Thanks to this topic, I've managed to boot the Zyxel stock firmware from RAM. Even though my goal was not to run OpenWRT, this topic has been very helpful as the information here is relevant in both cases, so thanks to all contributors! Through running the ACDZ firmware in RAM, I could even install it to flash, but due to signature checks, it won't boot. However, somewhere in the OpenWRT installation process, you have to replace the bootloader. I'd like to try and replace the Odido (formerly T-Mobile) bootloader with the stock bootloader using this method.
So my question is: is there anyone here with a non-branded EX5601 willing to share their zloader? As far as I can tell, it does not contain any 'personal' information such as serial number or MAC address.
Thanks in advance!
I have gone through the flashing before, got a second router and try to flash 24.10 RC4. The switch to apk is where I get stuck. Comments above seem to not help, and the router is not yet connected to the Internet.
apk add --force-non-repository --allow-untrusted /tmp/kmod-
mtd-rw_aarch64_cortex-a53.ipk
ERROR: unable to select packages:
/tmp/kmod-mtd-rw_aarch64_cortex-a53.ipk (no such package):
required by: world[/tmp/kmod-mtd-rw_aarch64_cortex-a53.ipk]
kmod-mtd (no such package):
required by: world[kmod-mtd]
root@OpenWrt:/tmp# ls /tmp/*.ipk
/tmp/kmod-mtd-rw_aarch64_cortex-a53.ipk
root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /etc/apk/world | grep ipk
/tmp/kmod-mtd-rw_aarch64_cortex-a53.ipk
If anyone can give an additional pointer on how to install mtd-rw, that would be great!
Thanks both. It seems that openwrt-24.10.0-rc4-mediatek-filogic-zyxel_ex5601-t0-ubootmod-bl31-uboot.fip doesn't come with opkg anymore, making it hard to proceed here.
The flags for getting the ipk file to install with apk are added to the wiki and should work for snapshot builds. I have used to them to install OpenWRT on two T-56's.
@all, looking at the builds @pesa1234 makes for the MT6000, are there people interested in those kind of builds for our device (HW ATF, HQoS)?
It doesn't have to be a non-branded bootloader btw. I can see in the bootlogs that there is no signature check on routers from Italian providers, so those will do as well. Thanks!
I think any of the EX5600/1-T0/1 will do, as they probably have the same bootloader. Having a clean NAND dump available is a good idea anyway. I nearly bricked my Odido T56, but fortunately, I made a back up from all MTDs.
Odido calls it T-56, but it's just an EX5601-T1 (with phone ports, but without SFP). I think the bootloader works on all 4 versions, but only the Odido one checks for a signature, which only their firmware seems to have. I'm trying to replace it with a bootloader that doesn't do this check.
When I thought I had bricked it, it stopped after the numbers you see at the very beginning of the bootlog. Using mtk_uartboot was my only way in at that point.
@frollic I'm not sure which one is used in Italy, but it seems they use the name given by Zyxel. Since I have a back up of the original bootloader, I'm willing to try anything. I even tried the WX5600 one, because they have the same chip, but that didn't work.
@skyscreaper I successfully ran V5.70(ACDZ3.6)C0 (stock firmware) in RAM on my Odido T-56 with original bootloader. I logged in and installed this firmware via the web GUI. Installation finished without any errors. However, when it restarted, it didn't boot because the signature check failed. Perhaps there are multiple checks. V5.70(ACDZ3.6)C0 doesn't have a signature (zyfwinfo is only 256 bytes as opposed to Odido's 1024 bytes). Note the difference in the bootlog:
Reading from volume 'zyfwinfo' to 0x7fb34760, size 0x100 ... OK
Odido:
Reading from volume 'zyfwinfo' to 0x7f7fe8e0, size 0x400 ... OK
That's where I get stuck. I hope any other bootloader ignores the signature check, so we can boot unsigned firmware.
I can give you my original MTD backups for the bootloader bl2 and zloader if you wish to try flashing that directly. I still have 2 partitions ubi running openwrt and ubi2 running ACDZ0 not branded
I'd try flashing only zloader as i think there is where the check happens. mine is a branded wind3 from Italy.
The Italian version of Wind3 Hub also has a DSL port. There is SFP+ but then there is no 2.5G WAN port. Is there a 2.5G LAN port available in Wind3? I don't see the 2.5G description on any LAN port in the photos of the Wind3 housing.
