OpenWrt support for WAX206

Is anyone working on adding support for Netgear WAX206 ?

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if these photos are correct, it's the same MT combo as some of the currently supported AX devices.

https://fccid.io/PY321100533

Haven't seen any posts about it, though.

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I have two incoming but they won't arrive until late June timeframe when I plan to start looking at them.

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I confidently await your developments.

This one's actually cheaper in EU than in US, and comes with an 2.5gbit uplink port.

Might just grab one, to speed things up.


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yeah, those are already in the electric garden URL

if you got an USB TTL, feel free to hook it up to the 4 pins/holes, above the top shielded chip in your 1st photo, and post the boot log.

the pins are clearly marked, connect GND-GND, TX-RX, and RX-TX, don't connect Vcc.

I'm interested in this as well. Here is the boot log from mine.

WAX206BootLog (github.com)

whouaou ! They use the MT7622, it's the equivalent of a Belkin/linksys RT3200. it is even better with its 2.5gbps port.
Very interesting, i'm wondering why they sell this as an AP, we can perfectly consider it as a router.

So are we able to install an existing version of openwrt on this, and if so which one should I use?

I got my Netgear WAX206 a couple of days ago. I upgraded to their latest software 1.0.4.0.

It appears that software is LEDE 17.01-SNAPSHOT r0-cfc2c2706. If you go to https://192.168.1.x/cgi-bin/luci/ it returns a login screen. See below:

If I try to logging in with user admin and my password, all I get is a blank screen, but any other password gives an error, so I guess luci is disabled.

Further investigation and I found that courtesy of the GPL license, they have the full sources here:
https://kb.netgear.com/2649/NETGEAR-Open-Source-Code-for-Programmers-GPL.
Specifically the latest is here: https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GPL/WAX206_V1.0.4.0_Source.rar

I haven't dug in to these yet, but there must be some good hints on how to take this and generate a latest Openwrt image.

Anyone know where to start?

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This PR for WAX202 also mentions WAX206, so I guess that user looked at both downstream source releases:

So maybe just ask her/him if he started on it?

Or start with that PR and compare the downstream dts files?

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The MT7621 is a Ramips 1004KEc SOC, while MT7622 (which is in the WAX206) is an ARM Cortex-A53.
I don't think one can use anything from wax202 in wax206

haa, he's speaking about an encryption key

  • openwrt/tools/imgencoder/src/imagekey.h
    Contains the encryption key and IV. It appears the same key/IV is used
    for other Netgear devices including WAX206 and EX6400v3.
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Oh lol, nevermind then :wink: I obviously didn't even check that, I just saw that PR and this thread with the very similar device name.

I got my two WAX206 in my hands now. Already soldered serial on one but won't get to actual porting action until next week. Stay tuned!

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Found an open box for 50ā‚¬, on ebay yesterday, it'll arrive tomorrow.

Unfortunately I don't have the tools to get the serial up and running, but I'll try to create an initramfs.

In @d4rkeagle6591's boot log (and in the photos), you can see it using the RTL221B for the 2.5gbe port. It was added in kernel 5.10, so I can't use most recent stable as base.

https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=caaac9ab3bb34a067001595648f6fb6b57621202

For those with serial console access, I've made my 1st attempt (ever) to build an initramfs.
If the boot loader accepts input, select 1. System Load Linux to SDRAM via TFTP.
and UL the file below.
You will probably need to rename it, and set a static IP on the TFTP host NIC.

Let it try, it should print the values used, make the changes required to the TFTP host (IP, file name), and retry.
Post the TFTP params.

Image's based on the Linksys E8450, and I also tried to add the Realtek 2.5gbe, but I'm
not sure it was successful.

Link is live for 30 days from the time of posting https://1fichier.com/?424f2ztb6e9pdczfqiku

I'm unable to try the image myself, even if the device is delivered on time, I don't have any USB TTL adapter until I get home, in one week.

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Hello Everyone,

I just got mine today.
How do I open the device? I can see no screws, so I suppose it's held together by plastic claws that snap in place. How do I undo them properly without breaking them?

Check under the bottom stickers, or the photos in the 2nd post.

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