Noob: big upgrade from an old 5 year old version - worries

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hi there,
5 Years ago i bought an NETGEAR WNDR3700v4 and installes the Version: |Firmware Version|OpenWrt Chaos Calmer r45592 / LuCI Master (git-15.118.50175-36879e9)| |Kernel Version|3.18.11|.
I know the hardware is old but everything up to now worked fine and therefore i did not upgrade the Netgear because of the fear that something will not work after it.

Now i bought a new hardware (Huawai B618s) which i just use as a bridge and openwrt manages my Firewall etc. (using an old LTe Stick e3372).
Now i want to update to the newest Version and have worries that it will work, therefore i have some Questions:
1.) Brings the upgrade more security (am i unsecure allready with this old version?) or is it just more functionaltiy?

2.) can i use my old Settings, i am very afraid, that i won`t remember how it was configured working...
i allready red that it is not recommendet but i Fear not to be able to Configure or find the router after this major upgrade...
What will happen if i klick to use the old settings?

3.) Where can i find the right image (just in case i allready have red where to find, but i am very uncertain with it all, because i am real no expert but just a user...

https://openwrt.org/toh/hwdata/netgear/netgear_wndr3700_v4
To i have to upgrade or which image is the right one?

4.) to i also have to upgrade the webinterface (Luci)? how can i reach the webinterface after the upgrade and how to i also upgrade Luci if it is recommendet...?

sorry for my silly questions but i am really just user and no expert nither linux nor openwrt.

Thanx in advance and have a nice day (i will wait for the update, till i hear from you, so i hope so).
Thank you!
Kind regards
PS: Sorry for my english... :slight_smile:

2

@hemi, welcome to the community!

Chaos Calmer has a lot of discovered vulnerabilities/exploits.

Back them up in case a flash with settings does not work, some things may be slightly different; but you have your configs to copy/paste the relevant sections.

You found it. Use sysupgrade.

It will reboot, and the upgraded LuCI will reappear.

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3

You get a new LuCI automatically with a release version such as 18.06.5. If you're using this router with your USB modem you will need to install the USB-net drivers to make the modem work. This is much easier if you have some other way to connect to the Internet then use opkg to make an online install.

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4

Thanks for all the replays! I just but the 618 with the same settings in conection with the router over wan (no update from openwrt allready).
Everything works but i can not reach luci? i Did not change any settings on the route just connectet the 618 with a lan-Cable and not USB. Can this be the Problem, luci does not replay over the ip.....

5

Sorry to ask, but where can i get the most importa t packages like usb Drivers an so on?

6

Most packages you can download from standard repository:

opkg update
opkg install PACKAGE

Check initially, whether luci is installed:
opkg list-installed | grep luci

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7

See also https://openwrt.org/faq/how_to_install_packages

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