Problem with TP-Link 841

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello guys
I'm new to OpenWRT, trying it with my old router. Have flashed it and having:
OpenWrt 18.06.9 r8077-7cbbab7246 / LuCI openwrt-18.06 branch (git-20.319.49209-ab22243)

owrt
owrt970×548 39.3 KB

Web-interface shows that there is some free space, but if I try to
"opkg install wpad-mesh-openssl"
I get
"Collected errors:

  • verify_pkg_installable: Only have 52kb available on filesystem /overlay, pkg wpad-mesh-openssl needs 415
  • opkg_install_cmd: Cannot install package wpad-mesh-openssl."

Web-interface says there is some free space, but terminal wouldn't let me do it
How can I fix it?

2

Easiest fix is to buy a new router
https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128_ax-wifi
Your router is way past support, you can reset router to reset /overlay space, or use ancient imagebuilder to build image with changed wpad package. But it will not work well and have dozen security holes over internet and another dozen in wifi itself.

1 Like
3

Why did you choose to install 18.06 to begin with?

4

it was the latest version of openwrt that is supported

5

Is anyone abble to explane why the router shows free space in web-interface and doesn't let install packages?

6

Do not answer if you don't know the answer

7

just because you don't like the answer, doesn't mean it's wrong...

and the "free space" in your screen shot is all memory, not flash, it even says so - "Memory".

8

The free space in flash memory would be extremely limited, so yes, there is space, but not enough to install additional packages. Let's pretend you're on a flight that is usually completely booked... at the time of boarding, there are sometimes a few seats available, but that family of 6 who is flying standby is probably not going to fit.

Aside from that, it's possible you're looking at RAM, not flash storage. Your device has 4MB flash storage and 32MB RAM. They are different things and the RAM is not persistent storage, so you can't install packages there.

9

I'd ruther buy a new mikrotik. My old 941 can handle the newest 7.15.3 ROS. I thought openwrt is not a part of "marketing world" and gives you an oportunity to use any router.

10

Thakx. I didn'thought it has less rom than ram

11

openwrt is evolving, like all software, which makes it outgrow the oldest devices.

your device could be 15 years old, or more, it was supported by openwrt for at least 10 years.

12

OpenWrt supports hundreds of devices. However, very old devices are deprecated over time due to the lack of resources -- a 4/32 router cannot fit 19.07 and later. Much like how a very old Mac or PC cannot run the latest versions of MacOS or Windows.

https://openwrt.org/supported_devices/432_warning#:~:text=Devices%20with%20≤4MB%20Flash,low%20RAM%20and%20Flash%20space.

Currently, 8/64 is required, but that will be changing with the next major release to 16/128. The increased resource demands come mostly from the upstream Linux kernel development.