[Battlemesh] [OpenWrt-Users] wshaper equivalent and smaller - (making the firmware smaller)

[Ben West]

Hi cmsv,

I can confirm that disabling "Remove ipkg/opkg status data files in final
images" does indeed interfere with sysupgrade's ability to collect and
preserve relevant config data.  I've not found this option to save much
space in the final squashfs image, at least not enough to justify the
hassle.

Besides that, I've been using wpad-mini for psk2 IBSS-RSN just fine on
atheros devices and ar71xx devices (specifically UBNT Nanostations and
TP-Link MR-3020's).  This is working for me on AA r36669 and now also AA
r38347, albeit with the beacon_int patch on the latter, mentioned recent
threads.

Also, I do configure /etc/config/wireless using vi, rather than via luci.

Space-saving tips:

   - Enable General Settings -> Optimize for Size in kernel_menuconfig (may
   be enabled by default).
   - Disable IPv6 if you don't need it.
   - Disable USB and autofs4 support if you don't need them.
   - Try wpad-mini instead of wpad.
   - In Global Build Settings, disable "Compile packages with debugging
   info" and "Compile the kernel with Debug FileSystem enabled."
   - In Advanced Configuration -> Target Options -> Target Optimizations,
   add the flag "-funit-at-a-time" to tell GCC to work harder at size
   optimization.
   - If you need SSL support, i.e. for curl, patch libcurl to use the
   latest version of cyassl or polarssl instead of openssl.




On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 11:36 AM, cmsv <cmsv at wirelesspt.net> wrote:

>
>
> On 10/08/2013 05:47 AM, Pau wrote:
> > Another trick is to disable "opkg" since (probably) you are not gonna
> > use it if the flash memory is so small.
>
> I have thought about removing opkg but there are some optional packages
> that are provided and quite useful for certain situations. what other
> method could it be used to install a package ?
> wget get can fetch but what is the mechanism that is used by opkg ?
>
> for example removing
> [ ] Remove ipkg/opkg status data files in final images
> also helps but seems to break the possibility of installing an upgrade
> package or a package. Am i correct ?
>
> I also wondered if it is a good or bad idea to remove:
> [*] Compile the kernel with Debug FileSystem enabled
> > --
> > ./p4u
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Oct 8, 2013 at 11:39 AM, Bastian Bittorf <bittorf at bluebottle.com>
> wrote:
> >> * cmsv <cmsv at wirelesspt.net> [08.10.2013 10:45]:
> >>> Total: 169.8 KB
> >>>
> >>> Does anyone uses, recommend or know about a smaller equivalent script
> or
> >>> package ?
> >>
> >> there are a lot of things where can screw to get your image smaller.
> >>
> >> first do this:
> >> disbale debugging stuff in 'make menuconfig'
> >> -> Global build settings
> >> -> [ ] Compile the kernel with symbol table information
> done
> >>
> >> (you can even disable wireless-debug for your driver)
> Has been considered.
>
> >>
> >> additionally, ou can disable printk and swap, which saves ~100k:
> >>
> >> make kernel_menuconfig
> >> -> General setup
> >> [ ] Support for paging of anonymous memory (swap)
> done
> >> -> Configure standard kernel features (expert users)
> >> [ ] Enable support for printk
> done
> what exactly is printk most useful for ?
> >>
> >> let us know, if it helps. for 4mb routers, the image
> >> should not exceed 3.6mb
> right now and for my testing model:
> 3.8M openwrt-ar71xx-generic-dir-615-c1-squashfs-factory.bin
> 3.2M openwrt-ar71xx-generic-dir-615-c1-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
> (includes some extra needed packages and scrips)
>
> What other things could be removed without hurting the needed
> functionality for a batman-adv atheros only based firmware with an
> average of 400mhz cpu, 32mb ram and 4 mb flash.
>
> Although the sysupgrade for my tetsing model is 3.2mb; for other
> brands/models it goes slightly bigger last time i checked.
>
> One other package that is using twice the size that it needs to use is
> wpad which i have to use if i want ad-hoc to function with psk
> encryption. I am not able to use the wpad-mini package which is half the
> size of wpad pad due to this:
>
> http://rooter.kyberian.net/tag/adhoc
>
> and batman-adv is not able to communicate with other nodes if the
> firmware uses wpad-mini.
>
> I believe that there might be a patch out there but unsure about it or
> if it has been added to AA.
>
>
> >>
> >> bye, bastian
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Battlemesh mailing list
> >> Battlemesh at ml.ninux.org
> >> http://ml.ninux.org/mailman/listinfo/battlemesh
> > _______________________________________________
> > Battlemesh mailing list
> > Battlemesh at ml.ninux.org
> > http://ml.ninux.org/mailman/listinfo/battlemesh
> >
>
>
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>
>


-- 
Ben West
http://gowasabi.net
ben at gowasabi.net
314-246-9434
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