Netgear Nighthawk X4S R7800
OpenWrt 18.06.1 r7258-5eb055306f / LuCI openwrt-18.06 branch (git-18.228.31946-f64b152)
Kernel Version 4.14.63
Is it possible to do a sysupgrade from 18.06 to 23.05 (edited) or is "sysupgrade -n" with a fresh configuration necessary?
Reset to defaults is required. You must not attempt to use the old config - it will soft brick your device. Configure from scratch after you finish the upgrade. You can use a backup of the old config as a reference, but don’t restore it.
Why 22.03. Go for 23.05.2 already.
Sorry, too much different Openwrt versions here. Of course 23.05. I edited it to 23.05.
This sounds (to me) a bit like a suggestion to perform factory reset (firstboot) in current (18.06) firmware.
Just to be clear (and what you probably meant): a sysupgrade should be performed without keeping a config (-n option).
What I think to do
Copying the latest file from https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/23.05.2/targets/ipq806x/generic/
to /tmp of the old 18.06 system and then doing via ssh:
sysupgrade -n /tmp/openwrt-23.05.2-ipq806x-generic-netgear_r7800-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
Should work, at worst there'd always be push-button tftp recovery for this device (so if you rely on the device for any kund of internet access, have everything prepared offline - you shouldn't need it, but better to have it and not need it, than to lack it when you do).
Exactly this is the problem, without this device my internet is very limited. I am planning to setup the similar Zyxel Armor Z2 and do not flash the Netgear before everything workswith the Zyel. Next problem is all the wireless bridges have to be configured new before with the new MAC-address a.s.o.
Most things I have to do via ssh.
At Is there a “newer” documention for creating a wireless backhaul? - #4 by linuxuser there is
Can I configure something like <config wifi-iface 'wifinet**3**'> with the data of the Zyxel, so I can easily change? If so, I don't know how to assign / switch to the correct connection.
There is very little (almost no) risk with either the r7800 or the nbg6817, both have very mature push-button tftp recovery mechanisms, so full steam ahead - just keep the necessary files (firmware and tftp client/ tftpd server) handy for the unlikely case of surprises.
Just remember to download also the OpenWrt 23.05.2 "factory" image that you would need when using tftp recovery.
But like slh said, the 23.05.2 sysupgrade should go just fine.
Not sure what you mean.
dpkg -l | grep tftp
ii tftp-hpa 5.2+20150808-1.2build2 amd64 HPA's tftp client
ii tftpd-hpa 5.2+20150808-1.2build2 amd64 HPA's tftp server
These are standard packages on my pcs. So the possible download files downloaded and I should be fine, or?
That's all you need, tftp-hpa (for the client side, I do like atftp, but that's just personal preference) for the r7800, tftpd-hpa for the nbg6817 - download the OpenWrt 23.05.2 sysupgrade and factory (this one only for the emergency recovery, so just in case) images for the r7800 (respectively later the nbg6817, when you get it) and print out the (to PDF or make a screenshot) push-button tftp recovery information (again, just in case).
This is going to be a straight forward and upgrade, but for cases like this, I always advocate for being prepared (belt and suspenders).
did not work here years ago.
What do you mean? I have no idea at the moment what is the status of the Zyxel, In a worst case, there is no openwrt flashed, but I am very sure it is. It is a backup device, in case the Netgear breaks. At the time when I bought it, it began to be outsold.
He means that you should have a copy of the device-specific tftp recovery advice, like this for R7800. So that you know when to push button during the boot process, do you need a tftp client (like for R7800) or server (like for many tplink routers), does pc need a certain IP address etc.
I will not flash the Netgear until the Zyxel replaced it and works. So when flashing, I will have full internet access. There is also the possibility to use a mobile phone to get something from the internet.
So I will start flashing the Zyxel first, get everything work and then I will flash the Netgear.
Flashing the ZyXEL NBG6817 from
OpenWrt 21.02.0, r16279-5cc0535800 to
OpenWrt 23.05.2 r23630-842932a63d / LuCI openwrt-23.05 branch git-23.306.39416-c86c256
worked without any problems. But it took minutes until a simple ping to the network worked, still searching what is not / wrong configured.