Install OpenWrt on TP-LINK Archer c6 v3.0 BR

Installing and Using OpenWrt
13

same mistake with flashing the Archer A6 v3 stable image :grimacing:

14

Hi guys.
Same situation here!

On device's page there are some instructions for TFTP installation. I want to try this method but I got some doubts about it:

  • The IP address 192.168.0.5 is set on my computer?
  • Where do I get the …initramfs-kernel.bin file?
  • and items 3 and 4 is also a big ? for me.

Any light on this?

If you guys want the meet in conference just let me know.

15

That method involves connecting serial hardware to the port inside the case to control the bootloader.

Once you have done that it is a good way to bypass firmware checks and country codes since the factory firmware will not be booted up at all.

16

The "factory" image files on openwrt master are for the C6 v3.2, they don't seem to have the required tp-link IDs for the TP-Link Archer C6 v3 (BR).

Since the "factory" tp-link Archer A6 v3 images from OpenwRT 21.02 won't work either with the same error message (just tested this here as well), it is likely for the same reason.

That error seems to be the tp-link vendor firmware rejecting the openwrt "factory" image file since it does not have the correct models in its headers.

The UPSTREAM (vendor) firmware for the Archer C6 v3 (BR) and Archer C6 v3.2 (US) as distributed in the home-country's site have identical sha256sum, and mention A6. So, it should be a matter of ensuring the correct firmware ids for the C6v3 are present, and that the openwrt image has kernel support for any hardware discrepancies (if any at all) between the A6v3, C6v3 and C6v3.2.

1 Like
17 
{product_name:Archer C6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:55530000}
{product_name:Archer C6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:45550000}
{product_name:Archer C6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:52550000}
{product_name:Archer C6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:4A500000}
{product_name:Archer C6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:4B520000}
{product_name:Archer A6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:45550000}
{product_name:Archer A6,product_ver:3.20,special_id:52550000}
{product_name:Archer C6,product_ver:3.0.0,special_id:42520000}
{product_name:Archer A6,product_ver:3.0.0,special_id:55530000}
{product_name:Archer A6,product_ver:3.0.0,special_id:54570000}
{product_name:Archer A6,product_ver:3.0.0,special_id:43410000}
{product_name:Archer A6,product_ver:3.0.0,special_id:4A500000}
18

Interesting new IDs for C6v3 support are for the (BR) variant, only. I have no knowledge of other C6v3 variants that should be added along with the (BR) one.

There are new A6 IDs in there, too, which aren't in firmware-utils master yet. But these are outside of the scope I am interested in, and I am not sure if they match the FLASH sizes, so I am not going to look into them.

Adding the missing ID for 3.0.0, special 4252 will allow the router to accept the "factory" image from the web interface, I have just tested it on an Archer C6v3(BR), latest vendor firmware version 1.0.10. I make absolutely NO CLAIMS that you will ever be able to return to the vendor firmware, though.

I will send the trivial patch to firmware-utils through the openwrt-dev ML. Backporting the TP-Link Archer C6v3 support to openwrt-21.02 and earlier is a separate matter.

2 Likes
20

Hi,

Any progress on that patch?

21

Patch sent today to openwrt-devel. We took some time testing the unit, it seems to be working properly.

That said, my workplace has very strict DMARC, which causes patchwork to mangle things, and the ML to attach the real message. Let's see if it gets applied.

It doesn't help that firmware-utils is now on its own git repo and that it is a very new change, so I tried to CC the openwrt core developer that has been gatekeeping patches for firmware-utils.

3 Likes
23

What is the best way currently to install OpenWrt on this version of the device?

24

patch accepted in firmware-utils git.

1 Like
25

You need to use openwrt master. Either use a daily build, or download and build your own. Now that the change in firmware-utils has been accepted, it is only a matter of time for the images to install properly from the C6v3(BR) tp-link web interface.

That said, I will eventually attempt to backport the C6v3 (and firmware-utils patches) to 21.02, but due to the kernel, I am not sure it will be anywhere as fast. I've head that the 5.10 kernel in master works MUCH better with the C6v3 chipset, than the older kernel in 21.02. If it is much slower, I will not submit that backport to openwrt.

26

On Archer c6 v3.2 kernel 5.10 is causing random reboots when mt7621 HW offload is enabled (see here).

I solved this issue either disabling mt7621 HW offload or rolling back to kernel 5.4.

Kernel 5.4 with the latest mt76 driver is working very well for me, except some wireless devices occasionally losing connection due to this issue.

27

Thanks @hmh.

I just tested here in my 2 Archer C6 v3 (BR) and it is working perfectly.

28

What link download openwrt ?

29

or

30

Hi,

I have firmware snapshot installed on the Archer C6 v3 model (BR), is it possible to apply the stable firmware of the A3 v3 model in the webgui?

Thanks

31

yes, it would be.

might need to reset the configuration though, if the snapshot isn't v21.

33

Thanks,

It would be:

xxx_squashfs-factory.bin
or
xxx_squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

34

sysupgrade, factory is usually for migrating to openwrt.

1 Like
35

How often should I download a snapshot and update my router?