Config USB HDD as NAS on Clearfog Pro A1 LEDE

Hello all,

I'm a complete newbie so please take it easy on me :slight_smile:

A friend did the setup on my Clearfog Pro A1 running LEDE, and it has been running perfectly for the past year. I'm itching to upgrade the setup with an external USB 3.0 HDD as a NAS device for my home network, maybe even PLEX storage for the TV...

Could someone help with instructions on how to set this up? (I use Win10 on my home PCs, I have some Linux VMs, and a networked Samsung Smart TV).

Thank you,
Matt

@thumper, welcome to the community!

See: https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/storage/usb-installing

Thank you. But sadly as I mentioned before - I am a COMPLETE newbie.

Where am I supposed to enter the commands in the link you sent? How/where do I open a terminal? (I am accessing the router from within my browser 192.168.1.1)

Thanx :slight_smile:

It seems you'll need to learn how to access the command line of the device.

BTW, you can install any of the packages via the web GUI under: System > Software.

OK that helped. I managed to SHH via Win10 powershell and started following the guide you originally linked to.

Its (sadly) throwing errors. Here is a copy-paste from my terminal
(I had to break up the URLs because the forum isnt allowing me to post links)

1234@LEDE:~# opkg update
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/targets/mvebu/generic/packages/Packages.gz
*** Failed to download the package list from h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/targets/mvebu/generic/packages/Packages.gz

Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/base/Packages.gz
Updated list of available packages in /var/opkg-lists/reboot_base
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/base/Packages.sig
Signature check passed.
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/luci/Packages.gz
Updated list of available packages in /var/opkg-lists/reboot_luci
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/luci/Packages.sig
Signature check passed.
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/packages/Packages.gz
Updated list of available packages in /var/opkg-lists/reboot_packages
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/packages/Packages.sig
Signature check passed.
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/routing/Packages.gz
Updated list of available packages in /var/opkg-lists/reboot_routing
Downloading h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org/snapshots/packages/arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3/routing/Packages.sig
Signature check passed.
Collected errors:
 * opkg_download: Failed to download h t t p : / / downloads.lede-project. org / snapshots/targets/mvebu/generic/packages/Packages.gz, wget returned 8.
1234@LEDE:~# opkg list-installed | grep usb
libusb-1.0 - 1.0.21-1
usbreset - 4
usbutils - 007-6
1234@LEDE:~# opkg install kmod-usb-core
Unknown package 'kmod-usb-core'.
Collected errors:
 * opkg_install_cmd: Cannot install package kmod-usb-core.
1234@LEDE:~#

Can you make out anything from this?

Yes...but first, remember to use the </> icon to highlight and enclose device output and code in boxes.

It seems as if you simply need to run opkg update again and retry. All package list and signature files must be successfully downloaded and checked within a 24 hour period of running the okpg install command. So simply run the update again - and ensure all downloads and checks pass before attempting to install packages.

Also, you may wish need to upgrade to the latest version.

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Sorry but I dont understand what you meant by

I tried running opkg update many time, always the same errors.

Is there a chance that upgrading to the latest version (I assume you mean LEDE) will break any settings? ...I obviously would prefer a stable router over breaking it while trying to set up USB NAS.
I have backed up the LEDE with the "Generate archive - to download a tar archive of the current configuration files" but I wouldn't know how to reflash the firmware at this stage, and without a router - it'd be near impossible to research/learn :frowning:

And I dont know how to upgrade :-\

Means if you paste something in a post that's from the terminal, use the codebox icon to enclose it.

Screenshot%20from%202019-08-20%2015-16-10

This is an example

Yes.

Please recall, the old version may be why you cannot install new packages. Snapshot versions are only good ~24 hours. LEDE was released ~2 years ago - and you have a snapshot version of it.

https://openwrt.org/start?do=search&id=start&q=sysupgrade

Always feel free to check the Wiki/manual.

There is no "generic" path under https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/mvebu/
What @lleachii said about snapshots being shortlived is true :slight_smile:

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Sorry but I dont even know what a snapshot it.

Whats the consensus? Is it a reasonable risk to to try to upgrade to latest version? Again I risk being stuck routerless. From what I can make out - the backup I have is only the settings, and not the actual firmware. So is there some sort of rollback option? Or would I need to try to find this firmware version in conjunction with the backed up settings/config file?

