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M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2023 1:17 am
by mdloading
Hello all, I’m dealing with a bit of a conundrum:

So I flashed GoldenOrb firmware into my router and everything works well, except that my Verizon connection works for about 5 minutes then ceases to work. The GUI shows that I’m connected to the tower just fine, but I don’t have any internet connection.

I have the correct TTL settings, APN, everything; I just cannot figure out why my internet connection stops working after that 4-5 minute period. The router works perfectly fine with a T-Mobile SIM but seems to fail with Verizon. Any assistance here?

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 8:26 pm
by vigilant
I have the same problem

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2023 6:59 pm
by static1401
Sorry, I don't mean to hijack your thread or anything, but I had a question ..
Is this the same router as the Suncomm 02? M10K21 on FW Version:2.2.2-20230524-165520 with the Quectel RM520N-GL.? If so, can you point me in the direction how to properly update the modem, firmware and more importantly, flash some decent router firmware like golden orb/Rooter whatever it's called? Something other than this mesh+ stuff? I really don't care too much but want to be able to still perform IMEI changes. Band locking, channel selecting ECT. I've been asking and asking around. I feel like all I'm getting is ignored or I'm annoying people. This is kind of a big project I've been wanting to work on as I just took the dive and spent $400 on a 4x4 antenna and enclosure and hardware to mount this thing in from the wireless haven after holding my breath on it for months now. But I would really like to get this modem and router firmware upgraded and flashed before I take it out of the box and remount it in the antenna.

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2023 3:59 pm
by Didneywhorl
Download the latest version of Rooter for it here: under Alwaylink-M01K21: http://aturnofthenut.com/autobuilds/

They are all the same router, as long as you have the mediatek version with the yellow ethernet ports. The black ethernet ports one is not the same.

All the tools and directions for flashing from Mesh+ to Rooter are in the zip for the firmware. Follow that and you will be good to go.

Basically, boot up your router fully, and log into the UI (just to make sure its up and running)

Fire up the factools.exe app and put hqf2020go as the password and make sure the IP address is the same as your router IP (we'll use 192.168.100.1 as a default example below). Then click on the telnet button, then the OK button on the popup. Then open putty or windows powershell or similar command terminal that is capable of both telnet and SSH.
Telnet into the router via its IP address and enter:

Code: Select all

/etc/init.d/dropbear restart
It will likely say some error, ignore. Once it is back to the command prompt, open a new terminal session (telnet/powershell/etc) and navigate to the directory that you unzipped the firmware, where the uboot.bin file is. Then in the terminal type:

Code: Select all

scp uboot.bin root@192.168.100.1:/tmp/uboot.bin
enter your router login password if prompted

It should work fine. Then SSH into the router:

Code: Select all

ssh root@192.168.1.1
..then enter your router password when prompted and now run:

Code: Select all

mtd unlock u-boot
then

Code: Select all

mtd write /tmp/uboot.bin u-boot
Once done. wait 1 minute then type:

Code: Select all

reboot
Exactly after you send the above command, press and hold in the routers reset button and keep holding it for 12 seconds. Then release the reset button. Immediately try and log into the router at 192.168.1.1

It should load a firmware recovery screen. If in Chinese search this forum for how to use that screen.

That screen is where you will upload to the router the new Rooter firmware image.

All of this should coincide with the pdf document in the firmware zip folder. let me know if anything I said above is off.
I've done MANY of these for the NEXPRO routers.

Simplest way to update the modem firmware is to pull it out and place it in a usb adapter. If you have a Linux machine handy, you can update it over ethernet, but that is a little more involved to setup. Too much of a pain for most. Simpler to pull it and use the USB adapter to update it in windows via QFlash app/

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 3:22 am
by static1401
it says in the guide in the download to flash uboot.bin after clicking that chinese pill icon, your saying to flash the firmware.. in the file there are two what appears to be firmwares M01K21-GO2023-09-20-upgrade and M01K21-full-GO2023-09-20-upgrade.bin which is what, and didnt i just flash uboot previous to that? I did as instructed and waiting a hour and tried to go back to 192.168.1.1 and nothing would come up, i powered off and freaked out as nothing happend for about 5 mins and then going back to the same page finally that chinese page with the pill came back up. After uploading the first time i did get some text saying to wait and that uboot was flashing but after a hour nothing had happend... Amd i doin something wrong and i appreciate everything thank you

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 10:29 am
by Didneywhorl
I honestly have never noticed that it says to load the uboot.bin twice. Never. That makes no sense to me.

