OpenWRT for Linksys WRT1900AC

[chadster766]

Does anyone know if the WRT1900AC can be connected to with a serial cable to update images through the boot loader? If you do where does the serial cable connect to on the WRT1900AC and the pinout?

I'm concerned that if I compile an OpenWRT image and load it through the web UI it may fail. In which case the only way to reload an image would be through something like Serial and JTAG. I'm unfamiliar with JTAG.

My WRT1900AC is working great and I don't want to brick it

 

[RMerlin]

Does anyone know if the WRT1900AC can be connected to with a serial cable to update images through the boot loader? If you do where does the serial cable connect to on the WRT1900AC and the pinout?

I'm concerned that if I compile an OpenWRT image and load it through the web UI it may fail. In which case the only way to reload an image would be through something like Serial and JTAG. I'm unfamiliar with JTAG.

My WRT1900AC is working great and I don't want to brick it

The WRT1900AC has dual partitions for the firmware. I think that if it fails to boot a certain number of times, the next boot will automatically be from the second partition. I haven't tested that myself, it was mentionned on the OpenWRT forums or mailing list.

I haven't tried pushing an image over serial, but the bootloader does seem to support a wide range of boot capabilities. Most likely it will also support TFTP, which is fairly common in such devices.

The serial header is on the right side of the pcboard, about two inches inside (if I remember correctly, I opened it a few nights ago and have since closed it). To reach it, you have to remove the four screws at the bottom (inside the feet - thankfully Belkin left holes in the rubber feet so you can easily remove the screws without having to remove the rubber pads). Then, pull the blue front plate forward (if I remember, it was clipped on either sides).

After that, you need to pull the black top cover. This one is your usual clam shell, with clips all around the sides.

Be CAREFUL there! Two of the antennas are on that top half of the shell, with the connectors at the front of the router. If you aren't sure, unplug the two center connections at the front first (make sure to note which goes where). You can plug them back after you have finished unclipping the top cover.

For the serial pinout, Victek posted this handy picture:

http://victek.is-a-geek.com/images/wrtac1900/serial_two.jpg

(that's right - you have to skip that third pin - possibly a CTS or RTS pin).

Serial port settings are 115200 8N1.

 

[chadster766]

Awesome! thanks,

I think I even have the pigtail for that connector

 

[speedingcheetah]

Been reading through multiple threads and forums on OpenWRT for the WRT. Yea, I ain't touching it. Far too risky and issues.

Incredible how Belkin/Linksys just tossed this device out there, advertising its Open Source compatibility, not even bothering to check with the well-established Open Source community. If they had, then they would have known that using Marvel hardware is a major hindrance. Secondly, it appears that they did not work to closely(if at all) with Marvel working out the stuff that needs to be released(and in acceptable form) to the O.S. community. Marvel seems to be holding things up at this time, not wanting to corporate fully, or in a timely manner with their wifi driver. Just leave it to others to spend time and hard work re-doing everything. Most arn't too willing or even able to take that on.

Wait a few months...then see if OpenWRT is any better.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
What I am wondering is how come Linksys chose Marvell, I did not look at it's data sheet
and wonder it is any better designed than Broadcom? Or do they cost less? So far that
puts WRT in unique position. hardware has potential with good build quality but if f/w
development is slow, initial excitement may fade along which will be difficult to recover.
For now at least it does perform well on basic core function with good stability. Since I
put it to work replacing R7000, two f/w updates and it's been running uneventful for over a week.

 

[Mordred]

If the OpenWRT devs decide to embrace the device, they definitely have the technical know-how to get it working. The question is whether the core OpenWRT devs will decide to support the device, or if they will decide it's too much effort to support just one single router model (since, AFAIK, no other router is based on the same Marvell platform at this time). In which case it could survive as a side project maintained by other developers than the core guys.

If you read through the OpenWRT mailinglist you will probably notice, that openwrt devs are not amused by the way Belkin handled this.
No devices, no prior contact, using openwrts name to create a big hype.

I don't think openwrt devs care about the amount of work, but I think they are going to show belkin the middle finger just to show every other company, that you should not behave like an *******.

How does Asus treat you RMerlin? I'd say all you do is worth the salary of one developer. You don't just fix bugs you also give support to users.

 

[chadster766]

In both Attitude Adjustment or Barrier Breaker the 5GHZ wireless setting "802.11n" doesn't work. Isn't this setting equivalent to "N only" wireless setting in common Linksys routers?

I'm wondering if it's just a bug in the wireless settings because 802.11an displays as wireless "N" and it's connection speed is right.

I can't be sure because all my wireless adapter are also "A\N" capable.

Can someone confirm the status of wireless N in these OpenWRT releases?

 

[RMerlin]

How does Asus treat you RMerlin?

I can't complain. They sent me all the latest routers I've supported, and they even sent me the AC56U about 6 weeks before it hit the shelves, including all the necessary source code for me to develop support for it since it was a new platform. Once the device hit retail, I needed maybe just an extra week to finalize the firmware.

 

[chadster766]

In both Attitude Adjustment or Barrier Breaker the 5GHZ wireless setting "802.11n" doesn't work. Isn't this setting equivalent to "N only" wireless setting in common Linksys routers?

I'm wondering if it's just a bug in the wireless settings because 802.11an displays as wireless "N" and it's connection speed is right.

I can't be sure because all my wireless adapter are also "A\N" capable.

Can someone confirm the status of wireless N in these OpenWRT releases?

 

[chadster766]

In both Attitude Adjustment or Barrier Breaker the 5GHZ wireless setting "802.11n" doesn't work. Isn't this setting equivalent to "N only" wireless setting in common Linksys routers?

