The FAQ told me where to get a ready-made cross-compiler.
I downloaded the most recent busybox sources TAR file. Within the untarred busybox sources I ran make menuconfig; make; make CONFIG_PREFIX=target_root_dir, then I ftp-ed the statically linked busybox to my target system, and halas!, it runs like a charm.
What did I change within menuconfig?
- the prefix of the gcc etc., like “mips-“
- I want a statically linked busybox
- I tried to determine the directory where to find the build utilities, but to no success, so I extended PATH outside on the command line
Next level of competence will be building the cross-compiler itself. Not sure whether I need to go through that.