For backup, follow thru step 4. then let Linksys firmware boot normally. Then hit enter after it's done booting. Then plug a usb drive and backup the nvram and devinfo partitions (/dev/mtd1 and /dev/mtd2)
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Just a quick update:
I have reverted to the January 2020 build, as I have switched internet providers, and wanted to make sure that some of the issues I was having were due to them, not due to a bleeding edge build of my router (turns out, it is indeed them).
What I have noticed with the January 2020 build though, is that every so often, my Google Home devices lose connection and reconnect again. Looks like my phone does that too, although it is not as obvious.
This was something I noticed earlier, and wasn't happening anymore with the bleeding edge build.
Now, I don't have 802.11r or 802.11w enabled, and didn't have that enabled on the bleeding edge build either, so it feels like there's something else going on... I just don't know what?
Hi, @npcomplete thank you for this great tutorial and build of yours! I would want to try it with my EA9400 router I know that they're physically the same hardware and all but would there be any damages or problems if I tried this on my router? Sorry never tried Openwrt before but I already have a usb to ttl serial adapter on hand which I used on a Mazda before lol . Thanks!! 
I can tell you that hundreds of people have tried this build on 9500 without issues.
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I’m trying it right now @npcomplete, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try lol And I’ve run into some issues I use a different serial cable from the adafruit one. Hence, my router lights were just on all the time whenever I turn it on with the serial and ethernet cable connected. Putty won’t show logs so I think its not boothing up. I ordered a new serial cable btw.
I'd be curious to know, thanks
Had a similar issue also with the suggested serial cables.
Just try to disconnect one of the pins, boot up the router, wait for it to initialize (trial and error I have watched the lights on the back side blink, then reconnected) and then reconnect the pin. That way I was able to get into the console and flash it.
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Hi, @npcomplete
Just upgraded my EA9500 from Linksys firmware to openwrt-20200102.trx. Before I started this update, I run the sanity testing to make sure the router was working fine including two 5G and 2.4G wifi interface. Right after the update, noticed the following symptoms.
- Three wifi LAN interfaces were shown up under OpenWRT GUI Wireless page.
- 2.4G interface is working but its signal looks weak.
- The first 5G interface is up and working as expected.
- The second 5G interface:
(1) appeared up but it stuck to channel 36, bitrate shown as "?Mbit/s"
(2) Modified channel from 36 to 153 then disable&enable it. But the interface is still shown as channel 36 with bitrate=?Mbit/s
Does this mean the second 5G wifi interface dead? Is there anyway to modify the setting via ssh to correct this?
Thanks!
Can you paste the contents of ’/etc/config/wireless’
root@EA9500:~# cat /etc/config/wireless
config wifi-device 'radio0'
option type 'mac80211'
option hwmode '11a'
option path '18000000.axi/bcma0:7/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0/0000:02:01.0/0000:03:00.0'
option country 'US'
option htmode 'VHT40'
option channel '48'
option legacy_rates '0'
config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
option device 'radio0'
option network 'lan'
option mode 'ap'
option ssid 'EA9500_5G_1'
option encryption 'psk2'
option key 'ABCD1234'
config wifi-device 'radio1'
option type 'mac80211'
option channel '11'
option hwmode '11g'
option path '18000000.axi/bcma0:7/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0/0000:02:02.0/0000:04:00.0'
option htmode 'HT20'
option country 'US'
config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
option device 'radio1'
option network 'lan'
option mode 'ap'
option ssid 'EA9500'
option encryption 'psk2'
option key 'ABCD1234'
config wifi-device 'radio2'
option type 'mac80211'
option hwmode '11a'
option path '18000000.axi/bcma0:8/pci0001:00/0001:00:00.0/0001:01:00.0'
option htmode 'VHT40'
option legacy_rates '0'
option country 'US'
option channel '153'
config wifi-iface 'default_radio2'
option device 'radio2'
option network 'lan'
option mode 'ap'
option ssid 'EA9500_5G_2'
option encryption 'psk2'
option key 'ABCD1234'
root@EA9500:~#
Looks good. I'd check if channel 11g is congested using WiFi analyzer.
Try turning off the router and leave it off for 5mins then turn it back on.
Thanks! Will power off, wait for 5 minutes then turn it on now. I am also checking the dmesg output to filter all errors and fail message to see whether it can give us some clues.
