector when the board is screwed down.

Route the 18" Ethernet cable from the Amphenol connector to the PoE Splitter. Connect the captive Ethernet cable from the PoE splitter to the RPi Ethernet. Connect the PoE splitter power cable to the DC adapter you already connected to the RPi. Connect the RP-SMA connectors from the N panel mount connectors to the USB modem enclosure.

All you need now is an SD card flashed with the latest RPi3 version of ROOter, a SIM card from your cellular data provider and a 24V PoE power inserter or 24V PoE splitter. And, of course, don't forget to connect the antennas!

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