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Can custom ROMs be installed into this hardware?


BRS Chief Scientist

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I have considered creating a custom built ROM for this new Packet Squirrel using the OpenWRT Image Builder, because I want to use StrongSwan instead of OpenVPN.

Is upgrading to a custom built image possible, or are we only able to use that which the Hak5 Team has created?

If upgrading to custom ROM is possible, what install steps are different from the default upgrade process?

Details of what I have tried are below in a follow-up post, now that the edit function is available.

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Yes, or no. I have been building Linux systems since 1996, and I don't think my question was answered, directly. So I will make it plain vanilla.

Can a custom bin file be installed in the same manner as the stock builds provided by the Hak5 Team?

The Open WRT site has a ROM listed for the Packet Squirrel, and the detailed directions there also point to the use of the OpenWRT Image Builder.

Can WE use them to build into the current Packet Squirrel??

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You didn't answer even once I stated which hardware.

I posted the above, then realized that there is no means (couldn't see what wasn't activated for me yet) to edit my post and add what device I was referring to, so I guess that's "my bad" from the start asking this question in the wrong place. Especially once I found that I only get 4 posts per day.

I have been building Redhat since the original v6.0 and Mandrake same vintage, in fact got both disks in the mail the some time before Christmas in 1996, which isn't 24 years yet.

Can you answer my question, or are we jousting here?

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Packet Squirrel (current version) purchased within the last month, but with old firmware, version 3.1

The upgrade file I tried ... from the OpenWRT site, on a brand new, just out-the-wrapper, Packet Squirrel, using sysupgrade. No go.

This link is sorted to Hak5 listed products:
https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_fwdownload?dataflt[0]=supported+current+rel_%3D18.06.4&dataflt[Brand*~]=Hak5

Where I found this and assumed it was a sanctioned version:

HAK5 Packet Squirrel   18.06.4   Atheros AR9331 ar71xx generic   http://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/18.06.4/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-18.06.4-ar71xx-generic-packet-squirrel-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin   http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-packet-squirrel-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

uname -a command on the one that finally upgraded using stock upgrade ROM from here returns:
Linux squirrel 4.14.134 #0 Thu Oct 10 18:52:50 2019 mips GNU/Linux

It was a good upgrade, but won't re-flash using Packet Squirrel Recovery Firmware from the Hak5 PS downloads page, so I can verify the process, and in turn then try to recover the first PS that won't start after I tried a manual flash from the command-line as I pointed out in the other post/topic I created last night.

There seems to be an issue with the USB being recognized, and some posts suggest the workaround of using the new tool, reformat_usb.

Using the native tool that creates an ext4 filesystem, reformat_usb, when rebooted in arming mode did not engage the system restore bin file in the USB. Flashing green to a point then some real fast flashes, and finally back to just the LED flashing blue, which seems to mean it has gone straight to a login without being flashed. I login, and find the same version again.

Using my known good stick from the several hundred I have here in my lab, I will test each method and report back.

Still the question really probably should have been, "Has anybody flashed the current PS hardware with a custom ROM not acquired by direct download from Hak5?"

Such as the version available, and stated as being for the PS, from this link
http://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/18.06.4/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-18.06.4-ar71xx-generic-packet-squirrel-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

OR, a custom built OpenWRT image based upon Reference Board number from here:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/additional-software/imagebuilder
lead me to:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-developer/imagebuilder_frontends
which lead me to:
http://imagebuilder.augsburg.freifunk.net/meshkit

Looks like a great tool to build and configure, but not worth the time if it won't build installs for the Packet Squirrel.

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