Dynalink DL-WRX36 Askey RT5010W IPQ8072A technical discussion

Here are some windows OS noob-friendly instructions on how to install and get started with OpenWRT using this router.

Advantages of installing OpenWRT:

  • Getting mesh support with fast roaming/transitioning. Fast roaming is not even supported by leading asus routers.
  • Able to use wireguard vpn protocol, which is not supported on the standard firmware.
  • A hell of a lot more of stuff that i personally don't use/know about.

Files you need:
Config file to enable ssh: https://gdteam.net/dynalink_hack/wrx36.cfg (right click, save as)
From the following page you need to grab the following files:
https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ipq807x/generic/
dynalink_dl-wrx36-initramfs-uImage.itb
dynalink_dl-wrx36-squashfs-factory.ubi

Instructions:

Step 1: The first step is to enable SSH access to the router, so you can remotely give it commands to execute. Head to 192.168.216.1 in your browser to access the web interface.
Use the prepatched config file you downloaded and load it into the router as a restore option, through the web interface.(System Settings>Configuration & Reset)
Once loaded, your router's password has changed. Now, the password for logging into the router is "askey1234". There is no need to change it as we will flash a new OS on the device.

Step 2: Install WinSCP and Putty, simple google searches will get you there.

Step 3: Get a usb drive that is formatted in any FAT format(right-click, format the drive) Copy the openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-initramfs-uImage.itb file to the usb drive, and insert it into your router.

Step 4: Start putty and login into the router. Host name is the device's LAN IP Address, which should be "192.168.216.1". You can find it in Network>LAN on the device's web interface.
Accept the warning message. Login with username admin and password "askey1234". If you cannot login or it says "access denied" try to restart your router.

Step 5: Once logged in with putty, execute the following command:

fw_setenv bootcmd 'usb start && fatload usb 0:1 0x44000000 openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-initramfs-uImage.itb && bootm 0x44000000; bootipq'

and then reboot with the "reboot" command.

Step 6: Now your router is running OpenWRT in temporary memory. You want to install it. Open WinSCP and login using 192.168.1.1 this time, because that's the standard openwrt address. The username is root, and there is no password. Make sure SCP protocol is selected for file protocol for login.

Step 7: Head to the /tmp folder in your router using WinSCP, and copy the openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-squashfs-factory.ubi file there.

Step 8: Head back into putty, login using 192.168.1.1, username root and no password.

Step 9: A slur of commands:

Make sure that rootfs and rootfs_1 should be mtd18 and mtd20 at the result of the following command:

cat /proc/mtd

If (and should) yes, continue with the following two commands:

ubiformat /dev/mtd18 -y -f /tmp/openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-squashfs-factory.ubi

ubiformat /dev/mtd20 -y -f /tmp/openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-squashfs-factory.ubi

IF there were no errors(There shouldn't) then proceed. If there were, ask for help, as you will brick your router if you now restart it or at a power loss.

fw_setenv mtdids 'nand0=nand0'

Now, execute the following command and check the number that is shown:

cat /sys/class/mtd/mtd18/offset

If the number is 16777216, execute the following command:

fw_setenv mtdparts 'mtdparts=nand0:0x6100000@0x1000000(fs),0x6100000@0x7a00000(fs_1)'

If the number is 127926272, execute the following command:

fw_setenv mtdparts 'mtdparts=nand0:0x6100000@0x7a00000(fs),0x6100000@0x1000000(fs_1)'

Almost done. Now execute:

fw_setenv bootcmd 'setenv bootargs console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 ubi.mtd=rootfs rootfstype=squashfs rootwait; ubi part fs; ubi read 0x44000000 kernel; bootm 0x44000000#config@rt5010w-d350-rev0'

You can remove the usb drive and finally reboot with the "reboot" command.

Step 10: Now your router is restarting with OpenWRT. But you do not have a web interface anymore.
This can be solved by executing the following two commands, make sure your router is connected by WAN so it has internet.

opkg update

opkg install luci

Step 11: Now you can access Luci, OpenWRT's interface at 192.168.1.1 and start using OpenWRT!

