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Topic: Is the RE450 now supported?

The content of this topic has been archived between 31 Mar 2018 and 7 May 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

Hi

Can someone confirm if and when the TP-Link RE450 will be / is supported?


Thanks


I.

(Last edited by irishbiker on 6 Apr 2016, 11:16)

cmsigler advises you to begin here.

irishbiker wrote:

Can someone confirm if and when the TP-Link RE450 will be / is supported?


It seems the patches to add the TP-Link RE450 were
already submitted, but the Dev-Team did not include
them as yet.

For reference:
https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/564149/


Regards,

thargoid

Hi

I see the entry in the Wiki - do we have a time scale on when the patches will be submitted for release?

There are actually 3 patches that are related to RE450 support:

https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/564147/
https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/564148/
https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/564149/

I actually went back to the Jan 7th version of the git repo and was able to compile openwrt with the above patches, but the GUI on the RE450 would not accept the firmware because of the new region lock that requires a region header in the firmware to indicate its a US firmware. I just get a Checksum error from the GUI.

Some people have been able to get around the region lock by loading DDWRT (which has the appropriate region header) and then loading openwrt. We cant do that with the RE450 because its not supported by DDWRT to my knowledge.

If someone can help us figure out how to add the region header to the firmware, we can just compile our own openwrt with the RE450 patches to the extent that these are not merged into the master branch anytime soon by the devs.

In order to add region header support to the RE450 patch, I tried adding the following patch titled 'tools: firmware-utils: add region code support to mktplinkfw' to tools/firmware-utils/src/mktplinkfw-kernel.c, which is created by the RE450 patch (https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/564147/):

https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt.git; … a5ee89c8fe

I then update the Makefile for the RE450 to be consistent with the following patch:

https://lists.openwrt.org/pipermail/ope … 40897.html

The firmware compiled successfully, but I still get a Checksum error when trying to load from the TP-Link GUI. Any ideas?

(Last edited by blueberry_pi on 20 May 2016, 03:56)

can someone post the comiled factory image?
I get a build error...

Thank you

Bringing this post back to life.
In order to build the image you need to get a buildroot revision back to january like so:
git checkout dff835c31c33d99bb53a3b5c38edc3d866472ef4
This is from  january 1st.

I had some problems building the image. RE450 has 8MB flash but buildroot complains when you go over 4MB, something wrong with the patch? I had to build a very basic image or no dice.
I haven't flashed yet because the device will only be delivered next wednesday, it's a unit from china so I think I won't have any issue with the region.
Anyone have any idea when this will be merged on the buildroot mainline?
Once I get the device I'll flash it and post here the results. I hope not brick it.

(Last edited by joaopaulo.mello on 19 Sep 2016, 14:26)

Done.
Working perfectly. A big step up from wa850re, there's no comparison not only by the AC radio, but for everything else like gigabit lan ( I'm using as AP), build quality and so on.
I have 5 wa850re to replace and will start next month. The only downside is that the patches won't be applied on the lastest trunk, at least for now. You have to step back to a january revision like I said in my previous post.
My unit is from EU, not US.

Hi, and thanks for your efforts! Do you think it could be a good idea to build your port with LEDE?

They implement latest stable Linux kernel and seem to accept patches quite fast (from what I've seen in other supported routers).

Does anybody has experience with recovery/re-flashing via u-boot? I have serial line connected and was trying to boot RE450 in a way that it connects to my TFTP server, but regardless which button I pressed (WPS, reset, LED), I always get the standard boot like this:

U-Boot 1.1.4 (May 30 2016 - 13:58:13)

ap135 - Scorpion 1.0

DRAM:  128 MB
Top of RAM usable for U-Boot at: 88000000
Reserving 133k for U-Boot at: 87fdc000
Reserving 192k for malloc() at: 87fac000
Reserving 44 Bytes for Board Info at: 87fabfd4
Reserving 36 Bytes for Global Data at: 87fabfb0
Reserving 128k for boot params() at: 87f8bfb0
Stack Pointer at: 87f8bf98
Now running in RAM - U-Boot at: 87fdc000
Flash Manuf Id 0xef, DeviceId0 0x40, DeviceId1 0x17
flash size 16MB, sector count = 256
Flash: 16 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ath_gmac_enet_initialize...
athrs_sgmii_res_cal: cal value = 0xe
No valid address in Flash. Using fixed address
Scorpion  ----> AR8033 PHY *
AR8033 PHY init
eth0: 00:03:7f:09:0b:ad
eth0 up
eth0
Setting 0x18116290 to 0x50a0214f
Autobooting in 1 seconds
## Booting image at 9f020000 ...
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... OK
No initrd
## Transferring control to Linux (at address 80191d00) ...
## Giving linux memsize in bytes, 134217728

Starting kernel ...

