Successfully flashed TP-Link Archer A7 v5.0

[adambuchbinder]

Since there seems to be some confusion about how easy it is to install OpenWrt on a TP-Link Archer A7, I wanted to share my experience here.

I successfully flashed a refurbished TP-Link Archer A7 v5.0 using openwrt-21.02.3-ath79-generic-tplink_archer-a7-v5-squashfs-factory.bin. I'm in the US region. Here's the view from the initial firmware:

For readability, that was running firmware "1.0.15 Build 20200721 rel.40773(5553)". The "Latest Version" is likely incorrect, as it wasn't connected to the internet when I took this screenshot.

I used the "Manual Upgrade" option, uploaded the above-mentioned firmware file, waited a little while, and the router is not running OpenWrt. Perfectly smooth experience.

[adambuchbinder]

@adambuchbinder

the router is not running OpenWrt

That should be "the router is now running OpenWrt", pardon me.

[varungupta]

Hey @adambuchbinder
I'm planning to purchase the Archer A7 router too and install OpenWrt on it. How has your experience so far been? Some youtube comments mentioned that it frequently disconnects?
Please share if you have got other router recommendation in the same price bracket as well.

Thanks

[tmomas]

@varungupta

frequently disconnects?
Please share if you have got other router recommendation in the same price bracket as well.

For hardware recommendations please open a new topic in the Hardware Questions and Recommendations category of this forum.

Please see https://openwrt.org/faq/which_router_should_i_buy before asking for recommendations. This way you will get better recommendations and come to a quicker solution.

Thanks!