How to remove installed packages to save firmware space?

For Developers
1

I have an old TL-740N router and installed openwrt few days ago. I want to limit bandwidth for some user. For that i have to install a new package. But I've no free space to do that.
So I started searching how to remove installed packages. I've found some posts but they are too much confusing for me as a newbie.
what i only know i need linux OS and an image builder.
can anyone please help.

i want to remove everything like ipv6,firewall,sys log etc.Just want to keep only the essentials for keeping the router running.

2

What you want to do is definitely possible if you’re willing to commit the time and energy to learn, (it sounds like it would be a very steep learning curve from your starting point)

https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/additional-software/imagebuilder

Alternatively, you could try using a USB key to provide extra storage to give enough space to install the packages you’re after , (this option still a lot to learn, but less than the one above for building an entire image and everything that entails including a Linux VM and build root environment setup)

https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/additional-software/extroot_configuration

1 Like
3

See also: https://openwrt.org/supported_devices/openwrt_on_432_devices

4

My router doesn't support usb :frowning:

And I can't figure out where to start by following those tutorial .
Like I don't know where to put all those command line :neutral_face:

5

Heres what I did . You can build your build of openwrt. I am on windows 10. I installed WSL2 then installed ubuntu.
Then when Ubuntu is up and running.
sudo apt install build-essential libncursesw5-dev python unzip
git clone https://git.openwrt.org/openwrt/openwrt.git

cd openwrt

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

make menuconfig
The last command will open a menu.

More info here:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-developer/quickstart-build-images

6

Okay thanks i will try
But when i will use package removing command like this post : https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/additional-software/saving_space

7

That's part of the image builder: you do not delete packages from the router, you exclude them from the image.

8

Screenshot (67)
Screenshot (67)1280×453 93.6 KB

getting this error :frowning:

9
10

From Luci, install packages and view the installed packages.

11

Have the packages installed so that it recognizes usb or directly you have no usb port? To recognize it you must install kmod-usb-core and there are many more to recognize: fat32, Ntfs, ext3, ext4.

12

You can try some of this. And it’s pretty cheap

13

So it will work on any router ?

I've TL-WR740N ROUTER

Do you know which 4 colored wire should be connected between RJ45 and usb female

I've rj45 and a usb female port and if i know which wire should be connected to each other i can make this adapter in home

14

I highly doubt that you can just wire a USB device into an ethernet port and make it work... Those are completely different protocols on all layers involved.

1 Like
15

Screenshot (69)
Screenshot (69)1233×687 179 KB

getting this error make -r world failed
can some one help
I put these command line

sudo apt install subversion g++ zlib1g-dev build-essential git python python3 python3-distutils libncurses5-dev gawk gettext \ unzip file libssl-dev wget libelf-dev ecj fastjar java-propose-classpath

sudo apt install build-essential libncursesw5-dev python unzip  

umask 0022

git clone https://git.openwrt.org/openwrt/openwrt.git

cd openwrt

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

make menuconfig

then to remove ipv6 i put this command

make image PROFILE=tl-wr941nd-v6 \ PACKAGES=“uhttpd uhttpd-mod-ubus libiwinfo-lua luci-base luci-app-firewall luci-mod-admin-full luci-theme-bootstrap \ -ppp -ppp-mod-pppoe -ip6tables -odhcp6c -kmod-ipv6 -kmod-ip6tables -odhcpd-ipv6only”

then last command was make

plzzz help how to fix this issue

16

You are using the syntax for imagebuilder, but are actually trying to build from source.

make menuconfig
make
17

When i will put the package excluding command ?

Plzz help :pray::pray:

18

If you are building from source, use make manuconfig to select which packages you want.

19

You can build an image using two methods:

  • Build all the packages from source, and pack them into an image.
  • Download the already built packages, and pack them into an image.

If you just want to create a smaller image, go for the second option, you do not need to build the packages yourself. Follow the "Using the Image Builder" guide.

1 Like
21

Well, if you have the tools you need, you could make it home. If so, share the final result. please.