Installing Openwrt or Linksys RE7000

[Gallie_2k]

Hi all,
HELP!
I have followed the guide here:

Installing OpenWRT on Linksys RE7000 Extender

I recently found a need for this old RE7000 wifi extender which has been in the closet for several years. I need to be able to create VAPs on this so wanting to install Owrt on it. I even see there is actually a recent OpenWRT build available for it. https://openwrt.org/toh/hwdata/linksys/linksys_re7000 Attempting to flash it from the GUI is failing because the factory firmware is apparently signed (no surprise really), which means to me that I must flash it using UBOOT. However, I cannot fin…

Including the git page section.

I can get into RAM openwrt but once i complete the scp and sysupgrade it finishes with a reboot that goes back to linksys firmware. (see the below)

Is there anything I am doing wrong?

I have connected all four UART wires to get the terminal to function correctly or I got a whitenoise instead.

Running sysupgrade terminal info:

root@OpenWrt:/# sysupgrade -n -F -v /tmp/sysupgrade.bin
Mon Jul 15 22:17:01 UTC 2024 upgrade: Commencing upgrade. Closing all shell sessions.
Watchdog handover: fd=3
- watchdog -
Watchdog does not have CARDRESET support
Mon Jul 15 22:17:02 UTC 2024 upgrade: Sending TERM to remaining processes ...
Mon Jul 15 22:17:06 UTC 2024 upgrade: Sending KILL to remaining processes ...
[  184.187169] stage2 (2653): drop_caches: 3
Mon Jul 15 22:17:12 UTC 2024 upgrade: Switching to ramdisk...
Mon Jul 15 22:17:15 UTC 2024 upgrade: Performing system upgrade...
[  186.864704] do_stage2 (2653): drop_caches: 3
Unlocking firmware ...

Writing from <stdin> to firmware ...
Mon Jul 15 22:18:07 UTC 2024 upgrade: Upgrade completed
Mon Jul 15 22:18:08 UTC 2024 upgrade: Rebooting system...
umount: can't unmount /dev: Resource busy
umoun[  239.657214] reboot: Restarting system
t: can't unmount /tmp: Resource busy

===================================================================
                MT7621   stage1 code Mar 12 2015 14:43:30 (ASIC)
                CPU=500000000 HZ BUS=166666666 HZ
==================================================================
Change MPLL source from XTAL to CR...
do MEMPLL setting..
MEMPLL Config : 0x31100000
3PLL mode + External loopback
=== XTAL-40Mhz === DDR-800Mhz ===
PLL3 FB_DL: 0x13, 1/0 = 557/467 4D000000
PLL4 FB_DL: 0x1b, 1/0 = 556/468 6D000000
PLL2 FB_DL: 0x1c, 1/0 = 540/484 71000000
do DDR setting..[01F40000]
Apply DDR3 Setting...(use customer AC)
          0    8   16   24   32   40   48   56   64   72   80   88   96  104  112  120
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0000:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0001:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0002:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0003:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0004:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0005:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0006:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0007:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0008:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0009:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
000A:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
000B:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
000C:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
000D:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
000E:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1
000F:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1
0010:|    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    0
0011:|    1    1    1    1    1    1    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0012:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0013:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0014:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0015:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0016:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0017:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0018:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
0019:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
001A:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
001B:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
001C:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
001D:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
001E:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
001F:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
DRAMC_DQSCTL1[0e0]=14000000
DRAMC_DQSGCTL[124]=80000000
rank 0 coarse = 16
rank 0 fine = 56
B:|    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    0    0    0    0    0    0
opt_dle value:8
DRAMC_DDR2CTL[07c]=C287220D
DRAMC_PADCTL4[0e4]=000022B3
DRAMC_DQIDLY1[210]=09080808
DRAMC_DQIDLY2[214]=07070706
DRAMC_DQIDLY3[218]=08070704
DRAMC_DQIDLY4[21c]=08070B07
DRAMC_R0DELDLY[018]=00003130
==================================================================
                RX      DQS perbit delay software calibration
==================================================================
1.0-15 bit dq delay value
==================================================================
bit|     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9
--------------------------------------
0 |    7 6 7 9 5 7 7 7 3 5
10 |    6 7 7 9 6 7
--------------------------------------

