Openwrt Router Firmware

[xiaofan]

Wah! This is Wifi? Almost near Gigabit liao.

No, these tests are wired, not wireless.

 

[i1magic]

No, these tests are wired, not wireless.

Oic. I see that you are using SpeedTest instead of "fast.com". Any particular reason for that?

 

[xiaofan]

Oic. I see that you are using SpeedTest instead of "fast.com". Any particular reason for that?

IMHO Fast.com is not very good and not easily compare with the reports in this forum.

I recommend two tests.
1) Ookla Speedtest: absolute speed
2) DSLreports speed which includes Bufferbloat: http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest

 

[kaicheng83]

Hi, I'm intending to use EA8100v1 (gonna flash to Openwrt) to replace my DIR-868L as main router for Starhub 1Gbps plan.

I will disable EA8100v1 Wifi and is there any setting to configure at WAN port or set it to DHCP for starhub to allocate an IP address for it?

Thank you

 

[xiaofan]

Hi, I'm intending to use EA8100v1 (gonna flash to Openwrt) to replace my DIR-868L as main router for Starhub 1Gbps plan.

I will disable EA8100v1 Wifi and is there any setting to configure at WAN port or set it to DHCP for starhub to allocate an IP address for it?

Thank you

DHCP is default so there is really nothing to do in that aspect. Wifi is also by default disabled.

 

[kaicheng83]

DHCP is default so there is really nothing to do in that aspect. Wifi is also by default disabled.

hi Xiaofan, thanks so it just plug and play?

 

[xiaofan]

hi Xiaofan, thanks so it just plug and play?

You need to flash the OpenWRT firmware, which may or may not be smooth.

For my EA7500 v2, I need to flash twice, the first time it will fail.

But please read the OpenWRT documentation before proceeding. And you may want to watch some Youtube tutorial as well.

I am not an Openwrt expert myself, what I did is very simple as of now. You may want to check out the following thread for more advanced stuff.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/...-gl-inet-travel-router-for-new-users.6592979/

 

[kaicheng83]

You need to flash the OpenWRT firmware, which may or may not be smooth.
For my EA7500 v2, I need to flash twice, the first time it will fail.
But please read the OpenWRT documentation before proceeding. And you may want to watch some Youtube tutorial as well.
I am not an Openwrt expert myself, what I did is very simple as of now. You may want to check out the following thread for more advanced stuff.

Starting OpenWRT on GL.iNet Travel Router for New Users
FOREWORD: Even though COVID19 restriction has not loosen much since the pandemic hit us in 2020, and it is still tough to travel abroad for vacation or business in 2021. However for some of us, we might still go for local staycation in hotels or prepare our overseas trip for essential businesses...

forums.hardwarezone.com.sg

hi Xiaofan,

you are right as I have some issues flashing openwrt to EA8100 but still manage to flash it after some try.

everything work after configure it's IP address and DNS

 

[xiaofan]

So far I have to say my openwrt experiment is not that smooth. Guess I have to spend more time learning and trying. Basic operations are fine but not for slightly more advanced stuff.

I have all kinds of issues with OpenWRT 21.02 with EA7500 v2. I think it simply does not work. So I have to run the snapshot version but apparently that is not very good either as opkg packages are sometimes broken. IPv6, DNS over HTTP and Adblock are working so it kinds of serve the basic usages as of now. But I have not been able to get wireguard server working yet.

On the WRT1900AC side, I run the official 21.02 version. But I still have issues with broken packages. And I could not get Adblock to work and I have to use simple-adblock which does not have good reporting. SingTel 6rd IPv6 and DNS over HTTPs work fine. Again I could not get wireguard server to work yet.

 

[xiaofan]

Has anyone try X-Wrt firmware for EA7500v2?

Not sure if it has English GUI.

https://x-wrt.com/
X-WRT ROM download
https://downloads.x-wrt.com/rom/

Just tried it on my EA7500 v2. It seems to be still based on OpenWRT snapshot with some additions. Take note OpenWRT 21.02 does not work for me at all on the EA7500 v2 as the configuration simply can not be saved. EA8100 v1 is said to be better with the official 21.02 release.

FIrst test on the x-wrt seems to be okay. UI is English by default on my system. HW/SW Routing/NAT offloading feature seems to be enabled by default in the X-WRT firmware as there is no options related to this feature at all.

