eyeOS on the Midge/Sunspot

eyeOS from www.eyeos.org is an Open Source Web Desktop Environment or 'Web OS'.

The basic system comes with some pim applications and can be downloaded from the main eyeos site.

Why would you want to install eyeOS on a Midge/Sunspot router?  Well, eyeOS includes a framework for creating mini web apps using php and xml. Take the eyeOS 'hello world' app and add a few php commands - such as 'echo /dev/led0' and you have an app that when launched will display the status of led0. Create a few of these and you have the basis of a web control panel for your router based hardware project.

Before You Start

As the Midge/Sunspot (OpenWrt) combination uses a memory stick as it's root file system, it is easy (for a few pounds) to replace the running system with a spare copy and try out new software and settings.

Once you know that all of the changes work together, pop back your 'live' memory stick and add the changes.

As the eyeOS system requires a few extra packages and some changes to the /etc conf files, it would be a good idea to do this.

Supporting Programs

You need to install the following ipkgs:-

lighttpd - 1.4.9-1 - a flexible and lightweight web server,
lighttpd-mod-cgi - 1.4.9-1 - a CGI module for lighttpd
lighttpd-mod-fastcgi - 1.4.9-1 - FASTCGI module for lighttpd
php5-fastcgi - 5.0.5-1 - PHP5 compiled for FastCGI (for use with libhttpd-fastcgi)
php5-mod-pcre - 5.0.5-1 - PCRE module for PHP5
php5-mod-session - 5.0.5-1 - Sessions module for PHP5
php5-mod-sockets - 5.0.5-1 - Sockets module for PHP5
php5-mod-xml - 5.0.5-1 - XML module for PHP5

Then you need to re-name /etc/S50httpd-sunspot to /etc/XShttpd-sunspot and /etc/init.d/lighttpd to /etc/init.d/S50lighttpd

The default web server will now be lighttpd. The cgi programs of the original sunspot web pages may not work without some modification (or extra settings in /etc/lighttpd.conf).

Edit /etc/lighttpd.conf (with nano) and un-comment the 'mod_fastcgi' line and set the server.document_root to /var/www.

Un-comment the fast-cgi module section. Ensure that the bin-path is /usr/sbin/php.

Save the file and reboot.

Test the lightttpd httpd server is running (point your browser at the router).

Download the current eyeos.tar.gz file from the eyeos.org download section and transfer it to the router (use samba, wget or plug the memory stick into a linux system).

On the router, cd to /var/www and extract the eyeos files 'gunzip eyeOS-0.9.3-5.tar.gz' then 'tar -xvf eyeOS-0.9.3-5.tar'.

You should now have an eyeOS directory. chmod 777 the eyeOS directory and any folders within it.

You should now be able to point your browser to 'http://your-routers-ip/eyeOS/index.php' and see the eyeOS setup screen.

The rest of the installation should follow the eyeOS instructions.

As a Midge/Sunspot router is quite low on both processing power and memory, you will find that downloading and installing the 'minimal' theme will speed things up a bit.

A PIC, Linux and a Router
Modding The Router
Modding The Router - USB/Hard Drives
Modding The Router - Software & Filesystem
New Sunspot/Midge Packages
Extra Packages for Midge/Sunspot

PIC Links