OpenWRT capable travel routers
May 23, 2015, 10:10 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2
Also, anyone tinker around with a GL.iNet travel router (found on Amazon)? It comes with a custom version of OpenWRT pre-installed and they seem to advocate 3rd-party firmware support...
May 25, 2015, 1:46 pm
#32
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold
Posts: 335
If I succeed in getting my MR3020 working in WISP mode with OpenVPN, I will post a follow up in this thread.
Added:
It works! Pete S. talks about an installation in the comments section that uses the mode switch and LEDs very elegantly. He was kind enough to share his files with me and I will be happy to pass those files along if anyone is interested.
http://www.loganmarchione.com/2014/1...ink-tl-mr3020/
This device has an easy to use FailSafe mode for recovery that does not need a serial port connection that I can verify works, having had to use it several times
Added:
It works! Pete S. talks about an installation in the comments section that uses the mode switch and LEDs very elegantly. He was kind enough to share his files with me and I will be happy to pass those files along if anyone is interested.
http://www.loganmarchione.com/2014/1...ink-tl-mr3020/
This device has an easy to use FailSafe mode for recovery that does not need a serial port connection that I can verify works, having had to use it several times
Thanks
May 25, 2015, 8:26 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
The credit goes to Pete S. who wrote the installer.
I'm a long time DD-WRT user too but I could never find a N150 travel router with DD-WRT support. I finally summoned up the courage to get OpenWRT working and found out it is not too bad especially if one's aspirations to just get WISP and OpenVPN working! OpenWRT now has a GUI called LuCI that makes thing much easier than using command lines though some comfort with command lines is needed for the installation.
Prep a USB stick by formatting it as ext4. Make sure you have a way to SSH to the router (I use putty on Windows) and a way to do SCP file transfers (I use WinSCP on Windows).
Using the guide at the web page http://www.loganmarchione.com/2014/1...ink-tl-mr3020/, connect to the router and install OpenWRT. If you have a 3rd party firmware installed, you can install from its admin page rather than the OEM install page. Stop after you've set up NTP. Reboot and connect over an Ethernet cable since that is the default.
Then copy the install-generic_VPN.tar file from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...eneric_VPN.tar onto your PC and use a SCP client and your login credentials to copy it over to a location on the router that will persist through reboots. I used /etc. (Others have used wget directly from the router to download this file)
Use a SSH client to log in to the router, cd to /etc and extract the contents of the install file using the "tar xvf" command. cd to /etc/install-generic_VPN folder and read the file called install. (You may find it easier to follow the instructions by extracting a copy of your files on your PC). You need to make a few edits to files to suit you, the main ones being the credentials to access the router over WiFi and the other to provide your OpenVPN credentials. Configuring WISP aka WWAN credentials is optional.
Now with the mode switch in the AP position, use ./install to begin the installation which requires several reboots, each of which will require you to login again using SSH.
The way the firmware works is to first boot in AP mode where all it allows you to do is to connect to the router over WiFi but no Internet connection. Open a web page to the router's address and use the Networks -> Wireless tab to enter the credentials of your wireless network and click on Save&Apply. Check to see if you now have Internet access. Change the mode switch to WISP and reboot. You will now continue to have Internet access using the previous settings.
Connect to the router again using SSH and try invoking the VPN manually using the command "/etc/init.d/Auto_VPN_Init start". Hopefully, your OpenVPN tunnel will come up or you will get clues to get it working.
Change the mode switch to the 3G/4G position, reboot and see if you are now connected to the Internet over your VPN tunnel.
Once you are set up this way, only the WISP gateway needs to be set up using the GUI if you are on the move since the WLAN and the OpenVPN credentials do not need to change. No more fooling around with SSH commands!
Prep a USB stick by formatting it as ext4. Make sure you have a way to SSH to the router (I use putty on Windows) and a way to do SCP file transfers (I use WinSCP on Windows).
Using the guide at the web page http://www.loganmarchione.com/2014/1...ink-tl-mr3020/, connect to the router and install OpenWRT. If you have a 3rd party firmware installed, you can install from its admin page rather than the OEM install page. Stop after you've set up NTP. Reboot and connect over an Ethernet cable since that is the default.
Then copy the install-generic_VPN.tar file from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...eneric_VPN.tar onto your PC and use a SCP client and your login credentials to copy it over to a location on the router that will persist through reboots. I used /etc. (Others have used wget directly from the router to download this file)
Use a SSH client to log in to the router, cd to /etc and extract the contents of the install file using the "tar xvf" command. cd to /etc/install-generic_VPN folder and read the file called install. (You may find it easier to follow the instructions by extracting a copy of your files on your PC). You need to make a few edits to files to suit you, the main ones being the credentials to access the router over WiFi and the other to provide your OpenVPN credentials. Configuring WISP aka WWAN credentials is optional.
Now with the mode switch in the AP position, use ./install to begin the installation which requires several reboots, each of which will require you to login again using SSH.
The way the firmware works is to first boot in AP mode where all it allows you to do is to connect to the router over WiFi but no Internet connection. Open a web page to the router's address and use the Networks -> Wireless tab to enter the credentials of your wireless network and click on Save&Apply. Check to see if you now have Internet access. Change the mode switch to WISP and reboot. You will now continue to have Internet access using the previous settings.
