1. → obtain.firmware
2. → Install OpenWrt

Please check out the article Flash Layout. It contains an example and a couple of explanations.

The instructions below are for Broadcom devices and only serve as an example. Don't leave them in place if they do not apply to a particular device!

This section deals with how you install OpenWrt from a device freshly opened. Plus the steps required such as reset to factory defaults if the device has already been configured

Note: Reset router to factory defaults if it has been previously configured.

• Browse to http://192.168.1.1/Upgrade.asp
• Upload .bin file to router
• Wait for it to reboot
• Telnet to 192.168.1.1 and set a root password, or browse to http://192.168.1.1 if LuCI is installed.

→ generic.flashing.tftp

→ generic.sysupgrade

If you have already installed OpenWrt and like to reflash for e.g. upgrading to a new OpenWrt version you can upgrade using the mtd command line tool. It is important that you put the firmware image into the ramdisk (/tmp) before you start flashing.

• Browse to http://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/mini/system/upgrade/ LuCI Upgrade URL
• Upload image file for sysupgrade to LuCI
• Wait for reboot

• Login as root via SSH on 192.168.1.1
• Use the following commands to upgrade.

cd /tmp/
wget http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/trunk/XXX/xxx.abc
sysupgrade /tmp/xxx.abc

• If sysupgrade does not support this router, use the following commands.

cd /tmp/
wget http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/trunk/XXX/xxx.abc
mtd write /tmp/xxx.abc linux && reboot

CFE version 1.0.37-2.2 for BCM96345 (32bit,SP,BE) Build Date: gio gen 27 08:44:54 CET 2005 (info@telsey.it) Copyright (C) 2003,2004 Telsey Telecommunications. Initializing Arena. Initializing Devices. Auto-negotiation timed-out Found good PRIMARY image on block 1 at rootfsAddress 0xBFC10100 and kernelAddre s 0xBFC10100 Kernel image found starting from glbKernelAddr = 0xBFC10100 CPU type 0x28000: 140MHz Total memory used by CFE: 0x80401000 - 0x805223C0 (1184704) Initialized Data: 0x8041C560 - 0x8041E150 (7152) BSS Area: 0x8041E150 - 0x804203C0 (8816) Local Heap: 0x804203C0 - 0x805203C0 (1048576) Stack Area: 0x805203C0 - 0x805223C0 (8192) Text (code) segment: 0x80401000 - 0x8041C558 (111960) Boot area (physical): 0x00523000 - 0x00563000 Relocation Factor: I:00000000 - D:00000000 Board IP address : 192.168.1.1:ffffff00 Host IP address : 192.168.1.100 Gateway IP address : Run from flash/host (f/h) : f Default host run file name : vmlinux Default host flash file name : bcm96345_fs_kernel Boot delay (0-9 seconds) : 1 Board Id Name : CPVA500 Psi size in KB : 16 Number of MAC Addresses (1-32) : 8 Base MAC Address : 00:03:6f:XX:XX:XX Ethernet PHY Type : Internal Memory size in MB : 16 *** Press any key to stop auto run (1 seconds) *** Auto run second count down: 1 web info: Waiting for connection on socket 0. CFE>

[ 0.000000] Linux version 3.3.8 (blogic@Debian-60-squeeze-64-minimal) (gcc version 4.6.3 20120201 (prerelease) (Linaro GCC 4.6-2012.02) ) #4 Mon Sep 3 19:04:51 UTC 2012 [ 0.000000] Detected Broadcom 0x6345 CPU revision a0 [ 0.000000] CPU frequency is 140 MHz [ 0.000000] 16MB of RAM installed [ 0.000000] registering 16 GPIOs [ 0.000000] gpiochip_add: registered GPIOs 0 to 15 on device: bcm63xx-gpio [ 0.000000] board_bcm963xx: Boot address 0xbfc00000 [ 0.000000] board_bcm963xx: CFE version: 1.0.37-2.2 [ 0.000000] board_bcm963xx: unknown bcm963xx board: CPVA500 [ 0.000000] bootconsole [early0] enabled [ 0.000000] CPU revision is: 00028000 (Broadcom BMIPS32) [ 0.000000] Kernel panic - not syncing: unable to detect bcm963xx board

→ Basic configuration After flashing, proceed with this.
Set up your Internet connection, configure wireless, configure USB port, etc.

The default network configuration is:

Numbers 0-3 are Ports 1-4 as labeled on the unit, number 4 is the Internet (WAN) on the unit, 5 is the internal connection to the router itself. Don't be fooled: Port 1 on the unit is number 3 when configuring VLANs. vlan0 = eth0.0, vlan1 = eth0.1 and so on.

→ generic.failsafe

Model Number

Front:

Photo of front of the casing

Back:

Photo of back of the casing

Note: This will void your warranty!

• To remove the cover do a/b/c

Main PCB

→ port.serial general information about the serial port, serial port cable, etc.

How to connect to the Serial Port of this specific device:

  5 4 3 2 1 |
  o o o o o |
------------' 

 5. GND
 4. GND
 3. TxD
 2. RxD
 1. 3.3v?

115200,8,n,1

→ port.jtag general information about the JTAG port, JTAG cable, etc.

How to connect to the JTAG Port of this specific device:

Photo of PCB with markings

→ generic.debrick

1. you could read about bootloader in general

1. as a beginner, you really should inform yourself about soldering in general and then obtain some practical experience!

For some Help with the Tags, please have a look here: tags