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expired Posted by dailydealsforme • Jan 24, 2019
expired Posted by dailydealsforme • Jan 24, 2019

T-Mobile TM-AC1900 WiFi CellSpot Router (Certified Pre-Owned)

+ Free S/H

$40

$109

63% off
T-Mobile
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T-Mobile.com has T-Mobile TM-AC1900 WiFi CellSpot Router (Certified Pre-Owned) on sale for $49.99 - Extra $10 off w/ promo code CPOROUT (apply in cart) = $39.99. Shipping is free. Thanks dailydealsforme

Note, be sure to select the "No credit check" option before adding item to cart.

Includes
  • T-Mobile TM-AC1900 WiFi CellSpot Router
  • 3x External Dual-Band Detachable Antennas
  • Power Adapter
  • RJ-45 Cable

Editor's Notes

Written by Discombobulated | Staff
Be sure to apply your promo code while in cart to receive discount. Offer valid for online p purchase only - Discombobulated

Original Post

Written by dailydealsforme
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Update: If item appears to show out of stock, you may try another web browser or try again later.

T-Mobile.com has T-Mobile TM-AC1900 WiFi CellSpot Router (Certified Pre-Owned) on sale for $49.99 - Extra $10 off w/ promo code CPOROUT (apply in cart) = $39.99. Shipping is free. Thanks dailydealsforme

Note, be sure to select the "No credit check" option before adding item to cart.

Includes
  • T-Mobile TM-AC1900 WiFi CellSpot Router
  • 3x External Dual-Band Detachable Antennas
  • Power Adapter
  • RJ-45 Cable

Editor's Notes

Written by Discombobulated | Staff
Be sure to apply your promo code while in cart to receive discount. Offer valid for online p purchase only - Discombobulated

Original Post

Written by dailydealsforme

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Top Comments

If I had to write a full up-to-date guide, it would be this:
(Up to date as of 5/2/19 with suggestions in this and later threads)
How to flash TM-AC1900 to RT-AC68U:

Install WinSCP, Putty, and a file archiver (click this link to download all 3 [ninite.com]). Install the Asus Restore Utility [asus.com], mirror [filedropper.com].
Connect your computer to the *yellow* port on the router by way of an Ethernet (LAN) cable
Check if SSH can be enabled - if so, enable it and jump to step #15
Go to Administration > System > Enable SSH > Yes > Apply
Ezlink: http://192.168.29.1/Advanced_System_Content.asp
Create a folder on your desktop, name it "router".
Download this file [mega.nz] and extract it to the newly made router folder. It contains a firmware to downgrade to, a firmware to upgrade to, and mtd-write.
Download firmware version 3.0.0.4.384.20308 from here [softpedia.com] and unzip the file
Disconnect the cellspot router from the internet if you haven't already
Set static IP for PC.
start > run > ncpa.cpl > double click Ethernet > properties > IPV4 >
IP: 192.168.29.5
Subnet: Default (255.255.255.0)
Gateway: 192.168.29.1
Place router into Recovery/Restore mode
a. Hold reset button 10 seconds
b. Power off router (keep holding reset)
c. Wait 10 seconds, keep holding reset
d. Power on router holding reset for 10 more seconds
Go to 192.168.29.1 in a web browser - you should see ASUSTek CFE miniWeb Server
If Mini-CFE webpage won't load, try Chrome Incognito mode, else use Asus Restore Utility (linked in #1)
If having trouble with this step perform NVRAM Reset (see #24) and try #9 again
Flash TM-AC1900_3.0.0.4_376_1703-g0ffdbba.trx from the "router" folder you created (hit the choose button, select the file, hit upload)
Wait for reboot at least 5 mins – WiFi lights on router will turn on when boot is complete
Log in to router (admin:password)
Go to Administration > System > Enable SSH > Yes > Apply
Ezlink: http://192.168.29.1/Advanced_System_Content.asp
Open Putty and WinSCP and connect them to 192.168.29.1 using a admin:admin or admin:password
Tip: In WinSCP select SCP as file protocol, in Putty SSH
In Putty type:
cat /dev/mtd0 > original_cfe.bin
In WinSCP refresh the window on the right side and note that original_cfe.bin is present
Copy original_cfe.bin to a local drive
Download the new .bin
a. Upload original_cfe.bin to http://cfeditor.pipeline.sh/
b. Select 1.0.2.0 US AiMesh as Source CFE for Asus/Merlin builds, (1.0.2.5 recommended for DD-WRT or Tomato)
c. Click Download
Rename the new .bin file to "new_cfe.bin"
Through WinSCP, Upload new_cfe.bin & mtd-write & FW_RT_AC68U_30043763626.trx to router
In Putty type:
chmod u+x mtd-write
./mtd-write new_cfe.bin boot
mtd-write2 FW_RT_AC68U_30043763626.trx linux
Wait until the CRC OK message comes up
Perform NVRAM Reset
a. Power off router
b. Wait 10 seconds
c. Press and hold WPS button
d. Power up the router and continue to hold WPS button for 15-20 seconds until power LED starts blinking very quickly.
e. wait 5 minutes
Reset PC IP back to default
Log in to router using 192.168.1.1 and the router is now an RT-AC68U with 64MB jffs
username:/password is now: admin:admin
If router isn't showing RT-AC68U, try Chrome Incognito Mode
Enable SSH (see #14) Ezlink: http://192.168.1.1/Advanced_System_Content.asp
Reconnect Putty (see #15)
In Putty, execute the code for fixing MTD5 partition.
cat /dev/mtd5 > /jffs/mtd5_backup.bin
mkdir /tmp/asus_jffs
mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock5 /tmp/asus_jffs
rm -rf /tmp/asus_jffs/*
sync && umount /tmp/asus_jffs
ln -s /sbin/rc mtd-erase
In the router page, go to Administration > Firmware and upload RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_384_20308-gead790e.trx
This is the file you downloaded in step #6
Perform NVRAM Reset (see #24)
Enable SSH (see #14) Ezlink: http://192.168.1.1/Advanced_System_Content.asp
When going back into the router at this point, it may prompt you to update the username/password, not allowing you to go directly to enable ssh
Make sure you don't forget what you change the username/password to
Reconnect Putty (see #15)
In Putty, execute the code for fixing MTD5 partition.
mkdir /tmp/asus_jffs
mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock5 /tmp/asus_jffs
rm -rf /tmp/asus_jffs/*
sync && umount /tmp/asus_jffs
ln -s /sbin/rc mtd-erase
./mtd-erase -d asus
rm -rf /jffs/.sys/RT-AC68U
nvram unset fw_check && nvram commit && reboot
You now can (and should) flash an updated firmware, such as Asus, Merlin, Advanced Tomato, Tomato, and DD-WRT firmwares.
To flash newer Asus firmwares at this point, go to the router page, go to Administration > Firmware and upload the latest firmware from this page [asus.com].
At this point, for security purposes I'd recommend to either disable SSH or change it to 'LAN only". Also, definitely change both the default login id and password.


