Thanks for the info! It doesn't appear that my bootloader is loading as I am not seeing anything from my COM port with the given baud rate. Oh well, I will look at replacing this router. Thanks!

Thanks, I have not found an FTP that I really like, so I will look at this.  Do you know if it rotates when the device is rotated.  Dual pane on a portrait phone is not good.

This however does not address the issue you quoted.  The issue is connecting to the actual hotspot in a cafe or hotel.

Hello everyone.

I have done a search but I couldn't find the answer to this question.  Obviously my knowledge of OpenWrt is limited.  I would please like to know what exact set up I should do to have the same kind of configuration that I would have as "bridged mode" on the stock TM02 firmware.

I would like to use my main router wifi (not OpenWrt) to supply the TM02 with wifi under a different SSID.

Please help me out or point me to somewhere that explains this in case I missed it.  Thank you in advance.

The wingspinner version to convert from factory to OpenWrt includes pretty much what (I think) you want.  If you then upgrade to a newer version of OpenWrt you will loose this config, which includes relayd.  Read this to reconfigure it.
https://wiki.openwrt.org/start?do=search&id=bridge
The very beginning of this thread covers the functionality in the wingspinner build.

Yes, I did.  There is a non-pro version for half the price, no free version.  There also is a "USB Flash Drive & File Transfer 3.5" lite and full versions (lets you treat your phone as a file store).  It's tough to understand the differences between the products, especially the Easy FTP versions.  http://www.jrmobileapps.com

Interesting stuff, but way off the thread.

How can I flash back to the stock firmware for the HT-TM02?
I'm going to be messing around with OpenWrt, and I might need to use the router while learning, so using HooToo firmware might be necessary at some point.
I can't seem to locate the necessary .bin file from HooToo to be able to flash from OpenWrt back to stock.

The firmware file available on the HooToo website contains "fw-WiFiPort-HooToo-TM02-2.000.072" within the .rar file, and when extracted with 7zip, there is a file called "initrdup".
Is it possible to use this file to flash the router back to stock firmware?  If not, then how can I flash the router back to stock firmware from OpenWrt firmware?

Hi, this post...
https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php … 71#p252671
...from wingspinner, (post 26), tells how.

You'll also need the original backup files that were made on the USB stick used when you first flashed the wingspinner file to the TM02
If you don't have them, or at least the ALL.bin file, I have them, so you still have a chance to restore it.
(My originals are old, like from 2015 or earlier, but it will at least get you back to the stock firmware, so you can flash the new stock firmware .072)

If you've got questions, and most newbies do...(it's OK by the way ) don't worry.
This is at first very confusing, learning new terminology ...but you will succeed if you stay with it.

Thank you for responding and putting up with my noobness.  The post you linked is hard for me to follow, I don't have a serial console and the router isn't bricked or locked out.
I do have the backup files on the USB stick.  If I ssh to the router and use the mtd command then I would use the ALL.bin file, or do I have to concatenate (as the post says) a bunch of files to be able to flash.

Could I use the instructions https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.uninstall here with the ALL.bin to flash back to stock?  Thanks again.

It's not worth the effort on this device.  While the price has gone up, if you are on the noob side you more likely will brick the device that restore it.  And going back and forth regularly is definitely not a good approach. 

If you have not converted it them realize you loose the media services and phone apps.  you are moving from a media sharing device with router to a highly functional router.  You can add back USB and DLNA, but having the mode switching like stock is not easy to achieve. 

There are plenty of similar devices now for the same money with better performance.  See the TOH extended view and sort for Travel

Thanks for responding.  I have converted the router to OpenWrt, curiosity got the better of me.
I'm not really interested in using it as a media sharing device or using the phone app.  If I really need to access it from my phone, I could still use an ssh app on my phone.

I'm just having trouble configuring it (using luci so far) to do what the stock firmware calls "bridged" mode.  I would like it to access my local router wifi (or travel wifi access) and have it broadcast a different SSID with wifi access.
I've read docs and howtos and searched on this thread, but I can't seem to figure out what configuration will work to give me the same "bridged" mode as the stock.