I ALWAYS write uboot.bin to u-boot via the mtd command in SSH (after scp the file to /tmp/). Then reboot the router ('reboot' command in SSH) and access the recovery page via reset button, then click the pill and load the ....upgrade.bin file (I use the one that says 'full' in the file name)

It reboots a few times, then comes up as Rooter. Sometimes I will reflash teh image via the rooter menu 'firmware backup'flash' menu under 'System'. But otherwise it's good to go every time.

Which did you flash in your attempt? If you flashed the uboot file again in the GUI, it would make sense to me that it would just go to the same chinese bootload screen, as that is what the uboot.bin image is for. uboot.bin IS that bootloader recovery screen. It's how we load rooter to the router. I'll have to ask Dairyman about that pdf directions.

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2023 11:57 pm
by static1401
I spoke with him, and another gentleman. Along with your help I got it all finished and straightened out. There was a typo that caused me to do that, but thank you for your help so very much I greatly appreciate it

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:36 am
by APMI23
Didneywhorl wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2023 3:59 pm Download the latest version of Rooter for it here: under Alwaylink-M01K21: http://aturnofthenut.com/autobuilds/

They are all the same router, as long as you have the mediatek version with the yellow ethernet ports. The black ethernet ports one is not the same.

All the tools and directions for flashing from Mesh+ to Rooter are in the zip for the firmware. Follow that and you will be good to go.

Basically, boot up your router fully, and log into the UI (just to make sure its up and running)

Fire up the factools.exe app and put hqf2020go as the password and make sure the IP address is the same as your router IP (we'll use 192.168.100.1 as a default example below). Then click on the telnet button, then the OK button on the popup. Then open putty or windows powershell or similar command terminal that is capable of both telnet and SSH.
Telnet into the router via its IP address and enter:

Code: Select all

/etc/init.d/dropbear restart
It will likely say some error, ignore. Once it is back to the command prompt, open a new terminal session (telnet/powershell/etc) and navigate to the directory that you unzipped the firmware, where the uboot.bin file is. Then in the terminal type:

Code: Select all

scp uboot.bin root@192.168.100.1:/tmp/uboot.bin
enter your router login password if prompted

It should work fine. Then SSH into the router:

Code: Select all

ssh root@192.168.1.1
..then enter your router password when prompted and now run:


Code: Select all

mtd unlock u-boot
then

Code: Select all

mtd write /tmp/uboot.bin u-boot
Once done. wait 1 minute then type:

Code: Select all

reboot
Exactly after you send the above command, press and hold in the routers reset button and keep holding it for 12 seconds. Then release the reset button. Immediately try and log into the router at 192.168.1.1

It should load a firmware recovery screen. If in Chinese search this forum for how to use that screen.

That screen is where you will upload to the router the new Rooter firmware image.

All of this should coincide with the pdf document in the firmware zip folder. let me know if anything I said above is off.
I've done MANY of these for the NEXPRO routers.

Simplest way to update the modem firmware is to pull it out and place it in a usb adapter. If you have a Linux machine handy, you can update it over ethernet, but that is a little more involved to setup. Too much of a pain for most. Simpler to pull it and use the USB adapter to update it in windows via QFlash app/

I'm trying to flash mine and it keep getting a Could Not Open MTD device u-boot, I have Yellow WAN and two Black Lan ports.
Is there another Rooter uboot.bin that has to be used on theses units ?
thanks for any help.

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 8:30 am
by Didneywhorl
@APMI23

Did you mean to quote the whole post then not put anything of your own?

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 10:41 am
by APMI23
Didneywhorl wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 8:30 am @APMI23

Did you mean to quote the whole post then not put anything of your own?
sorry my question got moved into the body of the original post, fixed.

Re: M01K21 router with GoldenOrb, Verizon issues

Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2023 2:57 pm
by Didneywhorl
The Black/Yellow one is Qualcomm based and requires a different firmware. I'm not sure it was made by Rooter.