Adding OpenWrt support for Xiaomi "Redmi Router AX6S"/"Xiaomi Router AX3200"

fr33tk · 2022-04-07T14:48:15.576Z

Any suggestions for those who have RB01 and telnet completely disabled?

dekomote · 2022-04-07T14:52:30.280Z

fr33tk:

Any suggestions for those who have RB01 and telnet completely disabled?

Check this post

johnd2:

I got a unit with disabled telnet and UART. But it was possible for me to start the TFTP recovery process and interrupt it after loading the image when it starts erasing the flash by just pulling the power cord.
After power on it is not able to load anything and falls back into UBoot with a working UART terminal that can be used not only for enabling telnet and SSH, but also for loading an OpenWRT image and starting it.

Just make sure you use an image without bootloader.

Eal · 2022-04-07T15:17:30.297Z

Installed yesterday. Haven't noted any issue at all, works as it should.

bigboo · 2022-04-07T20:47:24.809Z

Hi,

I received an AX6S from Aliexpress today and installation went fine using guides from here, thanks!

Everything is working fine (latest official snapshot) except one thing:
I have a Windows 10 laptop with a qca61x4a wifi card. Windows can't connect to 5GHz band from the router after I typed the passphrase, but it can connect fine to the 2,4 GHz band.

All others PC/smartphones are OK with the 5GHz band and this laptop is working fine with others 5GHz routers.

I updated to latest wifi drivers from windows update catalog but nothing changed.

Do you know if there are some problems with mt76 drivers and Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4A wifi cards?

fr33tk · 2022-04-07T22:03:22.313Z

Ok did the written procedure and was succesfully brought to u-boot console.
And after that i have booted through tftpboot initramfs.itb
And now i don't see any mtd firmware layout.

root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "Preloader"
mtd1: 00040000 00020000 "ATF"
mtd2: 00080000 00020000 "u-boot"
mtd3: 00040000 00020000 "u-boot-env"
mtd4: 00040000 00020000 "bdata"
mtd5: 00080000 00020000 "factory"
mtd6: 00040000 00020000 "crash"
mtd7: 00040000 00020000 "crash_log"
mtd8: 00400000 00020000 "kernel"
mtd9: 002a0000 00020000 "kernel"
mtd10: 00160000 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd11: 06f00000 00020000 "ubi"

If i try to mtd write ttto kernel

root@OpenWrt:/tmp# mtd -r write factory.bin kernel
Unlocking kernel ...

Writing from factory.bin to kernel ...  [e]Failed to get erase block status

Which is because partition too small.
How to write image then?

dsouza · 2022-04-07T23:50:19.762Z

My "Xiaomi Router AX3200" (RB01) which came with telnet open has a production date of 09/2021 (purchased on Aliexpress).

wepee · 2022-04-08T05:57:04.706Z

Hi @dsouza can you vouch for your special technique of discovering Telnet really works?

I am thinking of buying another unit of Xiaomi AX3200 RB01 instead of Totolink X5000R, since I am able to buy them cheap, the difference is between the 2 routers is only 10 bucks.

wepee · 2022-04-08T06:05:10.349Z

Hi @dsouza, you mentioned you end up getting an AX3200 model = RB01, correct?

dsouza:

I've followed the flash instructions at the official wiki here .

The link below is for the instruction of flashing model = RB03 and not RB01

Important: There exist two versions: RB01 aka. Xiaomi AX3200, the international version and RB03 aka. Redmi AX6S, the Chinese version. The described installation method only works for RB03, since miwifi_rb03_firmware_stable_1.2.7_closedbeta.bin cannot be flashed on RB01.

I am baffled as how you managed to flash it on a RB01

wepee · 2022-04-08T06:08:39.535Z

Ok thanks for the feedback.

Adding OpenWrt support for Xiaomi "Redmi Router AX6S"/"Xiaomi Router AX3200" For Developers

I'm confirming here. AX3200 RB01 1.0.0.35 version bought in EU just couple days ago. Installed completely succesfully openwrt. Seeing correct speeds in ethernet and wifi. Used instructions on: Firmware Version OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r19115-41be1a2de2 / LuCI Master git-22.058.70382-d29400e Kernel Version 5.10.104

Referring to the above, after you have installed it, is the 5GHz radio's 160Mhz channel bonding working? Or it already being fixed?

Videopac · 2022-04-08T06:55:32.496Z

@Eal one has production date 09-2021 and had telnet open.

