Trying OpenWRT Chaos Calmer (15.05 RC3) on Buffalo WZR-600DHP

In this post, we try to setup OpenWRT on a Japanese router, Buffalo WZR-600DHP, which has a Atheros AR7161 in side. The officail guide by OpenWRT could be found here: http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/buffalo/wzr-600dhp

We choose the easiest way of "Installing using the Factory version using the OEM web interface"

STEP#1: (apply to Japanese model) expose the hidden administration options

  • Launch your browser in private mode. Load the hidden maintenance page: http://192.168.11.1/cgi-bin/cgi?req=frm&frm=py-db/55debug.html, username is bufpy, password is otdpopy + "your admin password" (example: otdpopypassword).

  • Run commands from "Do Commands" text field:

ubootenv set accept_open_rt_fmt 1
reboot
  • Open default web interface (192.168.11.1), using the credentials provided above (bufpy/otdpopy + "your admin password").

  • Go to Settings page (管理設定), and you will see a few new links, including one that will allow you to flash firware from any file you upload.

STEP#2: Install the factory version using the OEM web interface

  • Download the factory image from OpenWRT

http://downloads.openwrt.org/chaos_calmer/15.05-rc3/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-15.05-rc3-ar71xx-generic-wzr-600dhp-squashfs-factory.bin

  • Upload the image to router from the link in 管理設定 page

  • It takes about 8 minutes to complete the firmware update in my case. It's better to do this step with a DHCP-client PC connected to the router LAN interface. When the OpenWRT is running, PC side would get a local address of 192.168.1.xxx.

  • Logon to LuCI by 192.168.1.1 or openwrt.lan, change the LAN interface static address to be something else, like 192.168.2.1, before connecting the WAN interface to the Internet router

STEP#3: install necessary kernel modules and drivers

opkg update
opkg install kmod-bluetooth kmod-bluetooth_6lowpan
opkg install kmod-usb-ohci kmod-usb2
opkg install --force-checksum bluez-utils_5.30-1_ar71xx.ipk
reboot

"bluez-utils_5.30-1_ar71xx.ipk" is from Nordic with the bluetooth_6lowpan daemon.

STEP4: Plugin BT USB dongle and configure via LuCI interface as usual

Recommend to enable only the "802.11an (radio1)" interface as it runs at 5G band so no interference with BT.

Have fun!