Setup your Main router completely.
Plug your child router using the wan port to the main router lan port.
Log into your main router web admin. Click on CA at the bottom right.
Click on Connectivity and CA Router setup. Click on both Add Wired and Add Wireless nodes buttons. Wait for the Add wireless button to re-enable then click Done adding Child Nodes. And then Apply.
Now the child node light should start flashing purple and turn into a mesh node when it urns blue.
This is really finicky but mines up and running again after a full reset.
Benefits of installing open sources openwrt/DD-wrt -
1.Current firmware is EOL and this router will not get future updates. But with Openwrt/dd-wrt, you will get longer support.
2. Support for additional packages/features
3. Easy mesh setup
4. VPN support
5. Potential for activating the USB3 port, which doesn't function with the stock firmware.
IMPORTANT Caution for following: As of Sept. 2nd, there is no official release of OpenWRT available yet for this unit - only the developers' testing versions noted below. The Linksys included stock firmware version shipped is from Spring 2024, so you may want to wait for installing an official Openwrt release, which may come within next few weeks.
Steps to install openwrt -
There are two models of this router, one is straight MX4300 and other is Homewrk version (please clarify/update this and ways to identify them. i believe all woot routers are Homewrk version) [Edit by hiroll: Actually most or all of those shipped from Woot are almost certainly the MX4300 ... it's confusing, because the outer brown shipping box is still labeled for the original Homewrk, but the router units packed within the inner white box are labeled MX4300. AFAIK, all of the Woot units are shipped via slow UPS ground from a 3rd party in CA. I received two different ones weeks apart from the earlier deal posts, one ordered through Amazon and the other directly from Woot - and both outer boxes and contents are exactly the same.]
Based on the router version, you need to install different variation of openwrt. One is lytr [github.com] and second is qosmio's build [github.com]. You have to install right version to right router otherwise you may end up with bricked router.
Here are instructions, thanks to @andythepandy
1. Go to https://github.com/testuser7/open...ax-2540ea6 and download the squashfs file for your device (e.g., LN1301 is the same as MX4300, so you'd download openwrt-qualcommax-ipq807x-linksys_mx4300-squashfs-factory.bin).
2. Follow the installation steps from https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/mx4200_v1_and_v
3. SSH into your router as user "root" and no password. By default, the IP address for the router would be 192.168.1.1
4. Make sure your router is connected to the internet (WAN port is connected to your ISP). Then in the router CLI, type "opkg update", press enter. Once finished, type "opkg install luci" and press enter. Once the command completes, reboot the router or power cycle.
5. Now you should be able to access Luci by going to 192.168.1.1 in your browser.
Some Relevent links:
https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/mx4200_v1_and_v
https://forum.openwrt.o
https://forum.openwrt.o
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246 Comments
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Am I correct that the mx4200 from Walmart
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Linksy...564541
*Update* these will work. Read rbtcordells comments below.
Edit:
I posted the wrong setup procedure before.
Setup your Main router completely.
Plug your child router using the wan port to the main router lan port.
Log into your main router web admin. Click on CA at the bottom right.
Click on Connectivity and CA Router setup. Click on both Add Wired and Add Wireless nodes buttons. Wait for the Add wireless button to re-enable then click Done adding Child Nodes. And then Apply.
Now the child node light should start flashing purple and turn into a mesh node when it urns blue.
This is really finicky but mines up and running again after a full reset.
It just doesn't seem possible to set up using the App or web admin.
Set up the main router
Connect a child node wan port to a main router lan port.
Fully boot up both routers. Main light solid blue. Child light solid purple.
On the main router click reset 5 times within 5 seconds.
Within a minute or so the child router will start flashing purple.
It is now being set up as a mesh extension.
The child node light will turn blue when its ready. Give it a minute then move it to wherever you want either wired or wireless.
After one power outage, the router went from BARELY usable to completely boofed.
Will not connect to my home network... just absolutely refuses to.... when I did, it worked decently fast... so I was happy!
Then I had a power outage... Router functioned fine... in terms of UI and etc... Just that it WOULD NOT connect to my switch.
I plugged in another router, worked fine... plugged in a 3rd router just in case it's still the line or something... worked fine STILL.
I filed for return, will not consider it.. Honestly should have taken another poster's advice and NOT get this trash.
It just doesn't seem possible to set up using the App or web admin.
Set up the main router
Connect a child node wan port to a main router lan port.
Fully boot up both routers. Main light solid blue. Child light solid purple.
On the main router click reset 5 times within 5 seconds.
Within a minute or so the child router will start flashing purple.
It is now being set up as a mesh extension.
The child node light will turn blue when its ready. Give it a minute then move it to wherever you want either wired or wireless.
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Just try again. it should change back to blue right away when you get it right. Then it will look like nothing is happening. After just a little bit the purple light should start flashing. I've done it three times now just to be sure. I did it with the main router already set up and plugged into my modem.
From the dd-wrt website, under download, Betas factory-to-ddwrt.img 8/8/2024 r57793.
https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-w...-ddwrt.img
Just try again. it should change back to blue right away when you get it right. Then it will look like nothing is happening. After just a little bit the purple light should start flashing. I've done it three times now just to be sure. I did it with the main router already set up and plugged into my modem.
However, my issue is that the child node solid purple light never changes to anything else!
Thanks for any debugging suggestions.
From the dd-wrt website, under download, Betas factory-to-ddwrt.img 8/8/2024 r57793.
https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-w...-ddwrt.img
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank rbtcordell
However, my issue is that the child node solid purple light never changes to anything else!
Thanks for any debugging suggestions.
Setup your Main router completely.
Plug your child router using the wan port to the main router lan port.
Log into your main router web admin. Click on CA at the bottom right.
Click on Connectivity and CA Router setup. Click on both Add Wired and Add Wireless nodes buttons. Wait for the Add wireless button to re-enable then click Done adding Child Nodes. And then Apply.
Now the child node light should start flashing purple and turn into a mesh node when it urns blue.
This is really finicky but mines up and running again after a full reset.
I thought the reset button 5 times is what worked but I was wrong.
It also shows two nodes in the Linksys app.
Setup your Main router completely.
Plug your child router using the wan port to the main router lan port.
Log into your main router web admin. Click on CA at the bottom right.
Click on Connectivity and CA Router setup. Click on both Add Wired and Add Wireless nodes buttons. Wait for the Add wireless button to re-enable then click Done adding Child Nodes. And then Apply.
Now the child node light should start flashing purple and turn into a mesh node when it urns blue.
This is really finicky but mines up and running again after a full reset.
I thought the reset button 5 times is what worked but I was wrong.
It also shows two nodes in the Linksys app.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Leave a Comment