I have moderate experience using different linux distributions so I know basic things like editing config files, etc.  I'm just not well versed in networking terminology enough to figure out which configuration to use.

Hi don't worry...we were ALL noobs at first.
Most people on here don't remember how it felt to have a feeling of helplessness when we first started with all this OpenWRT stuff.

I'm still learning too.
First, even if the router isn't "bricked" or locked-out, the procedure (I think) is still the same to restore it.  That's why I directed you to post 26.
A quick summary...yes you have the right idea with SSH-ing into the TM02 and I think the ALL.bin is used.

Wingspinner was going to update the entire procedure, but never did
I've never needed to revert back, so I never needed to get more into the procedure, but if you don't have a serial cable to access the serial console hardware in the TM02, there IS that other way to do it with SSH and a TFTP program on your PC...I think.

-- In other words... as if your computer is the server, and the TM02 is connecting to it thru a TFTP program...via the Ethernet port.  And you set your computer to a static IP the router is looking for.

I think you know about it if you mentioned...
"...If I ssh to the router and use the mtd command then I would use the ALL.bin file, or do I have to concatenate (as the post says) a bunch of files to be able to flash...."

That's basically the other way, without a hardware serial cable.

From what Wingspinner originally had on his first page about this, ... (but seems to have removed) ...
he basically said you can use the entire ALL.bin to re-flash the entire ROM area, or use a separate part of the other files on that USB stick to flash a specific area of the ROM.

If I remember one of your questions though...
...you originally wanted to have OpenWRT act as a bridge.

I've done that with one of my 3 TM02's already, and I was able to have it bridge my home router to the TM02 wirelessly, and connect that 1st one to my other TM02 thru it's Ethernet port so my 2nd TM02 can be a WiFi Web Camera, and my iPad can connect to it and still have internet thru the first TM02 and see the camera from the 2nd TM02

Each TM02 is on it's own different channel, so no slowing of the speed because it's using the same channel...like with just one TM02 trying to bridge.  (2 separate radios are in use)

So it's still possible with the OpenWRT to do it.

I was going to also make a VPN server at home, and use my 3rd TM02 to be a bridge from a wireless hotspot outside, using OpenVPN Client to connect to my home VPN server, to have private home internet connections from a public wireless hotspot.

And I was going to make a new enclosure to hold the two TM02 and the external battery.

But life got in my way...:) and it was on hold for a while.

I ultimately was trying to create an iOS tool (App) to remotely, wirelessly, adjust the configs, and backup / restore working configs AND even the entire ROM chip contents, to be able to easily and quickly re-set the TM02 (or any other portable router using OpenWRT) so it can be configured much easier than what we're going thru now ...! 

Imagine being able to select from a list, what you wanted to make the router become, and with a few clicks of keys or buttons, bring back a working config, from a bad setting choice, or mix and match several configs to have the router act like mine does, and go back to stock the same way...anytime you needed to, just by selecting a choice from a series of menus.

It would put OpenWRT "on-the-map" with total ease of adjustability and backup/restore capabilities, to never have a bricked router ever again.
And to have ability to switch configs, or test a new config without worry of killing the working settings and destroying your days or weeks of work to get it set correctly.

That's what's killing OpenWRT...it's too damn hard to adjust, and it gets hard to reset back to a working configuration again.

I've had to start from square one with manually reloading packages and setting configs, after I made a wrong setting with the seemingly simplest thing, and it's all gone...aaaahhhh...!

So I know how you feel.
Anyway...enough of my ramblings.

You seem to know more than I did with SSH and TFTP...etc...I think you'll be fine.

RangerZ and I were discussing my original idea, but I got sidetracked.
I hope to get back into it soon, because the iOS configuring and backup tool for OpenWRT routers is really needed.

