[TUTORIAL] LIGHTTPD web server with PHP support through Entware

[TeHashX]

Works only on Merlin's firmware because /jffs partititon is required for Entware environment
We need a usb-flash formatted EXT2 or a usb-hdd formated EXT3, may not work on FAT32 or NTFS.
First, setup Entware from this guide (see youtube video here)

Login to router with putty terminal and enter this commands:

# opkg install lighttpd
# opkg install php5-cgi
# opkg install lighttpd-mod-fastcgi
# /opt/etc/init.d/S80lighttpd stop
# rm /opt/etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf
# wget -c -O /opt/etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf http://tinyurl.com/amvkxt3
# wget -c -O /opt/share/www/index.html http://tinyurl.com/bxfxpq6
# wget -c -O /opt/share/www/test.php http://tinyurl.com/b9b34kp
# /opt/etc/init.d/S80lighttpd start

Go to 192.168.1.1:81 and if you see this page, the lighttpd web server is configured correctly



Go to 192.168.1.1:81/test.php and if you see this page, the php-mod-fastcgi is configured correctly



TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE FROM WAN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

# opkg install nano
# nano /jffs/scripts/firewall-start

and add this lines

#!/bin/sh
iptables -I INPUT -p tcp --destination-port 81 -j ACCEPT

Save with CTRL-O / Enter / and exit with CTRL-X

# chmod a+rx /jffs/scripts/firewall-start

Go to Port Forwarding and redirect port 80 to 81, after reboot you should have access from wan.



Video HERE...

[TeHashX]

Added youtube video HERE...

[ryzhov_al]

Originally Posted by TeHashX

Added youtube video HERE...

Feel free to add terminal recordings with asciiio package. Here is an example.

[TeHashX]

THX, it's a very good terminal recorder, I will use it but sometimes I need the entire screen to be shown.
http://ascii.io/a/1838

[TeHashX]

I'm facing a little problem here, after rebooting the router, S80lighttpd it's starting normally with all other apps in init.d folder (it's running in background) but I can't access the web site from lan or wan, if I restart with /opt/etc/init.d/S80lighttpd restart command, initiating to work fine, dunno why.
Solved temporary by adding this lines to /jffs/scripts/services-start

#!/bin/sh
sleep 20
/opt/etc/init.d/rc.unslung start
sleep 10
/opt/etc/init.d/S80lighttpd restart

Anyone else is facing the same problem?

[RMerlin]

Originally Posted by TeHashX

I'm facing a little problem here, after rebooting the router, S80lighttpd it's starting normally with all other apps in init.d folder (it's running in background) but I can't access the web site from lan or wan, if I restart with /opt/etc/init.d/S80lighttpd restart command, initiating to work fine, dunno why.
Solved temporary by adding this lines to /jffs/scripts/services-start
[/color][/color]
Anyone else is facing the same problem?

I had some similar issues with Entware and Minidlna (I was merely testing something). Seems to be a timing issue if starting some services too early through services-start, inserting a sleep command also resolved my issue.

[ryzhov_al]

Originally Posted by RMerlin

I had some similar issues

TeHashX, RMerlin, can the /usr/sbin/httpd be a cause?
Think I'm not faced this trouble because I'm manually «move» httpd from TCP80 port with my own scripts:

$ cat /opt/etc/init.d/S00firmware_services
#!/bin/sh

prefix="/opt"
PATH=${prefix}/bin:${prefix}/sbin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin

start() {
...
# Moving web interface to another port.
# You'll need it while using your own web-server on 80 port
/usr/bin/killall httpd
cd /www
/usr/sbin/httpd -p 65080 &
...
}
...

[RMerlin]

Originally Posted by ryzhov_al

TeHashX, RMerlin, can the /usr/sbin/httpd be a cause?
Think I'm not faced this trouble because I'm manually «move» httpd from TCP80 port with my own scripts:

The issue I encountered was with Minidlna (the Entware version), so I doubt it was related to httpd in any way. I was just testing service auto-starting through unslung at the time.

[jmir]

Hello TeHashX!
Thanks for your nice how-to!
Do you think it's possible to install lighttpd on optware as well? I'm not ready yet for entware and would like to use this nice webserver which I know reasonable well from NSLU2...

jmir (RT-N16 user)

[TeHashX]

Lighttpd is available on optware too, but probably you should make some minor changes to it
# ipkg install lighttpd
There is Cherokee Web Server tutorial that you may try, look at my signature.