OpenWRT on the Vodafone / Huawei HG556a

Khannie

Has anyone put OpenWRT on their vodafone router? I see it supports it. I'm currently rebooting mine about every 24-48 hours despite being on the latest vodafone firmware. If it loses its DSL connection (for whatever reason) it seems that it doesn't bother trying to reconnect it.

There is an OpenWRT page there for it. Some of the information is sketchy though, for example:

WARNING Before trying to run OpenWRT, do backup the flash, especially the bootloader and the ath_data area. The nvram data embedded in the bootloader and the WLAN calibration data in ath_data are specific for your device and difficult to restore otherwise. They cannot be restored by flashing back a vendor firmware.

But I don't see any details on how to back up the bootloader.

If I can figure these things out I'll definitely give it a go. I've heard very, very good things about OpenWRT.

(I may move this to the broadband forum later).

wallaby72

Hi Khannie

I've installed it on 2 of these routers after being fed up with the constant reboots needed. The upgrade just required loading the new firmware and letting it reboot. Both are working great subsequently. I do only use them as wireless gateways so I didn't have to set them up for ADSL.

I used the firmware from this webpage:

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/huawei/hg556a

I didn't backup the flash beforehand as the routers were going to be replaced if it didn't work. There is a serial header on the circuit board that needs to be connected to pull down the flash.

I did upgrade the vodafone firmware first to the latest as well before I loaded OpenWRT.
http://forum.vodafone.ie/index.php?/topic/2111-huawei-hg556a-software-update/

Good luck.

faithy80

Hi,

I flashed my HG556a as well and it works fine. I can log in to LuCI and that's all at the moment. I wish to set it up as a wireless client but it's not clear how to do that. Is there any chance to ask for an example network and wireless file please? Do I have to touch firewall or anything else? Thank you in advance!

wallaby72

If I recall there wasn't much configuration needed to do this after upgrading the firmware.
Once a secure password was set on the device then I set a static IP for the HG556a router. My gateway, 192.168.0.1, which is a ClearOS device acts as my DHCP server so I've turned that feature off on the vodafone router. You may want to have this turned on.

Wifi was disabled initially but once enabled it worked straight away. The screenshot show the settings I used.
Hope this helps.

wallaby72

Here are some additional screenshots

faithy80

Thank you very much for all the informations! It was really helpful. The problem is a big mistake happened during flashing the board and I lost calibration data. I downloaded another one. Now I'm trying to get a solution to restore it somehow. Thank you very much for your help!

faithy80

I have the same problem with my vodafone broadband as well. It drops connection especially at night and never restores unless I reboot my router manually. A friend of mine gave me a zyxel p-660hw-t1 v3 eircom router and I set that up for my broadband. It seems to be working (at the moment).

Khannie

Thanks for that Wallaby72. Much appreciated. Do you know by any chance if the ADSL part will work with OpenWRT? I read something (now it was old) that said that it wouldn't so I stopped looking into it.

edit: Or do you know if it is possible to flash back to the vodafone branded firmware if the ADSL part doesn't work?

Khannie

Just a bit of an update for anyone who comes across this in the future: I have discovered a way to make the ADSL part reconnect.

telnet to the router with:

telnet 192.168.1.1
user: admin
pass: VFIE-hg556

then issue a single command:

adsl info --reset

Presto! It reconnects.

"logout" to logout.

wallaby72

This link on the OpenWRT webpage indicates a method to rollback but I've never tried it myself.
The ADSL side doesn't look likely to work as Broadcom haven't released GPL code for the ADSL drivers.

Khannie

Thanks. Think I'll give it a miss then.

faithy80

Thank you for alll your informations!

Is ADSL still not supported by the new kernel yet?

Khannie

Doesn't look like it. I have plans to make an android app that reboots it though (because the wifi generally remains up). I wrote a perl script and that reboots it successfully and the DSL connection comes back up after it. Just need the time to do the android app. I'll release it onto the marketplace when I get around to it (probably in the next month or so).

faithy80

That's good! I'm looking forward to see it.

I'll find out more about the kernel anyway. I have to compile one myself as the old one doesn't support few packages I need eg. ntfs, swap, loopback on usb drives. I wish to build a router with dlna, samba and torrent capability. I let you know the results.

faithy80

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056023973

This connection problem started a good while ago. It seems router causes problem. Since I changed it I never had to restart connection again. Funny.

