Want to inform about device support for ZBT-Z8103AX-C has become official for SNAPSHOT release. ZBT-Z8103AX-C is available in Firmware Selector. Please take care to include LUCI package, as SNAPSHOT releases don’t add it per default.
Owners of ZBT-Z8103AX-D may give firmware ZBT-Z8103AX-C a try. The model D appears to use very same motherboard as model C by looking at and comparing pictures found here in the forum.
Pull Request to backport support for ZBT-Z8103AX-C for release 24.10 is in progress.
Wouldn't it be better to back port to 25.12 ?
Thank you for reminding me. Did open PR
Can confirm that it works great with ZBT-Z8103AX-D. Thank you @joelinux60 and reviewers.
Would you please be able to update the device compatibility so we don't have to force the sysupgrade in future?
Hello, I've just tried to flash my Z8103AX-C router with 25.12 using uboot. It appears to be stuck in a boot loop after what Uboot says was a successful upgrade. I've tried a few different revisions of OpenWrt for the Zbtlink ZBT-Z8103AX router but all with the same result.
I can get to the uboot screen no problem but I must be doing something wrong and i can't work out what it is? Do you have any advice as how to get passed this boot loop and get it to flash correctly, or is it a brick?
Many thanks
Hi, firmware images for zbtlink ZBT-Z8103AX won’t work on a model C (zbtlink ZBT-Z8103AX-C).
I need to apologize for announcing Firmware Selector would allow you to select 25.12. It’s not (yet) true. It will take another 25.12 release candidate or final before Firmware selector will show a 25.12 version. Did delete my earlier post as it did contain incorrect information.
Firmware Selector still allows to select ZBT-Z8103AX-C for SNAPSHOT only.
In sum, boot loop will be resolved if you download and install a SNAPSHOT for ZBT-Z8103AX-C. Your ZBT-Z8103AX-C isn’t a brick.
Hi,
thank you for giving the model C firmware a try. Created a new thread to start adding support for ZBT-Z8103AX-D.
Hello Joelinux60,
Many thanks for the reply, I've tried your suggestion but the router is still in a boot loop.
This is what I've done for the installation, maybe you can see my mistake and help me out. I followed the description on the github.
Through U-Boot menu:
Prepare your connecting computer to use a static IP in network 192.168.1.0
Power down the router and hold in the Reset button.
While holding in the button power up the router again.
Hold the button in for 10 seconds and then release.
Use your browser to go to 192.168.1.1
If you see a GUI allowing for flashing firmware then you got the right model.
Upload the sysupgrade file.
The file I used was systemfile openwrt-mediatek-filogic-zbtlink_zbt-z8103ax-c-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin, selected from snapshot.
The firmware gets uploads, I select update and that completes. It then states "Your device was successfully Upgraded! Now Rebooting." but the screen never moves on. I wait for 5 minutes or more but it never changes.
Do you have any further suggestions I can try? Any old builds etc? I'd like to get this router working if at all possible.
Many thanks,
Mark
Did you hit refresh?
When I was experiencing bootloop with my D model, as it was booting the 3 LAN LEDs would flash together and it would reboot. What are your LEDs like?
The LAN LEDS flash as follows.
The LAN connected to the pc, it's LED flashes by itself then occasionally all three LAN LEDS flash together. Then it seems to repeat over and over.
Hope this helps you (and me).
Mark
That is consistent with the bootloop I experienced.
I would suggest downloading the ZBT OpenWRT from the first post in this thread and see if you have success with that.
Then try the SNAPSHOT sysupgrade from there using the built-in System>Backup/Flash Firmware path. Don't Keep the settings.
Hi,
Many thanks for this suggestion. I'll give this a try tomorrow and feedback.
Cheers,
Mark
I ran into this scenario 2 days ago. I got it working with the factory download for the -C variant on this page https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/mediatek/filogic/ . do a page search for z8103ax and you'll see the different options.
Edit: this was done via uboot recovery
H,
I've managed to restore the factory image and the router appears to be back to its previous configutration.Many thnaks for that!
When I load the Openwrt snapshot image in the factory image software the check fails, do I force the upgrade?
Many thaks,
Mark
Thank you for your valuable feedback.
This in turn makes instructions made for installing firmware needing correction. It should tell to use Factory image instead of Sysupgrade image while using U-Boot method. (I seem to recall that I was using factory image via U-Boot once while working on getting PR right. I also recall that I began using Sysupgrade image for both U-Boot method and openwrt luci. Key seems to be that very first upgrade from vendor image to openwrt image requires Factory image.)
Factory image is available via firmware selector. So one may still use firmware selector to get a working image.
Need to find out how to correct PR description once it got merged.
Good news.
Assuming you were using the vendor provided ZBT-OS firmware? If yes, please give firmware selector another try by requesting and downloading the Factory image. Install it via U-Boot method.
I bought this router to get some experience using u-boot, resetting it etc. and the sysupgrade to get OpenWrt installed,. I'm get plenty of that at the moment 
.
I've tried installing both OpenWrt factory image (from u-boot) and sysupgrade from the firmware upgrade page. Both are illuding me and I'm not sure why. I'll have more time to experiment tomorrow.
Just to double check, am I to use Snapshot as the version and model type Zbtlink ZBT-Z8103AX-C or zbtlink Z8103AX etc?
Many thanks,
Mark
I'm sorry to read about upgrading your device continues to cause trouble.
It is true that version to select is SNAPSHOT. Model to select is zbtlink ZBT-Z8013AX-C.
Do you have a chance to open your router and to attach a FDTI to UART pins? This would allow access to kernel log. Log will help reveal cause of boot loop.
Another idea is to look at NAND storage size while your router is running ZBT-OS. It should be 128M.
