Support for TP-link Archer C2300

For Developers
21

I downloaded the C2300 source code and tried to build without success. My knowledge in such build environments is very limited, but apparently the binary files for the Broadcom drivers are missing from the source code released by TP-Link (and since the drivers are closed source obviously the source code is not included).

22

It was too good to be true.
Hopefully we can get some support from the openwrt community.

23

I ordered Archer C2300 and received it just yesterday! :slight_smile:

25

@rmilecki any news in this? It's a device wich i really like to See supported.

26

@rmilecki, I saw you made a commit earlier this year about supporting Archer 2300 v1 (here).

Have you made any additional progress so far? I have a C2300 v1 and I would be willing to test (and use!) OpenWRT on this device.

Thanks!

27

I've noticed that Netgear R8000P has been added to the official OpenWRT builds starting 21.02.0:

Per wikidevi Archer C2300 v1 has exactly the same hardware as Netgear R8000P:

  • SoC Broadcom BCM4906 (1.8 GHz, 2 cores) [ARM]
  • 128 MiB Flash
  • 512 MiB RAM
  • 2 USB Ports
  • Wi-Fi an/ac: BCM4365E 3x3
  • Wi-Fi bgn: BCM4360 3x3
  • EHT Switch: BCM4906

So, since Netgear R8000P is already supported by OpenWRT, I understand that supporting Archer C2300 v1 is possible. Unfortunately my dev skills are very limited, so I really cannot contribute to the work that @rmilecki has started.

On the other hand I have an Archer C2300 v1 not being used (since TP-Link abandoned it), and I would be willing to test OpenWRT on this device.

28

Not quite exactly, the unsupported 2.4 GHz radio makes a world of a difference.

29

Do you mean that 2.4Ghz radio is not working with OpenWRT on Netgear R8000P?

30

I'm saying it's not going to work (BCM4360, unsupported (well, b43) softmac chipset) on the Archer C2300 v1, the Netgear R8000P is fine (all BCM4365E --> brcmfmac).

--
That doesn't mean you can't get the rest of the device working, but without 2.4 GHz support, it's hardly worth the effort.

31

You can use the BCM4360 I believe with the sta driver, but do sta drivers work in Open WRT?

32

No.

--
As the name implies, STA := client mode only, it doesn't contain the functionality to be used in AP mode.
These drivers you're talking about exclusively exist pre-compiled for x86/ x86_64, they are not available for MIPS or ARM, in other words - they don't exist for routers like these at all.

33

Guys, there's 2 new firmware available for the C2300 v1 !!
I stopped to check as my router is now only use as an AP due to the big lack of features and updates it's suffering, but, the joke, on 2022-04-06 they publicly released
Archer C2300(US)_V1_210705 build on july 2021, they really don't hurry to update their customer's products..
https://static.tp-link.com/upload/firmware/2022/202204/20220406/Archer C2300(US)_V1_210705.zip
Published Date: 2022-04-06 Language: Multi-language File Size: 39.57 MB
Bug Fixed:

  1. Fixed some Wi-Fi vulnerabilities;
  2. Enhanced the system stability and security.

and on 2022-01-18 they gave an update built on january 2022... they released to public the older build later than the newest.. WTF ^^
|Archer C2300(US)_V1_220114|[Download](https://static.tp-link.com/upload/firmware/2022/202201/20220118/Archer C2300(US)_V1_220114.zip)|
|Published Date: 2022-01-18|Language: English|File Size: 38.90 MB|
|Release note：
Fixed a NetUSB-protocol vulnerability.|

I also had a look to the GPL code provided,

for a curious reason, the v1 code is 2 time larger than the v2, could it means they finally included broadcom drivers we were missing ?
|Model Number|Version|File Size|File Download|

|Archer C2300|V1|664.71MB|Download|
|Archer C2300|V2|327.01MB|Download|

Does a 6mg file named wl.ko in /lib/tp/ could be the missing driver ?

34

You'd have better odds at the national lottery...

35

Even if they did:

  • You'd have to make them work with the much more recent kernels OpenWrt uses;
  • They'd have to be licensed permissively enough for OpenWrt to include them.

I don't see either happening soon.

36

Hey guys! I know it is an old thread, but I managed to port OpenWrt to my old TP-Link Archer c2300 v1. If you are willing to help me test it - contact me. WiFi is not working as mentioned above, already, but everything else works

37

On Github?

38

here, pushed to github - https://github.com/T01iK/openwrt/tree/bcm4908-archer-c2300-v1
Clauded my way trough the process (I am more of a software engineer rather than linux/hardware engineer, so please no judgment in using Claude here)
Also managed to get Wi-Fi 5GHz working, 2,4 is not - does not have a suitable open source driver.

How to flash:
Option A - connect to serial as described here
then connect to any LAN port, set 192.168.1.100 (mask 255.255.255.0), boot TFTP server with firmware in its directory. During boot press any key (enter or space for example) to get to CFE.
use command w <firmware_filename>.bin. It should connect to 192.168.1.100 and get the firmware using TFTP server

Option B - use TFTP recovery
boot holding reset button. Router boots CFE to recovery and tries to get recovery firmware from TFTP server on 192.168.0.66 using filename ArcherC2300v1_tp_recovery.bin

39

I pushed changes and removed NAND ECC patches. Worth noting that it is preferable to flash this router using TFTP Recovery method.

Why? Because something probes at boot if serial is attached (only TX on router to be precise) and changes the Boot Strap Register to have nand-ecc-strength set to 8. Without serial attached at boot nand-ecc-strength = 4.
Here's how to check it:

  • Plug serial, push power on button on router and view logs
Base: 5.2_02HNDrc7
CFE version 1.0.38-161.122 for BCM94908 (64bit,SP,LE)
Build Date: Fri Aug 10 15:39:58 CST 2018 (jenkins@ubuntu)
Copyright (C) 2000-2015 Broadcom Corporation.

Boot Strap Register:  0x6fc43
  • 43 in the end means nand-ecc-strength set to 8 (also you will probably see a lot of ECC errors)
  • Now unplug from routers TX, turn it on and immediately plug TX back.
  • You should see this now:
    Boot Strap Register: 0x6fc42

This gave me a lot of headache during porting and mislead me and Claude into writing ECC patches. Note - this serial probe check happens only on full power cycle (e.g. pushing power on\off button, plugging\unplugging power cord). You can power on your router, than attach to TX and it will be fine - you will get 0x6fc42 even if you type reboot in OS, or reset in CFE, until you completely power off your router.

So you can flash you router using serial, but you should only connect serial after powering device on. TFTP Recovery method is safer since it does not require serial, but you won't see logs.