Installing OpenWRT in TPLink Archer C50

router openwrt firmware

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According to the installation section of its page:

Supported Current Rel: external image

Firmware OpenWrt Install URL: http://openrouter.info/forum/viewtopic.php?p=41591#p41591

At that link, there are step-by-step instructions in Polish that can be translated by e.g. Google Translate:

Download crafted recovery of OpenWrt: <url>

Set up tftp server providing the file.

Set the IP address on the network server to 192.168.0.66

Turn off the router.

Connect the computer / server to the LAN port on the router.

Press and hold the reset button / wps.

Turn on the router and wait until WPS LED will light - about 8 seconds.

Began recovery procedure.

Release the reset / wps.

Wait about 60 seconds.

Finished!!

The image is called "recovery" because you're using a "recovery mode" of that router to install it.

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Diego

I'm 28 years old and I started working as a developer as soon as I graduated ORT high-school technical course of studies. I've been working in software development ever since and I have acquired experience with different kind of teams and projects. I've also worked with some clients on my own as a freelancer. Since the beginning of my tech career, I've wanted to grow as a software architect and I'm proud to say I have. I've mainly worked with .NET web technologies and been in charge of different projects, which led me to becoming the architect of a very large and complex product. After getting my Systems Analyst degree I found a new passion in Information Security, so I studied an Information Security Master's degree at Universidad de Buenos Aires. Although I'm not sure I'd like to work directly at the Security area, I love applying that knowledge to development and I really think that's an underrated profile. Besides being kind of a geek and a techie, I've trained Taekwon-do for a lot of years and I enjoy playing sports like handball, tennis and squash. I also like cooking and, of course, eating!

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Diego over 1 year
I bought a TP-Link Archer C50 after reading that OpenWRT supported it. Now I'm not finding the right version of the firmware I should download.

Information I got from Official page in OpenWRT for Archer C50

It is similar to Archer C20i and C20

System-On-Chip: MediaTek MT7620A

Target: ramips

And then a few links:
- Archer C50 tech page: where I didn't find any new info.
- Firmware OpenWrt Install URL: goes to a polish forum that I tried to understand translating it but the link with the firmware I thought I should download was actually a file named ArcherC50V1_tp_recovery.bin which seems to be to debrick the router.
- Firmware OpenWrt Upgrade URL: which doesn't seem to be what I want since its to upgrade OpenWrt and I still haven't installed it.
- Obtaining Firmware: from this page I went to Download page -> latest version -> Download server -> Chaos Calmer 15.05.1 -> ramips (the routers target) -> mt7620 (MediaTek MT7620A, the routers chip). In that page I found a lot of options and I could relate some of them with my router: those which included mt7620a in the name and one that said ArcherC20i, but all of them were sysupgrade.
Which .bin should I use to install OpenWRT for the first time?
- Ramhound over 7 years
  
  I have bad news for you. Your router is only supported by a third-party build of OpenWRT. So the forum link you provide, that is the bin your suppose to use, once you use that you can use the upgrade bin.
- Diego over 7 years
  
  OK, so I should use the TFTP method described in the polish forum and then upgrade to an official .bin? In that case, which .bin?
- Ramhound over 7 years
  
  I suggest not using OpenWRT since its not officially supported. There is no "official" version of OpenWRT that supports your router, its only a third-party, who made modifications. I can't support OpenWRT for one simple reasons, it has been forked, and all the good developers went to the fork (LEDE). I can't visit the link, I also can't read polish, so use the method described by the only instructions that exist.
- Diego over 7 years
  
  I didn't know LEDE project. I've just checked it out and I found there is a specific version for Archer C50, but the only .bin available is for sysupgrade. How should I install it for the first time?