Khadas VIM OpenWRT

Very cool to see development on this topic, this device has good specs for using it as a router/wifiap.
I tested the latest img on vim2, looks good, wifi 5ghz work, but ethernet not.
I’m exited for a stable release for vim2 and testing the performance.
Samba on ubuntu server is a big inprovement in speed compared to a pi, looks promising.

Thanks for the work @hyphop

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yes mainline kernel have some problems with ethernet for vim2
i will try to fix it !

vim2 openwrt status - WIP - plz wait !

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SOME INFO:

i will make release for VIM2 on next week !

i have check openwrt samba on VIM2, after some optimizes
i can get full gigabit bw transfer via lan (with 15% system load) its very cool

sure VIM2 only usb 2.0 and all transfer from real storage’s will be limited about 480Mbit

for VIM3 i can get full gigabit bw transfer from usb storages works fine - ready for highperfomance media storage’s

PS: VIM3 VIM3L openwrt release will come little bit later

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Nice, i will test next week.

Cool to know this device is full gigabit and not a usb to ethernet bridge crap, make it esier with usb to ethernet adapter for wan without bottleneck the lan

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hi u can test openwrt for VIM2 its ready !!!
https://dl.khadas.com/Firmware/VIM2/OpenWrt/

we will make announce and write more annotation tomorrow :wink:

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hi openwrt fans ! some fixes again, plz re-download images
VIM1 VIM2 updated

https://dl.khadas.com/Firmware/VIM2/OpenWrt/
https://dl.khadas.com/Firmware/VIM1/OpenWrt/

Khadas Vims OpenWrt rel 0.3

  • added support for VIM2 ( with wifi chip AP6356S VIM2.V14 tested )
  • preinstalled samba, mdns, ttyd, thd + many other packages
  • fix ethernet for VIM2, but still not possible reinit ethernet interface for VIM2
  • improve startup speed - now is about 7 sec
  • LEDs indicators - supported
  • board buttons KEY_F KEY_P - custom usage KEY_F - reset wifi | KEY_P - power off
  • initial optimization for Ethernet USB MMC subsystems
  • many improves
  • change default hostname to openwrt-vim + mdns name to: openwrt-vim.local

Change log

Khadas Vims OpenWrt rel 0.2

  • usb 3g 4g modems - OK
  • improve build scripts
  • some changes
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Now I have done some testing:

  • WiFi 5GHz works, but wifi channel not changeable
  • WiFi limited to 107 mbit/s over several distances, seems not to be a WiFi bottleneck (not 100% sure if the vim is the problem)
  • Change IP address range results in dead ethernet (build on own and change the settings before works)
  • No ethernet hotplug
  • SQM not working (one of the top reasons why i use OpenWrt)
  • Building from source results in opkg error (edit: already fixed, hadn’t seen)

Everything else working fine:

  • SMB speed = USB Speed
  • no issues in fps gaming on pc (eth) while use 1 4K streaming device (eth) and 5 smartphones (5ghz) (only little performance drop in WiFi, i will test later with 2 wifi antennas, now only 1 antenna is connected)
  • DHCP and DNS speeds good
  • Use a axix usb ethernet adapter as pppoe interface with vlan tagging works without problems
  • Stability is good no problems after 1 day usage

Thnaks for your Work!

2 Likes

tnx for feedback’s

Change IP address range results in dead ethernet (build on own and change the settings before works)

this is mainline kernel Ethernet driver problem only for VIM2 (this problem exist in every distros which use mainline kernel but nobody try to solve it :wink: poor quality of stmmac driver )
openwrt make ifdown & ifup for every netrork interface changes
… and after ifdown exec ethernet interface can not up again :wink:

simple solution just reboot device

another one possible solution is change openwrt iface scripts libs - its ugly way - but i can try to do it later

WIFI … channels

i will check it soon

SQM

i need to check kernel and may be enable or rebuild some modules
we use not native openwrt kernel - and we need to do something by hands (load modules or rebuild … etc )
i will try include SQM in next release

SMB speed = USB Speed

sure because VIM2 have USB 2.0 only, but u can test samba transfer by special test samba_test which work via RAM share
and can rich full gigabit channel

another situation for VIM3 openwrt with USB3.0 there samba not limitted by usb bandwidth, i will present it soon (still wifi problem not solved)

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i have spend half day and fix this problem - now VIM2 ethernet work fine without any bugs, plz check last version!!!

last version is V0.31

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look like we very close to make new openwrt release for VIM3 VIM3L VIM2 pro - with full supported WIFI and other hardware !!! i have test already all boards and all wifi chips (Wifi AP6398S + mainline kernel)

another news - we have testing already OpenWrt 19.07.0-rc2 - https://openwrt.org/releases/19.07/notes-19.07.0-rc2
an wait New Stable Release from Openwrt

6 Likes

OK! we can test openwrt image for all Khadas boards VIM1 VIM2 VIM2pro VIM3 VIM3L (onboard wifi chips supported for all boards)

INFO:

NOTE: plz download and write new krescue system before write any images !!!

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@hyphop the github repo is 0.5 version ,can you update that repo to the newest version 0.6 ? thaks~

@hyphop and the overlay rom is to small , how to use the remanining space of sd card to install the openwrt application.

ok UPDATED to 0.61

  • default openwrt rel update to 19.07.1

check this examples how to build images khadas-openwrt/project at master · hyphop/khadas-openwrt · GitHub

u can build your image with any custom configuration
for example if u need 600M overlay

echo PART2SIZE=600 > scripts/build.conf.user
scripts/build
  1. howto resize overlay size for already writed system => Final release of OpenWrt 19.07.8 for Khadas SBC VIM1 VIM2 VIM3 VIM3L Edge - #37 by hyphop
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thanks ,i will test for this .

Hi @hyphop,
I have this need:
I want to share internet access (a fast rj45 and gigabit wifi is already there) inside a room where 4g reception is very bad, is it a good idea to use vimx as an always on openwrt server connected over a long usb cable to an 4g dongle ouside, and sharing internet access through 5ghz connection to the existing router ?
Tks in advance

Yes it should be possible and vim1 can do this work easily.
I hope it is just internet access sharing.

From you explanation what I understand.
Isp 4G tower > 4G usb dongle outside your house > vimx > internal switch or wifi ap > rest of the devices on the network.

This should be possible if you can get the 4g dongle drivers and support in the kernel rest is normal networking.

Good luck.

3 Likes

any config for openwrt - not problem :wink: but !!
u must remember maximal usb connection length is about 4-5 meters - but for modem with big power consumption it’s about 1-2 meters only !!!

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Does using active USB cable help to go to 4-5m anyway with a modem at the end ? I have no idea ho many watt such modem could need…
Other option could be to go thru the wall with longest USB cable possible, and then use poe to supply power to vimx, more complicated and probably more expensive, I having the vim far from reach can make debugging painful,
What about LTE repeater ?

My budget us very limited, so the cheaper the better