Netgear Ac1600 Setup

[Elisabetta Buendia]

Applyfactory OpenWrt image via OEM web-gui. You may be prompted to confirm that the version would be a downgrade, accept to continue flashing. If after flashing OpenWrt you still see the OEM ROM, flash OpenWrt again. Afterwards your router will definitely boot OpenWrt.

This device supports nmrpflash method (NMRP config over ethernet + TFTP) for both installation and recovery. Please read instructions linked above, but short description: connect your computer via ethernet cable to LAN1 port (does not work on WAN), start nmrpflash -i -f openwrt-ramips-mt7621-netgear_r6260-squashfs-factory.img (or the OEM image) and turn on the router. Note that this method expects factory image format (*-factory.img or OEM).

Other methods (like manual TFTP upload) require access to the console (via UART) and thus opening the enclosure and some soldering so nmrpflash is highly recommended for installation and de-bricking as it does into require any of that.

In the unlikely case that even NMRP does not work, the device uses U-Boot in ROM with support for both TFTP and Serial upload. However, access to the UART to use that interface requires opening the enclosure (see below), soldering a 4-pin header and two bridges (TX/RX, the UART uses 3v3 logic levels). U-Boot options can be activated by sending the corresponding character 1..9 in time (no newline needed):

Selected options are interactive and allow specification of parameters such as IP addresses (self/TFTP server) and filenames. Default parameters: TCP server 10.10.10.3, self 10.10.10.123, filename test.bin. Boot command line has a lot of options, but use with care.

Remove three T10 screws, two of them are under the bottom rubber pads (see picture). The top has plastic clips along the perimeter which can be unclipped sequentially and a single tab at the back end which slides out once all clips are unhooked.

The UART is a 4-pin header under the WAN port (see picture). It is labeled J4 and the pin-out is GND, TX, 3v3, RX (pins 1-4). It uses 3v3 logic, but is neither populated nor are the corresponding resistors included. In order to use the UART header two of the missing resistors must be bridged (R53 and R54 - see picture).

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