Hello all,

Using Windows 7.

I tried setting up my TPLINK N600 I found in the basement.  Once hooked up, I realized I flashed it a few years ago with OPENWRT.  No clue how I did that am I not savvy with anything like this.

Any how, I am able to connect to my actual router's wifi connection as it's listed as OPENWRT, but it's is unsecured at the moment. I am hoping to get it and secure it with a password.

I changed the windows settings to allow TELNET, and was able to access my router on the dos screen by typing in the telnet 192.168.1.1 command. At that screen, I was able to change my A password, which looks like that's the PW used to access the settings I guess?!?!

Anyhow, now trying to get back to that screen is impossible. I am getting an COULD NOT OPEN CONNECTION TO PORT 23 error message.

No clue what happened between be logging in 30 minutes and now.  Anyhow, all I'm looking to do is encrypt WIFI network. I don't understand all the Linux-like talk on the OPENWRT page. I don't get any of it so will need to be given theee most basic given instructions.

Also, typing http://192.168.1.1 doesn't work either
thank you in advance!!!

(Last edited by paul.anthony.menezes on 25 Jun 2016, 03:12)

These routers have two passwords. One is for control and security of the WiFi, and the other is for administration.

If you set the admin password (for root user by default), it disables telnet, so far as I am aware. If you could connect over telnet, this also means that it wasn't set previously.

Now, your URL for the web admin panel (LuCi) is possibly wrong. Omit the http:// or any preceding crud, and just type in the straight IP into your web browser. If that works, go to the tabs up top until you find one with WiFi in the dropdown menu, click, and edit the OpenWrt access point on that page. The bottom half should have the settings for security, but you need the click the tab about halfway down the page to access it. Set to wpa2-psk and enter a security key. Save and apply.

The solution, if that didn't work, is to download the standalone program  PUTTY, and use SSH (on port 22) to get into the device instead. The IP (assuming you are directly connected to the router by ethernet or WiFi) is 192.168.1.1, the username is root, and the password will be the one you set.

To secure the WiFi, you will need to modify the files or use UCI (or install LuCi for web management), but I don't know the method for first two. Check the recipes or howtos under the advanced setup guide. (If you have a wad of space, perhaps try opkg install luci, but YMMV) Checking space is done by df -h. Ignore the number that appears under /tmp. That's ram, and won't help.

If LuCi was installed before as a part of the image, and doesn't seem to be working now (even with the fixed link), once you get into the ssh console, type factory_reset, and enter, followed by reboot -f, and enter (These are seperate commands). This will reset the router entirely, deleting installed programs and settings. You will now be able to go to the web server at the IP you mentioned and edit manually. THIS ONLY APPLIES IF YOU KNOW LUCI IS INSTALLED, AND IT ISN'T WORKING. To check if it is installed, do opkg list-installed and read the output to see if a LuCi package is present. This assumes that you have not installed it manually just now, in which case it will be working.

TL;DR: Telnet is whacked, since you set a password. You need to connect over SSH now, so download Putty http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgta … nload.html and use it, with your new password, to get back into the router. Then check if LuCi is installed in the first place. If not, you need to learn some linux talk and modify some files I don't understand to encrypt the WiFi. If LuCi was already installed, on the other hand, it will make your life much easier. Toss the Http out of the address and see if that works now.

(Last edited by rdragonrydr on 25 Jun 2016, 04:13)

thank you for taking the time out to help me out . 

I had downloaded PUTTY but had no clue what the login/password was supposed to be.

Now I'm currently trying to figure out how to download LUCI.  I have zero idea after browsing for 30 minutes how to find Luci. I'm not THIS computer illiterate . damn!!!

Anyone able to push me in the right direction, to get Luci installed and finally encrypt this wifi?

Try typing in just 192.168.1.1 into the web browser. The http:// will throw it off.

If that does not work, ssh in, and type opkg update followed by opkg install luci.

THEN go to the above IP and set it.

Nothing when typing in the IP without https or http

I opening the Putty command screen and typed opkg update , and received an error message that is 'failed to download'

Am I missing something before typing opkg?

Oops. Your router must not be connected to the Internet to download packages. You will have to spoon-feed it the ipk files manually: First, run cat /etc/opkg.conf to get the download links. You can use that to determine which files to download. Now, go to https://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calmer/15.05/ (well, the equivalent, depending what the router's running) and click the links corresponding to the ones in the file you catted in the first step. Eventually you should end up at a listing of network, telephony, etc folders (about 7) or a big list of ipk files. Go through each and ctrl+F to find the luci package. You will have to scp it to the /tmp folder of your router and do opkg install /tmp/NAME (Tab completion will help). It'll probably fail needing dependencies. Find those, which should be easier since you have the general location from the original search, and scp and opkg install them too.

------------->>>>>>>Alternately, connect the router's incoming ethernet port to your modem, connect via ssh over the WiFi, and try again.<<<<<<<<<<<<------------------

TL;DR: The answer is 42. The question, however... Please read the above.

