This documents descripes howto run the OpenWrt x86 port in VirtualBox.

• Download and install VirtualBox
• Get an OpenWrt image:
  • Download vdi image (ex. backfire/10.03.1/x86/)
  • Download and convert raw image (ex. snapshots/trunk/x86/)
  • Compile your own image (Target System → x86 and Target Images → Build VirtualBox image files)

This step is only required for older releases and snapshots. 10.03.1 and later provides native VirtualBox images.

Uncompress your image if needed:

gunzip openwrt.img.gz

Convert it to native VirtualBox format:

VBoxManage convertfromraw --format VDI openwrt.img openwrt.vdi 

• Start VirtualBox

• Click New

• Click Next

• Choose a Name for your virtual machine
• Choose Linux for your Operating System
• Choose Linux 2.6 for your Version
• Click Next
• Optionally decrease RAM size from 256 MB to something smaller
• Click Next

• Choose Use existing hard disk
• Click the file icon to open Virtual Media Manager

• Click Add and your .vdi or .vmdk file using the dialog
• Select your drive from the list and click Select
• Click Next and Finish

• Right click your machine's entry on the machine list and choose Settings

• add a disconnected, serial port to the machine (default is none available)

• If your virtual machine won't boot, make sure your hard disk is connected using IDE (not SATA)
  • Right click your machine's entry on the machine list and choose Settings then select Storage
  • If you see that your hard disk image is connected to a SATA controller; under Storage Tree select the SATA Controller entry and then click Remove Controller
  • Click Add Controller and then select IDE Controller
  • Select the IDE Controller you just added and then click Add Attachment and choose Add Hard Disk
  • Add your OpenWRT image as before

• If your virtual machine still won't boot, make sure you have a Serial Port enabled.
  • Enable a serial port under Settings then Serial Ports

• If your virtual machine boots but doesn't activate the console
  • Press Enter

1. In the VirtualBox Settings for Network configure:
   • Adapter 1 to internal network with name OpenWrt-lan
   • Adapter 2 to Bridged adapter or NAT
2. Boot up OpenWrt and add to /etc/config/network

   config 'interface' 'wan'
           option 'proto' 'dhcp'
           option 'ifname' 'eth1'

3. Start the wan with ifup wan
4. Create a new Virtual machine with your client operating system of choice
5. On the client set Adapter 1 to internal network with name OpenWrt-lan
6. Boot client