Install entware on ARM based router eg tomato / ddwrt / asus-merlin cfw

how to install entware on ARM.md

Quick install Entware on ARM devices

These instructions are for ARM devices only. For mipsel devices, then see the official entware readme instead at: https://github.com/Entware/entware

Thanks to qnapware - it works just as well on our routers too! Source: http://qnapware.zyxmon.org/binaries-armv7/installer/

Tested on Netgear Nighthawk R7000, with Shibby Tomato / AdvancedTomato v1.28 firmware. On an ext4 partition with it's journalling disabled.

Instructions for ARM device

• mount a disk to '/tmp/mnt/usb_hdd' or similar. Do not use the internal 'JFFS' flash, it will kill / ruin your router

mount -o noatime,writeback /dev/sda2 /tmp/mnt/usb_hdd

• bind-mount to /opt

mkdir -p /tmp/mnt/usb_hdd/opt
mount -o bind /tmp/mnt/usb_hdd/opt /opt

# might as well bind-mount '/jffs' too while we are at it
mkdir -p /tmp/mnt/usb_hdd/jffs
mount -o bind /tmp/mnt/usb_hdd/jffs /jffs

• Download entware ARM installer script. It installs to '/opt' only and nowhere else.

cd /tmp/mnt/usb_hdd
wget http://qnapware.zyxmon.org/binaries-armv7/installer/entware_install_arm.sh

• Run entware installer script

chmod +x entware_install_arm.sh
./entware_install_arm.sh

• Follow any post-install instructions printed at the end of installation. e.g. add some line's to your router's INIT script (advanced --> startup/shutdown scripts)

Entware is now installed. Use 'opkg' command to install pkgs

opkg --help

The entware config file is at '/opt/etc/entware.config'. But don't mess about with it (back it up first).