Connect 4g modem with TP-Link Archer C7 USB port

Installing and Using OpenWrt
#1

Hi,

I'm thinking about flashing OpenWRT on my router Archer C7, I have previously flashed DD-WRT on it and it was all messy so I switched back to the stock. The only reason why I want to install a custom firmware is because I want to use my 4g dongle as a backup internet connection to the USB port of the router.

I have a Huwawei E5573 4g device, I can change the dongle if this one is not supported.

Please let me know if this is do-able with OpenWRT.

Your help will be highly appreciated.

4G/LTE via USB to OpenWrt router
#2

Yes, with MWAN3 you can set up automatic failover. It doesn't work very well for IPv6, though, and if you are using VPN you currently need to copy some files from a pull request that hasn't been merged yet.

#3

I used a Huawei E5377 via USB for over 2 years without issue on both OpenWRT and LEDE. It will appear as an Ethernet device when configured correctly. You have to install a few kernel modules and then add a few rules to trigger on the device ID.

Things may have changed in the past 18 months, but from my now-cryptic setup notes:

opkg update; opkg install usb-modeswitch kmod-usb-net kmod-usb-net-cdc-ether
   (plug in device)

cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices
   (find the ID?)

vi /etc/usb-mode.json

Add: "55534243123456780000000000000a11062000000000000100000000000000" to message array
Search for the line with "1f01", then add a new section following:
		"12d1:1f02": {
			"*": {
				"t_vendor": 4817,
				"t_product": [ 5340 ],
				"mode": "HuaweiNew",
				"no_driver": true,
				"msg": [  ]
			}
		},


usbmode -s

cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices

Check for eth2 in dmesg

Add eth2 to the WAN interface, make sure it doesn't appear elsewhere (i.e. not in br-lan)

Add LED trigger (Archer C7):
	tp-link:blue:wan
	netdev
	eth2
	link transmit, receive
#4

Hi tiubles,
Were you ever able to get your Huawei E5573 to work with Archer C7 on OpenWRT? If so, what did you need to do?