Linksys EA8500

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[edit] Hardware Specifications

FCC ID Q87-EA8500
CPU Qualcomm IPQ8064 @ 1400MHz
RAM 512 MB
Flash 128 MB
Switch Atheros QCA8337
2.4GHz Radio Qualcomm Atheros QCA9980
5GHz Radio Qualcomm Atheros QCA9980

[edit] DD-WRT Installation

 **NOTE**:  Current EA8500 stock firmware (since 1.1.4.168206, depending on if your Router is a US or an international version) does not allow to flash 3rd party software any more.

  • You can attempt a manual firmware downgrade via the Linksys webUI.
  • You can attempt to see if doing a revert to older firmware on the help icon will yield version 1.1.4.167984.
  • If the revert goes to anything newer than firmware 1.1.4.167984 you must serial flash DD-WRT onto the EA8500.
  • Linksys has encrypted the newer files and they will not revert back to an older version.

 **NOTE**:  An extremely helpful page containing links to 1.1.3 and 1.1.4 versions of EA8500 stock firmware and checksums is:

[edit] Install from Linksys Web UI

 **WARNING**:  DO NOT PERFORM A 30/30/30 VIA RESET BUTTON
 **NOTE**:  SEE Where do I download firmware? for information on where to download firmware files.

NOTE: the BS factory-to-ddwrt build I tried did not boot.

  • After some time, the boot loader switched back to the 1.1.3 stock firmware flashed on preparation.
  • The reaction on the dd-wrt forum was, that BS factory-to-ddwrt builds never seem to have worked.

[edit] Procedure

  1. Connect your router’s power adapter to a power outlet.
  2. Connect an Ethernet cable to the computer and to an available numbered Ethernet (blue) port on the back of your router.
  3. Disconnect the cable from the router’s Internet port.
  4. Reset the router first (press the reset button until it reboots).
  5. Open a web browser on the computer, then go to www.linksyssmartwifi.com.
    • When there is no Internet connection, this address re-routes directly to your router.
    • Ignore the warning of “no internet access” being available and go to manual setup.
  6. Enter admin as the user name, then enter the default password (admin).
    • The main menu opens.
  7. Click on Connectivity.
  8. Uncheck the Automatic box under Firmware Update to update the firmware manually.
  9. Click Choose File and select the previously downloaded EA8500-factory-to-ddwrt.img or EA8500WW-factory-to-ddwrt.img
    • Click Start
    • Your router will start updating the firmware.

     **CAUTION**:  After you start the firmware update, do not try to go online, turn off or do anything else to the router, or close the browser window until it finishes restarting.

  10. In your browser, go to http://192.168.1.1
    • You should be greeted by the password change page of the DD-WRT webUI.
  11. Set username (optional, default username is root) and password (enter password twice, these *must* match and are case-sensitive).
    • You should be greeted by the System Info page of the DD-WRT webUI
  12. Click on Setup to begin configuration to your needs.
    • You will be required to enter username and password previously set.
  13. Click Save on each page (unless otherwise noted in a specific tutorial).
  14. When finished, Click on Services or Administration tab and click Reboot.

[edit] Install Via Serial Console

  • Read this about using a USB-to-TTL adapter so you don't get weird characters from PuTTY
  • MRJCD has put together a very good, and detailed, how-to flash from newer, "locked-out", stock builds to DD-WRT using the serial port on the EA8500.
  • Board version 305 XD has no serial header pins so a Molex KK 5ckt header or wire leads need to be soldered to the PCB.
  • The solder holes will be filled, except the GND, and there is nearly no copper pad to solder wire or header pins onto the board.
  • There is a report that there may be missing components that hinder easy connection to serial.
    • This will require some method to jumper or bridge the solder pads of the missing components.

[edit] Revert To Factory Firmware

[edit] Recovery

[edit] Linksys Logo LED Workaround

Once you've installed DD-WRT onto the EA8500 there is a bug with the code that prevents the Linksys LED from working on top running any K4 builds (Kernel 3.x builds have a working LED). The workaround is to use these commands to fix the issue:

On start-up. 

sleep 5
gpio enable 0

And on cronjobs 

0 */2 * * * root /sbin/gpio enable 0

Though the above code may still not yield the LED staying on the whole time. MRJCD reports "if you change ANYTHING AT ALL in the webif ...any settings and/or just tinker around in the webif for long while the top LINKSYS light will go off after minute or so..."

YMMV

[edit] Links And Further Reading

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