ZBT-Z8102AX flashing failed (bootloop)

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello, I bought the ZBT Z8102AX router, version M2-A-T. The router come with a modified OPenWRT firmware based on OpenWRT 21.02. I tried to flash the official OpenWRT image as the device is now officially supported (link) but I have run into problems. With any image I tried (23.05.5, 23.05.3, even snapshot) I always ended up with a bootloop (or I guess since I had no access to the device and the ethernet was constantly connecting and disconnecting). I ended up flashing back the manufacturer's firmware using recovery mode and it's working now but I would really like to upgrade to the official OpenWRT. Is there any solution?

Here's the label of the device to show exactly the model and version.

20241018_152245
20241018_1522451920×1440 166 KB

2

Can you provide more details?

  • Which file did you use?
  • Which install method did you use?

Try 23.05.3 (seems first supported here) or 23.05.4?

3

I tried this file (link), the 23.05.4 from the same place, and the snapshot image generated by the online image builder. I installed it through the official firmware (modified OpenWRT) and then I tried again through the recovery mode (hold the reset button while powering on the device to access it). Always the same result. Did I do wrong?

I noticed the OpenWRT image and the manufacturer's image have a different structure. The OpenWRT image is just a binary blob while the manufacturer's is actually a TAR archive with some file structure inside.

4

When ZBT first released the Z8102AX the bootloader did not have a Recovery GUI. This is the version that the OpenWrt firmware was created on.

Later, they changed the bootloader to have a Recovery GUI without ever indicating this change of the case.

Firmware for the first release (V1) will not run on the second release (V2). It will boot loop continuously. The same applies with using V2 firmware on a V1.

OpenWrt firmware is only for the V1. Someone has made the needed changes to create a V2 OpenWrt firmware but it has never been submitted to OpenWrt.

Openmptcprouter has the correct DTS file for the V2 so it is possible for someone to add support for the V2.

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5

Well that explains it. So I can now just wait if someone eventually adds the support for V2 since I definitely do not have skills for do that.

6

So I managed to deploy the ROOter firmware. It works and is much better than the stock firmware. But it would be really nice if someone add the support for V2 to OpenWRT, or put a warning to the device page there are actually two versions and only one is supported.

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7

With that DTS file, would it be possible for me to compile the image on my own? I don't know how difficult it is.

8

You would have to be able to create your own build system and then be able to patch it with the changes needed for the V2.

There are a few files that need changing along with adding the DTS files. Not terribly hard once you know how but there is a learning curve.

9

I've noticed you added support to rooter for v2 Z8102 V2 · ofmodemsandmen/SourceMaster@6304e13 - why not push the patches to openwrt upstream ?
@paul2no I'll pull those patches ^ and prepare a working tree in the next few days

10

alright, here it is maurerr/openwrt at z8102ax-v2 - didn't have time to boot test it but the build works fine

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