WARNING: incompatible MR3020 V1.9 routers out there! **solved**

[admin]

WARNING: TP-Link has given us an unpleasant surprise by bringing a modified version of the MR3020 onto the market. The unit looks exactly like the old one but is marked as "MR3020(UN)" on the back and is given a "Ver: 1.9" tag. When you flash this router model with Meteobridge firmware it is bricked. So please check the sticker at the back before flashing! We currently don't have an image that works with this new 1.9 version of the MR3020. On the picture below you see the sticker that indicates the router being a bad one, not suited for Meteobridge. Keep away from those models.

HINT: You have the same sticker on the bottom of the sealed box, so you can return those models without breaking the seals.

mr3020-v19.png (258.54 KiB) Viewed 13472 times

[bubulino]

Thanks for the information!
best regards
swisswetter.shop

[admin]

I am working on a new image that also handles these new models. Difference is a new NOR flash chip inside, which the openwrt kernel I use does not support. I try to patch that, but we will see...
Anyway, once the unit is bricked, you cannot give it a second try. So please don't flash "Ver 1.9" marked MR3020 right now. Some "Ver 1.9" still have the older chip, but you can't see from outside. Not very great what TP-Link is doing here and this looks like a week end full of work coming ahead

[admin]

Problem solved! I just released Meteobridge firmware 1.5 works for old and new hardware revisions:
http://www.meteohub.de/files/meteobridg ... 0-v1.5.bin

Looking a bit more into the details of they also changed uboot boot loader of the new revisions and there is a way to resurrect bricked units without opening the case and doing some soldering to attach a serial console, as I did to understand the nature of the problem...

[admin]

Instructions how to resurrect a bricked MR3020 impacted by the problem described in this thread.
1) setup a TFTP server in your LAN
2) give the TFTP server the LAN IP "192.168.0.66"
3) store the version 1.5 Meteobridge firmware (http://www.meteohub.de/files/meteobridg ... 0-v1.5.bin) in the TFTP folder of your server as "mr3020v1_tp_recovery.bin"
4) connect MR3020 per Ethernet cable with the LAN
5) press button on top and keep pressed while plugging in power cable into MR3020
6) wait 10 seconds, release button

After a while large LED should start slow blinking, then fast blinking and when Internet connection worked fine large LED switches to steady on.

I know that this is just for the tech-savvy, but I did not want to hide the recipe. Please understand that I will not coach you through setting that TFTP thing up. When instructions above are not self-explanatory to you, please just dump the bricked MR3020 and buy a new one. Coaching you through that is nothing I can do, please understand. Thanks!

[MeteoOudkarspel]

Just a small question
Is the FW version 1.5 also available for the meteobridge pro?

[admin]

Hi, as we control the hardware of the Meteobridge PRO there is no new FW release needed for the PRO. They are still on 1.4, which is totally fine and FW is put onto the PRO by us, not by the user.

[MeteoOudkarspel]

Hoi Boris,

Just ask, but thanks for the info.

[heersje]

As I happen to have a 1.9 running on build 11358 I am slightly worried. So to be 200% sure :if I get the newest on reboot I should get a version that works or is it essential I do an update using the version you posted above first?

Thanks!

[admin]

This thread is about initial flashing of the MR3020 only. You do this when you buy a standard MR3020 from your local IT shop to make a Meteobridge out of the TP-Link router. When you buy a Meteobridge device from one of the resellers, this already is flashed by the reseller. There is no need to reflash a Meteobridge again. All FW versions run fine.

When you have any version of Meteobridge running on it, then this is the proof that it has already been successfully flashed by someone. SW updates released by me from time to time will load on all versions fine, no reason to worry.

[Andyk1]

I just got one of these (UN) ver 1.9 and with your 1.5 firmware I was able to flash it no problem. Up and running in 5 min.

Studied all the reviews, comments and directions on the meteobridge website while waiting for delivery and had no problems.

Does anyone know if there are other firmware's we could find or newer than the ver1.5?

Andy

[admin]

Does anyone know if there are other firmware's we could find or newer than the ver1.5?

We nearly never upgrade firmware as this is a cumbersome process. Each time the Meteobridge reboots it downloads the most recent application stack into RAM and operates on this. So you don't have to reflash again... You are kept up to date without the need to take care of it.

[Andyk1]

"We nearly never upgrade firmware as this is a cumbersome process. Each time the Meteobridge reboots it downloads the most recent application stack into RAM and operates on this. So you don't have to reflash again... You are kept up to date without the need to take care of it."

I understand. I had a somewhat glitch yesterday. It seemed my MB downloaded an update... I barely got a look at it. It looked like Date: Jan 6 2018 and I saw build version number was higher but don't remember. When I checked my Wunderground site I noticed it was not updating the past 20 min. After a MB reboot it no longer could connect and I could not enter the MB Gui. I ended up having to do a restore with a backup on USB stick. I am now back to Jan 3's Meteobridge 3.5 (Jan 3 2018, build 11751), FW 1.5 update.

Anyone have a similar problem? Could anyone guess how much this costs in US dollars $ and I don't know the conversion rate in Euros I'm assuming.

Andy

[admin]

WU has problems currently. you can read here: http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?board=90.0

That you loose settings by doing a reboot is not something I ever noticed. There can be problem when the power plug is pulled while it is trying to save settings, but this should be very rare.

I don't get your remark on the US $ costs, but may be that was not meant to me...

[Andyk1]

post deleted.