Start#
Applicable to the entire CatWrt series, as well as LEDE/QWRT, I think this method is relatively standard.
There are several ways to install CatWrt on the soft router x86_64 (AMD64) platform:
- Fresh installation (PE)
- System upgrade (overwriting the partition on the existing system)
- Container (LXC, Docker)
Here we use the PE method, suitable for most users including virtual machine users and physical machine users.
However, virtual machines can directly import disks; VMDK files imported directly are prone to corruption during power outages. VMware users are advised to choose this PE installation method; PVE, UNRAID, etc., can directly import virtual disk files.
Preparation#
- Brain
- USB drive
- Keyboard and mouse
- Ventoy Download Source: Github Ventoy
- Micro PE Download Source: Shandong University Mirror
- IMG writing tool Download Source: roadkil.net
- UltraISO Download
- CatWrt Blog
First, we download the image from the CatWrt release blog, where we recommend choosing the EFI boot method.
Because new machines basically support UEFI, soft routers that do not support UEFI are likely to be very old or even 32-bit devices, and CatWrt does not provide a 32-bit image.
If you are not familiar with the differences in file extensions, you can refer to 👇
Here I will briefly demonstrate. First, you need to install UltraISO; there are no special notes, just proceed to the next step. Open UltraISO, and if a prompt appears about not being registered, choose Continue Trial;
Next, extract Ventoy, open Ventoy2Disk.exe, and select your USB drive for installation, which will format your USB drive, so please back up your data.
Open the WEPE toolbox and select other installation methods at the bottom right Generate Bootable ISO;
::: gallery
:::
In the upper left corner of UltraISO, select Open File, choose the just generated wepe.iso file, or open the generated iso file directly using UltraISO, which works the same way.
Then we import the IMG writing tool and CatWrt img image, and after completion, click Save. Here I recommend using EFI firmware for new machines; don't ask why. Once everything is processed, the file structure looks like this.
| WEPE.ISO
.
├── EFI
├── WEPE
├── BOOTMGR
├── DiskImage_1_6_WinAll.exe
├── CatWrt.v24.9.amd64-squashfs-combined-efi.img
Flashing#
Insert the keyboard, mouse, and USB drive into the machine, power it on, and select to boot from the USB drive. In the Ventoy interface, select the WEPE we just processed and press Enter, Enter, Enter; there’s nothing special to note here.
Once on the desktop, we open This PC (File Explorer) and find the DVD drive labeled "Micro PE Toolbox," then open the IMG writing tool DiskImage_1_6_WinAll.exe, and for Write Image to, select our hard drive Physical Disk 0(223.57 GB). Note that this includes partitions; selecting a partition is incorrect.
::: warning
If the hard drive has had a system installed previously, directly writing the img will result in error 2048.
It is recommended to use partition management tools to clear the corresponding hard drive partition before continuing.
:::
Then, in Source File, select Browse to find the IMG image, click Start to confirm the writing process.
After writing is complete, restart and remove the USB drive.
Regarding EFI firmware, if there are issues booting, it is recommended to contact the industrial computer manufacturer to inquire how to enable UEFI and disable secure boot.
Some machines may need to enter BIOS to change the first boot device to the hard drive just written, such as:
Network Configuration#
If you are using DHCP (automatic acquisition) to connect to the internet, please refer to 👇
If you are using PPPoE (dial-up) to connect to the internet, please refer to 👇
This article is synchronized and updated to xLog by Mix Space. The original link is https://www.miaoer.net/posts/network/wepe-install-catwrt