(Last edited by HooTooJunkie on 12 Jul 2016, 04:00)

Sounds like you've been doing some really cool stuff with the TM02.  Hope you find the time to start working on the iOS app, that would be a really good idea and a good option for people to use.  An android app would be awesome for that kind of thing as well.
The TM02 is such a good little router but I found the stock firmware kind of clunky with not enough options built in.  I think I'm going to stick it out with OpenWrt and try to figure out how to get it working the way I would like.

I've been reading the howto recipes here: https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/start, but I'm not sure which one to use for what I intend.  As I mentioned, the networking terminology really has me lost when trying to make sense of the different recipes.

YES... Exactly.
The underlined part of your quote is exactly why a config App is needed.
To translate what the hell all the terminology means, in simple noob language.  Haha..!

The App would be able to import config text files and you'd name them what you call them, or their actual name, so you know what you're loading.

With the link you mentioned... If it doesn't translate it to noob, I'm lost reading it. 
So I feel your pain.

As for android...le'me get the iOS learned first..   it's also going to cost for a new computer to run the iOS Software Development package.
Either I need to get a MAC, or an Intel based Windows PC to run virtualization software to run the OS X to run the Developers Kit Software.
So either way, I may need to spend anywhere from $1000 to $2000 on the hope I can make the App.

But you're right, I need to make the App...or someone else does if I can't.
It's going to kill OpenWRT if it remains this hard to setup.

Looks to me like you have the motivation to make a good app!
Would you need a PC that is really powerful to run the proper software?  Mac's are expensive, but you could probably find one that is not the newest model for a bit cheaper.

The documentation that I've read on the OpenWrt wiki is impossible at times to keep up with, like you said there should be a more noobish translation for it.  It seems to me that the docs are written by engineers FOR engineers, which doesn't help to spread the popularity and usage of OpenWrt.

At first I was considering a Mac, but I'd rather "have both" by running virtualization software to run the OS X on an Intel i7 system running at maximum 4GHz, but auto speed throttling down when idling or non-complex tasks, to save power.

Yeah...I knew what I wanted to make, but didn't know what it was called to know what to search for on the Wiki..
I was able to figure out what I wanted to do, I think...by simple luck and trial and error.

The technical terms need to be put into a database of noobish speak.
..this is getting too funny for this thread..and very off topic...even though so truly sadly true..!

Anyway...when this starts to get going again, I'll mention it here.

You can still ask questions about your setup.
If I know, I'll reply, or anyone else may.

(Last edited by HooTooJunkie on 13 Jul 2016, 07:19)

@shilzzord, lets put the technicaly terms asside and look at what you are trying to accomplish.

First, one of the downsides to the TM-02 and many other devices is the single Ethernet port (one of the reasons I went GLi, they have 2).  If you do not want to crack the case, and don't want to keep resetting the device, you really need this port to be configured as LAN, especially if you want to use it for travel.  You may need this "hard" connection to access and reconfigure your wireless (Many posts on lost AP when STAtion can not be found)

When home, do you expect to connect the device wireless to wireless? (HooToo STAtion connects to your home router's AP)
When home, do you need the clients on TM-02 to access local LAN resources or just the internet?
Do you own a USB wireless device and if so what?

In a way, you're right with the TM02 limitations, but I've gotten around that by using 2 TM02 units with different functions, to make my repeater / bridge configuration, and IP WebCam setup.

And it has the added feature of having two(2) separate radios, for 2 different channels.

I'm also thinking about getting a faster unit, but these are still functional units for simple applications that don't require fast video streaming, or other speed-dependent functions.

The TM02's that are my IP WebCam and wifi network to the iPad2 functions very well separately too, when not bridged to each other's Ethernet port. ... for the functions it's made for.

The bridge can also separately connect my PC Ethernet, to either my home main router wifi signal, or just by changing the MAC address and SSID in the TM02 config, ...I can have it bridge my PC to the outside wifi hotspot from my ISP...separate from my home internet.

All I need to do is do an RF SCAN with Luci, of the surrounding routers to choose the ISP's hotspot MAC and it's SSID, and enter it into the config on the TM02, and without needing to change anything else, it try's to then connect to my ISP hotspot, instead of my home router wifi...and the special logon page comes up on the browser.

