v1.05

MT7621A Custom ROM v1.05

Based on OpenWrt commit 0f8fd1d

This build supports the following devices:

• ZBT (Zbtlink) WG3526 16 and 32 MB versions

Don't forget to apply the hotfixes!

For small fixes and annoyances, the hotfix mechanics allows providing a differential update that can be flashed without reinstalling the firmware.

Here is how it works:

1. Flash the image as always.
2. Once the device boots, go immediately to the Backup / Flash Firmware in LuCI.
3. Upload the tar.gz in the Restore section, as if it's a backup.

How to decompress and install

Warning: the 'sysupgrade' procedure will reset some settings to their default values. To see the system's changes by looking at the 'bootz' files in /etc/bootz.

First, decompress the downloaded file. This file is compressed using xz, and it's a tarball.

• If using Windows, install PeaZip
• If using macOS, install Keka (beta)
• If using Linux, macOS or other UNIX/UNIX-like, it's likely that they have all the tools

A folder will be decompressed. Inside this folder, there are the following subfolders:

• bin: this contains the two "flashable" versions of the firmware. One is a sysupgrade image that will upgrade from another version or OpenWrt, and the other is a factory image that will flash directly from the OEM firmware.
• info: this folder contains the manifests, the configuration seed, and the checksums.
• patches: it contains all the patches that apply cleanly over the fork point.

From the OpenWrt firmware or another version of this firmware

Follow the instruction on the OpenWrt wiki page for upgrading using LuCI or CLI:

• System Upgrade

From the Chinese firmware

Follow the instruction on the OpenWrt wiki page for the device:

• ZBT WG3526

Features and packages

The binary installable image contains the following packages and features:

• DNS
  • Disabled dnsmasq DNS forwarder in favor of unbound resolver with TLS
  • Configured Unbound as a TLS forwarder for a secure DNS server (currently: Quad9)
• Utilities
  • Tools: bash, nano, nologin, sudo
  • Performance: haveged, schedutil, compressed-memory
• LuCI
  • adblock, advanced-reboot, commands, compressed-memory, dashboard, uhttpd, unbound
• File Systems
  • exfat, ext4, f2fs, msdos (FAT16/32)
• Kernel features and modules
  • New Linux IOSCHEDs elevators and Governors
  • schedutil enabled by default for all CPU's
  • Fully preemptive @ 100 Hz kernel for more responsiveness
  • Overclocked to 1.2GHz without the need to flash a custom bootloader

General notes

All kernel modules for a particular version, among with a wide set of LuCI apps, are automatically uploaded to GitHub, and opkg is configured to use them. The other software is available from OpenWrt's snapshots, but the ROM is not configured to use them by default. If there is some missing package or kernel module, please open a GitHub issue or send feedback to my email or my OpenWrt forum thread explaining exactly what's missing. It will be added to the next release.

This is a custom configuration optimized for MT7621 devices. The purpose of this build is to give the user a sensible selection of software for testing and using OpenWrt without too much extra effort. It's also optimized for lower latency and fixes for many annoyances. This build contains some important changes compared to OpenWrt. It contains some customizations that cannot be found in the official OpenWrt image or the OpenWrt repositories. However, most packages (excluding kernel modules) are 100% compatible.

Take into consideration

The default IP address is now 192.168.xx.1 and IPv6 is fd00:192:168:xx::1, the xx means that every supported device has a different subnet IP. The hostname is Glucose or Galactose, respectively.

For LuCI Administration WebUI, go to

• DNS: http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/services/unbound
• IPv4: http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin
• IPv6: http://[fd00:192:168:xx::1]/cgi-bin/luci/admin

Wireless password:
 - [Hostname] -> OpenWrt on [Hostname]
Login password:
 - admin -> admin
 - root -> root

Note: [Hostname] refers to the device's default hostname. Replace that placeholder accordingly. For example, the SSID for Glucose will be Glucose, and the password will be OpenWrt on Glucose.

Give Me Love 💌

Don't hesitate to give this repository a golden star or forking it. This build is and will be free forever. The only thing that may I ask in exchange is proper feedback.

Downloads

Click the "Assets" button below and download the .tar.xz file. If you want to check the hotfix's integrity, here is the SHA256 checksum. Use the shasum command or PeaZip/7zip.

