OpenWrt Firmware for Archer c6 v3.2

waailasif3 · February 11, 2022, 9:03am

I have installed this build but unable to install sqm package due to kernel incompatibility error.

dsouza · February 11, 2022, 10:11am

If you want to add packages you will new to install a more recent snapshot build. The one I shared is using kernel 5.4.162 and the newer snapshot packages on OpenWRT website are expecting kernel 5.10.x.

waailasif3 · February 11, 2022, 10:33am

And that recent one will include the new Wi-Fi drivers too right?

dsouza · February 11, 2022, 7:04pm

Yes, the snapshot builds are including the updated m76 wifi drivers.

hrindr13 · February 12, 2022, 12:47am

Yes, Same Error.

hrindr13 · February 12, 2022, 12:48am

No I haven't. Can U please process, It's my first time.

dsouza · February 12, 2022, 1:42am

If you installed from a snaphot build downloaded from OpenWRT, it does not have a web interface.

You will need to install it. For this you will need to open a command line session to your router.

If you are using Windows 10, just open a command prompt window and type ssh root@192.168.1.1. Type "Yes", and just press enter when asked for a password.

After this point you should be logged to your OpenWRT router with a command line.

From here you can install LuCI (the web interface for OpenWRT). The additional commands to install LuCI are:

opkg update
opkg install luci

After this you should be able to logon into OpenWRT via browser at http://192.168.1.1.

Below are all the commands you need to execute to install LuCI on top of a snapshot build:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19044.1526]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\>ssh root@192.168.1.1
The authenticity of host '192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1)' can't be established.
ED29999 key fingerprint is SHA256:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes
Warning: Permanently added '192.168.1.1' (ED29999) to the list of known hosts.
root@192.168.1.1's password:


BusyBox v1.35.0 (2022-02-11 13:30:04 UTC) built-in shell (ash)

  _______                     ________        __
 |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
 |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
 |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
          |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
 -----------------------------------------------------
 OpenWrt SNAPSHOT, r18792-337e942290
 -----------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:~# opkg update

root@OpenWrt:~# opkg install luci

hrindr13 · February 13, 2022, 1:48am

Thanks for the Quick Response!
I done as you said but got this Error. I tried setting up the password nd changing the DNS to 1.1.1.1, but still the error persist.

root@OpenWrt:~# opkg update
Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ramips/mt7621/packages/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ramips/mt7621/packages/Packages.gz

Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/base/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/base/Packages.gz

Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ramips/mt7621/kmods/5.10.96-1-0923fd3d69160b531ca2f68ea9cc15c2/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ramips/mt7621/kmods/5.10.96-1-0923fd3d69160b531ca2f68ea9cc15c2/Packages.gz

Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/luci/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/luci/Packages.gz

Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/packages/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/packages/Packages.gz

Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/routing/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/routing/Packages.gz

Downloading https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/telephony/Packages.gz
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/telephony/Packages.gz

Collected errors:
 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ramips/mt7621/packages/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/base/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/ramips/mt7621/kmods/5.10.96-1-0923fd3d69160b531ca2f68ea9cc15c2/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/luci/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/packages/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/routing/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

 * opkg_download: Failed to download https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/packages/mipsel_24kc/telephony/Packages.gz, wget returned 4.
 * opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.

dsouza · February 13, 2022, 2:21am

You need an internet connection. Do you have the WAN port of your router connected to your ISP modem?

BTW, this is basic OpenWRT install, it is not specific for the Archer C6 v3.2. We should move this discussion to the specific area of the forum:

hrindr13 · February 13, 2022, 2:48am

hmm.. currently, I don't, I recently shifted to a new home, its 3 floors so thought of make a diy mesh network, that's why I was so desperate to Install OpenWRT & forgot 'bout the Snapshot version. Is there any way to go back to the stock firmware without Luci. as I didn't liked the router and just want to sell it to buy couple of Archer C7 or any other like Linksys.

Thanks!