I'm wondering if it's just a bug in the wireless settings because 802.11an displays as wireless "N" and it's connection speed is right.

I can't be sure because all my wireless adapter are also "A\N" capable.

Can someone confirm the status of wireless N in these OpenWRT releases?

I figured out that the 5GHZ wireless setting "802.11n" doesn't work but that "802.11an" broadcast Wireless "N" just fine!

 

[speedingcheetah]

So....let me get this straight....Belkin produces and markets a device claiming to be "Open Source ready"....and overlooked the fine detail that the chipset manufacture they chose is proprietary and won't release open source drivers.

Don't u think it would have been best to work this all out BEFORE u release the product....just saying...

This is from the OpenWRT Fourm
"
From: Matthew Fatheree [Matthew.Fatheree@belkin.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2014 3:18 PM
To: Kevin Klement
Subject: Re: wrt1900ac wifi driver

Hi Kevin,

We are working with the manufacturer of the wireless chipset to get the
source code for the driver released to the community.

Currently, the driver is not available in source code for development, but a
binary driver has been provided that will allow users to have wireless support
on the unit until the source code level driver is available.

Thank you

Matt

"

 

[RogerSC]

Yes, and I'm now seeing advice on the Linksys forum to the effect that you should use Linksys firmware if you don't need the "extra" features. If you do need "extra" features, then you should use OpenWrt. Leveraging the future pretty heavily here. Personally, I'm disappointed if this is meant to say that Linksys firmware is fully mature, just wait for the OpenWrt firmware if you want more.

Haven't seen this clarified yet.

 

[thiggins]

Yes, and I'm now seeing advice on the Linksys forum to the effect that you should use Linksys firmware if you don't need the "extra" features. If you do need "extra" features, then you should use OpenWrt. Leveraging the future pretty heavily here. Personally, I'm disappointed if this is meant to say that Linksys firmware is fully mature, just wait for the OpenWrt firmware if you want more.

Haven't seen this clarified yet.

If that is really Linksys' strategy with the WRT1900AC, I don't think it is a winning one.

A top-of-line router must have competitive features that are fully supported by the manufacturer. Right now, the WRT covers the basics. But as many have pointed out, it does not have features that justify its price and product positioning.

What has been working for other manufacturers and worked for the original WRT54 was to not put roadblocks in the way of the hacking community (like making the serial port read only) and to help as needed. But to rely on open source distros to make your product competitive is risky at best.

Maybe this was already answered, but does loading OpenWRT void the factory warranty? Chadster, since you are the official Linksys presence here, can you get a statement from them about this?

 

[chadster766]

I will ask for the official policy regarding OpenWRT and the WRT1900AC warranty ASAP

 

[htismaqe]

Maybe this was already answered, but does loading OpenWRT void the factory warranty? Chadster, since you are the official Linksys presence here, can you get a statement from them about this?

Surely they can't do that? Talk about legal grey area - ACTIVELY advertise a feature that would void the manufacturer's warranty?

At one point, a Netgear tech told me that loading DD-WRT on my R7000 would void my warranty. I politely told him that there was a link to myopenrouter.com right on the freaking box. At that point he said "I wouldn't advise it".

 

[speedingcheetah]

Maybe this was already answered, but does loading OpenWRT void the factory warranty? Chadster, since you are the official Linksys presence here, can you get a statement from them about this?

I thought I saw a post somewhere that stated it does not void warranty. If i come across that post again...i'll share it.

 

[RMerlin]

Surely they can't do that? Talk about legal grey area - ACTIVELY advertise a feature that would void the manufacturer's warranty?

This is a question I wish every router manufacturer would clearly answer once and for all. Right now we mostly have only personal opinions from first level tech supports, who probably have no idea what's the actual policy, and are just guessing "it's not from us, therefore it must void the warranty".

That question has been asked by enthusiast users for years, and all we got from manufacturers were conflicting answers (or flat out silence).

I agree that once a company even advertises compatibility of their routers with a third party firmware (Asus and Netgear did it with DD-WRT, and now Linksys with OpenWRT), they should be bound to offer in-warranty service to these products in case of a hardware failure. In addition to the fact that they often use those claims to encourage people to purchase a given product, but also because, quite frankly, a third party firmware is very, very unlikely to be responsible for any hardware failure. So outside of someone actually bricking a router due to an improper flash (something that a manufacturer could easily resolve anyway, or at least diagnose, and THEN claim "your router is defective due to something YOU did wrong, therefore it's not covered"), I think those manufacturers should be legally bound to still offer warranty services.

What makes things even more complicated is how every country has its own laws as to what they consider the minimal level of warranty service a manufacturer is legally bound to provide.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Open WRT is a long time away. Hopefully it launches before 2015.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[htismaqe]

So outside of someone actually bricking a router due to an improper flash (something that a manufacturer could easily resolve anyway, or at least diagnose, and THEN claim "your router is defective due to something YOU did wrong, therefore it's not covered"), I think those manufacturers should be legally bound to still offer warranty services.

Plus you can brick a router flashing stock firmware too. It's not like flashing 3rd party is really any more or less likely to brick a router.

 

[thiggins]

Warranty and support may be different. Warranty covers repair/replacement for broken / defective hardware. Support is helping customers with setup and operation.

If you were a manufacturer, could you see supporting any / all alternative distros someone might load on the router? It's hard enough diagnosing what is going on with a product when you know its controls.

And for warranty, how about damage because someone cranks the transmit power, or damages the board when accessing the serial header?

Buffalo is the only company that I know of that offers factory-blessed DD-WRT based routers. Doesn't look like it helped them gain much market share. But their warranty and support policy could be a model for others.
http://www.buffalo-technology.com/technology/partnered-software/dd-wrt/