Custom build OpenWrt and include a linux build file

For Developers
1

Hi Everyone
First of all, please excuse me if this is a basic question but my knowledge of openWRT and Linux are very, very limited (close to none, but i am very good at following guides and tutorials)
I have been trying to find an answer for my question on the forum, reading every post that seems relevant before bothering you guys, but so far I have not found an answer for this.

A bit of explanation for what i want:
Virtual Here (https://www.virtualhere.com/usb_server_software) is a USB sharing Server that enables remote access to USB devices over a network.
The developer of this server has some free/trial pre-compiled firmware for some routers (i am using the NEXX WT3020)
He also offers the linux build for FREE (generic non optimised versions) so we can "play" with it and build our toys.

I have used the precompiled version on my NEXX and it works flawless...but... there are a few things that come by default that do not work for me. (IP addresses are outside my network, DHCP is active, lack of graphical interface like Luci, etc...)
I know i can change every setting via SSH and install Luci as i did a few times during experiments, but those settings go away if you reset the router forcing me to change everything again.

Over the last few days I decided to have a go and try to build my own custom build of openWRT following the openWRT guides to create a custom build of openWRT.
Installed it and tested on my NEXX WT3020 (8MB) and works great ...but i have no idea how to put the VirtualHere linux build inside the firmware.

If you click the link above, you can clearly see that the developer actually tells you what to do, but like i said in the beginning of this post, my knowledge is so basic that i have no idea what or how to do it.

Would it be possible for someone to help me with this?

The developer of VirtualHere says on his website :

If you want to put virtualhere on a openwrt build you can make your own image then put the https://www.virtualhere.com/usb_server_software linux build on it

I have no idea how to do this and for what i can see the FAQs are for settings after the files are included in the firmware.

I understand that i might be asking for a long work from you, but i have nowhere else to go.

My most sincere apologies for this long post but i wanted to give as much information as possible.

Thank you so much for your time reading this and helping me.

I am more than happy to release this firmware to anyone who wants it (once/if i can make it work) :smile:

2

Since it's a commercial product that claims to be "drop-and-go" and, at least from what I can tell, doesn't provide source code, I'd contact the vendor's support.

3

Vendor is called Michael and he has been helping me a lot with the changes needed for the pre compiled firmwares but I feel that i don't have the right to ask him for a step by step tutorial on how to do this
I completely understand what you mean (and it is understandable that the source code is not provided as this is how he makes a living), but i believe that what i am asking is fairly simple for someone that actually knows linux and openWRT (i may be very wrong)
i hope what i am saying actually makes sense but English is not my first language and i really dont want to come across as rude.

Sorry

4

If it is just a matter on installing it, you should be able to use scp to copy it to your running router and install it in the proper places using the command line, setting it to be executable, as described in those instructions.

If you want it to run at every boot, look at the files in /etc/init.d and write a similar one for the server.

5

Thank you Jeff.
But from my basic understanding of the firmware, wouldn't that be deleted if I reset the router? I am trying to get this file installed and running with the firmware so if something goes wrong I can reset the device and still have this running by default. And that is what I don't know how to do.
How to include this Linux file and the settings on the custom openwrt build.
Sorry of that was not clear from my first post.
Thank you

6

Only /var/ and /tmp/ get reset with a reboot (as they are memory backed). Yes, if you wipe the router, it would be removed.

You can install files to a custom ROM using the ./files/ directory. https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-developer/build-system/use-buildsystem#custom_files

However, you can install it yourself, as I mentioned.

7

Hi there has anyone managed to write a piece of firmware, to create a virtual usb com port?