AirMax is part of the proprietary Ubiquiti driver, so when you install OpenWrt it is removed. OpenWrt always runs as standard wifi without AirMax. Running OpenWrt on this device will connect to standard WiFi clients or APs.
Thank you very much for the information. I am going to try to install the openwrt firmware. I hope I have no problems during the installation.
Hello. I don't know if there is an easier way to install openwrt on litebeam 5 AC gen2. I'm trying and I can't.
The instructions on the device page just say to install with a serial port, but that is not practical since the case is glued together, it is impossible to get to the serial pins without breaking it.
So use these instructions:
To flesh out the details for a beginner:
- Download the Ubiquiti firmware and OpenWrt "factory" files to your PC, since you will be disconnecting from the Internet for the next steps.
- Connect only the unit (with a PoE adapter) to your PC Ethernet port.
- Static IP the PC Ethernet to 192.168.1.10 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0. You do not have to set a DNS server or a default gateway.
- scp the Ubiquiti upgrade to the unit:
scp <filename> ubnt@192.168.1.20:/tmpThe password is "ubnt". Replace filename with the name of the bin file in your PC downloads directory. -
ssh ubnt@192.168.1.20The password again is "ubnt". - On the router CLI, run
fwupdate_real -m /tmp/<filename>The firmware will flash and reboot. - Wait for it to fully reboot then scp the OpenWrt bin file to /tmp as above. (On AirOs or OpenWrt, /tmp is a RAM simulated disk which is erased on every reboot.)
- ssh in again and follow the instructions on the wiki page.
- After OpenWrt flashes and reboots, the IP address of the router will be 192.168.1.1.
ssh and scp are CLI programs on the PC to run at a terminal / command prompt window. Windows 10 and all versions of Linux and MacOS include them.
Thank you very much for your very detailed reply.
I followed all the steps and it gives me an error. It says that the file is not found.
I have tried it through tfpt forcing the installation doing a reset at the same time and I have managed to ping with a response at 192.168.1.1 but I enter the browser and it does not open luci web.
Anyway, I would not like to have to buy another litebeam 5ac gen2 to be able to use it as an access point.
Try ssh to root@192.168.1.1. Did you flash a release firmware or snapshot? The snapshots do not have the web interface by default.
The instructions for flashing on the page I linked do not involve using TFTP or pressing the reset button, so I'm not sure what you did.
I have flashed snapshots. Tomorrow I will try to release firmware.
Where do I have to put the firmware, in C: or in /temp?
Download the firmware to your PC then scp it to the router /tmp exactly like you did for the install. Use the file that has 'sysupgrade' in its name. Then log in with ssh and run
sysupgrade -n /tmp/filename
to flash it.
Note that after typing 'openwrt' for the filename you can hit the tab key and it will complete the rest of the name.
I'm desperate. I follow all the steps and I get the following warning: "The such file no exist or directory".
There is no way to install openwrt on my litebeam 5ac gen2.
Can you post here the message? Include also the commands that you ran leading up to the error.
I closed the pc. Tomorrow I will put the screen with the cmd.
All the steps are being carried out correctly, I have firmware 8.7.0 installed on the litebeam 5ac gen2. I enter the ping 192.168.1.20 and it gives me the correct link. But when I put scp openwrt-ath79-generic-ubnt_litebeam-ac-gen2-initramfs-kernel.bin ubnt@192.168.1.20:/tmp I get the warning "The such file does not exist on directory".
Is the firmware correctly located in /temp
I have also forced the installation through the ftpd2 application by pressing reset on the poe. I ping 192.168.1.1 and it gives me a connection. But I am not able to access via browser the address 192.168.1.1.
Run scp on the pc in the directory where the file is, usually Downloads.
The temporary directory (RAM disk) on AirOS or OpenWrt is /tmp, not anything "temp" with an e.
TFTP recovery only can install Ubiquiti firmware because the file will be rejected and not written to flash unless it has been signed with Ubiquiti's private key. Since OpenWrt does not have that key, OpenWrt firmware is not so signed.
Thank you very much. I opened cmd from the desktop and I suppose that is the reason for warning me that the file is not found in the directory.
Tomorrow I will do it as you have indicated.
I am very thankfull for your help.
The Host Identification Changed is a warning from the SSH client that the server has changed keys. This is to be expected if you have swapped multiple devices / reinstalled OS on the same IP address. If you don't ever ssh to places on the Internet, which would require this trustworthyness check, simply erase your C:\Users\SAC\.ssh\known_hosts file. Or you can edit the file and remove line 1 which is referred to in the message. That is probably the only line if you never ssh / scp anywhere else.
Thanks. Tomorrow I will delete that file, to see if with your great help I can put the openwrt firmware.
What can I do now?
Use the "factory" image file not the "sysupgrade" one.
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/21.02.2/targets/ath79/generic/openwrt-21.02.2-ath79-generic-ubnt_litebeam-ac-gen2-squashfs-factory.bin
Also since this model has release builds, use the latest release rather than snapshot. This will have a web interface and be more ready to use.