(Last edited by rdragonrydr on 25 Jun 2016, 04:41)

See also https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/uci/wireless/encryption and set it up for wpa2.

Since you'll probably want LuCi anyway, you may as well try to get that working first or you will forever have to administer your router this way.

The router actually is connected and has been since plugging in. 

I followed your first few pieces of advice and ran cat /etc/opkg.conf , but there wasn't a list of files. It just listed a folder, and then dest root/tmp and something about overlay.  nothing corresponds to any of the files listed on that link you sent me. Furthermore, I have no clue which version the router is running.

Furthermore to that, you lost me at SCP. No clue what that means.

Is there an easy way to factory default this machine?   It's becoming clear that I just cannot do this.

thanks

ok I got the wifi to work now with a key needed to login.  thank you very much! it's very much appreciated.

Is there a simple way to download Luci?  I'm dreading when I have to switch ISP's in October which means I'll have to adjust more settings. oh god

As this is a mystery box with little (no) value to the current config, reset the device and start with a clean plate.

https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.failsafe

and just for ref.
https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wdr3600

Package manager reference is here.
https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/techref/opkg

Check to see the subnet of your main router.  Both devices should not be on the same subnet.

After reset take a PC\Laptop and connect to the LAN side of the TP-link.  Leave the WAN unconnected.  Make sure the PC is set for DHCP (proably is).  Go tot he PC's network "status" and get it's IP.  If it's 192.168.1.XXX then the router is very probably 192.168.1.1.  Try accessing it via 192.168.1.1.  If you get luci great.  Set a password, change the default IP (Network=>Interfaces=> LAN=> EDIT=> IPV4 address).  unplug, connect the WAN to your other router and reboot.

If there is no web interface, launch putty.  Login to IP 192.168.1.1 port 23 (telnet) see above link.  Note the version of OpenWrt.  You will need to check the wiki to figure out how to change the IP via UCI.  Use something other than your primary router (192.168.2.1 is usually good).

Now you can reset your router and connect the WAN port of the TP-link to a LAN port of the primary router.  At this point you should be connected to the internet and be able to OPKG Luci (see the other link above).

If the router reports anything other than Chaos Calmer, you want to upgrade the firmware. 
openwrt-15.05.1-ar71xx-generic-tl-wdr3600-v1-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
from here https://downloads.openwrt.org/latest/ar71xx/generic/

man I wish I could give you remote access and watch you go to town on this stuff.

no matter what command under the Luci guide I enter, I get a 'cannot install...'

tried all three of these commands in order

opkg update
opkg install luci

or

opkg install luci-ssl # enable https for luci

I'm not sure too well how I can help now.

Try cat /etc/banner to get your version. That will help you get what revision you have (BB, CC, AA?), but you need to google OpenWRT and your router's model number to find what arch of packages you should have. You will have to add the 7 lines to your /etc/opkg.conf file. I THINK that you can just use the latest version of source though. (Not certain, so I'll give that factory reset option in case)

Here is the base link for packages: http://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calm … /packages/

The lines that are missing from the /etc/opkg.conf are like so:

src/gz base http://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calm … kages/base
src/gz luci http://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calm … kages/luci
src/gz packages http://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calm … s/packages

And follow that pattern for all the folders in the first link. (there are 6; exclude the "parent directory", it's really a go-back button)

The factory reset is

mount_root ### Enable resetting by loading up the files that need deleting.

firstboot  ###This will reset your Router after Reboot.

reboot -f ## And Force reboot

If that fails,
see http://www.binaryfriend.ru/2012/10/how- … nk-1043nd/

im guessing I have an older firmwire version, and this is why Luci is continuing to give me download errors.

if only updating firmware was simple

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I had to do some heavy Googling. It's long past time I need to be sleeping, so I will check back tomorrow to see how it goes. I hope someone now helps me with my router issue!

Good Luck!

Oh. Yes, the firmware is old. But again, see the previous post. You will need to edit the /etc/opkg.conf file to add those 6 lines to it to go with its current contents. (really strange that the source lines are not there!) Make sure you don't have other "src" lines in there, or things could get broken. If they exist already, delete them and try the new ones after first checking that the ar71xx part is the same (if not copy to the new links the relevant portion)

You may need to google how to use vi. shudder.

Can you please post the results of running cat /etc/opkg.conf before changing it? This way you will have a backup and I'll have a better idea what's going on.

(Last edited by rdragonrydr on 25 Jun 2016, 05:24)

Also:

http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/firstlogin
http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/basic.config
http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/uci/wireless
http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/internet.connection
http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/uci/network
http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/luci.essentials

(Last edited by rdragonrydr on 25 Jun 2016, 05:30)

Please report your TP-link model number and OpenWrt version (see post #12).
As for the 'cannot install...', you may have a router with 4MB flash disk and there's not enough free space to install LuCi.