TP-Link TL-WR902AC with a Verizon Novatel Wireless NRM-MC551 as WAN

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I have a TP-Link TL-WR902AC and OpenWrt installed onto it any issues.
I also have a Verizon Novatel Wireless NRM-MC551 cellular modem that connects to the USB port on the TP-Link. I'd like the cellular modem to be the WAN connection.

Before I flashed the TP-Link with OpenWrt, I was able to make this configuration work pretty easily with the original TP-Link firmware. Therefore, the hardware works together. However now with OpenWrt, it doesn't seem to be so easy to make work anymore.

I have read a lot of the documentation, looked for packages that might conform to the Verizon cellular modem, and tried to guess at configurations. I am getting no where fast.

Has anyone ever been successful at connected these two devices together with OpenWrt?

Can anyone point me in the right direction to learn about how to make this configuration work?

Rob

2

It looks like your modem is supported by qmi_wwan driver:

{	/* Novatel USB551L and MC551 */
		USB_DEVICE_AND_INTERFACE_INFO(0x1410, 0xb001,
		                              USB_CLASS_COMM,
		                              USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_ETHERNET,
		                              USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE),
		.driver_info        = (unsigned long)&qmi_wwan_info,
	},
3

AndrewZ,

That's so awesome! (I think.) Can you tell me where you found this so I can learn & research better in the future?

And also I'm such a Newbie at this, I don't know how to commit this to OpenWrt. I assume through SSH (which I have working) but I don't know the command to use. Can you continue to guide me a little further please? Or point me to the web page that describes how to commit this to OpenWrt?

Thank you!
Rob

4

I suggest to use this OpenWrt-based image, then it will be no need in manual configuration.

Otherwise just search for qmi in the docs or in the forum.