OpenWrt, the Linux-based open source operating system for routers and other embedded devices, has been updated to version version 18.06. It is the first stable release since the reunification with the forked LEDE (Linux Embedded Development Environment) project. OperWrt 18.06 is the successor to the previous stable LEDE 17.01 and OpenWrt 15.05 releases.
OpenWrt last released a major update, OpenWrt 15.05.1, in March 2016. A few months later, a separate project, LEDE, was forked out of OpenWrt, in an attempt to create an open source community with greater transparency and inclusiveness. LEDE was formed by a group of OpenWrt developers who were not happy with some of the decisions being made by the core OpenWrt team.
The two teams reunited in January this year under the OpenWrt name, and has now released a first major update in over two years.
OpenWrt 18.06
OpenWrt 18.06 is a big step forward for the company. With this update, OpenWrt advances to Linux kernel 4.9.111 or 4.14.5, depending on the chip architecture of the device. The update adds a bunch of new features to the platform, including a auto rollback function that reverts configuration changes when access to the router is lost. Other feature enhancements include mitigations for x86 Spectre and Meltdown security flaws, and microcode loading support to x86.
There are also IPv6 and DHCPv6 related fixes, along with bugfixes for the process manager, system message bus, and more. OpenWrt 18.06 also brings an updated toolchain, and sees improvements in the system upgrade procedure.
There are some known issues which the developers hope to resolve by the time OpenWrt 18.06.1 is released. You can find detailed information, including the complete changelog, in the OpenWrt 18.06 release notes (link below).
OpenWrt 18.06 marks the end of OpenWrt 15.05 release, as it’ll will no longer get any support, not even for severe security problems. LEDE 17.01 will continue to get some security support, but only for a limited time. The company encourages everyone to upgrade to OpenWrt 18.06 to get the best support. Existing users of both OpenWrt 15.05 and LEDE 17.01 can upgrade to OpenWrt 18.06 without requiring an entirely new install.
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