Any installation step for Debian on Linksys WRT router (MVEBU)?

Hi,

After some extensive searches Google brought me here because I am interested in getting full Debian on my Linksys WRT1900ACv2 (cobra) + WRT3200ACM (rango), previously I have tried to use the McDebian which was also a Debian build on it however there is no update for very long time and I guess the project owner won't do anything new on it. These 2 routers have eSATA port which is very capable to be a little backup device when I run OpenMediaVault on it (with my 4-bay eSATA tower), so when I found this thread I feel excited!

So the question is, any guided instructions for me to put them on? Thanks

fakeman,

> After some extensive searches Google brought me
> here because I am interested in getting full
> Debian on my Linksys WRT1900ACv2 (cobra) +
> WRT3200ACM (rango), previously I have tried to use
> the McDebian which was also a Debian build on it
> however there is no update for very long time and
> I guess the project owner won't do anything new on
> it. These 2 routers have eSATA port which is very
> capable to be a little backup device when I run
> OpenMediaVault on it (with my 4-bay eSATA tower),
> so when I found
> this
> thread I feel excited!

Sounds like these boards will boot OK with Debian-6.6.2-mvebu-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2.

>
> So the question is, any guided instructions for me
> to put them on? Thanks

You are the first user that asks about these Linksys boards. So there is no exact installation steps for those yet.

However, the Linksys cobra and rango are support in mainline Linux.

./linux-6.6.2-mvebu/arch/arm/boot/dts/marvell/

armada-385-linksys-cobra.dts
armada-385-linksys-rango.dts

So the best bet is to use the same instruction for Synology RS816/DS116.

Quote

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,32146

Synolgy DS116 (Armada 385) Installation: see Installation with USB rootfs (Section I). And see Installation with HDD rootfs (Section II)

Read the "Installation with USB rootfs" and give it a shot.

-bodhi
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On further thought, it does not seem the instruction for the DS116 will work.

Do you have serial console connected?

-bodhi
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I do have the USB TTL cable that can be used with the Linksys router, for the USB rootFS, do I just assume plugging the USB drive with rootFS will automatically boot the ext. firmware rather than the onboard one?

P.S. This also similar to the DS212k Kirkwood, not sure how to bypass the onboard flash booting.

fakeman,

> I do have the USB TTL cable that can be used with
> the Linksys router,

Great! connect serial console. Power up, interrupt u-boot countdown and

printenv
help

And then post the entire log here.

CAUTION: while at u-boot prompt in serial console, never execute saveenv or resetenv. It's not safe to do while you have not setup a rescue mechanism (see below after the break).

> for the USB rootFS, do I just
> assume plugging the USB drive with rootFS will
> automatically boot the ext. firmware rather than
> the onboard one?

That's the idea. But u-boot envs must be adjusted (if possible) to load the kernel files from the USB rootfs, and boot it.

======

Things could go wrong when we hack embedded devices, and you could make some mistake (ie. typos) or power outage... that could brich the box. So we need a rescue path. That's the UART booting using kwboot.

You can try kwboot with the DS116 u-boot here:

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,133945

======

I will be on travel in the next few weeks, so I might not be able to respond to questions right away. If you think you will need a lot of helps doing this, you could post back here in 4-5 weeks.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

Thanks! I will study a bit first, and I'll be on holiday for more than a week so I won't be doing anything with them any soon :)