@YOQ. This is my first post on OpenWrt forum. Following your instruction I was able to flash a TP-Link Archer C2 V1 (No need of the TFTP trick, it was simply flashed via the native TP-Link web interface since it wasn't updated to the latest stock release that isn't downgradable). I was even able to have the 5G wireless working using the trick to copy the etc subtree portion you suggested an doing the specific insmod.  I'm so far satisfied with your bin but I need to install the mwan3 package (and also USB wwan LTE modem support I suppose isn't comprised in your bin), because I would like to have a wwan failover link. I wasn't able to install due to dependencies on other packages not installed I tried to solve, but, at last the most blocking dependency is on kernel level. Your bin kernel is at 4.4.7 level while the mwan3 package (and prerequisite packages) require 4.4.14 level as of today available snapshot trunk. May you help to find a solution or you have a more up to date bin? I apologize to be not so agile in OpenWrt as I am with ordinary linux distros like Centos or Ubuntu.  Many thanks in advance

unfortunately, I can't build new a image at the moment. maybe you'll have more luck with the 15.05 packages: downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calmer/15.0 … /packages/

@yoq, thank you.

If I were to clone the current openwrt repo from github, are these the changes I should be applying to the sources to try and get a working image?

htt ps://bitbucket.org/dbeinder/openwrt-archer-c2/commits/51a5de02951893f7c5b4ebc36419e14899cdf3a2

yep, that one and the latest commit, i cleaned it up a bit more. It should get you everything except 5G wifi. you can get the mt7610 driver from here: bitbucket.org/padavan/rt-n56u/src/maste … ci/3.0.X.X.

Hi. I was looking to do the same with my archer c2 v1 us. I wanted the get the  mwan and connect it with my grandfathered vzw internet. Thanks for any help you can provide me.

could you compile an image and upload it? i'm trying to configure openvpn for this, but i need the kernel to be 4.4.14 in order to install the latest kmod-tun. thanks!

Hello. I have the same problem. I already tried to build the image by myself. The original  'target/linux/ramips/image/mt7620.mk' is a whole lot different than yours. I replaced it completely, but I'm not sure if it's the correct way. Also I have no idea about the 'make menuconfig' parameters. Can anybody give me some instructions please?

With a little hint from yoq I was able to create the updatet image with kernel 4.4.14. If you want to build your own, take care of the 'Target System'. You have to choose Ralink RT288x/RT3xxx, in order to find the Archer C2.

Have fun!

goo.gl/RPyRjb

(Last edited by eddy551 on 4 Dec 2016, 04:01)

@yoq, thanks again I did give it a go.. But couldn't find the Archer C2 target, but now..

After @eddy551 reply I might try again

@eddy551, what version of OpenWRT did you compile? Which branch on github?

@eddy551, I tried your goo.gl/RPyRjb but it didn't work, I think I bricked my router. Any advice? I'm rather new to this.

The file can't be broken, because I use it myself. Are you sure to have the v1 hardware version?

Flash the C2 recovery Image from yoq (look at post #90  in this thread) with tftpd to get it back to life. After that, you upload the c2 image from post #86 via webinterface. Then you check, if the device is running properly. If this is the case, upload my file via webinterface. That should do the trick.

@s0x
I used Chaos Calmer with the standard branch. My webinterface is saying this:

Model    TP-Link Archer C2
Firmware Version    OpenWrt Designated Driver 50015 / LuCI Master (git-16.336.70424-1fd43b4)
Kernel Version    4.4.14

(Last edited by eddy551 on 12 Dec 2016, 09:08)

@eddy551, thanks for the swift reply. It's the v1 I'm using, just like yours.

One question? Is the c2 image from post #86 mandatory? Can't I upload your file directly? Maybe that's what 'broke' my Archer.

I'll follow your instructions and will try your new image one of these days.

(Last edited by gargle on 12 Dec 2016, 15:09)

To be honest, I don't know. I already had a running OpenWrt-Build because of the image from yoq. I upgraded from his build, therefore I can't tell if it's mandatory - only that it was my working solution.

Hy!

I just tired to flash this image, but it cant, because it says my hardware version dont match... :-(

This is error msg:
Error code: 4506
The uploaded file does not match the device's current hardware version.

My hardware version is: Hardware version:Archer C2 v1 00000001

Is this image built for v1 hardware?
Wwhat did I do wrong?

