Linksys MR7350 snapshot installation

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hi,
I'm wanting to test openWRT on Linksys MR7350. I see snapshot firmware is out there. I tried loading the snapshot labeled "factory" from the OEM GUI, and the router reboots, light turns on, but does not assign IPs, and when I manually join the default subnet as 192.168.1.10, I can't ping 192.168.1.1; like the router is not functioning. Am I not loading the snapshot firmware correctly? If I get it to work evenutally... what needs tested to convert from snapshot to fully supported status? This model has some scattered and closed forum threads and a messy wiki, so I'm happy to help develop/document support for this router if I can get it running. Thanks.

2

https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=9c55866fada91c45679f75d03e6d13e1e0cd4202

3

Thanks for the tip.
I've stumbled upon the github version (link) which is similar to the git.operwrt link you shared; but things are still not clear.

  1. I can't ping or ssh into 192.168.1.1 after loading the squash-factory image via OEM GUI, and connected via ethernet to a LAN port, so I can't do the next step... which is the main reason I've reached out for help.

Next step:
Then you would need to write openwrt to the other partition for it to work.

  1. It's confusing why this step is needed since we just wrote a file to the boot partition, but never mind my confusion, I would just try this if I could get SSH to work.

  2. Will writing to the other partition wipe out the backup boot partition (we'll now have openWRT on both partitions, and can't fall back to OEM partition if things go wrong....? If so, I suppose it should be possible to TFTP back to OEM if needed?

  3. The git.openwrt nor the github link say HOW to issue these commands fw_printenv -n boot_part (and following). From other posts, I assume via telnet or SSH, but again, I can't ping or ssh the router so I'm wondering if there's some other thing I'm missing, of if the router just isn't accepting the squash-factory image properly.

4

@Vladdrako would you be able to help @hatcreek68 with their queries as I'm trying to fix the wiki page but the git commit is unclear:
https://openwrt.org/inbox/toh/linksys/mr7350_1.0

5

I've cleaned it up a little bit ...

1 Like
6

I've been comparing with the ddwrt install and stock revert information in case there's anything similar:
https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_MR7350

8

Do you have a link to that thread? I see he has a lot of posts on the E7350 (vs. MR7350).

9

Shit, you're right!

Different device, post deleted.

1 Like
10

Also disheartening...I just bought a E7350 as well to test on openWRT b/c it appeared it was well supported, but apparently the latest OEM firmware is causing issues, I wasn't expecting to crack cases and learn how to do the UART method.

11

It really is not difficult to flash the E7350 over UART. Took me less than an hour.

1 Like
12

Ok, well I lucked out and my new router was an E8450 not E7350 and the UBI conversion and system-upgrade flash went flawlessly over GUI. The documentation has grown into a web over the years, since there's a lot of history/issues/work that was done for that model, but I digress.

To bring this thing back on-topic, does anyone have ideas why loading the snapshot image onto the MR7350 is causing the router to become unresponsive? It seems like a dead end if I can't ping or SSH.

13

Have you found a fix for the issue of not being able to ping or ssh into 192.168.1.1 after installing openwrt?

14

No. It's been a couple weeks since I tried, but since the same thing happened after flashing the snapshot 2-3x, I figured I shouldn't waste more time trying the same approach, but I'm at a loss of what else to try.

I have since replaced my setup with 2 other routers, so the MR7350s are available for testing. They were running DD-WRT, so I figured I would attempt to use them on openWRT before buying alternate "fully supported" models.

I can try again the next time* the snapshot is updated for this model, but the desire and priority is waning, I have to admit.

*I know the snapshot is updated nightly(?) but I don't know when anything of significance will be changed for this model.

15

Hmm. Since OEM has no SSH, I can run DD-WRT to gain shell access... and attempt loading openWRT to the "2nd" boot partition via SSH instead of GUI?

If it fails again it should revert back to DD-WRT with 3-5 power cycles with the default anti-bricking behavior?

16

Thank you for your response. I think I will instead buy a Linksys MX8500 as there is not much info for the MR7350. TY.

17

Probably a good call... even if you get the snapshot installed, you'd still running a "beta" vs. "stable" version.

## Do not use snapshots if...