I need to replace a router, which is running OpenWRT 14.x. It is to be replaced by a TL-WR1043 because of network speed (GBit).
I know the 1043 is a low memory device, and I know that support will end in a few days. If it was my decision to make, I would by a new device as a replacement for the current router. But as things are, it has to be the 1043...
But there's a much bigger problem then the device's age and memory: the router that is in use now, uses the packages "knockd" and "wol" (wakeonlan). I have taken a look into the reps of the 1043, but I could not find these two packages. Will these packages be available for the 1043 running OpenWRT 18.06.x or 19.x or will they not be build any more because support for this device is ending? Or have I simply not looked into the right place?
Wol appears to be available here, but not knockd, i can't find knockd in the 18.06.5 repos for my router either, so maybe it's just not available anymore for some reason. Some quick googling ran across this if you'd like to give it a try.
I did not consider looking into a directory other than the one named "targets/ar71xx", because that's the router's hardware. Does this imply that I can take precompiled packages from other hardware and install them to the 1043, as long as the base system is specific to the router's hardware?
I've never tried it so i just don't know, but yes, i'm guessing that as long as the package architecture is the same (mips_24kc for the 1043) it would work, but i really don't know for sure unfortunately.
I've been using Linux for more than 20 years now, but I've never been much of a hardware specialist. I know the basic differences between different types of CPUs, different types memory, IO ports, bus types and such things, and I am quite capable of rolling my own kernels based on that knowledge. But I guess when it comes to routers, there's much more to look at than just the CPU.
But it is never to late to be on the learning side, and if there was a book or internet page "OpenWRT for dummies", I would certainly read it!
Have you tried fwknopd ? It is so much better and more secure then the old method. It also has a Luci app to set it up that has a qr code to transfer the encryption and signing keys to your phone. It has an Android/IOS app. The Luci app does appear to have a bug in that you must restart fwknopd after saving them in Luci to take affect. look here https://www.cipherdyne.org/fwknop/docs/features.html