==================================================================
2.dqs window
x=pass dqs delay value (min~max)center
y=0-7bit DQ of every group
input delay:DQS0 =48 DQS1 = 49
==================================================================
bit     DQS0     bit      DQS1
0  (1~94)47  8  (1~95)48
1  (1~92)46  9  (1~94)47
2  (1~93)47  10  (1~96)48
3  (1~95)48  11  (2~95)48
4  (1~94)47  12  (1~97)49
5  (1~96)48  13  (1~94)47
6  (1~96)48  14  (1~96)48
7  (1~96)48  15  (1~95)48
==================================================================
3.dq delay value last
==================================================================
bit|    0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8   9
--------------------------------------
0 |    8 8 8 9 6 7 7 7 4 7
10 |    7 8 7 11 7 8
==================================================================
==================================================================
     TX  perbyte calibration
==================================================================
DQS loop = 15, cmp_err_1 = ffff0000
dqs_perbyte_dly.last_dqsdly_pass[0]=15,  finish count=1
dqs_perbyte_dly.last_dqsdly_pass[1]=15,  finish count=2
DQ loop=15, cmp_err_1 = ffff0000
dqs_perbyte_dly.last_dqdly_pass[0]=15,  finish count=1
dqs_perbyte_dly.last_dqdly_pass[1]=15,  finish count=2
byte:0, (DQS,DQ)=(8,8)
byte:1, (DQS,DQ)=(8,8)
DRAMC_DQODLY1[200]=88888888
DRAMC_DQODLY2[204]=88888888
20,data:88
[EMI] DRAMC calibration passed

===================================================================
                MT7621   stage1 code done
                CPU=500000000 HZ BUS=166666666 HZ
===================================================================


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Jan 12 2016 - 14:20:42)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  128 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 87f1c000

LINUX started...

 THIS IS ASIC

[Lexridge]

I am pretty sure you need to flash both partitions from serial/tftp (if memory server me correct). You are attempting to flash OpenWRT to a Factory Firmware partition, which is signed. Not going to work. Because of this you have to use serial/tftp to initially flash this device.

EDIT: Correction. This is not a dual boot partition device. Just serial/tftp flash and and then run the update.

[Gallie_2k]

Thanks for getting back to me.
I was hoping you would as you have got it working on your devices.

I have used UART to flash openwrt to ram and successfully booted into Openwrt (I can access the luci environment too), then I scp the firmware system update.bin to /tmp and run the sysupgrade

Upon that reboot it goes back to the default linksys firmware and openwrt doesn't exist. The only way I can get it to work is leaving it in live mode but that is not ideal.

[Lexridge]

Correct. You cannot flash this router using this method because the factory OEM firmware is signed. It will not allow itself to be flashed with un-signed firmware. You MUST use TFTP. The instructions on the git are pretty accurate, but you must set up a tftp server on a PC for it to access the openwrt firmware. Then set the uboot environment variables for the IPs.

Follow the instructions here:
https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=e882af2850ff7077f610eaf0ecee18c371ddf98f

[Gallie_2k]

It must be me misunderstanding the instructions.

I have used:
Putty as my terminal window to interact with the serial information.
I am using the 3 pin grd tx rx configuration you have used (looking at the photo)
I am using tftpd64 to host a server and the openwrt-initramfs.bin file.
I am then setting the ip details after selecting option 1 in the UBOOT menu.
(setting them to the ethernet adapter ip address info)
Then I set the file name of the initramfs.bin.
it then flashes correctly stating complete and then loads into openwrt initramfs version.

The guide then states to scp the system upgrade.bin and run sysupgrade as normal which I assume means with -n -v /tmp/systemupgrade.bin

This last bit is where I'm doing something wrong from scp onwards it doesn't change from a initramfs to the system build it just returns to linksys firmware.

I am genuinely sorry and definitely feel thick as it's me not understanding the guide correctly clearly you were able to before,

I have also redownloaded the systemupgrade.bin file and also made a custombuild incase it might of been the systembuild.bin file.

[Lexridge]

I have been trying to remember what I did differently from the guide. Can you access Luci once it boots from RAM? If so, try running the sysupgrade from there. I am thinking I had skipped the SCP part altogether.

[Gallie_2k]

I have full access to luci just the initramfs version (asking for me to flash the systemupgrade.bin)

I have now tried scp + scp with a new downloaded file, I have then tried in luci both files and niether stay on reboot.

I'm wondering if it's the linksys firmware version I have or the openwrt version that is now supported vs back when you got it working?

[Lexridge]

I put my original files up on my Drive account. Here's the link.

RE7000.zip

Edit: My RE7000 had the latest Linksys firmware on it whenever I did mine and I am sure they have not released any updates for this old thing.

[Gallie_2k]

So
Thank you very much for your help and support and files!
I have had to reflash the linksys firmware and then follow the processes in the commit and it's worked.

Greatly appreciated for your help and support

[Lexridge]

My pleasure. Happy you got it working.