Additional Notes:

Yes, step 34 is partially redundant, but this is the way I did it twice and it caused no issues.
If you complete all the steps successfully, but you plug in the router to your network and there is no internet, your cable/fiber modem may coincidentally be on the same default IP as the router is. To fix this, go to the router webUI and on the status page you'll see an error stating an IP conflict which you can click so the router will change itself to a different IP
if you want to set up AiMesh, follow these steps


Feel free to message me if you get stuck, I may not respond immediately but I will try to help
No, it is something Tmobile would issue to customers who had bad reception in their home. This doesn't broadcast mobile wireless signal, just regular wifi. Since TMobile uses wifi calling the idea is stronger wifi in your house will alleviate their weak network.

It does not connect to the Tmobile network, and does not require Tmobile service. It will not give you internet if you don't have an ISP. It is just a regular modem, but branded.
Seems you're mixing your metaphors. You "pulled the trigger", not the plug. And you have to jump through hoops, not over them. You jump over hurdles.

Good luck with the conversion - it's not easy but it isn't rocket surgery! (Didya see what I did there?)

873 Comments

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Jan 24, 2019
65 Posts
Joined Oct 2011
Jan 24, 2019
dalethefarmer
Jan 24, 2019
65 Posts
Would it possible to connect 2 of these routers to a switch and create a mesh network? I already have one of these routers in the front of the house, and would like to install another one in the back, and my house has ethernet in the walls.
Jan 24, 2019
3,039 Posts
Joined Dec 2015
Jan 24, 2019
appleguy82
Jan 24, 2019
3,039 Posts
I had this setup after flashing the TMobile firmware however the video streaming via Netflix kept buffering from the second aimesh node.switched to tp link deco m5 and it's cool
Jan 24, 2019
1 Posts
Joined Jan 2019
Jan 24, 2019
taznmb1
Jan 24, 2019
1 Posts
Quote from davmrls :
Shows OOS for me...Using Chrome and with Icognito no go,

Edit: Tried Brave browser and it worked! Thanks Op
​ctrl f5 worked for me
Jan 24, 2019
78 Posts
Joined Mar 2013
Jan 24, 2019
ChaoticKinesis
Jan 24, 2019
78 Posts
Quote from nightanole :
Nope i gave up. i had 1 in the basement and 1 in the garage, wired connection for both(no wifi hop). Either my rokus would connect to the 'far" one, and get poor performance, or like you it would randomly drop for a few seconds as it decided on the fly which ap to connect to.

