Port to TP-Link RE200

moodyblue · May 11, 2021, 6:30pm

https://mauser.pt/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1667_2604_2607&products_id=096-6949

I've opened the RE200 plastic box. There are 4 small holes in the motherboard for GND / VCC / Tx / Rx (unlabelled). Using trial and error I've discovered which ones are assigned to GND / VCC (the ones that put RE200 leds blinking). I assumed the remaining ones are Tx / Rx (I've tried both combinations). I've used 3.3V for VCC. I did not try all possible options to discover GND / VCC, I simply stop at the first hit.

Yes

andyboeh · May 11, 2021, 6:48pm

Never, I repeat, NEVER ever connect VCC! This is causing your troubles and might have fried your USB-TTL converter (since it works without connection, it's probably still OK). You could've had a look at the Wiki for the Pinout: https://openwrt.org/_detail/media/tplink/re200/re200_serial.jpg?id=toh%3Atp-link%3Are200

As you can see, only RX, TX and GND are labelled (on purpose).

moodyblue · May 11, 2021, 7:17pm

Thanks. As the unit was not connected to 220V I thought it was necessary. Do you mean I should connect the RE200 to 220V and not use VCC ?

The V2.1 board is slightly different from the one you've posted.

andyboeh · May 11, 2021, 7:27pm

Ah OK, then you can't kill your dongle, at least.

I've never tried any other option, but be careful with the line voltage.
AFAIK, the VCC is there to power the TTL converter cable which was only necessary for older "real" RS232 converters that were not bus-powered. The Wiki https://openwrt.org/docs/techref/hardware/port.serial tells you the same regarding VCC.

The TTL connector is at the same location as on the v4, so it might be similar: https://openwrt.org/_detail/media/tplink/re200/re200-v4-mb.jpg?id=toh%3Atp-link%3Are200

moodyblue · May 11, 2021, 8:28pm

I've flashed dozens of IoT devices and never used their "normal" AC/DC input. I've always used GND / VCC internal connectors. Trying the opposite with the RE200 will be my first experience... Tomorrow I'll try it.

My RE200 blinks all leds when connected to mains, did you ever experience such a situation ?

andyboeh · May 11, 2021, 8:55pm

Yeah, that's different with low-power IoT devices like ESP-based devices. The converter provides enough power to even power the entire device.

For OpenWrt-based devices, the purpose of the serial console is to see the output of the device during normal operation and to interact with the bootloader, not primarily to flash it.

You can actually write directly to the flash chip, but you need an SOIC-8 clip to attach to the IC and an SPI flash programmer. Then you should never apply power to the device.

I don't think so, but I didn't use them for very long. It might be a boot loop, where the boot loader does not find a usable image and restarts.

moodyblue · May 12, 2021, 11:46am

Yes it was. Now I can connect to the RE200 via serial, but the device is not yet recovered.

Independently of the bin file that I load with TFTP and option 2 (OpenWrt or TP-Link) it says that checksum is invalid. The bin file loads but when the RE200 reboots it goes into a boot loop.

The checksum problem is mentioned here but as I use a Windows PC it's not easy to follow those instructions. It would be great if someone PM me a processed bin to be flashed in the RE200 V2.

999cgm · May 13, 2021, 5:34am

Please post the boot log from serial console. For openwrt you need the squashfs image (to write into flash ).For OEM I think it needs to be "fixed" first before flashing.

moodyblue · May 13, 2021, 10:26am

Here is the log

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04000C0C][04000C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3

You choosed 2
                                                                              0


2: System Load Linux Kernel then write to Flash via TFTP.
 Warning!! Erase Linux in Flash then burn new one. Are you sure?(Y/N)
 Please Input new ones /or Ctrl-C to discard
        Input device IP (192.168.0.254) ==:192.168.0.254
        Input server IP (192.168.0.184) ==:192.168.0.184
        Input Linux Kernel filename () ==:test.bin

 NetTxPacket = 0x83FE66C0

 KSEG1ADDR(NetTxPacket) = 0xA3FE66C0

 NetLoop,call eth_halt !

 NetLoop,call eth_init !
Trying Eth0 (10/100-M)

 Waitting for RX_DMA_BUSY status Start... done


 ETH_STATE_ACTIVE!!
TFTP from server 192.168.0.184; our IP address is 192.168.0.254
Filename 'test.bin'.

