Installing Openwrt on Plusnet Hub One

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I have installed Openwrt on Plusnet Hub One several times successfully. However, this time I have failed.

All went well until the SYSUPGRADE step when I incorrectly used an update image openwrt-22.03.5-lantiq-xrx200-bt_homehub-v5a-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin rather than a first time image.

I managed to restore the original firmware. I then restarted and installed lede-lantiq-bthomehubv5a_ram-u-boot.asc, then the 3.31MB version of lede-lantiq-xrx200-BTHOMEHUBV5A-installimage.bin. I mounted the USB at /mnt/sda and ran prepare then sysupgrade /mnt/sda/lede-lantiq-xrx200-BTHOMEHUBV5A-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin this failed. I then tried /tmp/mount/USB-A1/lede-lantiq-xrx200-BTHOMEHUBV5A-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin, this appeared to work. However, there was no LUCI.

I was hoping that by doing a CLI sysupgrade to a later version I can restore LUCI. I have configured the /etc/config/network file to access the internet when a Ethernet cable from my router is plugged into a LAN port. However, I can find no way to get the upgrade file. I have tried sysupgrade https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/19.07.1/targets/lantiq/xrx200/openwrt-19.07.1-lantiq-xrx200-bt_homehub-v5a-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin it returns 'Image file not found'.

I have tried to restore the original firmware but after entering YESRESTORE is reverts to the CFG 04 boot prompt.

I have tried mounting the USB stick but it responds with 'No such file or directory'. I have tried to FTP to the router but this failed: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it..

Is there any way to restore LUCI and upgrade to a later version from the CLI.

Thanks thepointyman.

2

The good news, you can't really brick this device (as long as you don't break the via) - as using serial console and shorting bootsel to ground will always allow you to flash u-boot and OpenWrt. The procedures under https://openwrt.org/toh/bt/homehub_v5a (and especially the installation guide) should help with that.

ftp or telnet will never work, use ssh - and once you have ssh access to 'a' running OpenWrt version, you can sysupgrade from there (stable release versions come with luci, snapshots don't).

3

Thanks for your advice. Good to know I can't brick the device.
The router was in some odd state that from switch on , or after loading the ~.asc file or the image file it would always go on to a linux prompt but no Luci.
I trried again for the zillionth time but interrupted the boot process and the image load process to get the the appropriate promt. I copied the openwrt-18.06.2-lantiq-xrx200-bt_homehub-v5a-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin file to /tmp/mount/USB-A1/ and it loaded successfully. I am now up and running. Just upgrading to later versions.
Thanks again.
thepointyman

1 Like
4

fwiw, did you try a different brand/model of usb flash drive when you were having difficulties?