Wired performance is good as it is the same as my line speed from Singtel 1Gbps plan from other routers.

Wireless seems to be pretty okay in the near range, tested with a Dell laptop with Intel AC9560 higher end Wifi AC adapter (2*2 AC 160MHz but the 160Mhz channel is useless with the EA7500 v2). The firmware seems to allow you to set 160MHz channel bandwdith but then there is no more wifi connection. This is expected as the underlying HW does not support 160MHz channel bandwidth in 5GHz.

Near range speed is also very good with my Huawei P20 phone (2*2 AC 80MHz).

2.4GHz near range speed is also very good. Tested with an old Acer laptop with Intel AX200 based card.

For coverage, you are able to tune the wireless channel and channel bandwidth.

However the 5GHz coverage is not good, same as the stock firmware and my Linksys WRT1900AC, despite setting the TX power to be 26dBm at CH116. Probably the HW does not support this one.

2.4GHz coverage seems to be decent. And it is better than WRT1900AC which has weak 2.4GHz coverage.

 

[xiaofan]

For coverage, you are able to tune the wireless channel and channel bandwidth.

List of WLAN channels.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels
IMDA regulation about TX power limit is here.
https://www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/Imd...ion-Standards/Radio-Comms/IMDATSSRD.pdf?la=en

Updates to the simple summary posted previously in another thread:
1) Max RF output power (TX power)
2.4000 – 2.4835 GHz (CH1-CH13): ≤ 200 mW (e.i.r.p) or 23dBm

5.150 – 5.350 GHz (CH32-CH68) :> ≤ 200 mW (e.i.r.p.) or 23dBm, DFS and TPC for 5.250-5.350GHz (CH50-CH68) sub range

5.470 – 5.725 GHz (CH96-144): ≤ 1000 mW (e.i.r.p.) or 30dBm, DFS and TPC

5.725 – 5.850 GHz (CH149-CH161 and CH165) : ≤ 1000 mW (e.i.r.p.) or 30dBm

2) Max Transmitter spurious emissions
All frequency bands used by WiFI are >1GHz, so the limit is the same: <=-30dBm

 

[kaicheng83]

So far I have to say my openwrt experiment is not that smooth. Guess I have to spend more time learning and trying. Basic operations are fine but not for slightly more advanced stuff.
I have all kinds of issues with OpenWRT 21.02 with EA7500 v2. I think it simply does not work. So I have to run the snapshot version but apparently that is not very good either as opkg packages are sometimes broken. IPv6, DNS over HTTP and Adblock are working so it kinds of serve the basic usages as of now. But I have not been able to get wireguard server working yet.
On the WRT1900AC side, I run the official 21.02 version. But I still have issues with broken packages. And I could not get Adblock to work and I have to use simple-adblock which does not have good reporting. SingTel 6rd IPv6 and DNS over HTTPs work fine. Again I could not get wireguard server to work yet.

I'm using Openwrt 21.02.0-rc3 for my EA8100.

have installed AdBlock and DNS-over-TLS (Stubby & DNSMasq) and working so far

Since 21.02.0 using DSA driver, hardware offloading is not working for my EA8100v1

 

[xiaofan]

I'm using Openwrt 21.02.0-rc3 for my EA8100.
have installed AdBlock and DNS-over-TLS (Stubby & DNSMasq) and working so far
Since 21.02.0 using DSA driver, hardware offloading is not working for my EA8100v1

Why not give the official 21.02 release a try?

By right, HW/SW offloading should work with the DSA driver for the EA8100 and EA7500 v2 , at least that is the case with my EA7500 v2, with latest snapshot (post 21.02 release).

HW/SW offloading seems to work fine for my WRT1900AC with the official 21.02 release version.

Did you check your wired Ethernet speed to see if it reaches 800Mbps+, if that is the case then HW offloading is working.

 

[kaicheng83]

Why not give the official 21.02 release a try?
By right, HW/SW offloading should work with the DSA driver for the EA8100 and EA7500 v2 , at least that is the case with my EA7500 v2, with latest snapshot (post 21.02 release).
HW/SW offloading seems to work fine for my WRT1900AC with the official 21.02 release version.
Did you check your wired Ethernet speed to see if it reaches 800Mbps+, if that is the case then HW offloading is working.

ok let me try to upgrade to 21.02 this weekend

 

[huffie]

hi Xiaofan,

you are right as I have some issues flashing openwrt to EA8100 but still manage to flash it after some try.

everything work after configure it's IP address and DNS

Kaicheng83, can advise what you did to flash to openwrt? I tried a couple of times flasing squashfs-factory.bin but kept rebooting back to stock firmware. Thanks!

