Stock firmware of wrt3200acm on wrt32x

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello,
first of all, thank you for everything that the community is doing all these years to provide this great software.

I did some research as I want to turn my wrt32x in to wrt3200acm.
Going to use the UART-USB adapter and to change the flash layout so it can become the one used in wrt3200acm, set all env parameters and finally "run update_both_images"

My question is:
Can I use the firmware for wrt3200acm provided by linksys (https://www.linksys.com/ca/support-article?articleNum=207552),
and if not, where can I get the wrt3200acm full factory image to use with the procedure above?

2

thread from back when people were doing this before the venom was supported OOTB.

3

Hello anomeome,
thank you for the wreply. The thread you mentioned and this one is what I was reading preparing to do the procedure.
Can you please explain to me or point me to some source to read how venom replaced these procedures? What is venom and what's the advantage to have it OOTB ?

4

wrt32x == venom, there is an image to to just flash that device directly; or, I don't know why you want to take the long way around the tree, but that is up to you.

5

It's because with my knowledge (a limited one yet) I wanted to achieve a fully identical to wrt3200ACM and only the box will be different color.
Does venom change the flash layout to be like the one in wrt3200acm?
And more importantly, does it provide the same/better functionality like 3200acm, especially do we have for example MU-MIMO working on venom?

6

Functionality is identical, as the devices are pretty much identical, the venom image keeps the device layout, it is just meant for the venom rather than the rango. They both use the same mwlwifi, which does not support MU-MIMO, and I doubt that it ever will as upstream development has apparently died a horrible death.

7

OK but then, does 3200ACM and 32X support MU-MIMO out of the box on stock firmware? If yes how come? Proprietary drivers? And if yes, isn't it worth it to want to go to the stock FW of 3200ACM on 32X?

And let's say I install venom (which is OpenWRT using the X32 layout), can I then upgrade it with the firmware provided by linksys for WRT3200ACM here? Assuming it's sysupgrade is it going to just "upgrade" the venom and ignore the fact that the layout is the one of 32X?

If I'm mismatching or wrongly using some terminology or concepts please excuse me and correct me. I'm still learning.

8

OEM does support MU-MIMO apparently, if you want/need it than best to stick with OEM.

Doubt it, they have different layouts, but I really don't understand what you expect to gain by doing so, the devices are the same. As far as I know regarding the OEM SW is that the venom offers the special extra use a proprietary client card to speed things up. But, I only used OEM long enough to flash away from it, so really do not know.

9

Yep, and I wanted to have the wrt3200acm OEM on 32x. That's where the discussion started.
So if I change the layout of my 32X to be like the one of 3200ACM, then I will need the correct image to use with "run update_both_images".

And the question, if the image provided by linksys here can not be used because it's sysupgrade and not a flat image. Where I can get the right one to use?

And then, if such one is not available, having the layout of wrt3200ACM on my 32x, can I use an openwrt flat image for wrt3200acm, and then via the web interface upgrade to the one provided by linksys for wrt3200acm.

10

@nikiangel, welcome to the community!

Since your question is about stock firmware (unrelated to OpenWrt), shouldn't you ask on the Linksys support site?

11

Hello,
it's mixed. And I hope that someone already familiar can answer.
For example, what will happen if we have a wrt3200acm with openwrt on both partitions, and then we upgrade with the fw provided by linksys (link above).

1 Like
12

Hi,
I am curious, has anyone been successful in flashing WRT32000ACM firmware onto WRT32X hardware?

13

Has anyone been successful in flashing WRT32000ACM firmware onto WRT32X hardware ???

14

Yes, i did. Running it for 3 years now. Works really like a WRT3200ACM. Going to get a 2nd hand like new WRT32X this evening with original SW, going to convert that to WRT3200ACM too, with new VPN certificates

1 Like
15

Can you please explain how did you flash your WRT32X to be WRT3200ACM?
Do you have a flat image of WRT3200ACM wich you flash via serial cable in U-boot?
I am asking this because I changed the layout to be a WRT3200ACM on my WRT32X but when I am flashing via serial cable in U-boot the full factory firmware of OpenWRT for WRT3200ACM (I don't have a flat firmware for WRT3200ACM) it fails to work.

16

If you came this far, and already knowing how to use TFTPD and PUTTY on serial i can be brief. These would have to be enough to help you out:

UBoot FW; you'l need the 1.0.0 if you want it to be a WRT3200ACM:
http://www.protechs-online.com/downloads/McDebian/u-boot-recovery/

setenv ipaddr 192.168.1.1
setenv serverip 192.168.1.2
tftp 2000000 WRT3200ACM_uboot_1.0.0.bin
nand erase 0 200000
nand write 2000000 0 200000
reset

(After this you'll get the "MARVEL" prompt)

Download the original stock image and rename it to "rango.img" https://downloads.linksys.com/support/assets/firmware/FW_WRT3200ACM_1.0.8.199531_prod.img

setup TFTPD on your pc with "rango.img" and IP 192.168.1.2

setenv ipaddr 192.168.1.1
setenv serverip 192.168.1.2
setenv imageName rango.img
setenv priKernAddr 0x0a00000 
setenv altKernAddr 0x5a00000 
setenv altFwSize 0x5000000 
setenv priFwSize 0x5000000 
save 
run update_both_images 
boot

It is always a good thing to reset your environment to default so all the variables are changed to the WRT3200ACM ones...

in uboot:

env default -a
reset

And a few extra links, where i got this information from. Maybe there's more info that you need.
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=322210&start=0&sid=c3495312b89ac8b3cb4331ae06ea2702

2 Likes
17

why run stock wrt3200 acm firmware on wrt32xx? i'm missing something?
i have a wrt3200 acm.

18

Thank you so much for the fast reply, it totally makes sense, I'll give it another try when I get home tonight.

19

Let's say you have 2 WRT32X and you want to connect them in your local network via WiFi.
What can you do? You only have WPS. Anyway that was my problem and WRT3200ACM has repeater function.

20

Make a new thread for your topic to inquire.