Booting QCA955x
Linux version 2.6.31--LSDK-9.2.0_U5.508 (jack@ubuntu) (gcc version 4.3.3 (GCC) ) #1 Mon May 30 14:01:50 HKT 2016
flash_size passed from bootloader = 16
Ram size passed from bootloader =134217728
CPU revision is: 00019750 (MIPS 74Kc)
cpu apb ddr apb ath_sys_frequency: cpu 720 ddr 600 ahb 200
Determined physical RAM map:

additionally I have never managed to get Ethernet link detected on my computer during u-boot time, so I doubt it has anything to do with IP, tftp settings as those are activated only after link is established.

Also RX in u-boot seems to be blocked. I can not stop the boot process. Only when booted into Linux, I can start typing such as "root" for login, etc.

I have never tried so I might be of little help. However, from what you describe, I would say that you need to fix your IP address to the one uboot looks for when booting. In the case of Tp-link c2600 I know it is 192.168.0.66, but for RE450 I do not know. I may be wrong, as you say, if the problem is not IP related.

When you see "Autobooting in 1 seconds" type tpl to halt the autoboot. Look at the recovery info in the wiki for other Tp-link routers will help you. https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-mr3020

webtron wrote:

When you see "Autobooting in 1 seconds" type tpl to halt the autoboot.

Thanks webtron, TPL is exactly what I needed to know! I can now access the u-boot shell and even tftp images from my laptop into RE450

Can't figure it out why openwrt image patched for re450 thinks the router has only 4MB flash. Need directions to fix that on buildroot.
Anyone?

Hi joaopaulo.mello,

joaopaulo.mello wrote:

Can't figure it out why openwrt image patched for re450 thinks the router has only 4MB flash. Need directions to fix that on buildroot.
Anyone?

Sorry, can not help you with this yet as I can not even flash the openwrt. I tried flashing "openwrt-ar71xx-generic-re450-squashfs-factory.bin" using the standard web interface, but I get a checksum error and following is printed on the serial:

[device_error: sysmgr_cfg_checkSupportList:950]00000000 NOT Match.


[device_error: sysmgr_cfg_checkSupportList:846]should be 2 args (1).


Firmware not supports, check failed.

[NM_Error](nm_checkUpdateContent) 00809: hardware version not support

[NM_Error](nm_buildUpgradeStruct) 00912: checkUpdateContent failed.


[utilities_error: swCheckFirm:292]build upgrade struct failed!

[Error]wrpSockGetReponseNew():  797 @ wmnetTcpRead recv header error[4]!
[Error]wrpDoSockCmdNew(): 1480 @ wrpSockGetReponse failed
[WRP][_wrpOpDo:75]Fail to do sock!
[Error]wrpSockGetReponseNew():  797 @ wmnetTcpRead recv header error[4]!
[Error]wrpDoSockCmdNew(): 1480 @ wrpSockGetReponse failed
[WRP][_wrpOpDo:75]Fail to do sock!
[Error]wrpSockGetReponseNew():  797 @ wmnetTcpRead recv header error[4]!
[Error]wrpDoSockCmdNew(): 1480 @ wrpSockGetReponse failed
[WRP][_wrpOpDo:75]Fail to do sock!

I suspect I am running to the same error as

blueberry_pi wrote:

Perhaps the new US version of RE450 has the v3 of the TP-Link firmware ...

I have EU version of the unit and this firmware version: "RE450(EU)_V1_160530" (U-Boot 1.1.4 (May 30 2016 - 13:58:13))

Which firmware version do you have flashed when updating, that it was so smooth for you?

Thanks,
Radek

radekdostal wrote:

Hi joaopaulo.mello,

joaopaulo.mello wrote:

Can't figure it out why openwrt image patched for re450 thinks the router has only 4MB flash. Need directions to fix that on buildroot.
Anyone?

Sorry, can not help you with this yet as I can not even flash the openwrt. I tried flashing "openwrt-ar71xx-generic-re450-squashfs-factory.bin" using the standard web interface, but I get a checksum error and following is printed on the serial:

[device_error: sysmgr_cfg_checkSupportList:950]00000000 NOT Match.


[device_error: sysmgr_cfg_checkSupportList:846]should be 2 args (1).


Firmware not supports, check failed.

[NM_Error](nm_checkUpdateContent) 00809: hardware version not support

[NM_Error](nm_buildUpgradeStruct) 00912: checkUpdateContent failed.


[utilities_error: swCheckFirm:292]build upgrade struct failed!

[Error]wrpSockGetReponseNew():  797 @ wmnetTcpRead recv header error[4]!
[Error]wrpDoSockCmdNew(): 1480 @ wrpSockGetReponse failed
[WRP][_wrpOpDo:75]Fail to do sock!
[Error]wrpSockGetReponseNew():  797 @ wmnetTcpRead recv header error[4]!
[Error]wrpDoSockCmdNew(): 1480 @ wrpSockGetReponse failed
[WRP][_wrpOpDo:75]Fail to do sock!
[Error]wrpSockGetReponseNew():  797 @ wmnetTcpRead recv header error[4]!
[Error]wrpDoSockCmdNew(): 1480 @ wrpSockGetReponse failed
[WRP][_wrpOpDo:75]Fail to do sock!

