into the root partition? or tmp?
into the root partition? or tmp?
Don't think it matters as long as you are in that same directory when you run the mtd command
thank you so much for all your help. You are a life saver.
Last question,
To download insmod mtd-rw.ko i_want_a_brick=1 the router would need to be online and connected to the internet, right? So if the WAN is not functional at that point, how would I go about downloading the kmod?
insmod mtd-rw.ko i_want_a_brick=1
This is a command you need to use after ssh into the router, its not something you download. The actual package you need to install on the router is kmod-mtd-rw. You should be able to download the package by using the gigabit ports.
In Luci go to Network->Interfaces. Go to wan interface and click the edit button. Under "general settings" there is a drop down menu called "Device" that is normally set to the wan device. Set it to one of the gigabit LAN ports (lan1-lan4) or to br-lan bridge. Now connect ethernet cable from wherever you get your internet connection from to the gigabit LAN port you specified (or any gigabit port if you picked br-lan). You should be able to get a internet connection. After installing kmod-mtd-rw go back and reverse the network setting changes.
SCP the aqr_fw.mbn onto the router. Doesn't matter where but I would use /tmp. Then run the following two commands from the directory you copied the firmware to.
insmod mtd-rw.ko i_want_a_brick=1
mtd -e /dev/mtd26 -n write aqr_fw.mbn /dev/mtd26
I've edited the wiki a bit. Hopefully it makes things a bit clearer. Step 12 in part 1 activates the WAN port by loading the AQR firmware that is already in OpenWRT.
Part 3 replaces the AQR firmware with a newer version that came from the OEM firmware. I didn't notice any real difference when I upgraded, but this isn't true for everyone. So you may not have any problems accessing the internet.
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@atomsho045 Could you help edit the wiki? It's been some time since I've actually done this so I'm not sure all the instructions are perfectly detailed and accurate. Especially the extraction of the AQR firmware.
It looks good to me right now. Extracting the AQR firmware is going to be the confusing part for most people but I'm not the person to write a guide for it, I'm still new to it myself.
But yeah, everything else is pretty much step by step what I did.
Clarification questions: Is AQR firmware loaded if fw_setenv bootcmd is updated to include aq_load_fw but AQR firmware is not updated (Optional Part 3)? I assume yes, as my WAN port was not working until I updated U-Boot bootloader bootcmd
I successfully flashed OpenWrt on my MX8500 and got WAN port working at 2.5GbE speeds by modifying U-Boot fw_setenv bootcmd to include aq_load_fw, but I didn't update AQR firmware by running write aqr_fw.mbn /dev/mtd26
Yes.
I don't know what the point is in making users jump through hoops to extract their own AQR firmware. I've simplified the process. Please test it out and update the wiki as necessary.
An additional package with AQR firmware could be created (for some devices loading from the system level works) but the problem is the unclear license. Therefore the firmware is not distributed with OpenWrt.
I think you misunderstood my question. WAN port seems to be working at 2.5GbE speeds on my MX8500 running OpenWrt 24.10 even though I didn't update AQR firmware (Optional Part 3).
For newcomers, why bother with running write aqr_fw.mbn /dev/mtd26? What actual problems would I encounter running OpenWrt on my MX8500 without update AQR firmware? It was unclear what the benefits are compared with the extra hassle.
Extracting and updating AQR firmware is a bit complicated for newcomers if trying to comply with distribution licenses.
I appreciate your effort in updating the instructions. One suggestion I have for newcomers who want to update AQR firmware is instead of running opkg update && opkg install kmod-mtd-rw which requires working WAN configuration and internet, use Firmware Selector "Customize installed packages" box and add the kmod-mtd-rw package so that it's included in the firmware image. This would be easier for newcomers than re-configuring OpenWrt to use a different port for WAN if the WAN port was not working.
Maybe the conversation should be continued in the original thread? Because now there are two threads for the same device...
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I was in your boat. I ran without updating the AQR firmware for months back when the procedure was difficult and not fully explained. However, others like @atomsho045 have the opposite experience and require the firmware update.
I've simplified the process in the wiki so it should be trivial for most people to do now.
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