You should only flash the hotfixes file containing the hostname (in lowercase) of your device. If the hotfix file for your device is not present, but there is one called others or common, you should use both files first and finally the file for your device.

  No Hotfixes needed at the moment.

v1.03

WG3526 Custom ROM v1.03

Based on OpenWrt commit 85caf21
If you want to apply the patches, first checkout the above commit and git-apply the patches accordingly. After that, you can build, update and modify your copy.

NOTE: The download link is at the very bottom of this text. Please: read all the notes and then continue to download. This page is designed to force you to do that.

Don't forget to apply the hotfixes!

Since I'm not perfect, and I have not a team of engineers to support my work; sometimes I do forget some details when the image is ready and it's not worth re-build. Instead of just keeping the annoyances go along, I decided to implement the "hotfixes" mechanics.

Here is how it works:

1. Flash the image as always.
2. Once your device boots, go immediately to the Backup / Flash Firmware in LuCI.
3. Upload the hotfixes.tar.gz in the Restore section, as if it's a backup.

That's all!

How to decompress and install

Warning: the 'sysupgrade' procedure will reset some settings to their default values. You can see the changes made to your system by looking at the 'bootz' files in /etc/bootz.

First, decompress the downloaded file. This file is compressed using zstd and it's a tarball.

• If you are using Windows, you can install PeaZip
• If you are using macOS, you can install Keka (beta)
• If you are using Linux, you probably have all the tools already installed

You will find a folder once decompressed. Inside this folder, you will find the following folders:

• bin: this contains the two "flashable" versions of the firmware. One is a sysupgrade image that you will use to update from another version or from OpenWrt; and the other is a factory image which you will use to flash directly from the Linksys firmware.
• info: this folder contains the manifests, the configuration seed, and the checksums. Also, it contains a copy of this document.
• patches: it contains all the patches that apply cleanly over the fork point. Use them if you download the source code and want to build your own firmware form a working copy. Also, they need to be distributed due to the software license.

From the OpenWrt firmware or from another version of this firmware

Go to LuCI and apply the sysupgrade image. Either from the OpenWrt firmware or from another version of this firmware.

Go to http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/system/flash if you are using another version of this firmware. Go to https://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/system/flash if you are using the OpenWrt firmware. Or you can use the command line if you have not installed LuCI. Then, apply the update accordingly.

From the Chinese firmware

The wiki describes the process. You will need to boot into the u-boot recovery web GUI and then apply the upgrade. This only needs to be done once.

General notes

All kernel modules for a particular version, among with a wide set of LuCI apps, are automatically uploaded to GitHub and opkg is configured to use them. All of the other software is available from OpenWrt's snapshots, but the ROM is not configured to use them [by default].

If there is some missing package or kernel module, please open a GitHub issue or send feedback to my e-mail or OpenWrt forum thread explaining exactly what's missing. It will be added to the next release.

Take into consideration

LuCI has full OpenSSL support. However, for your convenience, you can access the HTTP version of LuCI. This is because it's not convenient to install a random self-signed certificate every single time. You can use the HTTP version, restore your certificate, and then disable the HTTP access.

The default IP address is now 192.168.xx.1 and IPv6 is fd00:192:168:xx::1, the xx means that every supported device has a different subnet IP. Hostname is Glucose, Galactose.

For LuCI Administration WebUI, go to

• DNS: http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/services/unbound
• IPv4: http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin
• IPv6: http://[fd00:192:168:xx::1]/cgi-bin/luci/admin

Wireless password:
 - [Hostname] -> OpenWrt on [Hostname]
Login password:
 - admin -> admin
 - root -> root

Note: [Hostname] refers to the device's default hostname, you should replace that placeholder accordingly. For example, the SSID for Dallas will be Dallas and the password will be OpenWrt on Dallas.

Give Me Love 💌

Don't hesitate in giving this repository a golden star, forking it, or watching its releases. This build is and will be free forever, the only thing that may I ask in exchange is proper feedback.

Downloads

Click the "Assets" button below and download the .tar.zst file. If you want to check the hotfixes integrity, here is the SHA256 checksum. Use the shasum command or PeaZip/7zip, if you use Windows.

