🐾 Idefix Terminal — an ultimate terminal in your ASUS-Merlin GUI

[MegaMango]

Hello SNB Community,

After extensive testing and refinement, I am pleased to introduce Idefix Terminal—a browser-based console now available under Administration ▸ Idefix Terminal in your router’s web interface.

This project is hosted on the GitHub

Releases: https://github.com/DanielLavrushin/asuswrt-merlin-idefix/releases

What do i get?​

A real BusyBox/ash shell with colour, UTF-8 and scroll-back – no more juggling PuTTY. Works from any device: phone, tablet, even your TV’s browser.

Prerequisites​

* ASUS-WRT Merlin firmware (386 or 388)
* Entware (quickest route: run `amtm`, option `e`)

How to install​

Simply run this command:

wget -O /tmp/idefix-install.sh \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/DanielLavrushin/asuswrt-merlin-idefix/refs/heads/main/install.sh \
  && chmod 0755 /tmp/idefix-install.sh \
  && /tmp/idefix-install.sh \
  && rm /tmp/idefix-install.sh

to uninstall:

idefix uninstall

How to update/contriubute​

This is the first public release. It should run on most Broadcom & HND models but I only have an RT-BE88U to test on. If something breaks please open a GitHub issue or drop a note in this thread – log snippets, screenshots, anything helps.

As soon as I deploy a new release version you will get a modal window to porpose to update.
You always can check the latest changes in the bottom right corner of the screen clicking the version:

Any CLI?​

Oh yes, you can use the following CLI:
- idefix update - ubdate to latest version (it is possible to specify exact version, e.g. idefix update 1.1.4, usefull in a rollback cases)
- idefix start - start the idefix-server in a background
- idefix stop - stop all instances of the idefix server
- idefix uninstall - a complete uninsall process
- idefix remount_ui - helps to remount the gui menu

Issues​

- not able to connect under https (investigating)

 

[Ripshod]

What gives?

NVM, doesn't work over https.

 

[MegaMango]

What gives?
View attachment 65569
is all I get. Have you used default IPs rather than localhost - my main LAN is 10.0.0.0/27?

nice! First issue

Are you behind https?
what if you try to run the idefix-server manually?

first try to stop any instances:

idefix stop

then

/opt/share/idefix/idefix-server

then try to connect - it should catch to the console the response...

 

[Ripshod]

nice! First issue

Are you behind https?
what if you try to run the idefix-server manually?

first try to stop any instances:

idefix stop

then

/opt/share/idefix/idefix-server

then try to connect - it should catch to the console the response...

WebSocket PTY listening on :8787/ws

Then no further messages when trying to access in the GUI over https. Over http it's fine.

 

[MegaMango]

WebSocket PTY listening on :8787/ws

Then no further messages when trying to access in the GUI over Https. HTTP it's fine.

okay, that might be an issue with https, I will investigate this!

 

[Swistheater]

okay, that might be an issue with https, I will investigate this!

My intuition would tell me that this should be the opposite. you should require this to only be done over https, and inaccessible on http if port 80, or 8080 are either open, but I am not a genius here. Great work, I hope you continue with success.

 

[maghuro]

Excellent work! Btw, I love the paw

Some questions/suggestions:
- Change default path to be in line with the "regular" terminal (/tmp/home/root)
- Is it possible to increase the terminal vertical size? We have a big webpage with a small vertical terminal - 99% of the userscripts use more than that screen size, making them a PITA to use.
- version number - possibility to run a manual update check (by pressing the actual version number?). If possible, it should also check for MD5 changes. Right now I don't know when it checks for an update (when opening the webpage?)
- When using command "exit". Is it possible, somehow, to show a message saying "exited" or something like that? Right now it simply hangs and, after a moments, looses connection. (Am I being too picky? )
- @thelonelycoder I think it's ready (IKWIM)

My greatest congratulations

 

[Mutzli]

I tried your latest release 1.1.4, but still a no go with https. All I get is a spinning wheel Connecting...

 

[aex.perez]

This looks real promising!

For consideration, like in MerlinAU, being able to also launch a session into the nodes?
@ExtremeFiretop may share how he gets the Node info and IPAddr - I think I've also seen it in NVRAM on the Router, but I don't remember the Variable

Edit:
Did a quick search of NVRAM, and the nodes showed up twice, one NVRAM entry had additional parameters you might not need
No wonder why I couldn't remember, one
cfg_device_list
asus_device_list

 

[ExtremeFiretop]

This looks real promising!

