Otbr-agent Failed To Start In Openwrt

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Introduction

The OpenThread Border Router (OTBR) is a software component that enables the creation of a mesh network using the OpenThread protocol. The OTBR is responsible for managing the network topology, routing, and security. However, when trying to start the OTBR agent on an OpenWRT device, it may fail to start due to various reasons. In this article, we will explore the possible causes of the failure and provide a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Symptoms

When trying to start the OTBR agent on an OpenWRT device, the following error message is displayed:

root@neowrt:~# otbr-agent -I wpan0 'spinel+hdlc+uart:///dev/ttyACM0?uart-baudrate=460800'
root@neowrt:~# logread | grep otbr
Thu May 15 20:44:22 2025 user.emerg otbr-agent[3057]: [EMERG]-NDPROXY-: FAILED openthread-br-2023.08.01~1738d8cd/src/backbone_router/nd_proxy.cpp:117 - if_nametoindex failed

Additionally, running ot-ctl gives connect session failed: Connection refused.

Possible Causes

Based on the error message, it appears that the OTBR agent is unable to create the required interface, which is necessary for the mesh network to function. The possible causes of this failure are:

  1. Missing interface: The OTBR agent requires a specific interface to be created, which is not present on the OpenWRT device.
  2. Incorrect interface configuration: The OTBR agent is configured to use an interface that does not exist or is not properly configured.
  3. OpenWRT version issue: The OTBR agent may not be compatible with the current OpenWRT version.

Troubleshooting Steps

To troubleshoot and resolve the issue, follow these steps:

Step 1: Verify the interface configuration

Check the interface configuration on the OpenWRT device using the ip a command:

root@neowrt:~# ip a
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN qlen 1000
    link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
    inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
    inet6 ::1/128 scope host
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP qlen 1000
    link/ether 02:81:27:3b:b0:14 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
    inet 149.149.149.188/24 brd 149.149.149.255 scope global eth0
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
    inet6 fe80::81:27ff:fe3b:b014/64 scope link
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

Verify that the required interface is present and properly configured.

Step 2: Create required interface

If the required interface is not present, create it using the ip link add command:

root@neowrt:~# ip link add wpan0 type mesh

Step 3: Configure the OTBR agent

Configure the OTBR agent to use the newly created interface:

root@neowrt:~# otbr-agent -I wpan0 'spinel+hdlc+uart:///dev/ttyACM0?uart-baudrate=460800'

Step 4: Verify the OTBR agent status

Verify that the OTBR agent is running and the required interface is present:

root@neowrt:~# logread | grep otbr
Thu May 15 20:44:22 2025 user.info otbr-agent[3057]: [INFO]-AGENT---: Running 0.3.0
Thu May 15 20:44:22 2025 user.info otbr-agent[3057]: [INFO]-AGENT---: Thread version: 1.3.0
Thu May 15 20:44:22 2025 user.info otbr-agent[3057]: [INFO]-AGENT---: Thread interface: wpan0

Step 5: Verify the OTBR agent functionality

Verify that the OTBR agent is functioning correctly by running ot-ctl:

root@neowrt:~# ot-ctl

If the OTBR agent is functioning correctly, the ot-ctl command should not give any errors.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the possible causes of the OTBR agent failure to start on an OpenWRT device. We provided a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and resolve the issue, including verifying the interface configuration, creating the required interface, configuring the OTBR agent, and verifying the OTBR agent status and functionality. By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue and get the OTBR agent up and running on your OpenWRT device.

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the possible causes of the OTBR agent failure to start on an OpenWRT device. We provided a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the OTBR agent and OpenWRT.

Q: What is the OTBR agent?

A: The OTBR agent is a software component that enables the creation of a mesh network using the OpenThread protocol. It is responsible for managing the network topology, routing, and security.

Q: Why is the OTBR agent failing to start on my OpenWRT device?

A: The OTBR agent may fail to start on your OpenWRT device due to various reasons, including:

  • Missing interface: The OTBR agent requires a specific interface to be created, which is not present on the OpenWRT device.
  • Incorrect interface configuration: The OTBR agent is configured to use an interface that does not exist or is not properly configured.
  • OpenWRT version issue: The OTBR agent may not be compatible with the current OpenWRT version.

Q: How do I troubleshoot the OTBR agent failure?

A: To troubleshoot the OTBR agent failure, follow these steps:

  1. Verify the interface configuration on the OpenWRT device using the ip a command.
  2. Create the required interface using the ip link add command.
  3. Configure the OTBR agent to use the newly created interface.
  4. Verify the OTBR agent status and functionality using the logread and ot-ctl commands.

Q: What is the required interface for the OTBR agent?

A: The required interface for the OTBR agent is a mesh interface, which can be created using the ip link add command:

root@neowrt:~# ip link add wpan0 type mesh

Q: How do I configure the OTBR agent to use the mesh interface?

A: To configure the OTBR agent to use the mesh interface, use the following command:

root@neowrt:~# otbr-agent -I wpan0 'spinel+hdlc+uart:///dev/ttyACM0?uart-baudrate=460800'

Q: What is the OpenWRT version requirement for the OTBR agent?

A: The OTBR agent may not be compatible with all OpenWRT versions. It is recommended to use the latest OpenWRT version (24.10.1 or later) for the OTBR agent to function correctly.

Q: How do I verify the OTBR agent status and functionality?

A: To verify the OTBR agent status and functionality, use the following commands:

root@neowrt:~# logread | grep otbr
root@neowrt:~# ot-ctl

Q: What are the common issues with the OTBR agent on OpenWRT?

A: Some common issues with the OTBR agent on OpenWRT include:

  • Missing interface: The OTBR agent requires a specific interface to be created, which is not present on the OpenWRT device.
  • Incorrect interface configuration: The OTBR agent is configured to use an interface that does not exist or is not properly configured.
  • OpenWRT version issue: The OTBR agent may not be compatible with the current OpenWRT version.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the OTBR agent and OpenWRT. We provided information on troubleshooting the OTBR agent failure, configuring the OTBR agent to use the mesh interface, and verifying the OTBR agent status and functionality. By following these steps and troubleshooting tips, you should be able to resolve the issue and get the OTBR agent up and running on your OpenWRT device.