OpenWRT Configuration Management

Overview

This skill provides workflows and reference documentation for managing OpenWRT router configuration via SSH. All configurations use UCI (Unified Configuration Interface) and are applied through SSH commands to the router at <router_ip> (default is typically 192.168.1.1).

Connection

All commands are executed via SSH to the router:

ssh root@<router_ip> "<command>"

For multiple related commands, chain them with &&:

ssh root@<router_ip> "uci set ... && uci commit ... && /etc/init.d/... restart"

Configuration Workflow

1. Read current configuration - Check existing settings before making changes
2. Apply changes - Use uci set commands to modify configuration
3. Commit changes - Run uci commit <config> to save
4. Restart service - Apply changes with /etc/init.d/<service> restart
5. Verify - Check that changes were applied correctly

Configuration Categories

DDNS Records

Common tasks:

• Add new DDNS record for Cloudflare
• Update existing DDNS record
• Enable/disable DDNS service

Reference: See ddns.md for Cloudflare DDNS configuration patterns, examples, and verification commands.

Example workflow:

1. Read existing DDNS config: ssh root@<router_ip> "cat /etc/config/ddns"
2. Add new service using UCI commands
3. Commit and restart: uci commit ddns && /etc/init.d/ddns restart
4. Verify: uci show ddns.<service_name>

Firewall Rules

Common tasks:

• Add port forwarding rules
• Create traffic rules
• Configure firewall zones

Reference: See firewall.md for port forwarding patterns, traffic rules, and examples.

Example workflow:

1. Add redirect rule using uci add firewall redirect
2. Configure rule parameters
3. Commit and restart: uci commit firewall && /etc/init.d/firewall restart
4. Verify: uci show firewall | grep redirect

Network Configuration

Common tasks:

• Add static DHCP leases
• Configure VLANs
• Set up bridges
• Add custom DNS entries

Reference: See network.md for DHCP, VLAN, bridge, and DNS configuration patterns.

Example workflow:

1. Add DHCP host reservation using uci add dhcp host
2. Configure MAC and IP address
3. Commit and restart: uci commit dhcp && /etc/init.d/dnsmasq restart
4. Verify: cat /tmp/dhcp.leases

Wireless Settings

Common tasks:

• Add new WiFi network (SSID)
• Change WiFi password
• Configure encryption
• Enable/disable radios

Reference: See wireless.md for WiFi configuration patterns, security settings, and examples.

Example workflow:

1. Add WiFi interface using uci set wireless.<name>=wifi-iface
2. Configure SSID, encryption, and password
3. Commit and reload: uci commit wireless && wifi reload
4. Verify: wifi status

Package Management

Common tasks:

• Install packages
• Remove packages
• Update package lists
• Search for packages

Reference: See system.md for package management commands and system configuration.

Example workflow:

1. Update package lists: opkg update
2. Install package: opkg install <package>
3. Verify: opkg list-installed | grep <package>

System Settings

Common tasks:

• Change hostname
• Set timezone
• View system logs
• Create backups

Reference: See system.md for system configuration, logging, and backup procedures.

Example workflow:

1. Modify system setting using uci set system.@system[0].<setting>
2. Commit and reload: uci commit system && /etc/init.d/system reload
3. Verify: uci show system

Best Practices

1. Always read before writing - Check current configuration before making changes
2. Verify after changes - Confirm settings were applied correctly
3. Use descriptive names - Name services, rules, and interfaces clearly
4. Chain commands - Use && to ensure commands execute sequentially
5. Commit before restart - Always uci commit before restarting services
6. Check logs - Use logread to troubleshoot issues

Common Patterns

Pattern: Add and Verify Configuration

# Step 1: Read current config
ssh root@<router_ip> "cat /etc/config/<config_file>"

# Step 2: Apply changes (multiple uci commands)
ssh root@<router_ip> "
uci set ... &&
uci set ... &&
uci commit <config> &&
/etc/init.d/<service> restart
"

# Step 3: Verify
ssh root@<router_ip> "uci show <config>.<section>"

Pattern: Copy and Modify Existing Configuration

When user asks to copy an existing configuration and modify it:

1. Read the source configuration
2. Identify the section to copy
3. Create new section with modified values
4. Commit and restart
5. Verify the new configuration

Example: "Copy the 'cloud' DDNS record and modify it for plex.fldc.se"

1. Read: cat /etc/config/ddns
2. Identify: Find the 'cloud' service configuration
3. Create: Use same pattern but change service name, lookup_host, and domain
4. Commit: uci commit ddns && /etc/init.d/ddns restart
5. Verify: uci show ddns.plex