4 Installing an OpenWRT Router in GNS3

OpenWrt (Open Wireless Router) is an open-source router software developed by Linksys. This free software best mimics the typical home router found in most residences.

Learning Objectives

• Successfully download, install, and run OpenWrt in a GNS3 environment

Prerequisites

• Chapter 2 – Setting up a GNS3 Environment

Deliverables

• None – this is a preparatory lab that supports other labs in this book

Resources

• GNS3 Documentation – https://docs.gns3.com/docs
• OpenWrt Download – https://openwrt.org/downloads
• OpenWrt Documentation – https://openwrt.org/docs/start

Contributors and Testers

• Quinton D. Heath Van Horn, 7th Grade
• David Reese, Mathematics Student, SUNY Brockport
• Cody Shinkyu Park, Honeywell Software Engineer, ERAU-Prescott Alumni
• Salvador Morales, Safety Management System Analyst, ERAU-Prescott Alumni
• Evan Paddock, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott
• Dante Rocca, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott
• Sawyer Hansen, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott

Phase I – Installing OpenWrt

This is an abbreviated installation walkthrough. This lab is used to support other labs in this text. This portion covers the download and installation of OpenWrt in the GNS3 environment. This lab is very similar to Chapter 3 – Installing a MikroTik router.

1.   Visit https://www.gns3.com/marketplace/appliances and log in (Figure 1)
2.   Go to Marketplace
3.   Select Appliances on the left
4.   Search for OpenWrt
5.   Click on the OpenWrt Appliance (not the OpenWrt Realview) and then click the download button (Figure 2)
6.   On the same download screen, scroll down to download the most recent image file. Once downloaded, unzip it (Figure 3)
7.   Start the GNS3 Workspace. Once the lights are green, select File → Import Appliance (Figure 4)
8.   Select the OpenWrt appliance you downloaded earlier and select open (Figure 5)
9.   Install the appliance on the GNS3 VM. Use the default Qemu Settings (Figure 6)
10.   Select the Missing Files for the version of OpenWrt you downloaded earlier and select Import (Figure 7)
11.   Select the image file you unzipped earlier and click Open (Figure 7)
12.   It should now say Ready to install. Click on the file and click Next (Figure 8)
13.   Once it finishes, then it will appear in the router appliance menu (Figure 9)

End of Lab

List of Figures