Khannie

Nice one. New firmware as of yesterday on that thread.

Fuser

Do I just have to upload the openwrt-HW556-squashfs-cfe.bin file to the router, or do I have to run the sequence for applying the patch and building, as per the txt file included. Will this new firmware enable the DSL port on the router

Khannie

My understanding was that the DSL part was unlikely to ever work because they wont release the specs for it.

Fuser

Thanks for that. Is the best thing to do is upload the bin file, rather than recompiling from scratch with the patch?

Khannie

Personally I wouldn't be compiling from scratch if there's a working .bin there. Wouldn't see the benefit unless the source has been subject to a lot of improvements since the .bin was made.

Interested to hear how you get on. Is it just as simple as uploading that through the web interface then kicking back while the magic happens?

Fuser

It went on easily, just logged on to Vodafone router with user and password advanced, and just put on the new firmware from router web interface. On restart after 2 minutes, a whole new box to play with, but no DSL

Khannie

Yeah, it's a crying shame about the DSL alright. Would be a great little firmware with it.

eparge

im new to this is there anyone who can explain how i get from the list of files on the firmware page link above to actually flashing the box ie firmware location .zip file to flashing the box
thanks

Khannie

I haven't done this myself, but from what Fuser said you get the zip file and upload it as a new firmware to the box. The vodafone interface has an option to flash a new firmware. You browse to 192.168.1.1, user advanced, password advanced and have a look around there. As I said though, I haven't done this myself (though I am considering it again, possibly coupled with buying an adsl2+ modem).

eparge

Its the part before that I'm confused about. Where are the files that are used and do you have to zip them yourself and are they all to be used or just some of them

jt72

Khannie wrote: »

I have discovered a way to make the ADSL part reconnect.

telnet to the router with:

telnet 192.168.1.1
user: admin
pass: VFIE-hg556

then issue a single command:

adsl info --reset

Presto! It reconnects.

"logout" to logout.

I started a thread about this modem locking up and requiring a reset. I had been in touch with VF about this a long time ago. (see thread)

I had done the script thing to reset this modem as well, and I asked VF if there was a way to reconnect instead, but they said there wasn't. This would have helped!

I hate to drag up an old thread, but I'm just about to pitch this old HG556a or put OpenWRT on it and I came across this thread. Very funny.

Stiofain2006

I tried this tonight. Loaded up and was able to Access with LuCI without any problems. Was looking fwd toplaying around with it!!!!

I thenentered a 10.0.0.XX address as a static IPV4 address on the Interface LAN page and hit save. The router then started to hang and now I cannot get back into it or reflash with OpenWRT. It would appear bricked. Not sure if it just didn't like the 10.0.0.XX address instead of a 192.1.1.XX address or what. Any help regarding my options would be received most gratefully

TIA
Stephen

jt72

Stiofain2006 wrote: »

I tried this tonight. Loaded up and was able to Access with LuCI without any problems. Was looking fwd toplaying around with it!!!!

I thenentered a 10.0.0.XX address as a static IPV4 address on the Interface LAN page and hit save. The router then started to hang and now I cannot get back into it or reflash with OpenWRT. It would appear bricked. Not sure if it just didn't like the 10.0.0.XX address instead of a 192.1.1.XX address or what. Any help regarding my options would be received most gratefully

TIA
Stephen

Pull the plug and press the reset button repeatedly as you plug it back in. Or hold it in, sorry I don't recall.

The OpenWRT wiki describes recovery. I think you will have to set a static 192.196.0.X address to connect to 192.168.0.1.

Let me know if you need more info, sorry going from memory.

Stiofain2006

Thx Jt

Just tried both and unfortunately no joy. Laptop is just not identifying it (wired). I tried a second laptop and same result. If there is a link on the OpenWRT website that u can direct me to that would be great

Thx again
Stephen

jt72

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/huawei/hg556a

"Openwrt failsafe: Power on the router, press the button RESTART repeatedly to enter failsafe mode (the power led starts blinking very fast)"

After you get the box into failsafe mode, follow the procedures here:

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

I was messing this past week and had to avail of this a couple of times.

