Porting to ZyXEL NWA50AX

For Developers
1

Hello, I'm interested in porting OpenWRT to the ZyXEL NWA50AX (after breaking the stock firmware by following their factory reset instructions :/)

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to building for OpenWRT so please don't hound me for silly mistakes :stuck_out_tongue: .

Main SOC: Mediatek MT7621AT
WiFi: Mediatek MT7975DAN/MT7975DN
NAND: 128MB Macronix MX30LF1G28AD-TI
RAM: 128MB Nanya NT5CC128M16JR-EK DDR3 933

Currently, I've been using the externally exposed console header to poke around.

I haven't been able to get as much information however, because ZyXEL decided to replace Busybox with their own custom ZySH which only comes with configuration commands. I have sent for a copy of their open source code, which I hope, like other ZyXEL routers will let me replace the ZySH binary with a symlink to Busybox.

Stock FW flash & boot 
U-Boot SPL 2018.09 (Jan 22 2021 - 07:42:43 +0000)
Trying to boot from NAND

Initializing NMBM ...
Signature found at block 1023 [0x07fe0000]
First info table with writecount 0 found in block 960
Second info table with writecount 0 found in block 963
NMBM has been successfully attached


U-Boot 2018.09 (Jan 22 2021 - 07:42:43 +0000)

CPU:   MediaTek MT7621AT ver 1, eco 3
Clocks: CPU: 880MHz, DDR: 600MHz (1200MT/s), Bus: 220MHz, XTAL: 40MHz
Model: MediaTek MT7621 reference board (NAND)
DRAM:  256 MiB
NAND:  128 MiB

Initializing NMBM ...
Signature found at block 1023 [0x07fe0000]
First info table with writecount 0 found in block 960
Second info table with writecount 0 found in block 963
NMBM has been successfully attached

Loading Environment from NMBM... *** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

In:    uartlite0@1e000c00
Out:   uartlite0@1e000c00
Err:   uartlite0@1e000c00
Net:   
Warning: eth@1e100000 (eth0) using random MAC address - fa:26:d7:78:e2:6c
eth0: eth@1e100000
Reading from 0x7700000, size 0x20000
Succeeded
Zyxel version:V1.03
gpio: pin 6 (gpio 6) value is 1
gpio: pin 24 (gpio 24) value is 0
gpio: pin 24 (gpio 24) value is 1
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0 
=> help     
Unknown command 'help' - try 'help'
=> help
Unknown command 'help' - try 'help'
=> ?
?       - alias for 'help'
at      - print OK
atds    - show dual image info
atgo    - boot
athe    - show available commands
atna    - set board IP for tftp
atnf    - set filename for tftp
atns    - set server IP for tftp
atnz    - do firmware update via tftp
atsh    - dump Manufacturer Related Data (MRD)
atsr    - reboot
=> atsh
Vendor name           : Zyxel Communications Corp.
Product model         : NWA50AX
System type           : 10
MAC address           : b8eca3dcxxxx
Default country code  : ed
Boot module debug flag: 0
Hardware version      : Zyxel NWA50AX MT7621
Serial number         : xxx
SNMP MIB level & OID  : xxx
Main feature bit      : 0
Other feature bits    : e1 6b 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 88 00 00 00 00 00
                        03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
MRD recovery flag     : 0
=> atds
Image0 status           :success
Image1 status           :success
Boot Image              :Image0
=> athe
?       - alias for 'help'
at      - print OK
atds    - show dual image info
atgo    - boot
athe    - show available commands
atna    - set board IP for tftp
atnf    - set filename for tftp
atns    - set server IP for tftp
atnz    - do firmware update via tftp
atsh    - dump Manufacturer Related Data (MRD)
atsr    - reboot
=> atna 192.168.1.3
=> atnf 625ABYW10C0.bin
=> atns 192.168.3.1 
=> atnz
Using eth@1e100000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.3.1; our IP address is 192.168.1.3
Filename '625ABYW10C0.bin'.
Load address: 0x83000000
Loading: ## Warning: gatewayip needed but not set
#################################################################
         #################################################################
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         #################################################################
         ########
         8.5 MiB/s
done
Bytes transferred = 28734029 (1b6724d hex)
## Executing script at 83000000
sha256+  
Flashing Bootloader:                    [  skipped!  ]
Flashing u-boot-env:                    [  skipped!  ]
Flashing firmware:                      [    done    ]
Flashing firmware_1:                    [    done    ]
Flashing rootfs_data:                   [  skipped!  ]
Flashing logs:                          [  skipped!  ]
Flashing myzyxel:                       [  skipped!  ]
Flashing bootconfig:                    [  skipped!  ]
Flashing mrd:                           [  skipped!  ]
=> atgo
Loading FIT image at offset 0x180000 to memory 0x83000000, size 0x388d90 ...
Automatic boot of image at addr 0x83000000 ...
## Loading kernel from FIT Image at 83000000 ...
   Using 'config@1' configuration
   Trying 'kernel@1' kernel subimage
     Description:  MIPS OpenWrt Linux-4.4.198
     Type:         Kernel Image
     Compression:  lzma compressed
     Data Start:   0x830000e4
     Data Size:    3692204 Bytes = 3.5 MiB
     Architecture: MIPS
     OS:           Linux
     Load Address: 0x81001000
     Entry Point:  0x81001000
     Hash algo:    crc32
     Hash value:   17e52f98
     Hash algo:    sha1
     Hash value:   e5234a83798af59a0f3da667443a705ec30f7bba
   Verifying Hash Integrity ... crc32+ sha1+ OK
## Loading fdt from FIT Image at 83000000 ...
   Using 'config@1' configuration
   Trying 'fdt@1' fdt subimage
     Description:  MIPS OpenWrt mt7621-rfb-ax-nmbm device tree blob
     Type:         Flat Device Tree
     Compression:  uncompressed
     Data Start:   0x833858d4
     Data Size:    12690 Bytes = 12.4 KiB
     Architecture: MIPS
     Hash algo:    crc32
     Hash value:   22dfdc4b
     Hash algo:    sha1
     Hash value:   1d76e5da661e6d2a8eafb4175232705f43e4132c
   Verifying Hash Integrity ... crc32+ sha1+ OK
   Booting using the fdt blob at 0x833858d4
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... OK
   Loading Device Tree to 8fe67000, end 8fe6d191 ... OK
[    0.000000] Linux version 4.4.198 (jenkins@TWPCNT01055-95) (gcc version 5.4.0 (LEDE GCC 5.4.0 r48+2-a5857a0e) ) #0 SMP Thu Jun 16 17:53:32 UTC 2022
[    0.000000] SoC Type: MediaTek MT7621 ver:1 eco:3
[    0.000000] bootconsole [early0] enabled
[    0.000000] CPU0 revision is: 0001992f (MIPS 1004Kc)
[    0.000000] MIPS: machine is MediaTek MT7621 RFB (802.11ax, NAND with NMBM)
[    0.000000] Determined physical RAM map:
[    0.000000]  memory: 10000000 @ 00000000 (usable)
[    0.000000] CPU Clock: 1000MHz

