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User Manual

Installing the Entware repository on a USB drive

To install OpenWRT packages on Keenetic, you first need to prepare an external USB flash drive and install the Entware repository package system on it.

  1. Connect the flash drive to your PC and prepare its partitions. The disk must be formatted in the EXT file system for the OPKG package manager to work. We recommend using the modern and up-to-date journaled ext4 file system. Format the disk as shown in the article 'Using the ext4 file system on USB drives'.

  2. In your Keenetic router, install the required OPKG components. The primary and mandatory one is the 'Open Package support' component.

    opkg-usb-01-en.png
  3. Now, you need to install the Entware package system repository.

    Note

    For Giga (KN-1012), use the aarch64 archive — aarch64-installer.tar.gz

  4. In our example, we will install the mipsel archive.

    Plug the USB drive with the ext4 file system into the router's USB port. The drive should appear on the 'Applications' page under 'USB Devices'.

    opkg-usb-02-en.png

    Use a file manager to connect to the drive via the network (in Windows, you can use Explorer). In the router's settings, the SMB server application must be enabled in advance to access USB disks that you connect over the network.

    Create an install directory in the root of the disk partition where you put the file EN_mipsel-installer.tar.gz.

    opkg-usb-03-en.png
  5. Go to the OPKG page and select the ext4 drive you have prepared in the 'Drive' field.

    Click Save.

    opkg-usb-04-en.png
  6. Go to the Diagnostics page and open the router's System Log. You should see the following entries when installing Entware's package system:

    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] ndm: Opkg::Manager: disk is set to: OPKG:/.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] ndm: Opkg::Manager: init script reset to default: /opt/etc/initrc.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] ndm: Core::System::Configuration: saving (http/rci).
    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] kernel: EXT4-fs (sda4): re-mounted. Opts: (null)
    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] ndm: Opkg::Manager: /tmp/mnt/f3bf1e25-78d8-d601-900d-1e2578d8d601 mounted to /tmp/mnt/f3bf1e25-78d8-d601-900d-1e2578d8d601.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] ndm: Opkg::Manager: /tmp/mnt/f3bf1e25-78d8-d601-900d-1e2578d8d601 mounted to /opt/.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:43] npkg: inflating "mipsel-installer.tar.gz".
    I [Aug 26 16:21:44] ndm: Opkg::Manager: /tmp/mnt/f3bf1e25-78d8-d601-900d-1e2578d8d601 initialized.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:44] ndm: Core::Server: started Session /var/run/ndm.core.socket.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:44] ndm: Core::Session: client disconnected.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:44] installer: [1/5] Начало установки системы пакетов "Entware"...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:44] ndm: Core::Server: started Session /var/run/ndm.core.socket.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:45] ndm: Core::Session: client disconnected.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:45] ndm: Core::Server: started Session /var/run/ndm.core.socket.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:46] ndm: Core::Session: client disconnected.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:46] ndm: Core::Server: started Session /var/run/ndm.core.socket.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:47] ndm: Core::Session: client disconnected.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:47] installer: Info: Раздел пригоден для установки.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:47] installer: Info: "ping google.com"...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:48] ndm: Core::System::Configuration: configuration saved.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:49] installer: Info: "ping google.com" ..... OK
    I [Aug 26 16:21:50] installer: Info: "ping bin.entware.net"...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:52] installer: Info: "ping bin.entware.net" ..... OK
    I [Aug 26 16:21:53] installer: Info: Создание каталогов...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:53] installer: [2/5] Загрузка и установка основных пакетов...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:54] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "libgcc"...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:55] installer: Info: Пакет "libgcc" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:21:56] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "libc"...
    I [Aug 26 16:21:59] installer: Info: Пакет "libc" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:00] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "libpthread"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:01] installer: Info: Пакет "libpthread" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:03] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "librt"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:04] installer: Info: Пакет "librt" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:05] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "entware-release"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:06] installer: Info: Пакет "entware-release" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:07] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "findutils"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:08] installer: Info: Пакет "findutils" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:09] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "grep"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:11] installer: Info: Пакет "grep" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:12] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "ldconfig"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:14] installer: Info: Пакет "ldconfig" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:15] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "locales"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:17] installer: Info: Пакет "locales" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:18] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "ndmq"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:19] installer: Info: Пакет "ndmq" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:20] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "opkg"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:22] installer: Info: Пакет "opkg" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:23] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "zoneinfo-asia"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:24] installer: Info: Пакет "zoneinfo-asia" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:25] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "zoneinfo-europe"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:27] installer: Info: Пакет "zoneinfo-europe" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:28] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "opt-ndmsv2"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:30] installer: Info: Пакет "opt-ndmsv2" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:31] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "dropbear"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:32] installer: Info: Пакет "dropbear" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:33] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "poorbox"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:35] installer: Info: Пакет "poorbox" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:36] installer: Info: Устанавливается пакет "busybox"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:42] installer: Info: Пакет "busybox" установлен.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:43] installer: Info: Установка пакетов прошла успешно!
    I [Aug 26 16:22:43] installer: [3/5] Генерация SSH-ключей...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:43] installer: Info: Генерируется ключ "rsa"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:49] installer: Info: Ключ "rsa" создан.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:50] installer: Info: Генерируется ключ "ecdsa"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:50] installer: Info: Ключ "ecdsa" создан.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:51] installer: Info: Генерируется ключ "ed25519"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:51] installer: Info: Ключ "ed25519" создан.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] installer: [4/5] Настройка сценария запуска, установка часового пояса и запуск "dropbear"...
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] ndm: Core::Server: started Session /var/run/ndm.core.socket.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] ndm: Opkg::Manager: configured init script: "/opt/etc/init.d/rc.unslung".
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] ndm: Core::Session: client disconnected.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] ndm: Core::Server: started Session /var/run/ndm.core.socket.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] ndm: Core::System::Configuration: saving (ndmq/ci).
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] ndm: Core::Session: client disconnected.
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] installer: Можно открыть SSH-сессию для соединения с устройством (логин - root, пароль - keenetic, порт - 222).
    I [Aug 26 16:22:52] installer: [5/5] Установка системы пакетов "Entware" завершена! Не забудьте сменить пароль и номер порта!
  7. Download the Putty terminal program for SSH and Telnet.

