New Cheetah V2

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

@dazt

FYI,

The same string you used to open telnet for the V1 works on V2.
Now, I need to understand how you enabled ssh, and opkg package list directories.
I think this one being on a SNAPSHOT release can be more touchy?
Oh, it is still using the lede interface, not luci, I don't know what release luci started?

Cheetah V2 info:

Model	Firmware Version
M10K43	1.5.2-20240104-022708

OpenWrt 21.02-SNAPSHOT, 1.5.2

root@OpenWrt:/# df
Filesystem           1K-blocks      Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/root                14080     14080         0 100% /rom
tmpfs                   116172        88    116084   0% /tmp
/dev/ubi0_2              31192       240     29324   1% /overlay
overlayfs:/overlay       31192       240     29324   1% /
tmpfs                      512         0       512   0% /dev


root@OpenWrt:/# ubus call system board
{
        "kernel": "5.4.238",
        "hostname": "OpenWrt",
        "system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 4",
        "model": "M01K43",
        "board_name": "M01K43",
        "release": {
                "distribution": "OpenWrt",
                "version": "21.02-SNAPSHOT",
                "revision": "1.5.2",
                "target": "mediatek/mt7981",
                "description": "OpenWrt 21.02-SNAPSHOT 1.5.2"
        }
}

ATI

Quectel
RM521F-GL
Revision: RM521FGLEAR05A02M4G

root@OpenWrt:/# ls -al /etc/openwrt_*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 22 Jan 4 01:59 /etc/openwrt_build
root@OpenWrt:/# cat /etc/openwrt_build
1.5.2-20240104-022708

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41 Jan 4 01:59 /etc/openwrt_git_version
root@OpenWrt:/# cat /etc/openwrt_git_version
399ab6a2b7864d2d4d856468c7ab96254d87a612

root@OpenWrt:/# cat /etc/openwrt_release
DISTRIB_ID='OpenWrt'
DISTRIB_RELEASE='21.02-SNAPSHOT'
DISTRIB_REVISION='1.5.2'
DISTRIB_TARGET='mediatek/mt7981'
DISTRIB_ARCH='aarch64_cortex-a53'
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION='OpenWrt 21.02-SNAPSHOT 1.5.2'
DISTRIB_TAINTS='no-all busybox'

-rw-rw-r-- 1 root root 6 Jan 4 01:59 /etc/openwrt_version
root@OpenWrt:/# cat /etc/openwrt_version
1.5.2

2

It appears you are using firmware that is not from the official OpenWrt project.

When using forks/offshoots/vendor-specific builds that are "based on OpenWrt", there may be many differences compared to the official versions (hosted by OpenWrt.org). Some of these customizations may fundamentally change the way that OpenWrt works. You might need help from people with specific/specialized knowledge about the firmware you are using, so it is possible that advice you get here may not be useful.

You may find that the best options are:

  1. Install an official version of OpenWrt, if your device is supported (see https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org).
  2. Ask for help from the maintainer(s) or user community of the specific firmware that you are using.
  3. Provide the source code for the firmware so that users on this forum can understand how your firmware works (OpenWrt forum users are volunteers, so somebody might look at the code if they have time and are interested in your issue).

If you believe that this specific issue is common to generic/official OpenWrt and/or the maintainers of your build have indicated as such, please feel free to clarify.

1 Like
3

This device can probably quite easily be supported by official OpenWrt, but at this point "M01K43" is unknown to use. We will have to extract or re-model a device tree and build a firmware image for it. If the stock bootloader allows to load OpenWrt it can be kept, otherwise it can also quite easily be replaced with TF-A and U-Boot built from source as part of the OpenWrt build.

1 Like
4

Thanks for the replies!

I was trying to get @dazt attention, while at the same time post information for others about this device.

5

Wished I could afford to send you one, alas, I am too poor, sigh...

6

Just extract the Device Tree for starters, that's for free if you have the device already.
The easiest way is to extract the firmware binary from flash and somehow transfer it your computer for analysis using the binwalk tool.
Or, if there is a firmware available for download somewhere that would also be a starting point.

I assume it is this device, right?

So if you bought it from there, request GPL sources! It's your right! It runs Linux inside, they got to give you the source code (and that usually includes everything we need to get OpenWrt running on the device).

7

Hey. Sorry I don't have much else to share. I'm pretty sure I put everything I did in the other thread. I pulled the modem out of my chester not long after that thread and connected it to a Raspberry Pi 4 running OpenWRT which I have been using ever since. Being able to run cake-autorate (https://github.com/lynxthecat/cake-autorate) is an absolute game changer for me and I can't recommend it enough. I can now do large downloads with only marginal increase in ping, where before ping would go into the hundreds or thousands during large downloads.

1 Like
8

Wow, that is exactly what I want to do, use the modem in my Cheetah V1 to a router.
And, I have a RPI-4 just sitting, doing nothing.
I wish to learn the inner workings, etc.
Sounds like a plan!

As for the Cheetah V2, it has been great, much faster for me, aggregating 3 5G SA channels with the new Quectel RM521F-GL modem.

I will try the same things I did in the old Cheetah V1 thread:

Thanks!