OpenWrt Forum Archive

Topic: Linksys WRT1900AC image

The content of this topic has been archived on 15 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

So this router was advertised to have openWRT support out of the box. Can anyone confirm that this device is currently supported and what image works on the device?

Same question here. I have purchased the device, and it is very well built and fast even with the stock firmware. Its all over the Linksys marketing materials, but I have seen no builds for the device...

wow, this is very disappointing to say the least.

This router would be great if there was an advanced QOS built in. I've heard VPN set up is coming via firmware updates from Linksys. So IMO advanced QOS settings would be all that is missing from the stock firmware.

I bought the product taking for granted that linksys would not be touting openWRT support if there wasn't in fact openWRT support. How wrong was I.  Here are my initial thoughts on the router:

Pros: Best build quality of a consumer router I've ever seen. Router sports a large passive heat sink with an active fan. The fan I presume only activates under load as it appears to be off during normal operation and the unit silent. The hardware specs are fantastic with a 1.2Ghz dual core arm CPU. The design itself is really a great reboot on the WRT54G classic.

Cons: Classic case of Linksys over promising and under delivering. There is no openWRT support or support for any other open-source firmware project despite the company touting this as a major feature over their cheaper AC1900 offering. The support rep also tells me that flashing openWRT will void your hardware warranty which makes little sense for a product that is "designed" to be used with open firmware. Linksys has a developer API that is closed to the public. Company's can develop apps (for their standard firmware) by applying through the linksys developer page. Right now there are only two apps (on the play store) available that allow you to control basic router functionality. This could have a been a great opportunity (albeit missed) to allow users to stick with the base firmware and augment functionality through downloadable apps made possible through an open API. The base firmware is incredibly basic and fails to take advantage of the hardware in any meaningful way. Lack of VPN support is my biggest gripe. Their base web UI keeps crashing despite being upgraded to the latest Linksys firmware. This locks you out both through their mobile phone app as well as through a direct Ethernet connection to the router requiring reboots. Buying this router right now is the equivalent to owning a Ferrari without wheels.

@matstein - Could not agree more. I am taking mine back to where I bought it; I had high hopes for this device, and cannot believe they didn't hit the mark on this.

Just 12 days ago a Belkin employee submitted the first patch.  I'm patient.  If they're advertising OpenWRT support, I'm believing it.  I'm pining for OpenWRT, if only ATM for the 6in4-henet tunnel driver.  The stock firmware only does 6rd..  So I'm left pestering my ISP (yet again) for native v6.

OMG, when was IPv6 day, again?  Has it been two years now? LOL.

I had my first tunnel and was on the 6-bone back in 2003(?)


Personally, I'm more interested in 802.1Q-2011 support and whether I can run AVB streams and gPTP.  I don't know the answer, but I'll be looking tomorrow if the ports support layer-2 hardware timestamping.

(Last edited by davygrvy on 19 Apr 2014, 15:18)

Just a quick update. I was contacted by a representative from Belkin to say that the original support rep misspoke and that installing openWRT will not void your warranty. I asked him about why there is no image available despite support for openWRT being advertised, he cited the recent patch release and saying that support would be forthcoming. I noticed that as of today the model is listed as supported on the openWRT device support list albeit without referencing any supporting firmware. I asked the Belkin guy why their developers did not simply update the trunk themselves to support their product instead of leaving it to the community to support a feature they advertise. Needless to say he didn't really have an answer for me.

Has anyone tried to compile the trunk with their patch? Any updates on this?

Zajec wrote:

I put some summary of Linksys/Belkin work on OpenWrt compatibility on wiki page:
http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt1900ac

Thanks for that update. Love how company's up sell you on the open source support then release binary drivers. They obviously have no real interest in partnering with the open source community. They throw us a few scraps and then misrepresent openWRT as being supported to the greater population. They really should be sued for blatant false advertising.

I just talked to a tech guy at Linksys and found out the Lan ports do not support IEEE 1588v2 at the MAC/PHY for use with gPTP.  Therefore this unit is a dud for me and I'm returning it.

I had high hopes I could use it connected to my Symmetricom GPS clock and the 1900AC could serve precision time as my grandmaster.

