OpenWrt router connected to Lightwire wireless internet service

I installed my own router for access to Lightwire wireless internet service because with the router provided by Lightwire I was unable to forward port 443 to one of my own nodes. Lightwire uses HTTPS for remote administration of their router and was unable to use an alternate port for their purposes.

Lightwire documents that customers may use their own routers but has no documentation of how to do so. I received instructions from support, in follow-up to my ticket asking why my attempt to forward port 443 wasn't working. 

The requirements for configuring the router were:

• PPPoE connection
• Traffic must be tagged VLAN ID 10

I started with a router with a fresh install of OpenWrt v24.10.

I connected to a LAN port and configured WiFi interfaces using the web interface, then connected via WiFi.

I disconnected the network cable from the router provided by Lightwire and connected it to the WAN port of my router. 

I logged in to the web interface and edited the wan and wan6 interfaces under Network > Interfaces by clicking Edit and then changing the protocol from DHCP to PPPoE and entering the username and password provided by Lightwire in the PAP/CHAP username and PAP/CHAP password fields. All other options left unchanged. Clicked Save then Save & Apply.

As I wasn't sure how to set the VLAN ID via the web interface, I logged in via ssh and edited /etc/config/network and changed the configuration for interfaces wan and wan6, changing option device from 'wan' to 'wan.10'. After the change, the sections were:

config interface 'wan'
	option device 'wan.10'
	option proto 'pppoe'
	option username 'REDACTED username'
	option password 'REDACTED password'
	option ipv6 'auto'

config interface 'wan6'
	option device 'wan.10'
	option proto 'pppoe'
	option username 'REDACTED username'
	option password 'REDACTED password'
	option ipv6 'auto'

Then I rebooted with command reboot.

With these changes, the router connected to the Lightwire service and I had Internet access again. But now with a router fully under my control, allowing me to forward port 443 to one of my servers.

Ordinary Men

I was reading Christopher Robert Browning's Ordinary Men recently.

It's a sobering thought that ordinary men can be made to behave so badly. That the inclinations to morality, empathy, compassion and decency are so feeble that they can so easily be overcome.  That aggression and hatred are so easily stirred, to become dominant in so many, with so little resistance, comment or criticism.

What is happening in the United States now is not yet as evil, but it is already far from the civil, decent, compassionate and caring society that made so many in the world envy and long for it. The rule of law and due process seem on the wane, leaving only brute force. Ordinary men, turned brutal and violent and uncaring.

There is some criticism, but not nearly enough to stop it. Barely enough even to slow it. Which makes one wonder how far will it go this time, before there is some real resistance? How many will die? How many will suffer.

There is a long history of violence and destruction. It is far easier to destroy and terrorize than to make a great, civil society. There are very few left who experienced the evil of WWII and they are now too old and feeble to have much influence. To resist the inclination to violence and evil. And history shows us that without such resistance, violence is almost inevitable. The inclination to it is too much a part of human nature.

Civilization requires active support and defense, else it will crumble and decay and be overcome, yet again. The time is now. 

Even ordinary men. 

NZ PC Clearance

I just received a 'new' laptop from NZ PC Clearance. 

I placed the order Friday morning, about 09:00. Promptly received an email confirmation. The order included replacing the SSD so, presumably, they had to open one to put in the new SSD.

Confirmation that the package had been picked up by NZ Post came Monday at about 17:20. That's not bad turnaround.

And it was delivered today, Tuesday morning, before 11:00.

It's a refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T590 (20N5). i5 processor, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD. It came with a power adapter. Nothing else in the box. Windows 11 Pro - pre-installed. I haven't put it on the network, but it already wants to install updates, nagging me for a time to install.

Cosmetically, it looks good. Some of the key caps are slightly worn, but no more than I wear them on a new laptop in just a few months. The TrackPoint is a bit discoloured - like black permanent marker on the bottom quarter. But all the little bumps on the surface are fine. And it works well. There's some very slight scuffing around the edges. A bit more than my three year old Dynabook, but not really noticeable, unless I'm looking for them. No defects on the screen that I can see. So, practically speaking: nearly as new condition. I'm very pleased. I was worried it would be all banged up and worn out.

I don't think anyone sells them new any more. I saw a review listing a unit with i7 processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD for 1,800 euros. Another with i5 processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD for US$1,469.99 at Best Buy (sold out - but I guess that's the price they were selling them at new). So, under NZ$900, including the new SSD, shipping and taxes seems a reasonable price.

I hadn't dealt with NZ PC Clearance before and was hesitant about buying a refurbished laptop, but thus far, I'm very pleased.