Setup Openwrt Android Tether on Your Router

To set up OpenWRT Android Tether on your router, you'll need to enable the tethering feature in the OpenWRT interface. This is done by going to the "Network" tab and selecting "Wireless" from the drop-down menu.

You can then enable tethering by checking the box next to "Tethering" and selecting the type of tethering you want to use, such as "USB Tethering" or "Wi-Fi Tethering".

OpenWRT provides detailed instructions on how to configure tethering, including setting up a new interface and assigning an IP address to the tethering interface.

To ensure your tethering interface is properly configured, make sure to set the "Mode" to "Tethering" and the "IPV6" option to "Enabled".

If this caught your attention, see: Tethering

To set up OpenWRT, you'll need to download the software from the official OpenWRT website.

You can install OpenWRT on a compatible router using a USB drive or by flashing the firmware directly from the router's web interface.

The most common method is to use a USB drive, which requires a computer with a USB port and a compatible router.

For the USB method, you'll need to create a bootable USB drive with the OpenWRT software and then connect it to the router.

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To set up an OpenWRT router, you'll want to consider pre-configuring it for smartphone tethering. This allows you to create a plug and play router that's ready to go right out of the box.

One example of a pre-configured OpenWRT router is the one using an iPhone 12 Pro on iOS 15.1.1 as the tethering device. This setup is designed to provide seamless tethering support for both iPhone and Android devices.

The hardware requirements for this setup include a Raspberry Pi 4 with OpenWRT version 21.02.1 installed, along with a 64GB Sandisk micro SD card. This setup is a great starting point for creating a pre-configured OpenWRT router.

Here are the key components of this pre-configured OpenWRT router:

This setup is designed to be easy to use and requires minimal configuration, making it perfect for those who want a hassle-free smartphone tethering experience.

The first step in building the firmware for OpenWRT is to create a build directory, which is where the build process will take place. This is done by running the command `./scripts/feeds update` in the OpenWRT source directory.

For your interest: Openwrt Build System Setup

You'll need to select the right packages for your build by running `./scripts/feeds install` and then edit the `feeds.conf.default` file to add or remove packages as needed.

The `make menuconfig` command is used to configure the build settings and select the packages you want to include. This is where you can customize the firmware to fit your needs.

The build process is started with the `make` command, which will download and install all the necessary packages and build the firmware.

The build process can take a while, depending on the number of packages you're including and the speed of your computer.

Discover more: Openwrt Install Tailscale

OpenWRT is a great option for a more sophisticated setup when staying in one place for an extended period. A dedicated router with good antennas results in a much better Wi-Fi range on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands and both bands can be used simultaneously.

Using a Linksys router running OpenWRT provides sophisticated features like traffic shaping to keep round trip delays to a minimum, which is particularly important when uploading large amounts of data while attending conference calls.

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A small LTE/5G router with an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi switched off can be used as backhaul connectivity for the Linksys OpenWRT router. However, this setup can be heavy in the suitcase and requires finding an additional power outlet close to a window.

OpenWRT has great support for USB tethering with Android phones, which saves a lot of weight in the suitcase and eliminates the need to find an additional power outlet. The spare phone can be used for redundancy reasons, and it's powered over the USB cable.

My Linksys WRT1200AC has two USB ports, one of which supports USB3, which comes in handy for 5G-like backhaul speeds of several hundred megabits per second.

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To configure your network for OpenWRT Android tethering, start by accessing the LuCI web interface. This is where you'll make most of your network adjustments.

The LuCI web interface is accessible through the device's IP address, which is usually 192.168.1.1.

Check this out: Openwrt Interface

To access the LuCI web interface, you'll need to use a web browser and enter the device's IP address into the address bar.

The default login credentials for LuCI are admin/admin, but you should change these to a more secure password.

Change your password to a strong and unique combination of characters, numbers, and symbols.

You'll also need to configure your network settings to allow tethering. This typically involves setting the network mode to "Client" or "Station" mode.

To set the network mode, navigate to the "Wireless" tab in LuCI and select the "Client" or "Station" mode from the dropdown menu.

Related reading: Openwrt Luci

You can tether your Android device to your OpenWRT router using USB tethering or Wi-Fi tethering.

USB tethering uses a USB cable to connect your device to the router, allowing you to share your device's internet connection with other devices on the network.

Wi-Fi tethering, on the other hand, allows you to share your device's internet connection with other devices wirelessly.

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To set up USB tethering, you'll need to enable USB tethering on your device and then connect it to the router using a USB cable.

Wi-Fi tethering can be set up by enabling Wi-Fi tethering on your device and then configuring the router to allow the device to share its internet connection.

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