And the IP WebCam TM02, also creates a separate network I can login to with my iPad or PC, wirelessly, without the Ethernet cable needed.

But I don't think he should just abandon the TM02.  It's still very usable...and he may want to get another, or just use this one with another faster one too.

(Last edited by HooTooJunkie on 12 Jul 2016, 18:06)

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Sounds like a sophisticated config.

I am curious about
(1) - having a wireless hotspot provided by your isp (who\where) and more importantly
(2) -

I have Windows clients and only sometimes get this.  Probably using Mozilla.  It's a problem, as I appear to not always register correctly with the AP and ultimately booted.  There have been other posts about this popup\window NOT showing.  Are you on a MAC\safari or something else?

If it's considered a sophisticated config, I must have stumbled onto it by accident

I'd truly love to show you my configs if you doubt. (If only just to see if it works for you too )
The HotSpots are in xxxxxxxxxx WiFi as the ISP.
(It also connects to their "sister" companies hotspots like Time Warner Cable, and 1 or 2 more.
That's how they get over 1 million hot-spots across town.
(They all share each-others hotspot locations across the NYC area and 5 sub areas of ny)

I'm running the Wimdows 8.1 Pro 64-bit OS being used on a ThinClient that I modified to be a 2.4 GHz Dual-Core AMD X2 Turion CPU, (TMDTL68HAX5DM) ...when it was originally a single core 1 GHz CPU.

I just experimented by installing a dual-core when I saw the chipset specs, and it mentioned it supported the X2 Turion.

Tried it, and it worked..

The special ISP hotspot login page comes up by itself, either when I try to get into the internet with the browser, or brings up the browser window by itself, I don't remember now, but I DO SEE the ISP special login page...asking for the ID and password, and it accepts the login and connects to the internet.

Oh...and the browser is the standard Internet Explorer built into the OS

(Last edited by HooTooJunkie on 16 Sep 2016, 14:44)

I do not doubt you at all, I just can not see the boxes and lines in my head.  Not necessary really, pls do NOT make an exercise out of it.

I am impressed with the Optimum environment.  That's pretty good.  Nothing like that where I am (30 minutes west of Boston)

I do not use IE, but will test it next time I have the opportunity.  I get a little bubble in the lower right with a message about something trying to open a window.

It's OK, I don't get mad if you do doubt. I like to show how I made it work.

I remember where I left off with this though, when I had to stop to take care of other things.

It was fully working with both TM02's connected by Ethernet... but randomly, also depending on which one booted-up fully, first, or if I rebooted one TM02 or the other...or tried turning on both at the same time.

I just tried it again, a few hours ago, and it at first didn't connect to the internet, but then rebooting just one, (the WebCam nano), it connected all functions together, to my iPad2...then, when both were shut-down and restarted again, ...didn't either forward internet thru, or if internet was there, I couldn't connect to the 2 separate TM02 LuCI interfaces.

But separately, each TM02 always did it's function as needed.
The webCam always worked when my iPad was on it, and the bridge TM02 always put the main router or hotspot thru the Ethernet port, for my PC.

So, I'm guessing at the time I stopped with this, I was about to test Firewall settings, to let each 192.168.1.x TM02 network be seen, and logged into, plus also have internet access thru the main router IP of 192.168.200.x

The separate TM02 routers use the static IP's of 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.100 ...to still be on the same main network internally, when I use the Ethernet cable between them, so it may be the main router making one TM02 (the RF network to my iPad and the IP WebCam) choose the routers IP of 192.168.200.x when it connects to bridge to my iPad, thru the 2nd TM02 wireless out.
(Instead of its static IP of 192.168.1.100)

When it all worked though, I checked the iPads IP when connected to the 2nd TM02 (the WebCam and my iPads login wifi network) and it also still had the main home routers IP, (192.168.200.x) but still also saw and logged into the separate static IP of each TM02 and each LuCI interface, and still had internet access, too.