 TIMEOUT_COUNT=10,Load address: 0x82000000
Loading: checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
T Got ARP REPLY, set server/gtwy eth addr (e8:6a:64:4f:a9:19)
Got it
#################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################Got ARP REQUEST, return our IP
################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         ##############################
done
Bytes transferred = 5140533 (4e7035 hex)
LoadAddr=82000000 NetBootFileXferSize= 004e7035
..............................................................................
..............................................................................
.
.
Done!
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:32768

 ##### The CPU freq = 580 MHZ ####
 estimate memory size =64 Mbytes
RESET MT7628 PHY!!!!!!

Please choose the operation:
   1: Load system code to SDRAM via TFTP.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
   4: Entr boot command line interface.
   7: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via Serial.
   9: Load Boot Loader code then write to Flash via TFTP.
default: 3                                                                    0

3: System Boot system code via Flash.
gpioMode1 Reg: 0x571504c4
gpioMode2 Reg: 0x5550555
tplink_turn_off_led
## Booting image at bc020000 ...
text base: ffffffff
entry point: ffffffff
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... LZMA ERROR 1 - must RESET board to recover
cid reg:00010102, cid:1[04010C0C][04010C0E]
DDR Calibration DQS reg = 00008786

DDR Calibration MEMCTRL reg = 0E120003


U-Boot 1.1.3 (Nov 13 2018 - 09:24:31)

Board: Ralink APSoC DRAM:  64 MB
relocate_code Pointer at: 83fb8000
Use New Uboot
Use New Uboot patch lock_dcache addiu $12, 0x1000
******************************
Software System Reset Occurred
******************************
flash manufacture id: c8, device id 40 17
find flash: GD25Q64B
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

============================================
Ralink UBoot Version: 5.0.0.0
--------------------------------------------
ASIC 7628_MP (Port5<->None)
DRAM component: 512 Mbits DDR, width 16
DRAM bus: 16 bit
Total memory: 64 MBytes
Flash component: SPI Flash
Date:Nov 13 2018  Time:09:24:31
============================================
icache: sets:512, ways:4, linesz:32 ,total:65536
dcache: sets:256, ways:4, li

This is is the link of the OpenWrt bin that I've tried to load. I've checked its sha256 and it's ok.

999cgm · May 13, 2021, 11:53am

You can not tftp or write from bootloader that image(squashfs-factory). That is to be flashed from OEM webinterface.

to TFTP from bootloader try initramfs-kernel image. Try that first..

To flash from bootloader use squashfs-sysupgrade image.

moodyblue · May 13, 2021, 12:35pm

Tried with bootloader and failed.

Success. Thank you very much.

Now I have 20.02.RC1 up and running. When a new version is announced should I use its sysupgrade image to install via Luci ?

999cgm · May 13, 2021, 3:33pm

Yes, sysupgrade file is what you need to use from openwrt (or bootloader).
Weird that TFTP did not work.

moodyblue · May 13, 2021, 5:45pm

I've used boot loader's option 2 and never tried tftp from the command line.

cichy63 · May 19, 2021, 5:02am

Congrats on recovering your device. So at the end you use 21.02rc1? So is it possibile to upgrade from 19.07? What went wrong first time?

moodyblue · May 19, 2021, 9:05am

Yes

I'm a newbie and not the right guy to ask. I've read in this forum that upgrade from 19.07 to 21.02 is not 100% automated

I've used Luci and the v2-squashfs-factory image instead of v2-squashfs-sysupgrade

cichy63 · May 29, 2021, 7:26pm

Hi All,

I decided to give a chance and update to 21.02rc1.Update went smooth. I have V3 and see no difference in work (unfortunately) vs 19.07. Problem is i have 2x Netgear 6220 and 1x RE200. All set up to have fast roaming. Switching between netgears is really seamless. Most of the times i don't loose even 1 ping. But with RE200 is somehow different. I loose abaout 11-12 ping when going from Netgear to TP-Link range. Looks like after switching my wifi on smartphone is freezed and need few seconds to get connection set up. Do you have some idea what i could check i this case to get reall smooth roaming simillar as i have between two Netgars switches?

calebfn · June 11, 2021, 8:32pm

Hello everyone, I have a Firmware Version: 3.14.2 Build 171205 Rel.57551n Hardware Version: RE200 v1 00000000
I would like to test the openwrt rom on my RE200, but to create the image the application says "Downloads will be provided once a stable OpenWrt image is available. Until then, you need to create the image by hand."
If I try to create the image manually the official page of the device says: "Then, the Header MD5sum1 needs to be fixed. You can use mktplinkfw -i stock_upgrade.bin"
Where can i get that mktplinkfw
Thank you very much and sorry for my English, I used Google Translate

frollic · June 11, 2021, 9:30pm

Tried Google?

calebfn · June 11, 2021, 10:00pm

Hi thanks for the reply, yes I found a GitHub project and I don't know how to use that, also these: Checksum Must Be Recalculated By Using mktplinkfw tool, I would try later but it's safe for use??
Sorry I'm new on this

calebfn · June 11, 2021, 10:52pm

I tried the Chinese application and it didn't work for me, I'm sure I'm using it wrong, but I think it's getting a lot complicated for me, I'd better wait for them to release a stable image one day, thank s