This old router has been a pretty faithful device for $25 10 years back. I bought a new TP Link (AC1200) which I'd assume would be the modern equivalent. But... it turns out there are several AC1200 sub models and the one I have (Archer A54) does not work with OpenWRT.
So long story short, I'd like to go back to my old TP-Link 841N which works great wired but not reliable for WiFi.
Could this be an OpenWRT problem? The version I have on there is as old as the router.
Could you post output of
ubus call system board
only v13 hardware can run current OpenWrt
Depending on release, I could easily see OOM problems..
What is OOM?
I have Lucy Barrier Breaker on this Router and has worked for about 9 years now. Just now (all the sudden), WiFi is not broadcasting and has to have the router restarted.
OOM is out of memory...
That is ancient and very much unsupported. It was released in 2014 and has been eol for over a decade. During that time, many serious security vulnerabilities have been discovered. And in addition, the syntax of the config files (and the underlying operating theory) has changed significantly, so there aren't really users who can help with such an old version.
Although we didn't get the ubus call information, we the above quote from the OP indicates that the system is currently running 14.07. The v13 was released in 2017, so it would never have run a version prior to 18.06. Therefore, we can conclude that the hardware is a v9 or earlier model.
That hardware is sufficiently old as to be entirely unable to run any modern (i.e. supported) version of OpenWrt, and it should simply be e-cycled.
Correct. My PC is also around the same age (2014) and I still use it and it works well (Linux). I sure hate throwing things away that have served well. I was hoping to fix this small bug. So, a router should be replaced regularly.
A pc is a more powerful (and more expensive) device that can live much longer than a router. Since you run Linux, you’re also able to keep that device up to date with respect to security patches and the like. Not so with the router in question that has the potential to compromise your network.
Trust me, I am very much in favor of getting as much use as possible from devices. Not long ago, I replaced my 15 year old Mac Pro with a new m4 Mac mini. I also run some really old Mac minis for other purposes, and I have a bunch of older routers (still supported) that I use as playground/dev machines.
But a 4/32 device on a version of OpenWrt that has been eol for half a decade is one they should not be used on your network.