Running OpenWRT on the Plusnet Hub One (& BT Home Hub 5a)

[#1]

Hrm.... Learn to follow a complete list of instructions?! 😛

It looks like you didn't flash the OpenWRT version of uboot to your router.  So the locked-down BT version of uboot is complaining that the image you are booting hasn't been signed (and so can't be run).  It looks like it has then re-formatted itself.

[#2]

Doh....I got so distracted looking for firmware that I forgot that....back again...Do I need to rebackup the nand and calc data?

[#3]

Don't know.  I think you are in a tricky situation and you might have lost your calibration data in your NAND, which contains MAC address etc.

You could boot off TFTP network again after loading serial uboot and see if your mac address is correct.  If it is correct then your cal data is probably ok.  If it is not correct you'd need to work out how to restore your backup to the router to get the cal data in place.

But I don't know, you'll have to have a play with it.  Maybe someone else has more experience of doing things in the wrong order...

[#4]

I started again from fresh and hope all is ok....if not...ah then it will be another attempt.

And it fails.......

root@OpenWrt:/# /hh5a-uboot-install.sh

This script will wipe your flash and install u-boot on your BT HH5A
WARNING: DO NOT CONTINUE unless you have backups!
         (see http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/bt/homehub_v5a how to do that)

Continue [y/N]?
y
[  431.280000] UBI: ubiblock0_0 released
[  431.284000] UBI: detaching mtd4 from ubi0
[  431.376000] UBI: mtd4 is detached from ubi0
[  432.240000] UBI: attaching mtd5 to ubi0
[  432.244000] UBI: MTD device 5 is write-protected, attach in read-only mode
[  432.432000] UBI error: scan_peb: bad image sequence number 1899619325 in PEB 13, expected 228104625
[  432.440000] Erase counter header dump:
[  432.444000]  magic          0x55424923
[  432.448000]  version        1
[  432.452000]  ec             2
[  432.456000]  vid_hdr_offset 512
[  432.460000]  data_offset    2048
[  432.460000]  image_seq      1899619325
[  432.464000]  hdr_crc        0x8608a9a8
[  432.468000] erase counter header hexdump:
[  432.480000] UBI error: ubi_attach_mtd_dev: failed to attach mtd5, error -22
ubiattach: error!: cannot attach mtd5
           error 22 (Invalid argument)
dd: can't open '/dev/ubi0_3': No such file or directory
ls: /tmp/caldata.dd: No such file or directory
The dumped caldata file has an incorrect size!
root@OpenWrt:/#

Any advice?

[#5]

Hi mate, was wrong with my own guide on the first page of this forum post  

As for the firmware I am using, I'm using the one I shared a while ago (https://leehobson.xyz/index.php/s/BsHCtMTprdLlfMn) and is called 'MikeCSmith_Build_openwrt-lantiq-xrx200-BTHOMEHUBV5A-ubifs-sysupgrade'. 

I have not been keeping track of the LEDE stuff so can't really help you there, all I do know however is the build posted from MikeCSmith is as solid as a rock, all I usually do is flash the firmware, get the Router on the Internet then run a one liner to just upgrade all available packages. 

Looks like the main issue you are having is backing up the original Calibration Data, this might be frowned upon but tbh I have fairly easy access to these Routers so no big deal; but I don't even bother backing up the flash and calibration data as I already have it (again in the link above), I've never had any issues with network devices not being assigned a MAC address.etc 

Just to make it easier to know exactly where you are with this, what happens when you follow my own guide from where it says; 

"cat openwrt-lantiq-bthomehubv5a_ram-u-boot.asc > /dev/tty<device>" 

Then skipping the backup stuff, just running; 

$ ubidetach -m 4
$ ubidetach -m 5
$ ubiattach -m 5

Skipping the next 2 commands backing up the calibration data, then running '/hh5a-uboot-install.sh' ?

I would ignore what what the LED's are doing, at least in relation to the friendly manual you received with the Router. Usually it will flash 'green' when its booting up, my guess is its flashing orange to indicate there is a firmware issue, at this stage the xDSL service won't have even started yet (and the RJ11 cable should be unplugged anyway). 

If this doesn't work, I would cut your losses and try and get another HH5/PN Hub One and try again 😕 

[#6]

Hi Lee,

I am guessing it would be close to cutting the losses for me on this possibly. I am unable to attach -m 5 as that fails. Without this attached my install shh fails too. I have tried to start afresh but it seems to stick back here.

