DD-WRT explained

DD-WRT
Developer:Sebastian Gottschall / NewMedia-NET
Released:[1]
Latest Release Version:v24 SP1 (Build 10020)
Latest Preview Version:3.0 rolling beta[2]
Genre:Router operating system
License:Various proprietary and free software

DD-WRT is Linux-based firmware for wireless routers and access points. Originally designed for the Linksys WRT54G series, it now runs on a wide variety of models. DD-WRT is one of a handful of third-party firmware projects designed to replace manufacturer's original firmware with custom firmware offering additional features or functionality.

Sebastian Gottschall, a.k.a. "BrainSlayer", is the founder and primary maintainer of the DD-WRT project.[3] The letters "DD" in the project name are the German license-plate letters for vehicles from Dresden, where the development team lived.[4] The remainder of the name was taken from the Linksys WRT54G model router, a home router popular in 2002–2004. WRT is assumed to be a reference to 'wireless router'.

Buffalo Technology and other companies have shipped routers with factory-installed, customized versions of DD-WRT.[5] [6] In January 2016, Linksys started to offer DD-WRT firmware for their routers.[7]

Features

Among the common features of DD-WRT are

Version-specific features[12]
FeatureMicro
Mini
Nokaid
Standard
VOIP
VPN
Mega
scope="row" ChilliSpot
scope="row" Web management over HTTPScolspan="5"
scope="row" IPv6colspan="3"
scope="row" JFFS2
scope="row" XLink Kai daemon
scope="row" MMC & SD card supportcolspan="5"
scope="row" NoCatcolspan="5"
scope="row" OpenVPNcolspan="2"
scope="row" PPTP clientcolspan="6"
scope="row" radvd
scope="row" RFlow colspan="5"
scope="row" Samba/CIFS clientcolspan="5"
scope="row" Milkfish SIP router
scope="row" SNMPcolspan="5"
scope="row" Secure Shell daemoncolspan="6"
scope="row" Wiviz

It is also possible to build a bespoke firmware package.[13] [14]

Version history

Version Release date Changes
16 Initial release. Created as a branch of Sveasoft Alchemy, which, in turn, is based on the Linksys WRT54G firmware [15]
22
23 Replaced the Alchemy kernel with the OpenWrt kernel
23 SP 1 In this service pack, much of the code was overhauled and rewritten during the development of this release; many new features were added.
23 SP 2 The interface was overhauled, and some new features were added. Some additional router models are supported.
24 Allows up to 16 virtual interfaces with different SSIDs and encryption protocols. It can run on some PowerPC, IXP425-based router boards, Atheros WiSOC, and X86-based systems. It can also run to some extent on routers with low flash memory (ex. WRT54Gv8 or WRT54GSv7)
24 SP 1 26 July 2008 Critical DNS security fix for an issue in dnsmasq, site survey security fixes, longer passwords, and flexible OpenVPN configurations. It can also run on additional hardware, including WRT300 v1.1, WRT310N, WRT600N, Tonze AP42X Pronghorn SBC, Ubiquiti LSX and Netgear, Belkin, and USR devices.
3.0 beta rolling Since 2010, the DD-WRT developers have frequently published beta builds for various routers. In January 2018 WireGuard was made available for routers with 8 MB or more flash and has been updated regularly by BrainSlayer.
Due to inevitable security improvements in the Linux kernel and other packages, over such a long time, the 3.0 beta releases are now considered more stable than 24SP1 version. [16]
[17]

Router hardware supported

DD-WRT supports many different router models, both new and obsolete. The project maintains a full list of currently supported models[18] and known incompatible devices.[19]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 22 January 2005 . Alchemy branch v16 by BrainSlayer . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514052222/http://freewrt.narod.ru/ . 14 May 2013 . 29 July 2012 . FreeWRT.Narod.ru . en.
  2. https://ftp.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/ dd-wrt.com:downloads:3.0 rolling betas
  3. Web site: About DD-WRT . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200605043137/https://dd-wrt.com/about/ . 5 June 2020 . 4 July 2020 . dd-wrt.com . en.
  4. Web site: What is DD-WRT? . 4 June 2020 . DD-WRT Wiki . en.
  5. Buffalo Partners with NewMedia-NET . 23 October 2007 . 14 November 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080116185127/http://www.buffalo-technology.com/press/releases/buffalo-partners-with-newmedia-net/ . 16 January 2008.
  6. Web site: Gottschall . Sebastian "BrainSlayer" . 29 October 2007 . Congratulations on the partnership w/Buffalo! . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090114212329/http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=121822&highlight=#121822 . 14 January 2009 . 14 November 2007.
  7. Web site: Vaughan-Nichols . Steven J. . 5 January 2016 . DD-WRT Linux firmware comes to Linksys routers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190317212904/https://www.zdnet.com/article/dd-wrt-linux-firmware-comes-to-linksys-routers/ . 17 March 2019 . 5 July 2020 . . en.
  8. Web site: dd-wrt/tree/master/src/router/transmission . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200705004645/https://github.com/mirror/dd-wrt/tree/master/src/router/transmission . 5 July 2020 . 5 July 2020 . GitHub.
  9. Web site: dd-wrt/tree/master/src/router/tor . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200705004750/https://github.com/mirror/dd-wrt/tree/master/src/router/tor . 5 July 2020 . 5 July 2020 . GitHub.
  10. Web site: DD-WRT Products, Pros & Cons . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180401163159/https://www.tenwitch.com/best-dd-wrt-routers-reviews/ . 1 April 2018 . 19 February 2017 . Tenwitch.
  11. Web site: 12 January 2017 . All-in-One Guide to Choose and Set Up VPN On a DD-WRT Router . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200705005024/https://www.best-vpn.net/set-up-vpn-on-dd-wrt-router . 5 July 2020 . 5 July 2020 . Best-VPN.net.
  12. Web site: Version Features - DD-WRT Wiki . wiki.dd-wrt.com . 21 August 2020.
  13. Web site: Firmware Modification Kit Documentation . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200609101046/https://bitsum.com//firmware_mod_kit.htm . 9 June 2020 . 5 July 2020 . bitsum.com. Firmware Modification Kit gives the user the ability to make changes to a firmware image without recompiling the firmware sources.
  14. Web site: Best DD WRT Router 2018 - Buyer's Guide and Reviews . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170811200704/https://heatonc.com/best-dd-wrt-router/ . 11 August 2017 . 19 December 2017 . Heatonc.
  15. Web site: 22 August 2008 . ftp.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/stable/ . dd-wrt.com.
  16. Web site: Firmware Versions . 13 November 2023 . dd-wrt.com.
  17. Web site: ftp.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/ . 6 January 2018 . dd-wrt.com.
  18. Web site: Supported Devices . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180604160541/https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices . 4 June 2018 . 25 January 2018 . DD-WRT Wiki.
  19. Web site: Known incompatible devices . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180818222935/https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Known_incompatible_devices . 18 August 2018 . 25 January 2018 . DD-WRT Wiki.