Backdoor in the TP-Link routers

Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by networked on Thursday March 14, 2013 @09:20PM (#5378717)

TP-Link TL-WDR4300 can run OpenWrt [1], a highly modular Linux distribution meant primarily for routers. If you have one of those routers and you're at all familiar with Linux should really consider upgrading to OpenWrt. Once you've got the web UI set up administering it becomes very similar to configuring "normal" routers.

Unfortunately, stock firmware that comes with a lot routers has just been no good even if it lacked gaping security holes like this. Fortunately, there are community-developed FOSS alternatives that offer a better user experience; I imagine that having more eyes on the source also helps their security. I use TomatoUSB [2] on my main router (Asus RT-N66U) and OpenWrt on the "experimental" one (TP-Link TL-MR3020) and can highly recommend both distributions.

[1] http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wdr4300

[2] http://tomatousb.org/

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Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by dwang on Thursday March 14, 2013 @10:01PM (#5378858)

I like Gargoyle firmware, which is based on OpenWrt. It has a simpler interface with QoS ready to go. The experimental version 1.5.9 has CoDel built in. So far the router seems to be handling VoIP better than the Asus RT-N16 running Shibby's TomatoUSB firmware.

https://www.gargoyle-router.com

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Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by sbirarda on Friday March 15, 2013 @01:45AM (#5379371)

Been using Gargoyle on my WDR4300 for about a month.

Was turned off by the look at the beginning after coming from DD-WRT, but I'm really happy with it so far - especially after getting QoS setup.

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Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by thejosh on Thursday March 14, 2013 @09:43PM (#5378802)

OpenWRT is amazing.

TPLink routers are great for custom firmware, I use to run DD-WRT but now run OpenWRT.

OpenWRT takes a little longer to get setup but once you do it runs perfectly and doesn't require any changes (I've been running mine for over a year without a hitch, before that years with ddwrt).

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Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by tuananh on Thursday March 14, 2013 @09:50PM (#5378823)

OpenWrt is much better IMHO because of the package management. ddwrt fails short in term of stability.

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Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by jhenkens on Thursday March 14, 2013 @11:10PM (#5379043)

A thumbs up for OpenWrt. I had been running a D-Link DIR655 before I got my WDR4300 setup with OpenWRT. Moving to OpenWRT fixed a good amount of problems I had been having with zeroconf announced services on my local zeroconf services. Netatalk, specifically, would only work for the first hour or so on the DIR655, but with OpenWRT on the WDR4300 it works perfectly.

The configuration is really quite fantastic, and you can do pretty much anything you could want.

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Re:Backdoor in the TP-Link routers by deanclatworthy on Friday March 15, 2013 @04:49AM (#5379700)

More specifically, http://www.dd-wrt.com/ is fantastic, based on the OpenWRT kernel. I use it on all my routers now. I've been using it on my routers since 2006.

I was having major issues after two years, only last week, with an old Buffalo Wireless-N router. I switched over to DD-WRT last week and all was cured, and I'm getting better wireless performance.

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