Tenda AC10 - Where to start?

For Developers
1

I have bought a Tenda AC10 - cheapest WiFi AC router I could find with Gigabit ports - unless anyone can find cheaper?

The router has easy serial output access and I have soldered some headers.
Worked out GND and TX, not sure on RX and 3V3 yet.

My specs seem to be different to the ones listed here - https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Tenda_AC10
CPU covered by heatsink - yet to remove
Switch? - RTL8367RB
WiFi - RTL8812BRH
RAM - 64MB
Flash - 8MB

I can provide full serial log.
Much chance of any support for this router?

First 50 lines of boot output

Booting...
init_ram
 00000102 W init ddr ok

DRAM Type: DDR2
	DRAM frequency: 533MHz
	DRAM Size: 64MB
JEDEC id EF4017, EXT id 0x0000
found w25q64
flash vendor: Winbond
w25q64, size=8MB, erasesize=64KB, max_speed_hz=29000000Hz
auto_mode=0 addr_width=3 erase_opcode=0x000000d8
=>CPU Wake-up interrupt happen! GISR=89000004 
 
---Realtek RTL8197F boot code at 2017.07.27-09:11+0800 v3.4.11B.9 (999MHz)
Mac addr:b0-df-c1-1f-39-00
lan_wan_isolation Initing...
config: lan port mask is 0x000000f7
config: wan port mask is 0x000000e8
lan_wan_isolation Initing has been completed.
lan_wan_isolation Initing...
config: lan port mask is 0x000000f7
config: wan port mask is 0x000000e8
lan_wan_isolation Initing has been completed.
wait for upgrage
port[0] link:down
port[1] link:down
port[2] link:up
port[3] link:down
port[4] link:down
irq:0x00008480
Jump to image start=0x80a00000...
decompressing kernel:
Uncompressing Linux... done, booting the kernel.
done decompressing kernel.
start address: 0x80469020
Linux version 3.10.90 (root@linux-bkb8) (gcc version 4.4.7 (Realtek MSDK-4.4.7 Build 2001) ) #4 Wed Sep 6 18:02:20 CST 2017
bootconsole [early0] enabled
CPU revision is: 00019385 (MIPS 24Kc)
Determined physical RAM map:
 memory: 04000000 @ 00000000 (usable)
Zone ranges:
  Normal   [mem 0x00000000-0x03ffffff]
Movable zone start for each node
Early memory node ranges
  node   0: [mem 0x00000000-0x03ffffff]
Primary instruction cache 64kB, VIPT, 4-way, linesize 32 bytes.
Primary data cache 32kB, 4-way, PIPT, no aliases, linesize 32 bytes
Built 1 zonelists in Zone order, mobility grouping on.  Total pages: 16256
2

Not likely, since it uses a Realtek chip.

No support for any Realtek device.

3

Try Mi Router 3G extremely powerfull device with Gigabit LAN ports.

4

Looks like someone is working on it

I was also looking at the router, so did anyone try this ?

5

Hey, Could you figure about how to install it ?

6

I am quite new to this.

I Have a router - Tenda AC 10, it's good in performance, but lacks certain settings in Vlans, and doesn't allow static routing to subnets /32 but only to /24 .So I wanted a custom Router Firmware

I wanted to ask if I can flash a different router's firmware on this router....because of similarities in CPU, 2.4Ghz, switch, and 5Ghz ICs.

https://www.tendacn.com/product/ac10.html - official website
http://en.techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Tenda_AC10 - Other website -
showing which CPU & Wireless module it uses which are
Realtek RTL8197FS ( CPU,2.4G, Ethernet switch combo )
Realtek RTL8812BRH ( 5G )

OpenWrt officially has a firmware for Tenda AC 9

http://en.techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Tenda_AC9_v3 - Other website
which has same CPU, 2.4G module, and 5Ghz module
Realtek RTL8197FS - (CPU, 2.4G & Ethernet switch combo)
Realtek RTL8812BRH - 5Ghz

The amount of RAM is also same - 128 MB

The only difference is Flash rom size (model no.s from above website )
my router has 8MB Flash - Winbond W25Q64VSIG
and the other one has 16MB Flash - Winbond W25Q128JVSQ

**The Openwrt firmware for AC9 is around 6MBs ( not above 8MB )

So, is there any likelihood that this will work ?

Also Here is a project in development for my Router Tenda AC 10, but I am again new to this https://github.com/vladisslav2011/openwrt-AC10, but I am unable to figure out its installation

Or Can I create a custom build from AC9's firmware

Thanks
Aditya

7

You shouldn't flash it, even if the hw's similar/same, there might be changes in flash layout (obviously, due to different sizes), and configuration.

You'll need serial console access to continue this journey.

There's also this https://openwrt.org/supported_devices/864_warning

1 Like
8

Here is how:

Instead of downloading from git.openwrt.org you download from this vladisslav2011.

1 Like
9

Sure, Thanks ! then won't try it right now

10

Ohh, so it is one and the same. Thanks.

11

What is one and the same? You still need to use a different source for the source code you want to compile.

And keep in mind that I simply told you how. I haven't checked if this vladisslav2011 even created modifications that fit your device.

12

Ohh, Right, He could have excluded/included some other packages.

I would learn more about flashing and image building before further commenting more about it.

13

Did anyone manage to make a OpenWRT FW for Tenda AC10?

14

Ok , I was finally able to get OpenWRT running on that router, but not by building the image myself.

( Now I would be testing what works and what not, but right now for AC10 , the lights don't work, so if you have all the router lights off after flashing the firmware, it's normal. I just logged in into Luci. )

I looked this github repo & again credits to this guy for building a custom firmware :

It is all from this site, from same user:
https://4pda.to/forum/index.php?showtopic=885989&st=1960#entry98016337

You will need Google Translate to translate the webpage

The firmware with fileName : [ac10uV1.zip] worked for me.

Download Link : https://4pda.to/forum/dl/post/20238777/ac10uV1.zip
To download the file, you will need to signup on their forum, else those download links give you a 404 Error.

Alternate download link 1: https://file.io/7Q9ZqhaxsR3p
Alternate Link 2: https://anonymfile.com/Y1kK9/openwrt-rtkmipsel-rtl8197f-ac10u-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
( You might get a smartscreen related warning , but still be aware of ads )

The firmware is originally for Tenda AC 10U ( v1.0 ) -- USB version, but it anyways works with Tenda AC 10 as well. The USB port is the only difference.

I am not sure how many days they keep files, I will try to upload it on a cloud drive and post its link.

Steps For Flashing the firmware:

  1. Download tftpd64 standard edition from here https://pjo2.github.io/tftpd64/ and install.
  2. Hold reset button on your router, then plug it in to power.
  3. Now only SYS and LAN LEDs will glow up - this is Disaster mode in Tenda Router, so if anything goes wrong, you can as well restore the factory firmware by going in this mode again.

image

Before starting with Tftpd , make sure to set some static ip in range 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.254 , except 192.168.1.6 --- this is the IP, Tenda routers use in disaster mode. Set net mask to 255.255.255.0 on your laptop. Default Gateway and DNS : you can ignore or set anything you want.

  1. In tftpd go to tftp client tab , set host to 192.168.1.6 , keep port empty. Local File : the one you extracted from the above download ( .bin ) file
  2. Keep Remote file Empty
  3. Let Block size be to default
  4. Click on put, and wait till it flashes the file and router reboots.
  5. You will have openwrt Installed on TendaAC10 / TendaAC10U ( v1.0 )

( Pardon me for the formatting..., wrote this in a lil hurry )