Upgrading Belkin RT3200/Linksys E8450 to 24.10

Installing and Using OpenWrt
8

Thank you. That worked.

@daniel @grauerfuchs @el_charlie But since this is such a high-risk operation (because you might brick the router), I would ask someone to verify the following procedure...

And because so many people will be doing this in the next month (upgrading from one version of the UBI installer to another), I would also ask that it be placed prominently in the github repo and in the Device Page. (Once the wording has been verified, I am willing to update the Wiki page and create a PR.)

Thanks

Upgrades requiring a new UBI Flash Layout

Generally you can upgrade your Linksys E8450 / Belkin RT3200 to a new OpenWrt version without difficulty using sysupgrade or the Attended Sysupgrade facility. However, the upgrade from earlier versions (23.05.x) to 24.10.0 requires that the flash layout be updated.

This procedure assumes you are successfully running OpenWrt firmware, having already used an earlier version of the UBI installer. See the notes at the bottom if this does not apply to you.

  1. Make a backup of your current router configuration (Always. Every time you make a change.)
  2. Download the current ubi-initramfs-recovery-installer.itb file from the Releases page.
  3. Download the current Linksys RT3200 UBI or Linksys E8450 UBI binary from the OpenWrt Firmware Selector NB: The "UBI" in the name is critical.
  4. Using the standard LuCI web interface, flash the first file (...ubi-initramfs-recovery-installer.itb) to the router. You will see a formidable warning about a "format check failure". This is expected. If you are sure you have downloaded the correct file, check the Force upgrade box and click Continue.
  5. The after flashing, the router boots into a recovery image. Reconnect to the default 192.168.1.1. Ignore the "password" warning and proceed to the System -> Flash firmware page.
  6. Flash the second file:
  • Browse and find ...ubi-squashfs-sysupgrade.itb
  • Upload it to the router
  • Uncheck all three boxes, DO NOT "Keep settings..."
  • Verify that the SHA256 checksum matches the value in the OpenWrt Firmware Selector
  • Click Continue to flash the router.
  1. In a minute or two, the router will reboot with the new firmware. Connect to it using Ethernet on 192.168.1.1 and configure normally

This is where we could add notes to explain the other cases:

* Flashing factory firmware

* Other unusual cases

* What else?

I don't know enough to be able to write these items.