Status of 22.03 release

[lukasz1992]

Hi,

that is not really a bug nor issue, I just like to know what are the plans for new release or answers to these questions:

• is there any roadmap or a list of features/changes/goals that new release is going to have
• what are the plans for: switching to ksmbd, switching to kernel ntfs3 driver (drop fuse and ntfs-3g), wireguard and support for Wifi 6/6E?
• what tests need to be done before the release

[obsy]

See branch: https://github.com/ericpaulbishop/gargoyle/commits/base_on_openwrt_2203

[lukasz1992]

@obsy this answers to my second question only:

• ksmbd and wireguard are already present; ntfs3-3g is still used in 22.03 (but could be backported), and WiFi 6E is not supported yet

[lantis1008]

Ive already switched to ksmbd by default (samba36 is still available for those that want to compile it). I won't backport ntfs3. Sorry it's not worth the effort. We will pick it up in OpenWrt 23.xx I expect.

Features:

• Based on OpenWrt 22.03
• New diagnostics plug-in
• New targets (ipq40xx, mediatek, ramips.mt76x8, and potentially 2 more)
• As many devices supported as possible
• WiFi 6 (ax) support on 5GHz only
• Quotas can now be arbitrarily set/reset via the GUI
• A handful of bug fixes

Roadmap/plans:

• Get Gargoyle building on the latest OpenWrt
• Fix up Qosmon bugs
• Support WiFi 6 on 2.4GHz
• Bring in bcm27xx and rockchip targets (pending PR and feedback on forum)

Testing:

• everything. User feedback is desperately needed, and a forum post has been made https://www.gargoyle-router.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=17779

[obsy]

proposal: drop old atheros and ramips/rt305x (and maybe brcm47xx). These are old devices, slow and often do not have enough ram (or flash)

[lantis1008]

Agreed, but it has been so long since the last release that i'd like to keep them for this one. Give them a final send off. They will be dropped for 23.xx

[lukasz1992]

Another proposal would be to extend available modes for WiFi.

Currently we can select b+g+n or b+g. I do not think anyone would need b+g in default config.

So my proposal - is to allow such options: b+g+n (or g+n), g+n+ax, n+ax I can try to do work for WiFi 6 on 2.4GHz

And for 5GHz: an+ac, an+ac+ax (or an+ac on WiFi 5 devices) or ac+ax (or ac only on WiFi 5 devices)

[obsy]

These options are deprecated (see hwmode in https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/basic )

We can set require_mode (n or ac)

[lukasz1992]

and other settings (not checked if already done):

• enabling short_preamble
• setting legacy_rates=0 for disabling 802.11b
• basic_rate for require_mode=n or ac should be also tuned
• enabling ieee80211w to 1 (or 2 for WPA3/OWE)
• sae_pwe to 2 for WPA3

[lantis1008]

I don't see large benefit in tweaking a lot of these parameters for most users. legacy rates is already turned off, so strictly speaking the GUI is misleading. I don't see that being critical. N, AC or AX only modes? Pretty niche. Maybe for the next release. The entire connection basic page needs a rework anyway. It's become a terror to work on.

[pricerc]

I don't see large benefit in tweaking a lot of these parameters for most users. legacy rates is already turned off, so strictly speaking the GUI is misleading. I don't see that being critical. N, AC or AX only modes? Pretty niche. Maybe for the next release. The entire connection basic page needs a rework anyway. It's become a terror to work on.

I'd imagine most users just want to set their SSID and password and see the rest as noise.

[lantis1008]

Exactly. It might be something worth exposing on the new Connection->Advanced page, however.

[pricerc]

I do miss my Gargoyle router (there's an ongoing discussion over on the Gargoyle forums about availability in NZ) - I gave mine up when my teenagers had left home and I found myself needing ipv6.

But I do have an OpenWRT router with Luci, which is a good example of how not to edit your router's wifi settings:

• the SSID and password are on separate tabs that you have to go looking for.
• at the top of the 'edit' screen, there is a 'status' window; if you're going to have one on an 'edit' screen, it should be at the bottom.
• that is followed by a channel selector, which most people wouldn't know what to do with, because to understand the implications of changing them would require research...
• and they have country selection on the 'advanced' tab, when I would have thought it's the first thing you should be making sure is correct.

Clearly designed by people who see user experience as way down on their list of priorities.

[lukasz1992]

I am for tuning WiFi settings in Connection -> Advanced page:

• move txpower settings there
• move settings to enable WPA2-enterprise (I think it should be hidden in basic options) - this is an advanced config
• allow to select required WiFi version per band: WiFi 3(default), WiFi 4 and WiFi 5 for 5GHz (also allow to force Greenfield)
• allow to increase 802.11w setting (like set it to required for WPA2 only mode)
• allow to set cell_density I could implement those in this month, but need help with translations for other languages

[lantis1008]

• No, I think this would be better to stay where it is
• Maybe, i'd want to see a plan for how this would look/work. You then have 2 pages controlling the Encryption setting which might get tricky.
• Yes
• Yes
• Yes

[lukasz1992]

I'd think of something like:

• checkbox to enable Radius Settings in Advanced Page
• panel shown only when checkbox is selected with all settings (still on Advanced Page)
• we expose WPA*Enterprise settings pm Basic page - only when checkbox is selected (and settings were saved)

btw why WPA3-Enterprise settings are commented out - no testers?

[lantis1008]

btw why WPA3-Enterprise settings are commented out - no testers?

Correct

[obsy]

@lukasz1992: Can be closed - version 1.14.0 based on Openwrt 22.03 has been released.