@htom
See Post #90, it looks like your Router is already locked. Try to downgrade.

I got myself a new C2 and ran into the "The uploaded file does not match the device's current hardware version." message.

So I went to post#90, downloaded the ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin and applied the tftpd trick.

This gave me openwrt, kernel 4.4.7.

Next I uploaded the c2 image from post#108 and I'm up and running

Thanks guys!

(Last edited by gargle on 15 Dec 2016, 17:22)

The build system for ramips has changed over the last months, here is a patch that should work with the newest trunk:
https://bitbucket.org/dbeinder/openwrt- … b1a53e78ab
Select Ralink RT288x/RT3xxx > MT7620 > Default Profile, select your packages and build using

make TARGET_DEVICES=ArcherC2

I also cleaned up my build system for the 5G wifi driver, you can find it here: bitbucket.org/dbeinder/openwrt-archer-c2-mt7610 - you will need a compiled kernel, but make sure to fix the paths and versions in the Makefile for your setup. To work with the driver, your kernel needs the wireless extension tools package.

Also here is a prebuilt r50019/kernel 4.4.14 image + wifi driver: beinder.at/pub/c2_r50019.zip
To get 5G wifi, upload wifi5G.tar.gz as a "restore backup" file in LuCI and apply. To configure the AP, paste this code to the local startup field in LuCI and modify for your needs. With the defaults you can start 3 virtual APs, for a more detailed description of the configuration interface see here.

insmod /mt7610_ap.ko

ifconfig rai0 up
iwpriv rai0 set AuthMode=WPA2PSK
iwpriv rai0 set EncrypType=AES
iwpriv rai0 set SSID=MyWifiName0
iwpriv rai0 set WPAPSK=MySecretPW0

ifconfig rai1 up
iwpriv rai1 set AuthMode=WPA2PSK
iwpriv rai1 set EncrypType=AES
iwpriv rai1 set SSID=MyWifiName1
iwpriv rai1 set WPAPSK=MySecretPW1

iwpriv rai0 set Channel=36

After a reboot you will have rai0, rai1 interfaces - you can bridge them to your net in the network tab.

EDIT: The MAC address can be set by

insmod /mt7610_ap.ko mac="E8:DE:27:99:88:77"

(Last edited by yoq on 25 Dec 2016, 01:17)

I hope someone can help me

I have a locked Archer C2 V1 which i couldn't update with official firmware, so i've tried updating firmware with instructions on comment #90. I've done that, then tried flashing official firmware through the openwrt firmware, but it said it was too big for the memory, but i let it do it anyway, since the recovery firmware is the same size.

It failed and got all the lights blinking.

I reflashed using comment #90 instructions and it worked, but then... i renamed the latest official firmware from tplink to ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin and tried flashing that with Tftpd32 and it looks like it bricked.

On boot, only the internet light blinks once, then it does nothing. I cannot make it go back to flash mode (the lock light) and i really don't know what to do now.

Is there any chance i can fix it ? I'm just an average windows user with no linux/coding skills.

Thank you in advance.

yes, that was a mistake, tplink designed this models' bootloader the way you wouldn't expect and made it kinda easy to brick - you can read the technical details here: pwassi.privatedns.org/lede/archerc20i/#factory (it's about the C20i but the same applies)
you will have to take out the flash chip, rewrite the firmware and solder it back in

(Last edited by yoq on 22 Dec 2016, 09:14)

thank you for answering.

i'd suggest writing instructions for upgrading a locked unit with official firmware - if possible. that's what i was searching for, and this topic was the only relevant thing i could find with google, but i wasn't expecting your method to install a custom firmware. i was trying to force it to install the official firmware.

don't take it wrong, i'm not blaming anyone for what happened to me i just want others to be aware and not do the same mistake i did. it's a really popular router, and i think there are many like me trying to update it with official firmware, but getting the 4503 error.

for anyone trying to update it even though it's already working, GIVE UP ! if it ain't broke, don't fix it

Hi, I have been following this thread as I have been setting up a network using Archer C2s and would like to get openwrt working on them instead of the stock firmware, but can't follow the instructions on how to flash the routers.

I get that my C2s will be locked and that I have to flash the ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin provided in post #90 before installing the openwrt firmware in post #108 or #117 (is that correct?), but I just can't seem to find the right commands to ftp that recovery firmware to the C2s from linux (ubuntu).

Any help would be appreciated.

