v 2.0 TL-WR1043ND with Atheros AR83xx

[joeaor]

Hi all,

I have been faithfully buying the v 1.0 and v 1.1 TP-Link TL-WR1043ND routers and using both with Gargoyle very successfully for some years.

Suddenly I can't get them in New Zealand and instead there's a v 2.0
( different look altogether - see http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/deta ... 043ND#spec )

I emailed TP-Link and they said the new one uses Atheros AR83xx architecture (uh-oh), and has twice the memory (good!). (v1.0 uses AR71xx architecture).

I can't see any support for Atheros AR83xx on Gargoyle nor any mention of it at http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/start.

So, are we out out luck here? I don't understand the implications of all this very well, so don't know if AR83xx should work where AR71xx did, and suspect not, but am happy to be educated. If no support, is anyone up with the play enough to know whether there might be at support at some stage, and roughly when?

Thanks, Joe.

[nebbia88]

some info:

https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=47403

openwrt trunk:

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl- ... 043nd.v2.x

gargoyle

http://www.gargoyle-router.com/download ... actory.bin

[joeaor]

Thanks. I am completely at a loss - I'm technical, IT Consultant 20 years, but not on this stuff at this level. I am confused - why would you link to this firmware:

http://www.gargoyle-router.com/download ... actory.bin

...when it's for ar71xx architecture? The manufacturer said the v2 device uses ar83xx architecture, yet there is no Gargoyle firmware for that, and that architecture is not mentioned at either of those other pages linked.

I'm not complaining, I appreciate your help, but I am confused and dubious!

[joeaor]

Does ANYONE know the answer here?

If the TL-WR1043ND is a v2, do I just use the firmware...
gargoyle_1.6.1-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr1043nd-v2-squashfs-factory.bin
...and hope it works?

Is the "v2" in that firmware name there because it was built for the v2 hardware, or does it mean something else??

Sorry, but I just don't speak the language here - way too tech-specific to routers etc, and I need plain english answers ....SOMEONE PLEASE!!!!

[DoesItMatter]

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr1043nd

View that page for info on WR1043ND-V2

Gargoyle runs on OpenWRT underneath so any hardware questions
should be researched on the OpenWRT website/forums/wiki

If there is a image available for download - it should flash

BUT - as always - you take the risk of flashing

There are no guarantees

Bad flashes can happen - so be prepared to do a recovery

If you are not willing to do the above, then don't flash Gargoyle

[joeaor]

OK - I risked a bricking and gave this a try, and it worked.

For the record, the V2 hardware in my case was noted as follows on the "Status" page of the factory firmware as follows...
Hardware Version: WR1043 v2 00000000

I renamed the downloaded gargloyle firmware from:
gargoyle_1.6.1-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr1043nd-v2-squashfs-factory.bin
to:
garg1.6.1wr1043ndv2.bin
(...because the firmware fails to 'take" or even work unless the name is simplified, at least in my experience on the v1 hardware versions of these routers.)

After install of Gargoyle status screen therein showed:
Device Name:Gargoyle
Gargoyle Version:1.6.1
Model:TP-Link TL-WR1043N/ND v2
Device Configuration:Gateway
Memory Usage:15.6MB / 60.2MB (25.9%)

Wireless worked, WAN worked as "Static IP (PPPoE not tested), all systems appear normal so far and performance is good.

So, all good news. One last note for clarity:

These are the v1 devices:
http://static.techspot.com/images/produ ... 4685_o.jpg (can't find a pic of one on the TP-Link site now!!)

These are the v2 devices:
http://www.tp-link.com/resources/images ... 043-v2.jpg

Happy Gargling.

[nworbnhoj]

Thanks joeaor, for this post detailing your success with the TL-WR1043ND v2.

I have also successfully flashed a TL-WR1043ND v2 with gargoyle_1.6.1-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr1043nd-v2-squashfs-factory.bin with identical results

Two additional notes:
1) The internet connection appears stable using a Huawei E160E modem plugged into the single USB port.
2) The tor plugin appears to be operating correctly

[hobbygirl]

I was successful in flashing my tp-link wr1043nd v2 with no problems. I guess I should have asked this question ahead of time, but how to I get the tp-link firmware installed back on this unit. I am not network/router saavy, just an IT tech for alot of years.

Thanks.

Juanita

[DoesItMatter]

I was successful in flashing my tp-link wr1043nd v2 with no problems. I guess I should have asked this question ahead of time, but how to I get the tp-link firmware installed back on this unit. I am not network/router saavy, just an IT tech for alot of years.

Thanks.

Juanita

See this page:

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl- ... l.firmware

Follow the info there to flash back to Stock TP-Link firmware

There is a download link for the V2 firmware you can just download
that and flash from the Gargoyle GUI to revert back to Stock

See this part of that page:

TL-WR1043nd V2 TL-WR1043ND-V2-stripped.zip