OpenWrt support for WAX206

Yes, it's openwrt-fork / branch wax206/flashable-1Gbit.

I messed up the first OpenWrt fork I made and it has no connection to the original OpenWrt repo.

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Got my US 206, are we interested in looking at the flash content/layout, or do we think it's identical to the EU version?

I think it at least partly came up earlier in this thread.

Would you mind posting the layout for your US version anyway?

Sure, will do.

Okay I also enabled the 160MHz, it doesn't work well btw, it turns on with some channels only (obviously) but in the UI it shows the previous chanel value (i.e. it works on ch40-160mhz but it displays ch36), and it also very slow compared to 80Mhz, maybe something with Apple devices? The bitrate drops from 7/800 to 3/400. Also on 2.4ghz antenna it have only the N mode? Is what I need for IoT devices but is normal to don't see b/g/n/ac?

I also configured all the various exported/blabla to build my database for the stat

And I'm also testing the EAX80 but the speeds are the same (or maybe a little worse), I've just made some quick tests, the limit is my devices antennas at about 900mbps (866). But I have to say that the EAX80 is a waaaay better looking device, it's in metal, not cheap plastic, it's black, the LEDs are not ugly as the WAX206, the grills are also metal and very well made/integrated... If you have to put one of these APs somewhere like me near the entrance or you want also a device that not looks like a cheap '80 plastic device, the EAX is nicer, lot nicer... here some quick pictures side by side.

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FW is v1.0.1.5 US

root@WAX206:~# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "Preloader"
mtd1: 00040000 00020000 "ATF"
mtd2: 00080000 00020000 "Bootloader"
mtd3: 00080000 00020000 "Config"
mtd4: 00100000 00020000 "Factory"
mtd5: 02600000 00020000 "ImageA"
mtd6: 025e0000 00020000 "Kernel"
mtd7: 002a0000 00020000 "kernel"
mtd8: 02340000 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd9: 00ba0000 00020000 "rootfs_var"
mtd10: 02600000 00020000 "Kernel_backup"
mtd11: 00800000 00020000 "CFG"
mtd12: 00400000 00020000 "RAE"
mtd13: 00100000 00020000 "POT"
mtd14: 00400000 00020000 "Language"
mtd15: 00200000 00020000 "Traffic"
mtd16: 00100000 00020000 "Cert"
mtd17: 00100000 00020000 "NTGRcryptK"
mtd18: 00500000 00020000 "NTGRcryptD"
mtd19: 00100000 00020000 "LOG"
mtd20: 00640000 00020000 "User_data"
root@WAX206:~#

In case you have missed this useful post, to turn off the LAN LEDS:

I found how to disable the LAN LEDs:
In case anyone wants that too, just run: mdio mt7530-0 0:0x1f raw 0x21 0x0008

  • If the command "mdio" if not installed, run: opkg install mdio-tools
  • To make it permanent write it via the web UI at System->Startup->Local Startup, or via SSH into /etc/rc.local
  • To restore the blinking default behavior, run mdio mt7530-0 0:0x1f raw 0x21 0x000b
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Check the source code of the official firmware, it seems that the driver of the official firmware is a closed-source driver, I wonder if anyone can study it

Why would we (want to) ?

I have tried firmware compiled by different people, including my own, and the wifi will drop after a period of time, but the latest one has improved a lot (the latest 24-hour ping test, three times dropped, about 500 packets lost), So I want to know whether this problem is caused by the driver, and whether changing to a closed-source driver will solve this problem

A bit late but here the layout for stock fw V1.0.4.0 EU, the same except mtd9:

root@WAX206:~# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "Preloader"
mtd1: 00040000 00020000 "ATF"
mtd2: 00080000 00020000 "Bootloader"
mtd3: 00080000 00020000 "Config"
mtd4: 00100000 00020000 "Factory"
mtd5: 02600000 00020000 "ImageA"
mtd6: 025e0000 00020000 "Kernel"
mtd7: 002a0000 00020000 "kernel"
mtd8: 02340000 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd9: 00c60000 00020000 "rootfs_var"
mtd10: 02600000 00020000 "Kernel_backup"
mtd11: 00800000 00020000 "CFG"
mtd12: 00400000 00020000 "RAE"
mtd13: 00100000 00020000 "POT"
mtd14: 00400000 00020000 "Language"
mtd15: 00200000 00020000 "Traffic"
mtd16: 00100000 00020000 "Cert"
mtd17: 00100000 00020000 "NTGRcryptK"
mtd18: 00500000 00020000 "NTGRcryptD"
mtd19: 00100000 00020000 "LOG"
mtd20: 00640000 00020000 "User_data"

A 24h ping test via wifi? Sending the packet every how many time? Because could be your sender device issue. I left some streaming radio playing for days via wifi, without any drop (but there's the buffer).

60 times a minute, indeed, I only used one device for testing, but my iPhone occasionally pops up a wifi no network connection notification, but it gets better soon, so I think there may be some problems with the driver

Try one time every 5-10 secs, I have all Apple devices and I don't have any drop or connection issue. Anyway the popup on the Apple devices doesn't mean that you lost the wifi, it appears when you don't have internet connection, I mean bad DNS or DHCP for example. Also the default driver DTIM period is 2, maybe with 1 the wifi is more stable for test (but your phone battery will not be happy).

Thanks for the reply, I will test it again later

Uhm I built a new updated image with driver from wax206/flashable-1Gbit following this post, flashed it, now the power on LED is green, the settings are almost all okay but the network interfaces are disabled and I can't install packages because the filesystem is Read-only file system, so I thought an error with the filesystm, so I flashed again (with the same image and keep settings option) but now the LuCi interface is weird, I can't login with my password nor the default, and SSH is disabled:

What's going on?

Someone has a squashfs image (also old) that is working and can link it here? Thanks

PS: the image I built is here: openwrt-mediatek-mt7622-netgear_wax206-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin, I don't know what is wrong with it.

EDIT: Oh no, I resetted the WAX206 using the rear button and it booted in the default/Netgear firmware, now I have to flash it again, this time I want to try with the openwrt-mediatek-mt7622-netgear_wax206-squashfs-factory.img I just built. Will update the post.

Okay now I flashed my built factory image (from the stock Netgear fw I mean), restored my backup and the wireless radios and interfaces are working and everything is okay. But this has been weird.

I have no idea what's happened, in particular what the hell is that weird LuCi interface I posted? I've never seen it with those weird buttons.

PS: the green power LED is very nice, at least this ugly router/AP has gained one point in my personal exterior valutation ahah :smile:

Hello together,
I am new to OpenWrt and now have a Netgear WAX202 in use and am very happy. OpenWrt is just great, fantastic work you do all. I now want to buy more APs for more floors in the house. I would like to ask you if it is worth waiting for OpenWrt support for WAX206 or if I should just buy another WAX202? Do I have great advantages of WAX206 instead of an WAX202? Is it at all sure that the device will get full support from OpenWrt?
What is your assessment? Thanks in advance for your help!

For me: yes to all :smiley: I bought the WAX202 the last summer but where now I get 600/650mbps at 10m and behind a wall, with the WAX202 I was reaching 300/350... (I retuned it to amazon and I kept the R7800). I don't know if now the realtek driver are way better, but for me there isn't comparison. WAX202 can cover just one room without walls.

Anyway it's already supported (not officially obviously), if you don't want to make your build I can share mine from last week (r21758).

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