The Trendnet TEW-811DRU is a dual-band AC1750 router that runs DD-WRT well and, with some effort, can be extended with Entware — a package manager that lets you install additional software on the router’s Linux environment. Entware replaced the older Optware system and provides a much larger repository of packages. Getting it running on the 811DRU opens up the possibility of running services directly on the router: a Tor relay, a simple web server, a network scanner, or any number of other useful tools.
The Setup Process
Installing Entware on DD-WRT requires a USB storage device mounted to the router — the router’s own flash is too small and too slow for package installation. With a USB drive attached and mounted, you can bootstrap Entware from its install script via SSH, which sets up the package manager (opkg) and a basic set of utilities. From there, opkg install [package] works much like apt or yum on a full Linux system. The package list covers most common command-line utilities, including Python, Perl, curl, nmap, and many more.
Verdict
Entware on a DD-WRT router transforms it from a capable network device into a capable network device that also runs arbitrary software — which opens up a significant range of possibilities. The 811DRU has enough processor headroom to handle light background tasks without affecting routing performance. A worthwhile enhancement for anyone who wants to squeeze more capability out of their router hardware.
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