OpenWRT on RTL8196E in WiFi repeater – pt2.2

Published on August 9, 2024

Part 2.2 : Rebuilding

So, since I have to do some coding in order to get the firmware out and that I can get the data without having the chip off the board, I decided to resolder everything to be sure that it was still working.

It was also a good way to test my new ~~toys~~ tools. That side board-clip (call it whatever you’d like) was on my list that I wanted to try and I can always use more practice with soldering SMD components, but first, gotta flux the old pads and clean everything!

I think the soldering job is not terrible… not amazing but not terrible either. As said, more practice needed. Nonetheless, here’s a few shot of the clip which IMHO is pretty helpful and nice!

Also, I thought I’d revisit the UART dump and put it here. Maybe I’ll end up finding something interesting in it when I’ll have my head out of it.

RTL8196E booting log dump

Booting...

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@
@ chip__no chip__id mfr___id dev___id cap___id size_sft dev_size chipSize
@ 0000000h 0c22015h 00000c2h 0000020h 0000015h 0000000h 0000015h 0200000h
@ blk_size blk__cnt sec_size sec__cnt pageSize page_cnt chip_clk chipName
@ 0010000h 0000020h 0001000h 0000200h 0000100h 0000010h 0000027h MX25L1605D
@ 
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
 
---RealTek(RTL8196E)at 2013.06.07-10:22+0800 v1.0 [16bit](400MHz)
no sys signature at 00010000!
no sys signature at 00020000!
no rootfs signature at 000E0000!
no rootfs signature at 000F0000!
no rootfs signature at 00130000!
no rootfs signature at 000E1000!
no rootfs signature at 000E2000!
no rootfs signature at 000E3000!
no rootfs signature at 000E4000!
no rootfs signature at 000E5000!
no rootfs signature at 000E6000!
no rootfs signature at 000E7000!
no rootfs signature at 000E8000!
no rootfs signature at 000E9000!
no rootfs signature at 000EA000!
no rootfs signature at 000EB000!
no rootfs signature at 000EC000!
no rootfs signature at 000ED000!
no rootfs signature at 000EE000!
no rootfs signature at 000EF000!
no rootfs signature at 000F1000!
no rootfs signature at 000F2000!
no rootfs signature at 000F3000!
no rootfs signature at 000F4000!
no rootfs signature at 000F5000!
no rootfs signature at 000F6000!
no rootfs signature at 000F7000!
no rootfs signature at 000F8000!
no rootfs signature at 000F9000!
no rootfs signature at 000FA000!
no rootfs signature at 000FB000!
no rootfs signature at 000FC000!
no rootfs signature at 000FD000!
no rootfs signature at 000FE000!
no rootfs signature at 000FF000!
no rootfs signature at 00100000!
no rootfs signature at 00101000!
no rootfs signature at 00102000!
no rootfs signature at 00103000!
no rootfs signature at 00104000!
no rootfs signature at 00105000!
no rootfs signature at 00106000!
no rootfs signature at 00107000!
no rootfs signature at 00108000!
no rootfs signature at 00109000!
Jump to image start=0x80500000...
decompressing kernel:
Uncompressing Linux... done, booting the kernel.
done decompressing kernel.
start address: 0x80003440
Realtek WLAN driver - version 1.6 (2013-02-21)



Probing RTL8186 10/100 NIC-kenel stack size order[3]...
chip name: 8196C, chip revid: 0
NOT YET
eth0 added. vid=9 Member port 0x1...
eth1 added. vid=8 Member port 0x10...
eth2 added. vid=9 Member port 0x2...
eth3 added. vid=9 Member port 0x4...
eth4 added. vid=9 Member port 0x8...
[peth0] added, mapping to [eth1]...
Realtek FastPath:v1.03
init started: BusyBox v1.13.4 (2014-03-16 10:50:10 CST)
Generated PIN From Mac = 15729873

e8abfa

sysconf.c__is_Cli_WPS_OK__598__wps:0
Init Start...
sh: iptables: not found
sh: iptables: not found
sh: iptables: not found
sh: iptables: not found
sh: iptables: not found
sh: iptables: not found
lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)


set_init.c_1318_wlanIf:wlan0
Init wireless[0] profile...
Init bridge interface...

DO 8192E IQK !!!!
Done 8192E IQK !!!!

Init Wlan application...
wlan0-vxd start!!

WiFi Simple Config v2.12.1-wps2.0 (2013.05.16-02:22+0000).


WiFi Simple Config v2.12.1-wps2.0 (2013.05.16-02:22+0000).


iwcontrol wlan_vxd!!
Register to wlan0
Register to wlan0-vxd
route: SIOCDELRT: No such process
iwcontrol RegisterPID to (wlan0)
IEEE 802.11f (IAPP) using interface br0 (v1.8)
Set_wlanapp.c End

rlx-linux login:

Now, I really should get working on that Flashrom update if I want to be able to read that memory chip…

Until next time…