Videopac · 2022-04-08T06:56:37.431Z

Did anyone buy one here yet?
Xiaomi Router AX3200 - PBC-Store - PBC-Store And if so: what is the production date?

wepee · 2022-04-08T07:44:31.212Z

Just want to confirm Xiaomi AX3200 OpenWRT

This installation page is strictly for model = RB03, correct?

dsouza · 2022-04-08T09:50:28.146Z

Buying an AX3200 to install OpenWRT is really risky. Only some units are coming with Telnet enabled, and on these you will be able to install OpenWRT. But if you get an AX3200 (RB01) and if you get a unit with Telnet disabled there is no known way to install OpenWRT at this moment. Only AX6S (RB03) can have OpenWRT installed for sure. Installing OpenWRT on an AX3200 RB01 will be a matter of luck.

wepee · 2022-04-08T10:02:21.657Z

Hi, thanks for the reply.
Yes, note taken

dsouza:

Buying an AX3200 to install OpenWRT is really risky. Only some units are coming with Telnet enabled, and on these you will be able to install OpenWRT. But if you get an AX3200 (RB01) and if you get a unit with Telnet disabled there is no known way to install OpenWRT at this moment. Only AX6S (RB03) can have OpenWRT installed formosura. Installing OpenWRT on an AX3200 RB01 will be a matter of luck.

But...sorry you didn't answer my question,
My question was, did you use your router = RB01 ?? and go to https://openwrt.org/toh/xiaomi/ax3200
and installed RB03 firmware onto an RB01, correct?

dsouza:

Only AX6S (RB03) can have OpenWRT installed formosura.

What is formosura?

dsouza · 2022-04-08T11:20:07.127Z

Redmi AX6S/RB03 and Xiaomi AX3200/RB01 are the same hardware. The only thing they are different is how they are locked to the stock firmware regions. But only the AX6S/RB03 has a reproducible way to enable telnet access to unlock it. So the OpenWRT images are the same for both models. So Yes, you can instal the same OpenWRT image on both RB01 and RB03 if you manage to get telnet access.

Sorry about "formosura". I meant "for sure", already fixed that typo. I'm replying from my phone and the automatic correction picked the wrong word.

Eal · 2022-04-08T11:30:44.516Z

That I have no technical ability to answer. I just know I get as much as speed as my internet connection gives with Wlan. (600mbps)

wepee · 2022-04-08T12:27:29.829Z

Bingo!

That is what I thought, both RB01 & RB03 models are using exactly the SAME hardware.

So in other words............

Ignore this warning message below:

Important: There exist two versions: RB01 aka. Xiaomi AX3200, the international version and RB03 aka. Redmi AX6S, the Chinese version. The described installation method only works for RB03, since miwifi_rb03_firmware_stable_1.2.7_closedbeta.bin cannot be flashed on RB01

I can use my current RB01 (international version) just follow the step:

OpenWrt Wiki – 24 Dec 21

Xiaomi AX3200 / Redmi AX6S

Xiaomi AX3200 / Redmi AX6S Under Construction! This page is currently under construction. You can edit the article to help completing it. Xiaomi AX3200 (model RB01, international version) and Redmi AX6S (model RB03, Chinese version) are exactly...

Use the file: miwifi_rb03_firmware_stable_1.2.7_closedbeta.bin to flash my RB01 to flash
the Xiaomi AX3200 OEM Firmware? Right? If Yes, provided that my RB01 is able to do
Telnet? Right?

wepee · 2022-04-08T12:37:31.466Z

Alright thanks for the input.

dsouza · 2022-04-08T13:17:36.197Z

wepee:

Use the file: miwifi_rb03_firmware_stable_1.2.7_closedbeta.bin to flash my RB01 to flash
the Xiaomi AX3200 OEM Firmware? Right? If Yes, provided that my RB01 is able to do
Telnet? Right?

Wrong. The image above is intended only for RB03 units which do not have telnet open. It is a solution to enable telnet only on RB03 devices.

For RB01 either you have or you don't have telnet enabled from factory. If you don't have telnet enabled, stop. At this moment you will not be able to install OpenWRT on RB01 devices with telnet disabled.

If you are lucky and you've got a RB01 device with telnet enabled from factory, you can skip directly to step 2 as instructed:

The OpenWRT image you need to install via telnet is one of these at this moment:

Master Snapshot: xiaomi_redmi-router-ax6s-squashfs-factory.bin
22.03 Snapshot: xiaomi_redmi-router-ax6s-squashfs-factory.bin

wepee · 2022-04-08T14:45:00.347Z

Thank you for your clarification
You did a good job!

I am just a beginner here, so I have to be clear about what I am doing.
If not I will be wasting time fixing the problem (debricking)

The Master Snapshot is the very 1st firmware for the AX3200 and
the 22.03 Snapshot is the subsequent revised/ improved version, right?