Wireless Joint

There are occasions when the Firmware Recovery method is required to upload a new or different kernel version of firmware.

Some prefer using this method anytime a firmware upgrade is being conducted--which assures all files and configurations from previous builds are overwritten/replaced, as opposed to updated. This is important where files on a previous build have been customized and/or modified.

To access the WE/WG's boot loader menu:

1. Connect an Ethernet cable from the router LAN port to your PC. NO NOT USE WIFI FOR THIS PROCEDURE.

2. Change your PC's IP address on the network card to:

• IP address: 192.168.1.5

• Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

• Default gateway: 192.168.1.1

and click Okay and close out the windows. While unnecessary may times, it is often useful to now reboot the PC.



3. Open your web browser to 192.168.1.1

4. Clear the cache in your web browser (i.e., press Ctrl and F5 at same time, may vary by web browser being used).

5. Remove the power from the router.

6. Press and hold the reset button on the rear of the router (and don’t let go) and plug the power back in.

7. Keep holding the reset button for several seconds until the LED’s light up across the router, and then settles down to only one (or two) LED's. This averages only a few seconds to do.

8. When the single LED is shown, release the reset button and the Menu should appear. You may have to refresh you web browser.

Remember after this process, to reset your network card to Obtain an IP address automatically. Otherwise, you have issues logging into the router.

NOTE: This can be an aggravating process and may take several tries to succeed. As one member remarked, its all about timing (i.e., knowing when to release the reset button) that, after succeeding a few times, develops a sort of touch to the timing. In short, be patient. The method will work.

In the event your boot loader screen comes up in Chinese, see this TOPIC

FIRMWARE:

WiFiX custom GoldenOrb firmware

All GoldenOrb firmware builds

WE826 | WG3526 | WE1326 | WE1026-5G OEM OpenWRT firmware

This really helped me out. I purchased a ZBT WE826-T2 from AliExpress and it had an OEM firmware that wouldn’t let me connect to AT&T or T-Mobile. I followed the “default” steps here, on GoldenOrb and OpenWRT and kept getting a chinese error message that said the firmware was invalid. This little post got me right up and running! Thank you so much! My only wish is that this was linked at the bottom of the “Installation” instructions as many devices coming from China are shipped with a custom firmware that doesn’t seem to play well with others.

Thanks again!
Chris

I sure wish I'd found this site before I bought this batch of routers. I found Wireless Joint trying to figure out all the problems with my AliExpress units and the ones in the shop here are actually cheaper, have the right modems, the right antennas and high amperage power supplies so we don't drop connections... you don't have to fuss with any of it.

I find running a continuous ping against 192.168.1.1 is a good way to know when to release the reset button in step 7. Release as soon as there is a ping response from 192.168.1.1.

Something not mentioned here is that the bootloader runs on http and not https. Most cases luci-ssl is enabled and neither chrome or firefox will switch between them automagically.

If you're getting pings from the router but can't access luci or the bootloader check the address bar and make sure you aren't trying to use ssl.