@halucigenia, I'm on debian, that's like ubuntu

I don't know if your router will be locked if you try to flash the openwrt-ramips-mt7620-ArcherC2-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin with the original tp-link firmware. When I tried the firmware told me that the uploaded file did not match the device's current hardware version.

Try to flash first. Download beinder.at/pub/c2_r50019.zip from #117 and unzip. Flash the firmware with the openwrt-ramips-mt7620-ArcherC2-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin file (System Tools, Firmware Upgrade).

If you get the same message about the uploaded file not matching the current hardware version, then do the tftp trick:

a. apt-get install tftpd-hpa tftp
b. copy the file from #90 (beinder.at/pub/ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin) to /srv/tftp/ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin
c. copy /etc/network/interfaces to /etc/network/interfaces.old
d. put this in /etc/network/interfaces, if eth0 connects to your router at least:

iface eth0 inet static
    address 192.168.0.66
    netmask 255.255.255.0
    gateway 192.168.0.1

e. reboot or  /etc/init.d/networking restart, ifdown eth0, ifup eth0.

ifconfig should show you're on 192.168.0.66
Check if ftpd is running: ps -aef | grep tftp should do the trick. If not, /etc/init.d/tftpd-hpa start or /etc/init.d/tftpd start should do the trick (help.ubuntu.com/community/TFTP says: sudo service tftpd-hpa restart)

f. go to /tmp and launch tftp from bash. Inside of tftp do::

connect localhost
get  ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin

You should see tftp fetching the ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin

g. quit tftp, you should see a  ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin in the /tmp directory. This proves that tftpd-hpa is up and running.

h. With the router connected, and switched off, hold down the wps button and press the on switch. Keep the wps button down for at least 10 seconds.

(The wps button is all on the left on the rear panel of the ac750, just to the right of the left antenna)

i. cp /etc/network/interfaces to /etc/network/interfaces.fixed
j. cp /etc/network:interfaces.old to /etc/network/interfaces
k. reboot or  /etc/init.d/networking restart, ifdown eth0, ifup eth0...
l. surf to 192.168.1.1, it should show you the openwrt login, with a complaint that the  root pw isn't set.
m. set a pw, and log on.

next you can unzip beinder.at/pub/c2_r50019.zip from #117 and flash the firmware with the openwrt-ramips-mt7620-ArcherC2-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin file.

Have fun!

(Last edited by gargle on 24 Dec 2016, 09:31)

Thanks for the tips but sorry gargle, that did not help. I must still be missing something.

I have tftpd-hpa and tftp installed
my machine is on
    address 192.168.0.66
    netmask 255.255.255.0
    gateway 192.168.0.1
connected through a switch so eth0 is always up (connecting directly from PC to router does not help)
I can always ping 192.168.0.1 while the C2 router is up.

I edited  /etc/default/tftpd-hpa using a text editor  to include the line

TFTP_DIRECTORY="/srv/tftp"

to make sure that it would pick the recovery file from that directory after copying it there (which seemed logical to me).

I enabled tftpd-hpa using systemctl (I am on Lububtu kernel 4.4.0-57 which uses systemD now)
sudo systemctl enable tftpd-hpa

sudo systemctl start tftpd-hpa

sudo systemctl status tftpd-hpa

saw "active (running)" and using "/srv/tftp"

q

copied the recovery file
cp [path to]ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin /srv/tftp/ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin

ran tftp
cd /tmp

tftp

connect localhost

get  ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin

(is running tftp actually necessary after setting tftpd-hpa to use /srv/tftp/ and copying the recovery file there?)

I then booted up the router with WPS button held for 10 sec

there was no different activity from the router and it was still on the firmware that gives the "uploaded file did not match the device's current hardware version" mesage.

By the way it looks to me that you have the last part

the wrong way around.

Shouldn't it be

then

I was expecting to still be able to connect to the router on 192.168.0.1 after flashing ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin and log on to the router to use the router's flash utility to flash to openwrt-ramips-mt7620-ArcherC2-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

Is that not correct?

xmas release OpenWrt r50020 + 5G driver
- will now read the correct mac address from rom, for both 2.4G and 5G wifi

and here is a new openwrt recovery image, back-to-stock recovery image, and a simple tftp server for linux:
beinder.at/pub/c2_recovery.zip

yoq, when you say

What is the procedure for doing this?
I am struggling to find out how to FTP flash the recovery image in linux (see above).