 

[kaicheng83]

Why not give the official 21.02 release a try?

By right, HW/SW offloading should work with the DSA driver for the EA8100 and EA7500 v2 , at least that is the case with my EA7500 v2, with latest snapshot (post 21.02 release).

HW/SW offloading seems to work fine for my WRT1900AC with the official 21.02 release version.

Did you check your wired Ethernet speed to see if it reaches 800Mbps+, if that is the case then HW offloading is working.

Hi Xiaofan, got time to upgrade my EA8100 to official 21.02 and enable hardware offloading in General Setting under firewall and manage to get the following result with wired connection:

 

[kaicheng83]

Kaicheng83, can advise what you did to flash to openwrt? I tried a couple of times flasing squashfs-factory.bin but kept rebooting back to stock firmware. Thanks!

Hi Huffie,

Linksys router using some sort of partition A & B for firmware.

So first you will need to flash OEM firmware (https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article?articleNum=226212) assuming its version 1.

After flashing of default firmware, you can try flashing squashfs-factory.bin (you may need to try for a few times)

I did not note down the sequence so it will be trial and errors

 

[xiaofan]

Hi Xiaofan, got time to upgrade my EA8100 to official 21.02 and enable hardware offloading in General Setting under firewall and manage to get the following result with wired connection:
https://ibb.co/jHdvQnW

Nice. The wired speed shows Routing/NAT HW offloading is working well for EA8100 v1. Thanks for the update.

 

[huffie]

Hi Huffie,

Linksys router using some sort of partition A & B for firmware.

So first you will need to flash OEM firmware (https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article?articleNum=226212) assuming its version 1.

After flashing of default firmware, you can try flashing squashfs-factory.bin (you may need to try for a few times)

I did not note down the sequence so it will be trial and errors

Hi Kaicheng83,
Many thanks! Although my existing router is already on the mentioned OEM firmware, I re-flashed it again and then flash squashfs-factory.bin and it works. Greatly appreciate your sharing.

Update: Tried flashing another EA8100 using the same method still not working after flashing squashfs-factory.bin for more than 10 times =(

Update-again: Managed to get my second EA8100 to flash to openwrt after numerous numerous reflash

 

[xiaofan]

For those who are trying OpenWRT on EA7500 v2 and EA8100 v1, the following OpenWRT page may help. Usually the first time it will not be successful. You need to be patient and try second time.

*********
https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/linksys_ea7500_v2
The “factory” openwrt image can be flashed directly from OEM stock firmware. After the flash the router will reboot automatically.
However, due to the dual boot system, the first installation could fail.

Flash successfull, OpenWrt can be reached​

If the flash succeed and you can reach OpenWrt through the web interface or ssh, you are done.

Flash unsuccessfull, router booting to OEM firmware​

If the flashing was unsuccessfull

1. the router will try to boot 3 times and then will automatically boot the OEM firmware.
   Don’t turn off the router. Simply wait and try to reach the router through the web interface every now and then, it will take few minutes. After this, you should be back in the OEM firmware.
2. Now you have to flash the OEM Firmware over itself using the OEM web interface (I tested it using the FW_EA7500v2_2.0.8.194281_prod.img downloaded from the Linksys website).
3. When the router reboots flash the factory.bin OpenWrt image and this time it should work.
4. After the OpenWrt installation you have to use the sysupgrade image for future updates.

Restore OEM Firmware​

After the OpenWrt flash, the OEM firmware is still stored in the second partition thanks to the dual boot system. You can switch from OpenWrt to OEM firmware and vice-versa failing the boot 3 times in a row:

1. power on the router
2. wait 15 seconds
3. power off the router
4. repeat steps 1-2-3 twice more.
5. power on the router and you should be in the “other” firmware

If you want to completely remove OpenWrt from your router, switch to the OEM firmware and then flash OEM firmware from the web interface as a normal update. This procedure will overwrite the OpenWrt partition.