Error messages in dmesg when my EA9500 is on openwrt-20200102.trx
[ 4.337708] bcm53xx 1.0:00: failed to register switch: -517
[ 4.374334] bcma-host-soc 18000000.axi: bus0: bcma_of_get_irq() failed with rc=-22
[ 4.664908] b53-srab-switch: probe of b53-srab-switch failed with error -12
[ 4.726781] bgmac_bcma: probe of bcma0:6 failed with error -524
[ 5.084140] pci 0000:01:00.0: BAR 7: failed to assign [io size 0x1000]
[ 5.634724] pcie_iproc_bcma bcma0:9: PCIe controller setup failed
[ 5.827704] bcm53xx 1.0:00: failed to register switch: -517
[ 12.365059] hub 3-0:1.0: config failed, hub doesn't have any ports! (err -19)
[ 21.519037] brcmfmac 0000:03:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4366c-pcie.linksys,panamera.txt failed with error -2
[ 21.530590] brcmfmac 0000:03:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4366c-pcie.txt failed with error -2
Note: The line below showed up many many times.
[ 44.393288] ieee80211 phy2: brcmf_cfg80211_start_ap: Set Channel failed: chspec=55703, -52
.......
[ 1.657023] mtd_read error while parsing (offset: 0x5200000): -74
[ 4.664908] b53-srab-switch: probe of b53-srab-switch failed with error -12
[ 4.726781] bgmac_bcma: probe of bcma0:6 failed with error -524
[ 18.313456] print_req_error: I/O error, dev mtdblock6, sector 198400
[ 18.319830] Buffer I/O error on dev mtdblock6, logical block 24800, async page read
[ 21.519037] brcmfmac 0000:03:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4366c-pcie.linksys,panamera.txt failed with error -2
[ 21.530590] brcmfmac 0000:03:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4366c-pcie.txt failed with error -2
[ 26.809839] Buffer I/O error on dev mtdblock6, logical block 24800, async page read
Those errors can be safely ignored
+1 for this suggestion.
From memory, mine doesn't want to boot with the ground wire connected. It simply turns on and doesn't do anything.
Basically, I need to disconnect my ground, turn on the router, wait until some leds start blinking, and then plug in the ground. It will then behave exactly as expected.
For this reason, I have soldered a small switch on my ground wire 
My adafruit USB to TTL cable worked perfectly acting as console cable for firmware update part and I completely disconnect it right before rebooting my EA9500.
Working console cable should not play magic by itself via increasing or reducing commands and their output, showing more or less system console output/update automatically.
With or without console cable connected on my EA9500, the second 5GHz wireless interface showed exactly same symptom(appeared stuck/dead, modify setting OK, enable/disable/restart interface OK, always stuck on channel 36 with bitrate=?Mbit/s, reboot linux os did not help).
Is there anyway to turn on debug level tracing to check more details? Anyone knows where is the related log files? /var/log/message*?
Some background info:
- My EA9500 HW version is V1.1, with Linksys V1.1.7.180968 firmware. Everything including 3 wireless interfaces worked fine right before the openwrt firmware update this afternoon.
- Upgrade commands and output at CFE>
CFE> flash -noheader 192.168.1.10:/openwrt-20200102.trx nflash0.trx
Reading 192.168.1.10:/openwrt-20200102.trx: Done. 16646144 bytes read
Programming...done. 16646144 bytes written
*** command status = 0
CFE> nvram set bootpartition=0 && nvram set partialboots=0 && nvram commit
*** command status = 0
CFE> reboot
Let's try this, perform factory reset from Openwrt UI then restart. Apply your settings after reboot (save & apply) then restart.
@apple Silly question: Is there any device connected to your other radio? I have noticed that when no devices are connected, it'll tell me ?Mbit and such. (Not sure if this is expected behaviour, just something that I assume is logical 
)
Try disabling your "working" 5G radio, or give your "non-working" 5G a different SSID and (force) connect something to it, to see if that helps at all.
I had almost the same problem with build 2020-01-02, remains fix on channel 36 and also -85dB with a device at 1 feet away. I did a lot of different configs but couldn't make it work, so ... I Installed the previous version 2019-06-16 and since then, I have the 2.4 Ghz and one 5Ghz antennas running for about 3 weeks !!! 
I had the same problem and also installed a switch as the only moment it does not boot, is when it physically changes from power off to on, once on, you can software reboot with no problems.
@Drak0z The second 5Ghz wireless did not even shown up when I tested wifi network scan on multiple windows 10 PCs plus Mac. So I could not connect to it.
@npcomplete, Thanks! I will try the factory reset then update status.
I assume I can use the commands below to switch between two partitions without problem, one with openwrt, the other has linksys firmware. (This is needed just for in case EA9500 situation becomes worse and fail to boot.)
CFE> nvram set bootpartition=0 && nvram set partialboots=0 && nvram commit
CFE> nvram set bootpartition=1 && nvram set partialboots=1 && nvram commit