Hardware:
SoC: MT7981b
RAM: 256 MB
Flash: 128 MB SPI NAND
Ethernet:
1x 2.5Gbps (rtl8221b)
1x 1Gbps (integrated phy)
WiFi: 2x2 MT7981
Buttons: Reset, WPS
LED: 1x multicolor
Solder on UART:
- remove rubber ring on the bottom
- remove screws
- pull up the cylinder, maybe help by push on an ethernet socket with a screwdriver
- remove the (3) screws holding the board in the frame
- remove the board from the frame to get to the screws for the silver, flat heat shield
- remove the (3) screws holding the heat shield
- solder UART pins to the back of the board
- make sure to have the pins point out on side with the black, finned heat spread
- the markings for the pins are going to be below the silver heat shield
- Vcc is not needed
If you don't intend on using the UART outside of the installation process, you might not
want to solder:
- carefully scrape off the thin layer of epoxy on the holes (not the copper)
- place your pin header with the UART attached in the holes
- the pins, starting with the one closest to the socket:
- Vcc (not required)
- GND
- RX
- TX
- either wedge the header or hold it with your fingers so that the pins stay in contact with the board
Installation (UART):
- attach an Ethernet cable to the 1Gbps port (black) on the router
- hold the reset button while powering the router
- press CTRL-C or wait for the timeout to get to the U-Boot prompt
- prepare a TFTP server on the network to supply ..-initramfs-kernel.bin
- use 'tftpboot' in the U-Boot shell to pull the image
- boot the image using 'bootm'
- push the ..-sysupgrade to the router using your preferred method
- perform the upgrade with 'sysupgrade -n'
There is a recovery mechanism that involves fetching a file called 'recovery.bin' but that is not understood yet.
Signed-off-by: Leon M. Busch-George <leon@georgemail.eu>