PS: currently, I'm trying updating using WinSCP.

dsouza · February 13, 2022, 9:58am

Do you want to install LuCI or do you want to revert to stock firmware?

dsouza · February 13, 2022, 11:19am

Anyway, assuming that:

You installed a snapshot image (without LuCI)
You want to revert to stock firmware
Your device does not have an Internet connection
You have a Windows 10 PC
Your OpenWRT Archer C6 v3.2 is turned on, up and running
You can ping and ssh your OpenWrt device at 192.168.1.1

Then execute the following steps to revert to stock firmware:

Download a ZIP with the revert image of the Archer A6/C6 v3 I've made from [here]( a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin.zip (Password: a6c6revert)
Unzip the file contents to a folder in your PC (ex: "C:\tmp"). You should get a file named "a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin" in this directory
Open a windows command prompt and change the current directory to the folder you unzippped the revert image: cd c:\tmp
Copy the revert image to the device using the Windows scp command:
C:\tmp\scp a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin root@192.168.1.1:/tmp
Open an ssh session to your device:
ssh root@192.168.1.1
Flash the revert image with the following command (ignore the warnings):
root@OpenWrt:~# sysupgrade -v -F /tmp/a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin
Wait for the flashing process to finish. After the device reboots, you can access the stock firmware at http://192.168.0.1
Using the stock firmware after the revert, it is strongly recommended to flash a new firmware stock image downloaded directly from TP-Link website.

More details below.

C:\tmp>scp a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin root@192.168.1.1:/tmp
root@192.168.1.1's password:
a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin     100%   15MB   6.0MB/s   00:02

C:\tmp>ssh root@192.168.1.1
root@192.168.1.1's password:


BusyBox v1.35.0 (2022-02-11 13:30:04 UTC) built-in shell (ash)

  _______                     ________        __
 |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
 |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
 |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
          |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
 -----------------------------------------------------
 OpenWrt SNAPSHOT, r18792-337e942290
 -----------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:~# sysupgrade -v -F /tmp/a6c6_v3_sysupgrade_factory_revert.bin
Sun Feb 13 08:00:15 -03 2022 upgrade: Image metadata not present
Image check failed but --force given - will update anyway!
(...)
Sun Feb 13 08:00:16 -03 2022 upgrade: Commencing upgrade. Closing all shell sessions.
Command failed: Connection failed
root@OpenWrt:~# Connection to 192.168.1.1 closed by remote host.
Connection to 192.168.1.1 closed.

C:\tmp>

hrindr13 · February 13, 2022, 2:23pm

I did as you said, after the process the router restarted nd now all the leds are solid on.

dsouza · February 13, 2022, 8:10pm

That's not expected. I hope you haven't bricked your device. Try long pressing the reset button (for 30 seconds) until it reboots itself. Hopefully this will clear any invalid configuration and it will boot into the stock firmware.

hrindr13 · February 13, 2022, 9:13pm

Tried, nothing.. I was very careful with every step as it was my first time. I'm Pretty sure it bricked now.
Can't I get a replacement or RMA from the service center as they won't be able to tell who bricked it.
if Not then what are my options now..

dsouza · February 13, 2022, 9:24pm

Let's continue this discussion on this other topic:

r4g3z · February 16, 2022, 9:05pm

hey - it seems they have taken the feb build off the lists on openwrt.
I installed your firmware on my 1 year old build and it works fine (i like the dark theme btw)
only issue is the kernel. Since all has gotten to 5.10 and this one is 5.4 i cant get openvpn to work...

now i see there is also a C6U V1 in the list with same processor and is final build...

have you tested it? I am tempted as making another build with 5.10 is too much work

r4g3z · February 16, 2022, 9:44pm

Aight...so I tried and bricked my c6v3.2 trying to force c6u firmware.
So anyone here having the same itch...DONT.

Alas, now over to UART!! This router is a pain in the....

ashish · February 18, 2022, 6:15pm

Same thing happened with me after Installing the 1st Feb build, the router was bricked and tried all the methods except UART since I don't have that.

Finally, I requested an RMA and they provided a new one.

It took them more than 2 weeks to ship it.

So, I think it's not worth the risk. Since the stock was working fine for my requirement.

However, It would be great if someone can upload a video on youtube for the recovery via UART.

That will be much appreciated.

r4g3z · February 18, 2022, 7:12pm

Aight so i found the solve..i stumbled on this without any internet video so i feel so cool

@ashish @hrindr13

no UART needed...if lights are solid on,...ur router is recoverable...

simply change the ip of your pc to 192.168.0.66 subnet 2552552550

plug in lan cable to lan port on router..power it on...and voila...

u can find the router on 192.168.0.1

no gateway no dns pls

i am now flashing all kind of firmwares to see what works