TP-Link MR-3220 + OpenWRT, lessons learned

Recently I've tried to install modified firmware on my TP-Link MR-3220. It's a decent wifi router, in my opinion. It has a USB port so it can be connected with wireless modems. But I found some difficulties from it. Some modems I owned cannot be detected, while some other can be used, but really hard to connect with the non-bundled network provider. (The wifi router is positioned on the second floor of 3 stories building, so the wireless broadband signal is not good enough).

And then I found OpenWRT. The aim of OpenWRT is basically to replace the stock firmware of wireless router to an open-source, linux based operating system. It even got it's own package manager (OPKG). With it, my broadband modem finally works with the MR-3220 and non-bundled internet provider.

Back-up broken HDD partition to image file using linux dd

After four years of service (as I remember), my external hd drive finally about to meet its end. I'm hearing squeaking and clicking noise from it. Then I think before it getting worse, I need to backup the data to another media. A long time ago, I already heard about the tool : "dd" - that is able to backup even a broken hard drive. So, I decided to give it a try.

The command is simple. I just use

 dd if=/dev/sdc1 of=/home/myname/imagefile conv=noerror,sync

/dev/sdc1 is the partition that I wanted to backup, and after the of= argument, I put the target image file. The noerror option simply made the reading process going even if an error is found, and the sync option.... I'm not sure about it :p. I use it because the tutorials on the web also use it.