ok you wont brick a device unless you use the wrong firmware
Anyways i used tftp before so i am fine with it
...
You can absolutely brick a device when using the wrong method to flash the image. That is why there are instructions as I have repeated multiple times.
And since you used the TFTP why do you keep encouraging somebody to flash a firmware file via the web interface based on what is possible on a device with a different architecture?
That is why I keep replying because misinformation can cause bricks.
So, the recipe I posted above, i.e.
nmrpflash -i eth2 -f openwrt-24.10.0-rc4-ramips-mt7621-netgear_wax214v2-squashfs-factory.img
is the regular factory image from the firmware selector link isn't it, so are you saying this would not change the bootloader?
When I flashed OpenWrt to the BT HH5a, I believed I was using UART to flash the bootloader and then TFTP to flash to OS, but your post seems to say that I should use TFTP to flash the bootloader and then sysupgrade from there?
No it does not state that you need to update the bootloader. It states that the bootloader can be changed if it is technically possible.
You have to flash the factory image because the partitions are different. Take a look at this commit, linked earlier. It states:
Load addresses (same as Netgear WAX202):
* stock
* 0x80010000: FIT image
* 0x81001000: kernel image -> entry
* OpenWrt
* 0x80010000: FIT image
* 0x82000000: uncompressed kernel+relocate image
* 0x80001000: relocated kernel image -> entry
That is why flashing the factory image is necessary. It changes the partitions.
It does not touch the bootloader, since that is not necessary to flash OpenWRT. On some devices however, it is (apparently on the BT HH5a and also on the device I am currently using, the Zyxel T-56).
After installing OpenWRT you can update it with sysupgrade images.
So in summary: flash the factory image with TFTP with the provided instructions and that is what you need to do to run OpenWRT on the WAX214 v2.
Edit: made my post hopefully more clear.
Thank you for sticking with me!
In the post above, where you quoted from the page @kirdes linked, it says
So that appears to be saying do flash the bootloader?!?
However, now, if I'm understanding you correctly, you're saying I don't need to flash the bootloader, presumably because the Netgear bootloader is capable of booting OpenWrt from the newly modified partition(s)?
Ah, I can see how that is confusing.
It means you transfer the OpenWRT factory image via TFTP to the bootloader, which will flash the image to the nand. So the bootloader does that. It does not change however.
Ahh, eureka moment
So it should say
Isn't language wonderful lol
So, NMRP is a convenient wrapper for TFTP for Netgear devices, the act of using NMRP to TFTP an image file to a Netgear device will have the effect of causing the Netgear bootloader to flash the image automatically?
Once this has completed, the Netgear bootloader will henceforth load OpenWrt which has been newly flashed to the modified partition structure, correct?
Yes
Also, yes
The author of the patch appears to have excellent English too !
I guess for someone who is familiar and comfortable with the lower level workings of devices, understanding that sentence would be implied.
However, for a novice, it's misleading
Thank you for being patient with me.
I shall update this thread when I flash the device.
I posted at the end of this thread about my experiences installing the 24.10 (rc2) snapshot on the WAX214v2.
TL;DR:
The web GUI doesn't accept the OpenWRT firmware. To install:
- connect your computer to a switch
- set your IP manually to 192.168.1.10
- run nmrpflash e.g.
sudo nmrpflash -i eth0 -a 192.168.1.1 -A 192.168.1.10 -f openwrt-24.10.0-rc2-ramips-mt7621-netgear_wax214v2-squashfs-factory.img
- connect and power up the WAX214v2 (i.e. power it through a POE switch or by making the final connection to the power side of a POE injector, so the AP can immediately connect to your computer to download the firmware on boot)