Software comes later and is mainly in my control, but if the hardware isn't right?  Forget it.

So, just to keep the discussion going. Linksys has posted an SDK as well as an initial build of OpenWRT. Keep in mind this is Linksys' build, not the OpenWRT community's build, because it is dependent entirely on the Marvell driver which is currently closed source. Here is what Linksys has said and posted:

“Linksys has built the WRT1900AC with every intention of providing open source capabilities and making it the best solution available to the community.  Linksys has provided OpenWrt with an initial code release that enables open source firmware development.  OpenWrt has requested some patches to provide more open source functionality at the Wi-Fi driver level that requires cooperation from Marvell.  Marvell is working on the usable driver and getting the required approvals through GPL. We are expecting this to be finalized and ready in the coming weeks.   As soon as this is complete;  the driver will be released to OpenWrt.  We will continue to collaborate with OpenWrt to ensure they have the necessary software as requested.   In the meantime, an SDK based on Attitude Adjustment release of OpenWrt is posted here: https://github.com/wrt1900ac/opensource.  This allows users to run OpenWrt firware on the WRT1900AC router.  Our aim is to provide a robust and high performing hardware and software platform for the open community developers to customize their WRT1900AC the way that they see fit.  We will continue to work with the open source community and our chipset partners to ensure the developers have the necessary tools to do so.”

Access the SDK on GitHub here

That being in mind, I have tested the build they put up. I used it for a few days, there is a lot of functionality missing and I had some overheat issues that may possibly be related to the thermostatic fan not functioning in the test firmware. So I've gone back to the stock for now until we can see some builds from the OpenWRT team itself.

As to the firmware they uploaded with the SDK: IPv6 works, the firewall rules stuff all works, but the diagnostics on the Wi-Fi stuff does not work yet. Gregers can comment on some of this, but as he explained to me, to make this really a fully functional firmware, they need to port the board support for the newest kernels, make them upstream merge-able, and given they have enough docs to add the missing features to make the whole board fully supported.

(Last edited by jperlow on 24 Apr 2014, 20:27)

matstein wrote:

The support rep also tells me that flashing openWRT will void your hardware warranty which makes little sense for a product that is "designed" to be used with open firmware.


Flashing a router with alternate firmware has always voided your warranty. Just because you do doesn't mean they will support it.

digitalgeek wrote:

Flashing a router with alternate firmware has always voided your warranty. Just because you do doesn't mean they will support it.

In the US, you would be protected by something called the MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY ACT, which basically means that no matter what you do to something you own, you will only void the warranty on those ASPECTS of it that are affected by what you did.

However, in the case of this wrt1900ac device, since openwrt is an ADVERTISED FEATURE of it, using/installing it CANNOT void ANY PART of the warranty.

Hi i downloaded OpenWrt Chaos Calmer r43974 its set the fan to max speed any way of setting this back to temp based. Thanks in advanced.

(Last edited by Giles__smith on 23 Jan 2015, 09:36)

Giles__smith wrote:

Hi i downloaded OpenWrt Chaos Calmer r43974 its set the fan to max speed any way of setting this back to temp based. Thanks in advanced.


After logging in via ssh type:

echo 0 > /sys/devices/pwm_fan/hwmon/hwmon0/pwm1

This will turn the fan off (permanently).

echo 255 > /sys/devices/pwm_fan/hwmon/hwmon0/pwm1

is on (full), and values in-between will vary the fan speed.

There's currently no code in there to vary by temperature, but

sensors

will give you the current temps.  Compare them to Linksys/Belkin's values for fan triggering with stock:

# The fan will turn on if any of these temperatures is exceeded
Belkin default is 85
Belkin default is 65
Belkin default is 105

# The fan will turn off if all of the temperatures are below these values
Belkin default is 80
Belkin default is 60
Belkin default is 100

and you'll almost certainly be massively under them.


PS, you can follow development of wrt1900ac OpenWRT here:
https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=50173
(go to the last page; the first 30 pages make for dismal reading, but things have moved on somewhat since then)

(Last edited by DavidMcWRT on 23 Jan 2015, 23:41)

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