Need help customizing my /etc/board.json file

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I have a x86 system mounted in a 1U chassis that is running OpenWRT. It has a Ethernet jack that is built in the motherboard. Also, I have 2 more Ethernet jacks on a PCIe card. I would like all of them to show up on the Luci Overview web page. I already customized my /etc/board.json file and got one of the PCIe interfaces to show up, but the currently unused one does not. Here is my current board.json file:

{
  2     "model": {
  3         "id": "gigabyte-technology-co-ltd-h610i",
  4         "name": "Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H610I"
  5     },
  6     "network": {
  7         "lan": {
  8             "device": "eth2",
  9             "macaddr": "74:56:3C:**:**:**",
 10             "protocol": "static"
 11         },
 12         "wan": {
 13             "device": "eth1",
 14             "macaddr": "1C:86:0B:**:**:**",
 15             "protocol": "static"
 16         }
 17     },
 18     "network_device": {
 19         "eth0": {
 20             "macaddr": "1C:86:0B:**:**:**"
 21         }
 22     }
 23 }

I couldn't find any documentation regarding this file. I think I read somewhere that the file also plays a role in the initial setup but I don't need that now. The "eth0" device is not currently assigned to any interface or has a physical link connected but I know my wrt1900 shows disconnected ports (even though they are assigned to the switch virtual device). Can anyone help?

Screenshot-luci-overview
Screenshot-luci-overview2026×1147 250 KB

2

The lan section should have a list, like this from one of my 4-port x86 devices:

$ cat /etc/board.json
{
...
        "network": {
                "lan": {
                        "ports": [
                                "eth1",
                                "eth2",
                                "eth3"
                        ],
                        "protocol": "static"
                },
                "wan": {
                        "device": "eth0",
                        "protocol": "dhcp"
                }
        }
}

Note that board.json is auto-generated on reboot, so be sure to save your changes somewhere so you can restore at boot time. (Also note that simply putting /etc/board.json in /etc/sysupgrade.conf won't work, as the file will be restored by an upgrade, but then overwritten as the device boots.) Maybe put the file somewhere that's backed up, then add a line to /etc/rc.local to cp x /etc/board.json...

3

Thanks, but one thing; the unused eth0 port if, for example, I wanted to add it to the wan interface under a bonding setup or maybe a second cellular wan ISP for fail over, etc... Would I need to remember to edit this file accordingly? Seems to be the case. Just wanted to confirm. Also, can I just ditch the whole "network_device" object altogether? Not sure if that was generated locally or I just copied it from a different board's file and hoped for the best.

4

This worked:

{
  2     "model": {
  3         "id": "gigabyte-technology-co-ltd-h610i",
  4         "name": "Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H610I"
  5     },
  6     "network": {
  7         "lan": {
  8             "device": "eth2",
  9             "macaddr": "*************",
 10             "protocol": "static"
 11         },
 12         "wan": {
 13             "ports": [
 14                      "eth0",
 15                      "eth1"
 16         ],
 17                     "protocol": "static"
 18         }
 19     },
 20     "network_device": {
 21         "eth0": {
 22             "macaddr": "***********"
 23         },
 24         "eth1": {
 25             "macaddr": "************"
 26         },
 27         "eth2": {
 28             "macaddr": "************
 29         }
 30     }
 31 }

luci-overview-ports
luci-overview-ports2245×524 37.1 KB

Thanks!

5

For multi wan setup be it active active or active fail over you should use mwan3.

And bonding different interface types called for trouble. Don't even try. Please. Beside for education and learning, this is a dead end.

6

I mean I didn't put much thought into the specific application(s) I was just trying to think of some various scenarios where the "eth0" device would belong to the wan firewall group or similar. In the example efahl gave, he had it grouped under the "lan" object. I was just clarifying that manual editing of the /etc/board.json file would be necessary to properly label them on the overview page.

I am talking strictly about the grouping of the data in the /etc/board.json file

7

Right, I think any changes made to board.json after boot are just ignored, except for the use by LuCI for its status display. That means that the network_device sections will be ignored, superseded by whatever is in /etc/config/network when https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/blob/main/package/base-files/files/lib/preinit/10_indicate_preinit#L108 sets up the network.

8

I think what was throwing me off was the fact that in my example (and the opposite in your example, but still applicable) under "wan" object, the physical devices are set under the "ports" property, whereas under "lan" seemingly the same configuration for the physical device is set with the "device" property. the inconsistency was bothering me

9

What I like to do is having a complete network config which is included in the firmware image I flash. May use case is virtual x86... But not quiet sure if that is or would be a suitable solution here.

Is building and flashing a self modified image doable for you @thermochromic ?

10

Ya I do that, paticurarly on x86 builds. All of this was just so I could see all my devices (physical interfaces) on the Luci Status->Overview page right above the wan address info where they usually reside. Since x86 builds tend to have varying hardware setups it did not show all of them out of the box and maybe I missed it but without digging in the source code, I did not find any documentation on the aforementioned board.json file. I know it is used for other purposes, especially at a systems first boot, but basically I was just being OCD about the UI being correct. I appreciate all the help and suggestions though.