You should only flash the hotfixes file which contains the hostname (in lowercase) of your device. If the hotfix file for your device is not present, but there is one that is called others, you should use that file in your device.

hotfixes.tar.gz: SHA256 [currently, no hotfixes are needed]

v1.02

How to decompress and install

Warning: the 'sysupgrade' procedure will reset some settings to their default
values. You can see the changes made to your system by looking at the 'bootz'
files in /etc/bootz.

First, decompress the downloaded file. This file is compressed using zstd and
it's a tarball.

• If you are using Windows, you can install PeaZip
• If you are using macOS, you can install Keka (beta)
• If you are using Linux, you probably have all the tools already installed

You will find a folder once decompressed. Inside this folder, you will find the
following folders:

• bin: this contains the two "flashable" versions of the firmware. One is a
  sysupgrade image that you will use to update from another version or from
  OpenWrt; and the other is a factory image which you will use to flash
  directly from the Linksys firmware.
• info: this folder contains the manifests, the configuration seed, and the
  checksums. Also, it contains a copy of this document.
• patches: it contains all the patches that apply cleanly over the fork
  point. Use them if you download the source code and want to build your own
  firmware form a working copy. Also, they need to be distributed due to the
  software license.

From the OpenWrt firmware or from another version of this firmware

Go to LuCI and apply the sysupgrade image. Either from the OpenWrt firmware or
from another version of this firmware.

Go to http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/system/flash if you are using
another version of this firmware. Go to https://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/system/flash
if you are using the OpenWrt firmware. Or you can use the command line if you
have not installed LuCI. Then, apply the update accordingly.

From the Chinese firmware

The wiki describes the process. You will need to boot into the u-boot recovery
web GUI and then apply the upgrade. This only needs to be done once.

General notes

All kernel modules for a particular version, among with a wide set of LuCI apps,
are automatically uploaded to GitHub and opkg is configured to use them. All
of the other software is available from OpenWrt's snapshots, but the ROM is not
configured to use them [by default].

If there is some missing package or kernel module, please open a GitHub issue or
send feedback to my e-mail or OpenWrt forum thread explaining exactly what's
missing. It will be added to the next release.

Take into consideration

For saving space, install the OpenSSL version of the software if another SSL
version is available. This is because OpenSSL and libopenssl are already
installed (and compressed in the firmware image, therefore saving space).

LuCI has full OpenSSL support. However, for your convenience, you can access the
HTTP version of LuCI. This is because it's not convenient to install a random
self-signed certificate every single time. You can use the HTTP version, restore
your certificate, and then disable the HTTP access.

Be careful if you are using a public IPv4 or IPv6. Try to keep the access to
your device as tidy as possible, for your security. It is totally safe to use
HTTP in your LAN (if you trust your clients) but do not expose it to WAN, you
will be leaking your root password that way.

The default IP address is now 192.168.xx.1 and IPv6 is fd00:192:168:xx::1,
the xx means that every supported device has a different subnet IP.
Hostname is Glucose, Galactose.

For LuCI Administration WebUI, go to

• DNS: http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/services/unbound
• IPv4: http://192.168.xx.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin
• IPv6: http://[fd00:192:168:xx::1]/cgi-bin/luci/admin

Wireless password:
 - [Hostname] -> OpenWrt on [Hostname]
Login password:
 - admin -> admin
 - root -> root

Note: [Hostname] refers to the device's default hostname, you should replace
that placeholder accordingly. For example, the SSID for Dallas will be
Dallas and the password will be OpenWrt on Dallas.

Downloads

Click the "Assets" button below and download the .tar.zst file. If you want to
check the hotfixes integrity, here is the SHA256 checksum. Use the shasum
command or PeaZip/7zip, if you use Windows.

You should only flash the file which contains the hostname (in lowercase) of
your device.

hotfixes.tar.gz: SHA256 [currently, no hotfixes are needed]

v1.01

Preliminary/Testing release

This is a preliminary/testing release for an OpenWrt snapshot firmware, with customizations, for MT7621 devices.

Currently, it only supports WG3625. More devices can be added with the help of the community.

Some features include:

• Repository with many packages
• compressed-memory LuCI app
• PLL set to overclock all MT7621 devices to 1.2 GHz
• Built using GCC 10 and with maximum optimization -O3
• Full USB storage, ASIX USB-to-Ethernet, and option/QMI support
• pstore and ramoops for easier debugging
• Automatic configuration of the external overlay (only for the first partition of the microSD card)

Any feedback is welcome!