OpenWrt One: Open Hardware Router Specifications and Recovery Guide

OpenWrt One: Open Hardware Router Specifications and Recovery Guide

Overview

The OpenWrt One is a purpose-built open hardware router designed for deep integration with the OpenWrt ecosystem. It utilizes the MediaTek Filogic 820 SoC to provide a balance of modern wireless standards and high-reliability hardware recovery options, making it an ideal target for users who prioritize firmware control and device longevity.

Technical Specifications

The OpenWrt One is equipped with the following hardware components:

  • SoC: MediaTek Filogic 820
  • Wireless: WiFi 6, dual-band, 3×3/2×2 configuration
  • Networking: 1× 2.5Gbit WAN port, 1× 1Gbit LAN port
  • Memory: 1GB DDR4 RAM
  • Storage: 256 MiB NAND, 16 MiB NOR (dedicated for recovery), and an M.2 SSD slot
  • Connectivity: USB-C Serial console and USB 2.0
  • Power: Supports IEEE 802.3af/at Power Over Ethernet (PoE) via the 2.5 Gbps WAN connector
  • Physical: 148 x 100.5 mm dimensions, compatible with Banana Pi BPI-R4 case designs

Firmware Deployment and Initial Setup

Devices ship with the most current OpenWrt Release Firmware and the LuCI GUI pre-installed for out-of-the-box operation.

Initial Boot Sequence

  1. Ensure the NAND/NOR switch is set to NAND.
  2. Connect to the 1G port via Ethernet (default IP: 192.168.1.1).
  3. Power on the device and wait for the green LED to turn solid.
  4. Access the LuCI GUI via a web browser or use SSH via ssh root@192.168.1.1.

Note: Users upgrading to the SNAPSHOT branch will find that the LuCI GUI is not installed by default and must be added manually.

Firmware Recovery and Upgrade Paths

The OpenWrt One features multiple layers of redundancy to prevent permanent bricking, ranging from USB-based upgrades to low-level UART flashing.

USB-Based Sysupgrade

To upgrade firmware via USB, prepare a FAT32 formatted drive (MBR partition table recommended) containing the file openwrt-mediatek-filogic-openwrt_one-squashfs-sysupgrade.itb. With the NAND boot switch selected, hold the Reset button while powering on, then release it when the LEDs turn off. The device will reflash the kernel and root filesystem from the USB drive.

NAND Recovery Mode (initramfs)

If the device fails to boot normally, users can boot into a recovery initramfs image by holding the Front panel button during power-up (with the NAND boot switch selected). This allows for subsequent upgrades using other available methods.

NOR Full Recovery Mode

When the NAND bootloader or TF-A is corrupted, the device can boot from the dedicated NOR flash. With the NOR boot switch selected, hold the front panel button during power-up. The NOR recovery system will then factory re-flash the entire NAND memory using a preloader and factory image provided on a FAT32 USB drive.

Low-Level UART/TFTP Flashing

For total system failure, the NOR flash itself can be re-flashed via a two-step process:

  1. UART Boot: Use the mtk_uartboot tool over the USB-C serial console to copy DDR4 initialization and NOR bootloader images to RAM.
  2. TFTP Flash: With the NOR WP jumper populated and the switch set to NOR, use the boot menu to request and flash images from a TFTP server (listening on 192.168.11.23 while the router uses 192.168.11.11).

Community Insights and Analysis

User discussions highlight a divide between those who value the device's reliability and those who find its hardware limitations restrictive.

Performance and Reliability

Many users report high stability and ease of use. One user noted that the device is "the best device to run OpenWrt on as it is fully supported hardware that has great images/packages for it."

Hardware Criticisms

Some critics argue that the hardware is under-specced for a modern primary router, specifically citing the lack of a built-in switch and the limited number of Ethernet ports.

"It has two Ethernet ports, no switch. WHY? ... It was likely a fun engineering project for someone but the business case isn't there."

Alternatives and Ecosystem

Discussion points include the use of x86 mini-PCs running OPNsense or plain Linux (NixOS) for users requiring more CPU power for VPNs or more extensive LAN connectivity. However, the OpenWrt One is praised for its small footprint and the peace of mind provided by its physical recovery switches.

Sources