Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 4:10 Post subject: DD-wrt on a pocket 3g router, but some issues with WAN
I have been wondering if running dd-wrt in a pocket would be feasible. I bought the TP-Link MR3040 Atheros based router. I had been searching the web to figure out if DD-wrt could run on this router.With bits and pieces of information around, I got to understand that MR3040 Model is a Battery-powered version of the MR3020. I did little comparison study between these 2 models MR3020 vs. MR3040 and arrived that they are almost identical and the differences being the LED light arrangement is different and the latter being battery powered.
I got dd-wrt successfully running on this router with flashing the dd-wrt firmware for MR3020 on MR3040. (But strange that the site doesn't display MR3040 as a supported device, and no firmware for it, but there is a webrevert file for it.)
Below were my observations -
1) normal Wifi operation (but wifi led will not glow due to differences in the arrangement of the LEDs)
2) 3G connectivity works with most of the modems and it is fantastic
3) 64K Nvram free - hence able to do nvram commits without issues or sudden reset.
Only one issue so far - But would be thankful, if any of you could please help. I tried with most of the CDMA / EVDO modems, they are recognised by the router and i get a valid WAN IP Address. I can access the internet for the first 10 secs with google search / Google news. THen no connectivity at all.
But this is not the WAN behaviour with my ASUS RT-N16 on OTRW2. it only happens on the tp-link mr3040
Could any of you please help to get this CDMA / EVDO working on the MR3040. The rest of the dd-wrt functionality is perfect!
I would like to emphasize on the point that dd-wrt runs perfect on this mr3040 except with the above mentioned issue. Thanks in advance for your help on this. Could you please provide a specific firmware for this device. It's mostly identical to MR3020.
Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 3:22 Post subject: I have upgraded and am using the latest build till time
Am using the below latest version that I upgraded.
ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/others/eko/BrainSlayer-V24-preSP2/2013/04-15-2013-r21286/tplink_tl-mr3020/
The mentioned CDMA / EVDO WAN issue still persists. But this is not the case with my asus RT-N16 running on OTRW2. Is there any other builds than the above one?, if so please let me know. But I thoroughly searched the web and only found the above ftp link to be the latest for this router currently.
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 4:43 Post subject: Gave more Ampere 1A and more than 1A
LOM, tried giving more power to the USB port for the CDMA dongle, as you said, but still the same issue. I took some time to post a reply to this, since I purchased USB hub and USB Y cables to Perform what you said. But still the same issue persists.
Is that the reason could be that am using the firmware of mr3020 for the mr3040 device? Please advise. Thanks
Joined: 23 May 2013 Posts: 6 Location: US.CA.Orange_County.Laguna_Hills
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 5:34 Post subject: TP-LINK TL-MR3040: DD-WRT support very desirable,so lets do!
MNA7JF:The TP-LINK TL-MR3040, selling at Fry's for just $49.99, is seemingly the only UPS/battery-including 3G+4G wifi router which DD-WRT most-nearly supports (I found none which DD-WRT officially supports, and I checked about 10), and also appears one-of/the most-quality of such routers at least in this low price range, and having a UPS/battery-backed router is important for one's Internet connection, especially when it's portable and/or moved/ported around a lot (as in a back pack, for regular small group meetings where there is no Internet, my intended use) and when users are paying wifi service service so then really expect it to be up (as to provide a pay-as-you-go hotspot, also my intended use); and it seems most pay-as-you-go hotspot service vendors require a DD-WRT router (looking at some of providers via Chillispot); so for all these reasons, let's get it properly-running DD-WRT
MNA7XG:http://dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database lists many (44) routers by this maker (TP-LINK), with all but 12 (so 73%) supported, including the above-mentioned very close (functionally same except no-battery) TP-LINK TL-MR3020, but DOESN'T list this model the MR3040.
MNAAI2: *This plus the empirical evidence of the 1st post in this threadsuggests support for this model really near & not much work indeed maybe just some small tweaks or nothing at all MNAAO0: **so it's frustrating that support isn't there right now especially when I right now need such a router and right about to buy one of these 2 models: I want & really need one with the battery, but I'll be tad sad if I have to do the alternative: buy the TP-LINK above w/o a battery then have to also buy an external USB rechargeable-battery (such as the Lenmar PPUALF1 for $20 at Fry's) and strap them together and hope they will stay reliably connected and all works as smoothly.
MNA8CP: *dd-wrt.com administrators especially, when can this be fixed: MNAARI: **when can this model be listed in the database? --seemingly only a few minutes work, and
MNAAS3: **(as best known) when is official support expected? and
MNAASC: **what's holding things up?
MNA8DT: Yesterday I also did http://dd-wrt.com/site/contact (not yet having an account on this forum), saying quote:
MNA8KO: today I searched thru the 1st (1.5 pages=15 finds) and currently find 5 threads on this topic (using this search across all the web):
MNA8LA: *from-most-to-least significant roughly:
MNA8LQ:Tops is THIS thread t=171649 or p=(754293|757299|754966|etc) MNA8OI: *the thread (else 1st post) is not best titled it's missing the router make & model number (possibly contributing to additional threads being created), but it's fully on-topic, includes motivations, and most especially it's farthest along as far as getting this working, so why I reply with all the details here (on this thread) and aim to redirect the rest of the threads I find to here.
MNA8OV: *per the last post yesterday, the 1st & latest situation seems to be "I got dd-wrt successfully running on this router with flashing the dd-wrt firmware for MR3020.. [and things work; also "observations" above; plus ] I can access the internet for the first 10 secs with google search / Google news. THen no connectivity at all." --quoting from post 1 then reading as from the latest/previous post that "still the same issue persists".