  8. Start Putty, select the SSH connection type, type the router's IP address in the Home segment (192.168.1.1 by default), specify port 222 and click Open.

    opkg-usb-05-en.png

    See the 'Terminal program for Windows' article for more information on working with Putty.

    Important

    Port 222 is used if the 'SSH server' component is installed in the router. If it is not installed, use port 22 to connect to Entware.

    Confirm adding the security key to the Putty cache to establish the connection.

    opkg-usb-06-en.png

    When booting up, confirm login by pressing Yes.

    Then go to the router settings using the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol.

    To log in, enter:

    login as: root
    root@192.168.111.1's password: keenetic
    opkg-usb-07-en.png

    You can set your password. To do this, enter the passwd command:

    New password: enter your password

    Retype password: confirm the password

    ~ # passwd
    Changing password for root
    New password:
    Bad password: too weak
    Retype password:
    passwd: password for root changed by root
    opkg-usb-08-en.png
  9. After successful authorization, you will come to the BusyBox v1.27.2 () built-in shell (ash). Now you need to update the opkg package by entering the command opkg update:

    / # opkg update
    Downloading http://bin.entware.net/mipselsf-k3.4/Packages.gz
    Updated list of available packages in /opt/var/opkg-lists/entware
    Downloading http://bin.entware.net/mipselsf-k3.4/keenetic/Packages.gz
    Updated list of available packages in /opt/var/opkg-lists/keendev
    opkg-usb-09-en.png

    Now you can install the necessary OpenWRT package.

    For example, to install the Midnight Commander file manager, run the command:

    opkg install mc

Tip

You can find the list of packages:

An additional list of packages for Keenetic can be found here:

Important

Our technical support does not provide consulting on configuring and installing external packages. Questions about the router's operations with open packages can be asked on our Community Forum: forum.keenetic.net.

Here is an example of installing a package in our Help Center: 'Installation and configuration of the rTorrent OPKG package'.