A Linux-based home router appears to be attracting a growing community of hackers. However, in responding to hackers' requests for source code for its Home Hub, distributor British Telecom (BT) may not be complying fully with Linux's GPL license terms, according to a story at TheRegister.

The BT Home Hub appears to be a rebranded Thomson SpeedTouch 7G router reflashed in order to tie it exclusively to BT's video, voice, and data broadband services. The Hub is distributed direct by BT for about 90 Euros. Initially, BT appears not to have published any source code at all for the device.

The Home Hub was submitted to GPL-violations.org on Jan. 5, after which BT promptly published a source code download page, TheRegister reports. However, BT's Home Hub GPL Code page may omit key configution and installation scripts, TheRegister's story suggests.

In the experience of LinuxDevices.com's senior editor, roughly half of all GPL download pages seem to omit the kernel .config file and other scripts that would help hackers create alternative firmware — or help website editors write accurately about technical details pertaining to the device.

Notwithstanding BT's alleged GPL violation, a number of online resources have sprouted up for hackers interested in altering and enhancing their BT Home Hubs — for example fixing them so they can be used on broadband networks other than BT's. Currently, top online resources for Home Hub hackers appear to be:

• HomeHubBlog
• RouterTech forum page
• The Scream (forum post)

The Home Hub appears to be based on a Broadcom processor, and to run a 2.6.8.1 kernel, samba, uClibc, and USB-host tools. TheRegister's story can be found here.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.