I really did have it all working just a few hours ago, too, ... and I was going to take photo screen captures of LuCI....but when I shut it off to eat, and tried reconnecting it again, it was either the internet was going thru without letting the both LuCI interfaces be forwarded, or the other way sometimes...where no internet was forwarded, but the two LuCI interfaces were accessible.
(I did take some screen captures of LuCI with the bridging TM02 settings. (192.168.1.1)

Then it reminded me of where I left off with this from last year or so. 

But it really does work fully sometimes, ...where all is forwarding, so I didn't know what I may have needed to change, to test if it's the firewall, or one of the routers needing to have auto IP config turned off or reset someway ...or something else, completely not expected ...I don't know for sure.

...I can feel it's a simple thing I'm missing, only because it sometimes connects perfectly without me resetting anything in any config, but rather just rebooting either one of the TM02's when both are using the Ethernet cable between them.

I'm just scared to change anything yet as a trial and error thing... without being able to restore the original settings and any or all packages, separately, on each separately fully working Nano.

It's already happened before (the need to re-do the entire nano with OpenWRT) ...and I don't look forward to needing to reset both separately otherwise working TM02's again ...but I'd also like to connect both to each other, so I can use this method to bridge with my home VPN Server, and this TM02 combo as the outside hotspot bridge to my 3rd TM02 and private wifi network made to be a VPN Client, for my iPad.

Any ideas on what may be holding back the two TM02's from always working together, when Ethernet connected to each other?
Would you like to see the few screen captures I did get, of the router / hotspot bridging TM02?

By the way...when you say...
"...I get a little bubble in the lower right with a message about something trying to open a window...."

That's maybe the new login window, ...some requester to allow opening it....or an explanation of an error.
Didn't you ever open it, or wonder if it was the special login window attempting to open?

(Last edited by HooTooJunkie on 13 Jul 2016, 07:28)

I should have said that I sometimes get a info bubble. 
Yes, It does take me to the web page and then I can log in, but it's not reliable.

Hi RangerZ, thank you for the help.

Yes, I would like to connect the device wireless to wireless (with HooToo connecting to my router's wifi)
I really only need the clients on TM02 to access the internet, not LAN resources like file sharing.
I do have a few USB wireless devices (edimax wifi usb dongle, canakit usb wifi dongle, netgear N150 usb adapter, TP-LINK TL-WN722N) I also possibly would be connecting (wifi) a couple of laptops, smart tv, roku device, etc.

(Last edited by shlizzord on 13 Jul 2016, 17:35)

Your responses to me are confusing.

You at first suggested you'd need to see a picture (being worth a thousand words) of my config ...suggesting needing proof it connected to the special login page, but then when I offered to show it, you no longer wanted to see the actual configs or photos of the LuCI pages showing my settings that has working configs, on the separate TM02 bridging my home router, or hotspot login, thru the Ethernet port.

Instead, you're now into discouraging others on using the TM02 for anything anymore, in favor of the GL-iNet travel router at the moment.

I like that router too, but I've succeeded using the TM02 for this as well.
(Separately, these two routers do work as intended, on their own... Consistently)
It's Just when combining the 2 TM02's thru their Ethernet ports, the combined use is not consistent, yet.

But you didn't even mention any reply, to my asking of you, what you may think is stopping it from working consistently, when both TM02's are connected to each other's Ethernet port.
It's OK..you're of course not obligated to.
Eventually I'll figure it out..again, by trial and error, I hope.

Maybe shilzzord, or any other member with a TM02 will want to see it.
After all, it does work separately, as intended...for the router, or hotspot, consistently.
I'm still willing to show it to everyone.  (I like to share working info)

But I'll wait for an actual request from someone.
I'd hate to be annoying with this, forcing it down someone's throat when they're not interested...
figuratively speaking of course.

Anyway...I'll not mention this any longer, until asked to.

(Also...I'm not intending to be confrontational or insulting to you about this, so don't think I'm scolding you...but I am confused by you...and that's all it is.)

(Last edited by HooTooJunkie on 13 Jul 2016, 17:44)