Stiofain2006

Thx. I ll give that a go 2moro. Had to hit the hay as my head was fried.

Interestingly when I connect to the router wirelessly and type the static ip that I had previously set I get the LuCI config page. Username is the default "root". However if I enter the pw I had previously set it does not work.

Hopefully fail safe will help

Ta again

Stiofain2006

Hi JT
Back at it. I tried just pressing the RESTART button repeatedly after switching on the router. After a while the power led indocator on the front of the router started to flash very fast. I tried to go into 192.168.1.1 at that point but no joy.

I then noticed that the link you sent me contained more instructions. I set the static IP and Subnet. I downloaded the recvudp.exe utility software. When I power cycled the router I got a message from the utility saying "Msg from 192.168.1.1: Please" and it stopped at that. I should have got one that said ""Msg from 192.168.1.1: Please press button now to enter failsafe" attached.

I then pressed the restart button I repeatedly (up to one minute as per the advice in the link) but no joy. Tried the same with the wifi button on the side and a button I found above the ADSLsocket on the back of the router. No joy

Any other advice or anything you think I am doing wrong?

jt72

What IP address do you have when you're reconnecting?

It must be something in the range of 192.168.1.2-254, and it will most likely have to be statically assigned.

Do you have the HG556a connected to anything else on one of the LAN ports? I had a new router that was 192.168.1.1 as well and I had to disconnect it each time I was going into recovery.

Stiofain2006

Ok so I used Winscp to SFTP into it using the password that I knew was right. I was able to telnet from there and execute the necessary commends. It then dawned on me that I needed to set the cpu ip addy to 10.0.0.21 rather than a 192.168.1.1. Once I did that I was able to log in normally via the LuCI interface (something so basic that I had been overlooking the whole time)

Thx for your help JT. I would have given up had you not help me along.

Now back to doing what I wanted to do in the first instance. Perhaps you can help me with that

I have a complicated home network. I have UPC modem in the attic (only place UPC advised thet couldput it). I have it wired to a netgear WNR 2000 router in my bedroom. FRom there I have homeplug running off that router out to my garage. I want to connect the vodafone router to the homeplug in the garage to bring wireless connectivity out there (I want this vodafone router to act as a wireless extender/gateway/bridge -not sure what the correct terminology is). If you could provide any advice on what settings I need to input on the vodafone router or my other router for that matter to make this happen.

Thx again for your help

jt72

No problem helping out...

It should be as simple as first setting up the IP address on the HG556a (done?), setting up it's Wifi, and then plugging the Ethernet from your homeplug in the garage to one of the LAN ports. The HG556a is bridging LAN and WiFi by default in the load I have.

Is your network like this?
UPC Modem (Bridged?) -> WNR 2000 -> Homeplug <-> Homeplug (garage) <-> HG556a

Stiofain2006

Thanks - I'll try that now and revert in a few mins - I thought I might have to enter some details

My network is more like

UPC Modem with 192.168.1.1 address (wired) -> WNR 2000 with 10.0.0.1 -> Homeplug <-> Homeplug (garage) <-> HG556a

jt72

My HG556a is in a similar role. I have it in my attic to provide better wifi. It is connected via Ethernet to my router and simply bridges the rest of the network.

Do you have any devices hooked up directly to the UPC modem besides the WNR2000?

If not, you might consider getting your modem bridged if you can. It looks to me like you have double-nat like this:

Public Internet -> UPC Modem (NAT) -> WNR 2000 (NAT) -> bridged network/wifi/homeplug

Stiofain2006

I plugged it in to the homepug in the garage and brought my iphone out with me to test. I could see the network but it would not connect. I then noticed it was giving the iphone a 169.XXX.XXX.XXX ip addy which I believe means there is a conflict.

How do I go about getting my modem bridged? Yes I think the way you have described it more accurate

jt72

169.x.x.x probably means you aren't getting a DHCP lease.

I'm not a UPC customer, so I'm not sure how you go about it. For now it's not a big deal.

I would do some more testing inside before heading to the garage.

You should be able to do these things. Tell me where it falls down.

1. Plug in the HG556 into your router, lan port to lan port. Then plug in a PC/laptop into one of the other HG556 ports and get an IP from your router.

