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Hauwei 556a OpenWRT

  • 20-12-2010 06:45PM
    #1
    treatyman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 228 ✭✭


    Hi,

    Is it possible to flash this router with OpenWRT ? I have a post in Broadband/Midband but nobody seems to know.. Just wondering if it would be easier to flash it with OpenWRT and do what I want to do in the link?

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056123066

    Thanks,


Comments

  • #2
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,314 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    What chipset is it using?

    Broadcom SoC?
    Atheros?


  • #3
    treatyman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 228 ✭✭treatyman


    To be honest I haven't a clue.. All I know is it's a huawei hg566a, the ones vodafone give out.


  • #4
    treatyman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 228 ✭✭treatyman


    Jonathan wrote: »
    What chipset is it using?

    Broadcom SoC?
    Atheros?

    From what I researched it looks like it's a broadcom


  • #5
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,314 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    treatyman wrote: »
    From what I researched it looks like it's a broadcom
    Yup, a Broadcom 6358 to be exact. Comes with an Atheros WLAN card too, so it is definitely a possibility.

    https://wiki.openwrt.org/inbox/huawei.hg556a

    The OpenWRT 63xx support is patchy to say the least. I tried the precompiled BT Voyager 2110 backfire firmware when it came out and it bricked it.

    I compiled my own version from source with my own patches and got it booting but not stable. I must have another go at it some time over Christmas actually.


  • #6
    treatyman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 228 ✭✭treatyman


    Jonathan wrote: »
    Yup, a Broadcom 6358 to be exact. Comes with an Atheros WLAN card too, so it is definitely a possibility.

    https://wiki.openwrt.org/inbox/huawei.hg556a

    The OpenWRT 63xx support is patchy to say the least. I tried the precompiled BT Voyager 2110 backfire firmware when it came out and it bricked it.

    I compiled my own version from source with my own patches and got it booting but not stable. I must have another go at it some time over Christmas actually.

    Sounds like it's a bit beyond my technical expertise.. If I give it a go which of these will I use?

    http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03.1-rc4/brcm63xx/


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  • #7
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,314 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    treatyman wrote: »
    Sounds like it's a bit beyond my technical expertise.. If I give it a go which of these will I use?

    http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03.1-rc4/brcm63xx/
    Try the NEUFBOX squashfs version and if that goes ok you can move to the squashfs version. Chances are it won't, and you'll end up with a bricked device.

    See here for a list of what devices use what SoC.

    I really wouldn't recommend loading OpenWRT unless you know what you are doing. Recovering from a bricked device is possible but you need experience with JTAG debugging, signal probing and TTL serial ports.


  • #8
    jpl888
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭jpl888


    Lads,

    Ever since I updated my HG556a to the latest Vodafone firmware (dated 21/11/11) I am having issues. Whilst looking around for a solution I came across this thread. It seems OpenWRTing the HG556a may now be an option according to https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/10741

    I am going to compile my own customer OpenWRT firmware using this patch, and post back if it works. Wish me luck!


  • #9
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,314 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    While it might work correctly, that patch will never make it into OpenWrt trunk in it's current state. It causes the router to use a random MAC address upon every boot. You will also lose ADSL functionality.

    If you are a Vodafone customer, there is a chance that you were previously a BT customer. In that case, the BT Voyager 2110 definitely does have OpenWrt support so you might be safer using that instead.


  • #10
    jpl888
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭jpl888


    How come it will disable ADSL, I haven't seen any indication of that?


  • #11
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,314 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    jpl888 wrote: »
    How come it will disable ADSL, I haven't seen any indication of that?
    Broadcom won't release GPL code for the ADSL drivers, nor are they obliged to.


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  • #12
    jpl888
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭jpl888


    Oh, that's a shame. I'll give it a miss then.

    I went back to the OEM B026 firmware. Touch wood, it's not restarting itself since. Something wrong with that latest B027.


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