I suspect I am running to the same error as

blueberry_pi wrote:

Perhaps the new US version of RE450 has the v3 of the TP-Link firmware ...

I have EU version of the unit and this firmware version: "RE450(EU)_V1_160530" (U-Boot 1.1.4 (May 30 2016 - 13:58:13))

Which firmware version do you have flashed when updating, that it was so smooth for you?

Thanks,
Radek

Sorry I'm overseas right now and I can't check the hw version. I'll be back next week and if to that point you still need I can take a picture from the router label.

joaopaulo.mello wrote:

Sorry I'm overseas right now and I can't check the hw version. I'll be back next week and if to that point you still need I can take a picture from the router label.

No problem, I was speaking about the SW version which you had when flashing the router first time, or if you can find out easily your current version of u-boot, that would be great as well.

Thanks,
Radek

radekdostal wrote:
joaopaulo.mello wrote:

Sorry I'm overseas right now and I can't check the hw version. I'll be back next week and if to that point you still need I can take a picture from the router label.

No problem, I was speaking about the SW version which you had when flashing the router first time, or if you can find out easily your current version of u-boot, that would be great as well.

Thanks,
Radek

I don't know if it helps, but the firmware version I had I remember pretty well because I thought about upgrading before flash Openwrt, which I didn't.
RE450(UK)_V1_150611

joaopaulo.mello wrote:

I don't know if it helps, but the firmware version I had I remember pretty well because I thought about upgrading before flash Openwrt, which I didn't.
RE450(UK)_V1_150611

Thanks a lot for sharing this with me. This explains quite a lot - I will take a look on the difference between this firmware and other firmwares to see what has exactly changed. I am already at RE450(EU)_V1_160530.

Anyone able to get this running on a US based version with presumably the region lock enabled?

Based on a binwalk firmware analysis on the latest US firmware, it appears to be bundled with the bootloader and the "TP-Link firmware header" at 63825 does not look to be a complete header and only indicates a header version of "1".

Firmware: http://static.tp-link.com/RE450(USA)_V1 … 63131i.zip

DECIMAL       HEXADECIMAL     DESCRIPTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22820         0x5924          U-Boot version string, "U-Boot 1.1.4 (Jul 27 2016 - 17:23:55)"
22868         0x5954          CRC32 polynomial table, big endian
24164         0x5E64          uImage header, header size: 64 bytes, header CRC: 0x511F6E16, created: 2016-07-27 09:23:56, image size: 39596 bytes, Data Address: 0x80010000, Entry Point: 0x80010000, data CRC: 0x5A0EC95D, OS: Linux, CPU: MIPS, image type: Firmware Image, compression type: lzma, image name: "u-boot image"
24228         0x5EA4          LZMA compressed data, properties: 0x5D, dictionary size: 33554432 bytes, uncompressed size: 105440 bytes
63825         0xF951          TP-Link firmware header, firmware version: 0.0.0, image version: "", product ID: 0x0, product version: 0, kernel load address: 0x0, kernel entry point: 0x80002000, kernel offset: 0, kernel length: 512, rootfs offset: 770394, rootfs length: 0, bootloader offset: 0, bootloader length: 0
64337         0xFB51          LZMA compressed data, properties: 0x5D, dictionary size: 33554432 bytes, uncompressed size: 2207564 bytes
834732        0xCBCAC         Squashfs filesystem, little endian, version 4.0, compression:lzma, size: 3755873 bytes, 839 inodes, blocksize: 1048576 bytes, created: 2016-07-27 09:33:20

Firmware Header at 63825:

0000000: 0100 0000 5450 2d4c 494e 4b20 5465 6368  ....TP-LINK Tech
0000010: 6e6f 6c6f 6769 6573 0000 0000 7665 722e  nologies....ver.
0000020: 2031 2e30 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000   1.0............
0000030: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000040: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000050: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000060: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000070: 0000 0000 8000 2000 8019 1d00 0000 0000  ...... .........
0000080: 0000 0200 000b c15a 0000 0000 0000 0000  .......Z........
blueberry_pi wrote:

"TP-Link firmware header" at 63825 does not look to be a complete header and only indicates a header version of "1".

I unfortunately do not have an US unit, but what I believe you see at 63825 is a kernel header, which is in format which is similar to TP-Link firmware header on RE450. See patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/564147/ for more details.

Guys, got a second unit, flashed and got everything working out of box, below some relevant images with versions and stuff.

Label on router.
http://s616467129.onlinehome.us/stuff/images/IMG_20161028_163257.jpg

Original firmware version
http://s616467129.onlinehome.us/stuff/images/original-firmware.png

Flashed
http://s616467129.onlinehome.us/stuff/images/openwrt-flashed.png