@thumper, at some point, you must look at the Wiki/manual for direct guidance. All of what you're asking is documented.

Your version of LEDE is a snapshot (based on the opkg URLs). See: https://openwrt.org/releases/snapshot

Snapshots are only good for ~24 hours; but it seems you've had it installed over 2 years. Since the specific LEDE snapshot doesn't exist anymore, neither do the packages you wish to install. Again, you must upgrade.

LOL, what risk???

It's your only choice to install the packages you desire.

Correct.

Why do you want to rollback to a firmware that old?

I would check the Wiki page for that answer - but from a quick read, your device does not: https://openwrt.org/toh/solidrun/clearfog

No, you:

  • upgrade
  • open file
  • all config files are pure text (*.TXT) files
  • read then and use it to reconfigure your router

Not hard at all.

There is no such thing as "firmware version in conjunction with the backed up settings/config file" - other than the firmware you already installed. Now as we know, it's over 2 years old!

There's many threads that explain why you don't save settings between version upgrades - but I'm not even sure why that's a notion scaring you...

No, the project is once again named: OpenWrt.


The sysupgrade file can be downloaded from here: https://openwrt.org/toh/hwdata/solidrun/solidrun_clearfog_pro

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Before adding a USB 3.0 drive you may consider making use of the internal M.2 SATA slot to add a M.2 SSD like Transcend 128GB SATA. The M.2 SATA is located on the underside of the board. If both mPCIe slots are not currently being used for wireless they can also accomodate MSATA SSD.

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Yes I'm aware of the M2 slots... but they both have wireless cards, and anyway I'm looking for more in the Terabytes range than GB range.

Because it works perfectly... the old saying - "if it aint broke dont fix it". Especially when I dont know how to config it myself! and again the risk is being stuck routerless.

The backup file output by my old version seems to be a LOT more than txt file. Its a tar.gz archive with a root folder etc with 7 subfolders and 40 files.

Well, recreating the snapshots at that point in time is, while possible, quite a bit of work and pointless: it's just my guess, but your friend might have been forced to use snapshots if that was all that was available for that hw.

Installing a stable version such as 18.06.4 is within your reach with moderate amount of studying and support from the forum. You will of course need a backup connection, either a different router or a direct connection to your computer (with a firewall!).

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The versions here are over a year old.

He was actually one of the designers of the HW. This was the best build at the time.

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???

The firmware was was released about 2 months ago (July 1, 2019to be exact).

Where did you obtain that information?

  • Did you refer to the manual for that detail?
  • The release date of the firmware can be found on the main page: https://OpenWrt.org

Again, correct, I am aware of what a config backup contains.

  • Perhaps, you're exaggerating the number of TXT files in the archive, just slightly?
  • Are you not aware of how you configured your router?
  • I am shocked there's that many subfolders
  • You need the files primarily in /etc/config

BTW, you can use one post to reply to multiple people, we can all see.

Here: https://images.solid-build.xyz/A38X/ sept2018 seems to be the latest. Or should I not be looking for specific SolidRun releases?

I said 40 files, not all are txt files. But it sure looks like a lot more that just a txt file to my untrained eye...
No (sadly) I am not at all aware of how the ClearFog was configured - which is my main worry regarding upgrading the firmware, and tinkering with settings. But maybe I am overconfusing myself? I think the whole firmware is uSD based, can anyone confirm that? So I should be able to just pull the card, put it aside, and play around with a different one? Would I have a "rollback" option by just booting the router from the old uSD?

:open_mouth:

???

WTF is that?!?! I'm not opening that link, and don't suggest anyone else on this forum do so!

To answer you, I would look exactly where the person who took time to offer advice - told you to look. If you don't want assistance, or trolling - this will be my last post.

I clearly said:

You've been referred to you Wiki and Tech datapage already...but I do see your firmware is a full SD card image. Seems to be correct though...aren't you looking at your device?

Unless someone who owns this device responds, you'll have to tell us.

Wait! You know the hardware's designer/OEM firmware creator. Can't you ask him?!?!

Absolutely. I'd thought you'd flash the official firmware and be enjoying 18.06.4 - hours ago.

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