Got LINK_CHANGE
Port [0] Copper is up --> Group [0] is up
Start EnterpriseWLAN system daemon....
........................
Got LINK_CHANGE
Port [0] Copper is down --> Group [0] is down
.......................................Applying system configuration file, please wait...
................................................. 
Got LINK_CHANGE
Port [0] Copper is up --> Group [0] is up
ifanme=br0
ifanme=br0
................................EnterpriseWLAN system is configured successfully with startup-config.conf
netopeer-server start

Welcome to NWA50AX

Username: admin
Password: 
Router> reboot
% EnterpriseWLAN is going to reboot!

I tried adding a target for this device using the limited information I do know, however I'm clearly doing something wrong as it doesn't boot.

target/linux/ramips/dts/mt_7621_zyxel_nwa50ax.dts 
// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later OR MIT

#include "mt7621.dtsi"

#include <dt-bindings/gpio/gpio.h>
#include <dt-bindings/input/input.h>

/ {
	compatible = "zyxel,nwa50ax", "mediatek,mt7621-soc";
	model = "ZyXEL NWA50AX";

	//aliases {
	//	led-boot = &led_sys;
	//	led-failsafe = &led_sys;
	//	led-running = &led_sys;
	//	led-upgrade = &led_sys;
	//	label-mac-device = &gmac0;
	//};

	chosen {
		stdout-path = "serial0:115200n8";
		bootargs = "console=ttyS0,115200n8";
	};
/*
	leds {
		compatible = "gpio-leds";

		led_sys: sys {
			label = "blue:sys";
			gpios = <&gpio 18 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>;
		};
	};

	keys {
		compatible = "gpio-keys";

		reset {
			label = "reset";
			gpios = <&gpio 4 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>;
			debounce-interval = <60>;
			linux,code = <KEY_RESTART>;
		};
	};*/
};