Connect to the router again using SSH and try invoking the VPN manually using the command "/etc/init.d/Auto_VPN_Init start". Hopefully, your OpenVPN tunnel will come up or you will get clues to get it working.
Change the mode switch to the 3G/4G position, reboot and see if you are now connected to the Internet over your VPN tunnel.
Once you are set up this way, only the WISP gateway needs to be set up using the GUI if you are on the move since the WLAN and the OpenVPN credentials do not need to change. No more fooling around with SSH commands!
May 25, 2015, 8:34 pm
#34
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
Is the FailSafe mode for recovery for the MR3040 the same as the MR3020? I like the 2000mAh battery of the MR3040 but no need for a serial port connection for recovery for the MR3020 eases my anxiety in learning OpenWRT (which unmesh has mentioned above he has used several times <gulp> :P).
There is a fail safe mode on TP-Link TL-MR3040, using the reset button :
- switch on the router
- wait 5 sec
- press the reset switch
- you are in fail safe mode, as you can verify it with a "ping 192.168.1.1"...
- switch on the router
- wait 5 sec
- press the reset switch
- you are in fail safe mode, as you can verify it with a "ping 192.168.1.1"...
May 25, 2015, 8:51 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
FWIW, TP-Link TL-WR703N is a down-spec China-only version of the TL-MR3020 that an ebay seller is upgrading to 64MB of DRAM and 16GB of flash and selling for $40. While this would save the hassle of using a USB stick and the flash is potentially faster, I haven't had the courage to modify the OpenVPN installer script for this device.
May 26, 2015, 12:48 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold
Posts: 335
I've been sending people the following via PM but will post it in the thread itself because of the level of interest. Regarding the need to do a FailSafe recovery, my screwup was that I unpacked the files on a PC, made edits and then copied them to the router with the resulting permissions screwed up. Hopefully those of you that do the unpacking on the router as per the instructions below will not have this problem.
The credit goes to Pete S. who wrote the installer.
The credit goes to Pete S. who wrote the installer.
May 26, 2015, 8:45 am
#37
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
Before turning on the OpenVPN client, connect a device to the router over wireless, fire up a browser and go to any website. This will bring up the captive portal and allow you to accept their terms. Any other devices connected to the router will now work.
Feb 18, 2016, 6:43 pm
#38
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
Posts: 314
I was looking at the hoops that one would have to jump through to get some of the TP-Link stuff to run, and ran across the GL-AR150 when going through the OpenWRT pages: http://amzn.to/1PUS9uV
It ships with 16MB of flash and 64MB of RAM and runs OpenWRT out of the box.
It ships with 16MB of flash and 64MB of RAM and runs OpenWRT out of the box.
Feb 19, 2016, 12:28 am
#39
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
I bought their newer version but haven't had time to install and run OpenVPN on it. It is N300 and has a faster SOC which should help with crypto performance. It is very well constructed.
Mar 14, 2016, 6:33 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,761
I've been sending people the following via PM but will post it in the thread itself because of the level of interest. Regarding the need to do a FailSafe recovery, my screwup was that I unpacked the files on a PC, made edits and then copied them to the router with the resulting permissions screwed up. Hopefully those of you that do the unpacking on the router as per the instructions below will not have this problem.
The credit goes to Pete S. who wrote the installer.
The credit goes to Pete S. who wrote the installer.
Mar 15, 2016, 10:58 am
#41
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
That is weird. What IP address is the router giving your PC?
You could try pulling out the USB stick and see if it boots OpenWRT.
Next step is to try to get to factory state by holding down reset for 30 seconds.
As a final resort, you could invoke the MR3020's failsafe mode as per https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-mr3020
The instructions for getting into failsafe are slightly different depending on the version of OpenWRT installed.
You could try pulling out the USB stick and see if it boots OpenWRT.
Next step is to try to get to factory state by holding down reset for 30 seconds.
As a final resort, you could invoke the MR3020's failsafe mode as per https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-mr3020
The instructions for getting into failsafe are slightly different depending on the version of OpenWRT installed.
Last edited by unmesh; Mar 15, 2016 at 11:08 am
Mar 15, 2016, 11:11 am
#42
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
I bought their newer version but haven't had time to install and run OpenVPN on it. It is N300 and has a faster SOC which should help with crypto performance. It is very well constructed.
http://www.amazon.com/GL-MT300N-Stan.../dp/B01AL7P1FU
http://www.amazon.com/GL-MT300N-Stan.../dp/B01AL7P1FU
Mar 31, 2016, 4:20 am
#43
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold
Posts: 335
Jun 4, 2017, 7:37 pm
#44
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,303
It looks like GL.iNet came out with another hardware upgrade including GL-AR300MD model with 802.11ac support and NAND flash
https://www.gl-inet.com/ar300m/
http://www.gl-inet.com/docs/mini/ar300m/ -- comments indicate to wait for the next firmware revision to get the OpenWRT changed & saved settings to stick after power cycle.
GL-AR300MD seems to need more power than the other models
There's also a USB stick format router in the works. Possibly geared towards OpenVPN & Wisp?
https://www.gl-inet.com/usb150/
Last edited by freecia; Jun 4, 2017 at 7:45 pm