8 Likes

Are you sure?

I don't do anything with it in the instructions below that, i will add it to instructions if i know where to flash it/how to use it.

I'm glad I didn't need to use linux for anything, though! :slight_smile:

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I have 1 WRX36 running stock firmware, and 1 running OpenWrt.

What kind of testing I should be doing before flashing the remaining to OpeWrt?

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Can anyone please confirm if this router has an IOT radio as imore377 show on his post?

Looks like this router might have a zigbee/thread/ble 5.0 radio QPG7015M . Files/utils for it are in /usr/askey_iot and /etc/iot

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These tests:

I'm a little late and maybe you already figured this out.

From the output it seems you made a typo when setting and env var and typed "namd0" (note the "m") instead of "nand0".
This is on step 5 "Set U-boot env variable: mtdids"

Fixing the typo should get you a working OpenWrt version.

It seems you did (note the "m"):

# fw_setenv mtdids 'namd0=nand0'

But it should have been:

# fw_setenv mtdids 'nand0=nand0'

From boot without interruption:

Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
incorrect device type in namd0=nand0
Error initializing mtdparts!
Error, no UBI device/partition selected!

From printenv

mtdids=namd0=nand0
3 Likes

Thank you very much!

I am glad that it is my typo at fault, not the procedure.

With help of the serial console, my second attempt proceeded OK (this time I proof read every command 3 times before pressing enter.)

1 Like

Just to re-state:

initramfs: For temporary booting of OpenWRT. Runs OpenWRT in RAM (live image essentially) while keeping stock firmware on flash

factory: For persistent booting of OpenWRT. Should be written to flash in place of stock firmware on flash

sysupgrade: For use with the 'sysupgrade' command or the Luci web interface upgrade page. Should be used when going from OpenWRT to OpenWRT (both on flash)

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My apologies, most of my posts are referencing the three files and their names that I built myself for this device. It's a good way to include Luci and other packages you want from the start without having to use opkg later. Those file names don't exist anywhere but on my machine. You were correct to pull the public snapshots from downloads.openwrt.org.

Hello, I have just successfully flashed my DL-WRX36 an anything looks stable. Is it possible to shutdown the device - I tried with "poweroff" and "halt" but its' allways rebooting

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Does anyone know if VLAN or 802.1Q works with this router on OpenWRT?

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thanks for the help though! Couldn't have done it without you guys. I setup wireguard correctly, now to trying and setup a mesh.
So a last question for now, what is that update file used for? The Firmware OpenWrt snapshot Upgrade bin file.
Should we flash that at firmware upgrade menu? Why? Isnt this kind of a package manager and it can update those itself?

Furthermore, i will use my own guide soon that i created to flash the second and third routers, to make the mesh network, so i can then confirm if that works 100%.

Reread Dynalink DL-WRX36 Askey RT5010W IPQ8072A technical discussion - #604 by frollic

Yes, or the sysupgrade command in cli.

You always do full upgrades.

No, the package manager doesn't do dependencies, making it risky.

1 Like

thanks, updated the instructions to include the firmware update. also applied it to my dynalink.

Does someone have access to the wiki page? It would be nice to link this thread or replace the wiki with some parts of my tutorial, to make it easy for newbees.
It says at the bottom not just anyone can make edits so.

The update is pointless, if you've DLed it at the same time as the install image, they're exactly the same, just made for different purposes.

Your tutorial assumes the user uses Windows, which isn't always the case.
Keep the wiki instruction OS neutral.

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still, it would be in my opinion good to have a guide there for windows installation, or at least have it a bit more noob friendly, but thats my 2c.

I just quickly went through my instructions with my second dynalink, and everything went fast and smooth without issues.

EDIT: Third one now also flashed fine. Time to create a mesh network tommorow with fast transitioning! :smiley:

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That's fine, the your Win guide can be linked to from the wiki, just as the post for decrypting the backup file is.

VLANs work like a dream.

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I followed your Windows guide and installed OpenWRT without issue. It also saves people from skimming through hundreds of messages to understand the process. Thanks for sharing it!

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