&nand {
	status = "okay";

	partitions {
		compatible = "fixed-partitions";
		#address-cells = <1>;
		#size-cells = <1>;

		partition@0 {
			label = "Bootloader";
			reg = <0x0 0x80000>;
			read-only;
		};

		partition@80000 {
			label = "Config";
			reg = <0x80000 0x80000>;
		};

		factory: partition@100000 {
			label = "Factory";
			reg = <0x100000 0x80000>;
			read-only;
		};

		partition@180000 {
			label = "kernel";
			reg = <0x180000 0x400000>;
		};

		ubiconcat0: partition@580000 {
			label = "ubiconcat0";
			reg = <0x580000 0x1c00000>;
		};

		partition@2180000 {
			label = "firmware_backup";
			reg = <0x2180000 0x2000000>;
		};

		partition@4180000 {
			label = "rootfs_data_back";
			reg = <0x4180000 0x80000>;
			read-only;
		};

		partition@4200000 {
			label = "nvram_config";
			reg = <0x4200000 0x80000>;
			read-only;
		};

		ubiconcat1: partition@4280000 {
			label = "ubiconcat1";
			reg = <0x4280000 0x3d00000>;
		};

		/*
		 * last 512 KiB are for the bad block table
		 */
	};
};


&pcie {
	status = "okay";
};

&pcie1 {
	wifi@0,0 {
		compatible = "mediatek,mt76";
		reg = <0x0000 0 0 0 0>;
		mediatek,mtd-eeprom = <&factory 0x0000>;
	};
};

/*&gmac0 {
	nvmem-cells = <&macaddr_factory_e000>;
	nvmem-cell-names = "mac-address";
};*/

&switch0 {
	ports {
		port@0 {
			status = "okay";
			label = "wan";
			/*nvmem-cells = <&macaddr_factory_e006>;
			nvmem-cell-names = "mac-address";*/
		};
	};
};

&state_default {
	gpio {
		groups = "i2c", "wdt";
		function = "gpio";
	};
};
/*
&factory {
	compatible = "nvmem-cells";
	#address-cells = <1>;
	#size-cells = <1>;

	macaddr_factory_e000: macaddr@e000 {
		reg = <0xe000 0x6>;
	};

	macaddr_factory_e006: macaddr@e006 {
		reg = <0xe006 0x6>;
	};
};
*/
target/linux/ramips/image 
define Device/zyxel_nwa50ax
  $(Device/dsa-migration)
  BLOCKSIZE := 128k
  PAGESIZE := 2048
  KERNEL_SIZE := 4096k
  UBINIZE_OPTS := -E 5
  IMAGE_SIZE := 32448k
  DEVICE_VENDOR := ZyXEL
  DEVICE_MODEL := NWA50AX
  DEVICE_PACKAGES := kmod-mt7915e
  KERNEL := $(KERNEL_DTB) | uImage lzma | uimage-padhdr 160
  IMAGE/sysupgrade.bin := sysupgrade-tar | append-metadata

endef
TARGET_DEVICES += zyxel_nwa50ax
Error 
=> atnz
Using eth@1e100000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.3.1; our IP address is 192.168.1.3
Filename 'openwrt-ramips-mt7621-zyxel_nwa50ax-initramfs-kernel.bin'.
Load address: 0x83000000
Loading: ## Warning: gatewayip needed but not set
#################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #########
         10 MiB/s
done
Bytes transferred = 5849329 (5940f1 hex)
## Executing script at 83000000
Bad header crc
=> atna 192.168.1.3
=> atns 192.168.3.1
=> atnf openwrt-ramips-mt7621-zyxel_nwa50ax-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
=> atnz
Using eth@1e100000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.3.1; our IP address is 192.168.1.3
Filename 'openwrt-ramips-mt7621-zyxel_nwa50ax-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin'.
Load address: 0x83000000
Loading: ## Warning: gatewayip needed but not set
#################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         ##################
         8.7 MiB/s
done
Bytes transferred = 5981237 (5b4435 hex)
## Executing script at 83000000
Wrong image format for "source" command
2

I've added support for this particular board a while back (see my staging tree), just did not yet came around to push it to master.

https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/staging/blocktrron.git;a=summary

1 Like
3

It's great to hear that there's been work on this device, I wasn't aware of it before creating this thread. I did build this and install it on my device, however I wasn't able to get LuCI working (I don't trust myself with the command line for much over the basics) so I wasn't able to test much other than it being able to connect to the network.

4

Master has LuCI disabled by default, so if you compile yourself you need to enable it manually.

5

I did try to enable it (opkg install didn't work, wasn't in menuconfig and trying to use the imagebuilder failed installing luci, kmod-mt7915e & uboot-envtools)

Does anyone reckon I should go and make a deviceinfo page for this device as there seems to be at least, some, developer interest

6

Any device that gets ported by a developer is a device worth buying, often. Except when it's Broadcom :wink:.

1 Like
7

I noticed WiFi isn't working on this version? Is this to be expected or is there an issue. I did manually try and enable the mt7621 driver in menuconfig but still no dice

EDIT: It would help to install the right (kmod-mt7915e) driver.

Here are my built images

8

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