Step-by-step OpenWRT firmware on TP-LINK TL-WR741ND router from Windows

imageRouters lose their native firmware for various reasons. The desire to add functionality, solder a USB port or just add stability to the router.

In my case, the router on the last stable native firmware with 1-5 WiFi and 1-2 Ethernet consumers hung up 1-2 times a week. This is not very scary, but tired of restarting it. I wanted stability. After a long search and reading reviews, the choice fell on OpenWRT. The article already provides step-by-step instructions without trial and error that I had to go through.


Step 0


I hope you take up the firmware of the router, you understand that at one of the steps you may lose access to the Internet. So, I strongly advise you to completely read the article, download all the necessary files in advance, and then proceed with the firmware.

Step 1


The first thing to do is upgrade and install the latest native firmware.
Here you can find the latest firmware for TL-WR741ND , for the corresponding version of the equipment.
  • Turn the router over and check the version of the glands in it, guided by the sticker on the case.
  • Download the archive with the latest firmware.
  • Flash the router with firmware from the archive in the usual way (System Tools -> Firmware Upgrade).

Step 2


Next, you need to select the OpenWRT firmware version.

You should use exactly the file that is consistent with the iron version of your model. Do not neglect this rule! Two file system options are available for download: JFFS2 and SquashFS. Judging by the reviews, it is worth choosing SquashFS files. The word factory in the file name means that you must upload such a file to your device on top of the factory (native) firmware. the file with the word sysupgrade is applicable only for updating OpenWRT, i.e. Poured after the factory firmware.

SquashFS Versions:





JFFS2 Versions:





Download factory firmware and sew in the usual way (System Tools -> Firmware Upgrade).

Step 3 or is it all gone


After successful firmware, we get a working router with the web interface turned off. Therefore, you can’t get into the settings through the browser anymore. Further actions are as follows:

Download PuTTY
Download WinSCP

Open PuTTY , select the Telnet protocol, address 192.168.1.1 port 23 , click "Connection".

We enter the router. Initially, you are root with no password.
We type the command:
passwd root

And two times we write a new password for the root user . Further we write:
exit


Open WinSCP , select the SCP protocol, address 192.168.1.1 port 22 , User name: root , Password the one that was set earlier, click "Login".

We answer all vague questions and we see a window with files on your computer and on the router. Next, take the second part of the firmware (the one that is sysupgrade), rename it to code.bin and drop it onto the router in the / tmp folder. Close the program.

Open PuTTY , select the SSH protocol, address root@192.168.1.1 port 22 , click "Connection". We type in the password that was set earlier for root. We enter the router and type the command for its firmware:
sysupgrade -n /tmp/code.bin

We are waiting for the router to flash and reboot. We are guided by light bulbs. Next, repeat the step:

Open PuTTY , select the Telnet protocol, address 192.168.1.1 port 23 , click "Connection".

We enter the router. Initially, you are root with no password.
We type the command:
passwd root

And two times we write a new password for the root user .

Further we write:
/etc/init.d/uhttpd enable
/etc/init.d/uhttpd start

These two commands enable and start up the web-based interface of the router.

Turn off the router, turn on the router.

At 192.168.1.1, the LuCI web interface is available to you. We go under the root user and the password that was set earlier for root.

UPD After a long operation, a single glitch is noticed. When changing the MAC address on the WAN port, it is reset to the factory one after 1-2 days. Otherwise, the router shows miracles of stability.

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