For consideration, like in MerlinAU, being able to also launch a session into the nodes?
@ExtremeFiretop may share how he gets the Node info and IPAddr

I remember implementing that... The trick is lots of blood, sweat, and tears.

Edit:
Did a quick search of NVRAM, and the nodes showed up twice, one NVRAM entry had additional parameters you might not need
No wonder why I couldn't remember, one
cfg_device_list
asus_device_list

Can confirm these NVRAM keys are accurate.
If I remember correctly; the way we use the keys is cfg_device_list more "dynamic" and as nodes come online and offline those values should update within a reasonable time-frame.
While asus_device_list is more of a permanent list of all "paired" devices whether they are reachable or not at that time.

 

[MegaMango]

This looks real promising!

For consideration, like in MerlinAU, being able to also launch a session into the nodes?
@ExtremeFiretop may share how he gets the Node info and IPAddr - I think I've also seen it in NVRAM on the Router, but I don't remember the Variable
View attachment 65577

Edit:
Did a quick search of NVRAM, and the nodes showed up twice, one NVRAM entry had additional parameters you might not need
No wonder why I couldn't remember, one
cfg_device_list
asus_device_list

Interresting idea - will have a look, thanks!

Excellent work! Btw, I love the paw

Some questions/suggestions:
- Change default path to be in line with the "regular" terminal (/tmp/home/root)
- Is it possible to increase the terminal vertical size? We have a big webpage with a small vertical terminal - 99% of the userscripts use more than that screen size, making them a PITA to use.
- version number - possibility to run a manual update check (by pressing the actual version number?). If possible, it should also check for MD5 changes. Right now I don't know when it checks for an update (when opening the webpage?)
- When using command "exit". Is it possible, somehow, to show a message saying "exited" or something like that? Right now it simply hangs and, after a moments, looses connection. (Am I being too picky? )
- @thelonelycoder I think it's ready (IKWIM)

My greatest congratulations

Thanks for your feedback, really appreciate it.

I just pushed a new version (1.1.6). I will implement your other suggestions a bit later next week, as I don't have much time for now, unfortunatelly.

- FIXED: Resolved an issue that prevented the web-terminal from connecting over HTTPS.
- ADDED: Expand button — lets you toggle the terminal into a wider overlay. (experimental; may still show minor layout glitches).
- ADDED: The session now closes automatically when the user enters the `exit` command.

it s possible to update with 'idefix update' command.

 

[sfx2000]

Hello SNB Community,

After extensive testing and refinement, I am pleased to introduce Idefix Terminal—a browser-based console now available under Administration ▸ Idefix Terminal in your router’s web interface.

This project is hosted on the GitHub

Releases: https://github.com/DanielLavrushin/asuswrt-merlin-idefix/releases

What do i get?​

A real BusyBox/ash shell with colour, UTF-8 and scroll-back – no more juggling PuTTY. Works from any device: phone, tablet, even your TV’s browser.

Nice work - know how hard this can be - esp with security contexts...

Bit of a challenge - as one can do things on the terminal, and they're not reflected later on with WebUI.

 

[Ripshod]

just pushed a new version (1.1.6).

I can't get this version to load over http or https now.

*edit* Had to remove/reinstall, but everything is fine now.

 

[Mutzli]

V1.1.6 fixed it for me and it's working now.

 

[Stephen Harrington]

Congrats @MegaMango, very useful little add-on!
Working well for me on an RT-BE86U.

 

[robinjoo1]

thanks great addition so i no longer have to use putty ssh

 

[visortgw]

I finally installed Idefix v1.1.6 this morning. Slick little utility that appears to work great with an http seesion, but it does not connect (spins for a second or two, and then the RECONNECT button appears). Might this have anything to do with using an alternate ssh port (available in nvram variable sshd_port)? Is there any log (I see nothing in syslog)?

 

[alan6854321]

Umm .. can I get rid of that dog?

 

[scootertramp]

Awesome tool!
Installed IDEFIX Version1.1.6 on a RT-AX92U running 3004.388.8_4-gnuton1 firmware.
Non-default port for SSH and Dynamic DNS on port 8443
Using https for router access and so far all is working great.

 

[ComputerSteve]

I finally installed Idefix v1.1.6 this morning. Slick little utility that appears to work great with an http seesion, but it does not connect (spins for a second or two, and then the RECONNECT button appears). Might this have anything to do with using an alternate ssh port (available in nvram variable sshd_port)? Is there any log (I see nothing in syslog)?

Yes I am also just getting the quick reconnect and I am using an alternative SSH port