Router <-> HG556 <-> Wired PC/Laptop

2. Plug in the HG556 into your router, as above. Connect to the wifi on the HG556 and get an IP from your router

Router <-> HG556 <-> Wifi

3. Plug in a laptop into the Homeplug and get an address from your router

4. Plug in the HG556 into the Homeplug and plug in a laptop into the other LAN port on the HG556

Router <-> Homeplug <-> HG556 <-> Wired PC/Laptop

5. If your wifi worked in 2, and you can get an IP in 4, your wifi should work in the garage now.

Sam Russell

@stiofain2006
I have two working Huawei HQ556a which I can sell you for a small amount. PM me if you are interested. I am about to put them on adverts.ie

Stiofain2006

Ok. It's official - I'm an idiot. Before I started to follow the steps you outlined I said I would reflash the router with the firmware. That did not work for some reason. Thats neither here nor there

Then I accidently (in so far as I did not know what I was doing) hit delete for the only active connection on the lan page - what an idiot (See screenshot).

Now I cannot reconnect via lan and I cannot enter failsafe becasue the router has a 10.0.0.X ip addy and I think the failsafe one is searching for a 192.168.1.1 addy to kick in.

Can you see any way back for me?

jt72

Disconnect the HG556a from your router.

Failsafe gives the HG556a a 192.168.1.1, and you'll have to set your PC to 192.168.1.2 or something similar to access it via an Ethernet cable. You don't have to listen for the messages except for troubleshooting, just ping 192.168.1.1 until you get a response.

That's the way back.

You don't have to reflash the firmware, you can reset the settings instead:
http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.failsafe#in.failsafe.mode

Stiofain2006

Sweet JT72 - I'm back in business. Thanks a lot. I ignored the fact that I was not getting a message by way of the recvudc.exe utility. I followed instructions here on how to telnet (http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/910.enabling-telnet-client-in-windows-7.aspx). Was able to enter failsafe. Entered "firstboot" and got back to equivalent of OpenWrt factory settings. Right time to do this right!!

jt72

Good to hear. I've been using mine the way you plan to use yours and it's been good. We didn't really have to change the firmware from Vodafone's to do just this though! But I have other things I want to try...

Stiofain2006

Ok. I followed all the steps you laid out inside the house and had success with all of them. When I moved to the garage it did not work.

So I plugged the home plug into a laptop in the garage and I saw I was getting a 10.0.0.xx address and could access the Internet no problem. I then plugged the homeplug into the hg556a and I was able to connect to it both wired and wirelessly. When I did this I got a 192.168.1.xx IP address and when I looked at the system tray icon it looks like its connected but I am not getting any Internet access.

Strange that it is working inside the house but not out in the garage. I get the feeling that I need to change something in the hg556a router settings.

The other thing I noticed was that when I was testing inside the house the hg566a was showing a 10.0.0.xx address whereas in the garage it was showing a 192.168.1.xx address.

Any suggestions?

jt72

You might want to give your HG556a a static IP in the 10.0.0.x range, and turn off the DHCP server that runs on it.

Under Network->Interfaces - choose to Edit your LAN connection.

Change the IP address to something you can use on the 10.0.0.x network. At the bottom of the same page, there should be a checkbox to disable DHCP for that interface as well.

Stiofain2006

So if I hook the homeplug to the hg556a router (lan port to lan port) and at the same time stick a lan from another port on the hg556a to the laptop I get internet. However if I then plug the lan out of the laptop and switch to wifi I can connect to the router but I get a 169.169 address. I also noticed that the subnet changes from 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.0.0 => See screenshot attached

jt72

169.254.x.x is link local. You didn't get that IP from anywhere, your laptop assigned it in the absence of getting a DHCP response.


You could test this inside without homeplug.

Stiofain2006

Making some progress. now getting a 10.0.0.169 (I don't know if the 169 at the end is significant) when I connect wirelessly to the hg556a (the hg556a has the homplug in it). But I am not getting internet - See sys tray screenie overlaid

I would also highlight that I do not have a tick in the box "disable dhcp" at this point. I was trying it this way as it did not work earlier. I will try again now with it ticked - will report back in a few

jt72

Do ipconfig /all instead.

It will say what your DHCP server is. If it's not the main router it's not working.

Stiofain2006

Ok - when its wired it looks this. So its the main router