MNA8W6: *For the record & maybe more, what Hardware version do you have?
MNAA2W: **Note the maker's site on the model's downloads says there are 2 hardware versions plus "How to find the hardware version".
MNA8XH: *Keep posting with how it goes.
[I originally said (for LOM "[what's that? Can't find it.]" and for the file "[ ok then, URL please]") but on my own I found and put here what was being referred to]. Also, openwrt[,link added,] already will work for it [and gives URLs]" and
MNAD0E: *the 2nd saying to support it "[because the] TP-Link default firmware is really suck, most of the settings have to reboot to take effect.".
MNA9BX:Thread t=169551 or p=(744685|744747|etc) beginning "I see the MR3040 is compatible with dd-wrt, when I check their supported device list. \ I'd like to know where I can download the firmware? Please assist!" IMHO the "!" is rude; and indeed the post gets 1 minimal reply to just "read: [the docs here]" and currently reports no outcome in its effort to get it working.
MNA9FY: *Where did you "see the MR3040 is compatible with dd-wrt"? -please share & cite your source.
MNANT6: **as currently per this thread, especially point MNA7XG above, there is no official support nor even listing in the database, just people experimenting.
MNANUN : **Did u see it from the very previous topic posted aka t=169551 above? But if you read carefully there it says “it would be great with dd-wrt support” (as a suggestion to support it), NOT that it has it.
MNA8YL:Thread t=162427 or p=(714390|714485|etc) but it's seemingly is more focused on getting OpenVPN rather than having this particular router, concluding 2012.09.26(8 months ago) "There is no OpenVPN in dd-wrt for Atheros based routers with only 4MB flash, you should buy hardware suited for the job you want them to do!"
MNAM85:Thread t=170347 or p=(748105|etc) focusing on this model but just to it running (now with DD-WRT) http://CamRanger.com which "allows near complete wireless control of your Canon or Nikon DSLR directly from your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch" -but that's not controlling a 3G/4G USB modem but a high-end camera.
MNAAZ8: Right after this post I aim to make post each of those threads pointing to this post & thread so to consolidate our efforts here in this thread.
MNBED9: *Update: done (4 MNAGSE redirects) within ~6hrs of this original post.
MNAB1B: I will also be posting in this thread my experience after buying this router (likely tomorrow from Fry's).
Joined: 23 May 2013 Posts: 6 Location: US.CA.Orange_County.Laguna_Hills
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 19:11 Post subject: TP-LINK TL-MR3040: DD-WRT support: informed TP-LINK of here
MNBGKC: To get the router maker (TP-LINK)'s support (getting DD-WRT support on this their router), I just informed them of this thread & my prior post and strongly encouraged them to reply here.
MNBGKK: *quoting my notes of it (in spreadsheet MN9KVH, ending with item MNBG60)
Quote:
cd http://www.tp-link.com/en/support/contact/
Your Name <blank/> DestinyArchitect
Your Email Address <blank/> ..
Your Location <blank/> United States (English)
Product Category <blank/> 3G/4G Routers
Model Number <blank/> TL-MR3040
Problem Category <blank/> Firmware Upgrading
Hardware Version <blank/> Not Clear
Firmware Version <blank/> to be latest http://DD-WRT.com
Operating System -- Linux
Internet Service Provider <blank/> mostly irrelevant but most likely T-Mobile or FreedomPop
Vendor and Model No of USB modem <blank/> likely ZTE MF683 aka T-Mobile Rocket 3.0 4G
Your Phone No <blank/> please post as explained, else email
Subject <blank/> plans for support of DD-WRT, esp. TP-Link's plans
Detailed description <blank/> "MNASPY: See thread http://dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=171649 (telling you of the notable desire to have your TP-LINK TL-MR3040 running DD-WRT, and why, by me http://dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=757299#757299 and by several other people posting there requesting this).
MNBAA1: *What are your plans to enable this & what does it involve?
MNBAAB: *Especially until full-support here (for TL-MR3040) is achieved, please also insure (your other 3G/4G Wireless N routers http://tp-link.com/en/products/?categoryid=218 ), especially the most-similar(just battery-less) TL-MR3020 and non-portable but top-performer TL-MR3420, support DD-WRT as much as possible (many do but often not the latest hardware version, as I see from the http://dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database --search removing the ""TL-"" from your model name).
MNBAH1: *Your reply kindly post ideally on your product page as on http://tp-link.com/en/products/details/?categoryid=218&model=TL-MR3040#spec (as ""DD-WRT support"") and especially on that DD-WRT thread, else email me your replies & on that thread I'll re-post everything except for any portion(s) you say not to. You can also email to alert me of your post URLs plus any details which you can't post. Thanks.
MNBAHJ: *And thanks for making such seemingly-high-quality & affordable routers; now all left remaining is the perfect fully-extending firmware as DD-WRT (required for Chillispot and similar, among numerous other benefits)."
Submit click
cd http://www.tp-link.com/en/support/contact/?categoryid=529&msg=OK
popup This page at www.tp-link.com says: OK
cd https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/rfc822msgid%3A..EN%40mx.google.com/13..c4
says "will reply within 24 hours. Due to holiday or higher than usual volume of E-mails, the expected waiting time for a response may be 48 hours." and no support incident ID#
Date Fri, May 24, 2013 at 11:39 AM
MNBGY9: I hope they reply, especially here where it can help everyone.
Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 10:39 Post subject: mr3040 - Hardware version is v1
mr3040 - Hardware version is v1
I was just experimenting, trying all possible steps and finally loaded the dd-wrt firmware, I was cautious at my each step, so that I don't brick it.