I just went back to having "basement" and "garage" IDs, and had both programmed into phones/notebooks.
I haven't received this router yet so can't say for sure about all the settings you want to tweak but this is absolutely a resolvable issue and is very common for multi-router setups. There's no reason to be using multiple SSIDs in 2019 but unfortunately it usually still takes some work.

Make sure you're setting the channels for all bands manually and that they don't overlap between your routers. Then you'll most likely need to reduce the transmit power on the routers to something like low on 2.4 GHz and low-medium on 5 GHz. You also want to look for settings like disconnecting on low signal and RSSI minimum. Use an app on a phone or laptop and walk around your house to determine what the optimal settings would be for this. I use Wifi Analyzer on Android.

Edit: After doing a bit of research, I realize what I write above doesn't apply to AiMesh. I'm not crazy about what AiMesh does. I guess it's fine for consumers who don't know how to set up their network and can't be bothered to learn and troubleshoot but a manual set up will almost always work better.
Last edited by ChaoticKinesis January 24, 2019 at 08:50 AM.
Jan 24, 2019
9 Posts
Joined Dec 2015
Jan 24, 2019
swaroop0309
Jan 24, 2019
9 Posts
Can I use this with my TWC network??
Jan 24, 2019
138 Posts
Joined Dec 2009
Jan 24, 2019
Funksultan
Jan 24, 2019
138 Posts
Quote from Zodeus :
I don't believe this at all (the "even from phones that don't have that option" part). Can you provide any link that states this? Wifi calling can't be supported without firmware on the phone itself.
That's not how wifi calling works. You're just forwarding/converting the signal. There are a wealth of technologies that do this. The location of the firmware doesn't matter (phone, router, etc). In china, they often use USB dongles for this purpose.
Jan 24, 2019
1 Posts
Joined May 2017
Jan 24, 2019
simpleuse
Jan 24, 2019
1 Posts
Questions for the latest Asus firmware: can it monitor how much data usage for each device connect to internet?
I have one using TMobile firmware as the second AP to extend WiFi range. But I experienced excessive data usage, sometimes with a lot of upload data. Some weekend usage exceeded 90 GB per day. Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.

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Jan 24, 2019
227 Posts
Joined Aug 2005
Jan 24, 2019
cheaptardis
Jan 24, 2019
227 Posts
Finally, been waiting to buy one and add it as a mesh. Thanks! Hope the order doesnt get cancelled!
Jan 24, 2019
308 Posts
Joined Feb 2007
Jan 24, 2019
madrascafe
Jan 24, 2019
308 Posts
Back in Stock to Order
Jan 24, 2019
737 Posts
Joined Jul 2015
Jan 24, 2019
TitanicSync
Jan 24, 2019
737 Posts
This is not new, it is been at this price for almost a year.
Jan 24, 2019
137 Posts
Joined May 2011
Jan 24, 2019
ualymerej
Jan 24, 2019
137 Posts
Quote from dalethefarmer :
Would it possible to connect 2 of these routers to a switch and create a mesh network? I already have one of these routers in the front of the house, and would like to install another one in the back, and my house has ethernet in the walls.
You'd have to follow the directions to flash it to the Asus firmware in order to set up AiMesh.
Jan 24, 2019
5 Posts
Joined Nov 2018
Jan 24, 2019
JaelS
Jan 24, 2019
5 Posts
Just got one on Firefox mobile. Thanks op
Jan 24, 2019
7,445 Posts
Joined Nov 2006
Jan 24, 2019
KMan
Jan 24, 2019
7,445 Posts
Quote from gossipninja :
Yes. It is just a wifi router that had special firmware to allow tmobile phones to make and receive calls over wifi
But my TM-branded phone can already make and receive WiFi calls on my non-TM-branded router, so what's special about this firmware in that respect? Does it do a better job than non-TM-branded routers of automatically switching between cellular and WiFi calling and if so does it do this within or between calls?
Jan 24, 2019
847 Posts
Joined Jun 2010
Jan 24, 2019
SDNovice
Jan 24, 2019
847 Posts
I wanted to get the ASUS RT-AC68U ( same hardware as this Tmo version) or the RT-AC66U but was hesitating because of the price (brand new). Saw this today and was available in stock when I checked online, so pulled the plug. I was hesitant to get this Tmo version because you have to jump over the hoops to get the firmware flashed to 68U firmware. But I was tempted and pulled the plug. Let's see how this goes!!

Thanks OP!!

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Jan 24, 2019
3,362 Posts
Joined May 2011
Jan 24, 2019
timtim2008
Jan 24, 2019
3,362 Posts
does this help with metropcs, mint, and other tmobile MNVOs?

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