OpenWrt Router Setup Guide Options | Generated by AI

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Important: Since the router runs OpenWrt, you have two configuration options:

Keep OpenWrt’s br-lan as is (bridge of LAN ports + WiFi). Configure its WAN interface to get DHCP from your laptop:

  1. On OpenWrt:
    • Go to Network → Interfaces
    • Edit WAN interface (or create new one)
    • Protocol: DHCP client
    • Physical interface: The port connected to your laptop’s USB Ethernet
  2. Result: 
    Laptop (192.168.201.1) → DHCP → OpenWrt WAN → OpenWrt LAN/WiFi devices
    • OpenWrt gets IP like 192.168.201.50 from your laptop
    • OpenWrt NATs traffic for its LAN devices
    • All traffic routes through Clash proxy

Option 2: Router as Switch/Bridge (Advanced)

Convert OpenWrt to bridge mode, making your laptop handle all routing/DHCP:

  1. On OpenWrt:
    • Disable DHCP server on OpenWrt
    • Add USB-connected port to br-lan bridge
    • Set OpenWrt LAN IP to static 192.168.201.2 (or disable IP entirely)
  2. Result: 
    Laptop (192.168.201.1) → DHCP → All devices (wired+wireless)
    • Single subnet 192.168.201.0/24
    • Your laptop handles all routing/DHCP/proxy
    • OpenWrt acts as dumb AP/switch

Which to choose?

For testing/quick setup → Option 1

For clean network → Option 2

Current recommendation:

Try Option 1 first since it’s simpler. On OpenWrt:

  1. Connect USB Ethernet to any LAN port on OpenWrt
  2. Log into OpenWrt LuCI (web interface)
  3. Network → Interfaces → Edit WAN (or create new)
  4. Protocol: DHCP client
  5. Device: Select the physical port connected to laptop
  6. Firewall: Assign to wan zone
  7. Save & Apply

Then connect a device to OpenWrt WiFi/LAN and test curl https://api.ipify.org

Want me to provide exact OpenWrt CLI commands instead of web interface?

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