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Topic: TP-Link TL-WA901ND V5

The content of this topic has been archived on 26 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

In the  hmm/wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wa901nd wiki's page of the device, regarded that version 4.x is the same as 5.x:

Version 5.x most recent version, hardware seems identical to v4, but the PCB layout has changed.

I tried to download  hmm/downloads.openwrt.org/releases/17.01.4/targets/ar71xx/generic/lede-17.01.4-ar71xx-generic-tl-wa901nd-v4-squashfs-factory.bin this firmware bin file to use it with my new version 5 TL-WA901ND Access point, but the following error is generated:

Error code: 18005
Upgrade unsuccessfully because the version of the upgraded file was incorrect. Please check the file name.

I tried to change the file name to something short like, factory.bin, but without any success. I think there is something in the original firmware that check about version in the bin file not only simple check for the file name.

When could I able to find an OpenWRT that supports Version 5.x of TL-WA901ND.

By the way, the original firmware of the Access point, is:

3.16.9 Build 160929 Rel.37753n
WA901ND v5 00000000

saidbakr wrote:

Version 5.x most recent version, hardware seems identical to v4, but the PCB layout has changed.

It is correct. look this
wikidevi.com/wiki/TP-LINK_TL-WA901ND_v4.x
wikidevi.com/wiki/TP-LINK_TL-WA901ND_v5.x

first try Chaos Calmer 15.05.1 and then try flash lede 17.01

tunk wrote:

There's some info here: ttps://lede-project.org/toh/hwdata/tp-link/tp-link_tl-wa901nd_v5

The following download link on the specified page is not found:

://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wa901nd-v5-squashfs-factory.bin

openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wa901nd-v5-squashfs-factory.bin

this image do not exist.
You try flash device with stock firmware???

kisilams wrote:

openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wa901nd-v5-squashfs-factory.bin

this image do not exist.
You try flash device with stock firmware???

What do you mean by stock firmware? Does it the original firmware from the manufacturer TP-Link?

As I think that the latest and, currently the only one available at TP-link is that already comes with the device:

w w w .tp-link.com/eg/download/TL-WA901ND.html#Firmware

Sorry. Yes, I mean by stock firmware = original firmware.

(Last edited by kisilams on 30 Jan 2018, 20:57)

kisilams wrote:
saidbakr wrote:

Version 5.x most recent version, hardware seems identical to v4, but the PCB layout has changed.

It is correct. look this
wikidevi.com/wiki/TP-LINK_TL-WA901ND_v4.x
wikidevi.com/wiki/TP-LINK_TL-WA901ND_v5.x

first try Chaos Calmer 15.05.1 and then try flash lede 17.01

The last version at Chaos Calmer is 3, additionally, the upload of version 3 bin file of Chaos Calmer does not performed. i.e it always alerts to choose file.

saidbakr wrote:

The following download link on the specified page is not found:

://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wa901nd-v5-squashfs-factory.bin

Fixed, subtarget + download urls updated to new "tiny" instead of "generic".

ar71xx: add support for TP-Link TL-WA901ND v5

The TL-WA901ND v5 has the same hardware as v4, although the PCB has
a different layout. Installation from factory is done via TFTP.
(rename -factory image to wa901ndv4_tp_recovery.bin for tftp)

https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/open … abe957f7dc

hold firmware

(Last edited by kisilams on 30 Jan 2018, 23:28)

Now I installed the "tiny" firmware regarded in the Google drive link, via Update Firmware on the original firmware web interface. 192.168.1.1 does not load any web interface for OpenWRT just ping is working only. How could I get web interface work|

Now I have a problem:
The device is only accessible via cable connection using putty. When I connect it with another router (ISP) it takes an IP from the ISP router DHCP (192.168.1.100) but ping 192.168.1.100 is unreachable.

I need to connect the device to the Internet through my original network to be able to install LuCi.

After many trying I could able to connect the device to the Internet. However, when I tried to install LuCi I got many error messages about "No space left on device", so I need to recover the original firmware again. I already downloaded it from tplink website, but I could not know how to apply it from the current tiny firmware.

No LuCI installed is expected, since TL-WA901ND v5 has only snapshot support.
Snapshot images do not come with LuCI preinstalled, you have to install it yourself.

"No Space left on device" is expected.
TL-WA901ND v5 is a device with only 4MB flash / 32MB RAM.

See also the infobox at the top of the dataentry: https://lede-project.org/toh/hwdata/tp- … wa901nd_v5

Not recommended for future use with LEDE due to low flash/ram.
Limitations in extensibility and stability of operation are to be expected.
See 432_warning for details.

Background: https://lede-project.org/meta/infobox/432_warning

Possible solutions: https://lede-project.org/faq/after_inst … _on_device

Any way, unfortunately, the device has been bricked when I tried to restore the original firmware. No I'm search for local technician who has serial box connector to try applying the original firmware of the manufacturer.

If there any hints to perform this step, I would be appreciated.

Hi.
You fix the device?

saidbakr wrote:

Any way, unfortunately, the device has been bricked when I tried to restore the original firmware. No I'm search for local technician who has serial box connector to try applying the original firmware of the manufacturer.

If there any hints to perform this step, I would be appreciated.

You can try and adapter called "usb to ttl" or if you a have a parallel port on your pc.
//wiki.openwrt.org/_media/doc/hardware/ … router.png

(Last edited by stefanos90 on 2 Feb 2018, 09:34)

Today I have called the technician and he told me that he found the processor is burnt! Does this may happen? Or he could not connect it well?

The discussion might have continued from here.