D-Link 885L/R A2 - OpenWrt 18.06.2 - upgrade

Installing and Using OpenWrt
8

Hello All,
Have recreated this solution for my DIR-885L, H/W Ver A1, FW Ver 1.00.
on 22.03.3 release (openwrt-22.03.3-bcm53xx-generic-dlink_dir-885l-squashfs image).

Steps-howto:

  1. https://YOUROUTERIP/cgi-bin/luci/admin/system/flash
    flash 22.03.3 (luci System-Backup/Flash Firmware menu item)

  2. after 1 done, take mentioned brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin file from 18.06.
    I took this one https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/18.06.7/packages/arm_cortex-a7_neon-vfpv4/base/brcmfmac-firmware-4366b1-pcie_2017-09-06-a61ac5cf-1_arm_cortex-a7_neon-vfpv4.ipk
    under this path: Index of (root) / releases / 18.06.7 / packages / arm_cortex-a7_neon-vfpv4 / base /

  3. unpack .ipk
    3.1 tar -xvzf brcmfmac-firmware-4366b1-pcie_2017-09-06-a61ac5cf-1_arm_cortex-a7_neon-vfpv4.ipk
    3.2 tar -xvzf data.tar.gz
    ./lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin - this is the file you need.
    md5sum: 596f13d84e0042035cdb41202cfc385a ./lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin

  4. In any convenient for you way transfer this file to router: any network way or even USB stick could work.

  5. place it into /lib/firmware/brcm
    original one file from 22.03 is -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1105361 Jan 3 01:24 brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin

md5 f88bac62ac52df179ce1298a0f479dc1 brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin

should be replaced with 989401 brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin
md5sum 596f13d84e0042035cdb41202cfc385a brcmfmac4366b-pcie.bin

  1. Reboot

  2. To check that it is updated:
    in Kernel Log should be

brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM4366/3 wl0: Jan 8 2016 12:54:07 version 10.10.69.3309 (r610991) FWID 01-c47a91a4

original firmware for BCM4366/3 from 22.03 Openwrt produces this> brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM4366/3 wl0: Nov 5 2018 03:11:08 version 10.28.2 (r769115) FWID 01-801fb449

  1. :slight_smile: enjoy 5 GHz!

Lyric how it is with 22.03.3 by default: (tested on Intel Wireless 8265 / 8275 with DIR-885L and with complementary AC router (to compare that Intel adapter is working fine) Xiaomi MiWifi Mini.
you will have problem with 5GHz - it is working only a few secs and then stops. normally tuning card with disabling for example for iwlwifi driver options iwlwifi 11n_disable=1 you still could achieve using default firmware but on speed maximum 54Mbs - that of course not the deal!
in my case I tested DIR-885L with 22.03 = issue and with the same testing laptop on another router = working without any problem! (so it means that issue is exactly with DLINK DIR-885L firmware, particular looks that with placing proper firmware for BCM4366/3 inside Openwrt image (all latest and even stable! releases affected!) or with tuning kernel (guess patching beaming or smth else).

PS: Also it is not clear which one old one 18x image should be used for DIR-885L, not even sure whether it was supported by this and earlier releases, so do not recommend to flash old release until this moment will be not here clarified.
If it was working in old releases, and it is clear which one and how to flash it, then alternative solution - just flash old one Openwrt release.

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