I have copy of my original nand & calc data backup as I did back them up but I don't know how to force them back in so I can start like new. Or alternatively how to make them stock and start afresh?

I did setup fully on a second hub but the web interface is quite minimalist with jib's version. how is the interface on Mike's? Are there any screenshots around?

[#7]

I'll sort you a screenshot as soon as I can (at work right now). But its far from minimal, it's more like a full fat version. Has full xDSL stats, firewall, OpenVPN, Graphing, logging, package management, SSH config, LED controls.etc 

The only thing it didn't have which I installed was 'relayd' and its LuCI component. But you only need that if you want to wirelessly bridge the router to a second Gateway/AP for WDS.etc

[#8]

I just need a single router with gigabit Ethernet and good wifi.

I would love to see the screenshots and maybe switch firmwares. I am taking it no idea on the issue I shared above?

1. How to update all the packages post router setup?

2. How to setup no-ip dynamic dns?

3. How to setup port forwarding with Nat?

4. How to setup remote GUI access?

[#9]

1. How to update all the packages post router setup?

opkg update

opkg list-upgradable | awk -F ' - ' '{print $1}' | xargs opkg upgrade

2. How to setup no-ip dynamic dns?

DynDNS (or similar) can be set up from UCI or the LUCI web interface, super easy and pre-installed on the build I'm using. 

3. How to setup port forwarding with Nat?

Via UCI, or via LuCI, or amending /etc/config/firewall. Just go to Firewall and set up a new port forward as normal. 

4. How to setup remote GUI access?

Via LuCI, can't remember which option it is but its fairly self explanatory once you're in (same page where you can enable DropBear.etc, SSH Keys.etc). 

As I said before, both the 802.11AC WiFi and 802.11N radio's are super stable with excellent signal. 

[#10]

Hi Guys,

I finally got the router working. I had to remove the if dd line from sh script, copy my original backup to the correct location and then it worked ok.

Lee - Can you backup your router settings and send me a copy please?

[#11]

One final question guys.

How do I run the below on windows? I have already packed the router back into case and have configured hub to be extender of existing router. This should enable me to update everything. I have also got the router connected via Ethernet to computer (but no usb-ttl)

1. How to update all the packages post router setup?

opkg update

opkg list-upgradable | awk -F ' - ' '{print $1}' | xargs opkg upgrade

Update : Please ignore this. I Putty the router and ran the scripts above. There were some failure to update but I am guessing its all due to package.

[#12]

Yeah so the kmod (Kernel Modules) will not upgrade for various reasons hence the errors at the end. But this is basically a quick and dirty way to upgrade all upgradeable. Obviously not quite as elegant as 'apt-get upgrade' . 

You asked for a backup configuration, what is it you are after, my original Plusnet config or the running config from OpenWRT? 

[#13]

I am looking for full configs actually.

Here are my issues.

1. How to configure adsl? I can put my sky router's mac address, login and password as required (but where??)

2. IP allocated by the router is always high in 150's / 180's range where as I would want them from start up. I have already asked the router to start using sequential from lowest but to no good.

3. How to put remote config on?

4. How to configure opendns (still unable to find)

5. How to fix certificate issue on 192.168.1.1?

6. How to change hub ip from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.0.1?

7. Have you tested performance with multiple ssid on same frequency?

Thanks in advance.

Manish

[#14]

To be honest we might be getting a little out of the scope of this forum post now. This is more for people who want to know how to actually flash the firmware to their Home Hub 5 as opposed to the ins and outs of actually using and configuring it. 

The OpenWRT forums are very active, and is where I turned to for doing things like setting up a BT VDSL connection/multi-ssid.etc 

https://forum.openwrt.org/

Without going into all of the ins and outs, I know you can do all of the things you are asking from the LuCI GUI. The only thing I am not 100% about is DynDNS. A very quick google search found this through; https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/ddns.client  

Obviously feel free to open a new post on here, but you will find your answers quicker on the officil OpenWRT Wiki, Docs and Forums. 

[#15]

Hi. Newbie to wrt routers. I have read this whole thread 3 times but still a bit confused.

@core2lee - you said in a few posts up  "Hi mate, was wrong with my own guide on the first page of this forum post "

What part / line have you missed in your original instructions?