→ Install OpenWrt (generic explanation)

OpenWrt can be flashed via TFTP using an unofficial recovery image provided by the OpenWrt's forum member yoq (more information is provided here). Download the recovery image c2_recovery.zip here.

To flash the recovery image, start a TFTP server from IP address 192.168.0.66 and serve the recovery image named ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin that you have extracted. Connect your device to the LAN port, then press the WPS/Reset button and power it up. Keep pressing the WPS/Reset button for 10 seconds. It will try to download the recovery image and flash it. You must set your machine's IP to static 192.168.0.66, Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.0 and Default Gateway to 192.168.0.1.

It can take up to 20-25 minutes to finish. When it reaches 100%, the router will reboot itself.

OpenWrt can be accessed at 192.168.1.1.

After successfully flash OpenWrt firmware with the method above, you will be able to directly upgrade it via web interface to the latest release we have from, also forum member, abnoeh. You can download LEDE.for.ArcherC2V1.complied.tar.xz here. Extract the .zip and flash the .bin file.

If you didn't preserved setting when you upgrade it, you will need to enter http://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/admin/network/network/lan, and press save and apply at the bottom of page without change anything to make 5G Wi-Fi work.

  The C2v1 TFTP recovery overwrites the uboot partition, hence it must be included in a recovery.bin
  An official stock TPLink firmware file has a 512 byte header, which needs to be stripped for TFTP:
  dd if=c2v1_stock_firmware.bin of=ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin bs=1 skip=512
  To create a recovery for openwrt, simply stick the stock uboot in front of the squashfs:
  dd if=c2v1_stock_firmware.bin of=c2v1_uboot.bin bs=1 skip=512 count=131072
  cat c2v1_uboot.bin openwrt-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin > ArcherC2V1_tp_conf.bin

The case is a bit hard to open, start with the two screws. Then start prying the lid from the bottom of the case, starting at the side with the ethernet connectors, There are 11 notches all around keeping the lid in place. They come loose by pushing the bottom part of the case outward.

Serial port: TTL voltage, 115200 bps, 8N1.

The Serial connector is labeled 'J2', and is wired as follows:

  Ethernet side of PCB
  
     VCC  ... not used.
     GND  -------------- GND of Serial adapter
     RX   <-- input  <-- Tx of Serial adapter
     TX   --> output --> Rx of Serial adapter
     
  Led side of PCB

Where 'RX' connects to the output of your serial adapter, and TX, connects to the input of your serial adapter. You can verify this, by using a volt meter to check that 'TX' pin is at Vcc level, and the RX pin is at GND level.

The GND pin may be a bit hard to solder, i needed to scratch away some paint from the PCB to make a large enough connection.

On some versions you need to solder 2 bridges to get serial port working. You need good soldering experiences for that!

The bootloader of the stock firmware can be interrupted by pressing a digit from 1 .. 7, press '4' for the u-boot prompt.

From the serial console, you can login to the running linux of a stock firmware with: username 'admin' and password '1234'.

The C2 uses a external GBit switch, connected by MDIO bus. Network traffic to the CPU is passed through the internal switch of the MT7620A SoC:

             +---------------+
             |  MT7620A CPU  |
             +---------------+
                      |
                      6 
+----------------------------+
|           MT7620A          |
|       embedded switch      |
+----------------------------+
  unused              5 (RGMII)
  5x FastEth PHY      |
                      |
                      6 (RGMII)
+----------------------------+
|         RTL8367RB          |
|    switch & 5x GBit PHY    |
+----------------------------+
  0     1     2     3     4
  |     |     |     |     |
 WAN   LAN1  LAN2  LAN3  LAN4

Version: 1.1.3 (Dec 4 2013) Ralink UBoot Version 4.1.2.0

MT7620 # bdinfo
boot_params = 0x83F4FFB0
memstart    = 0x80000000
memsize     = 0x04000000
flashstart  = 0x00000000
flashsize   = 0x00800000
flashoffset = 0x00000000
ethaddr     = xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
ip_addr     = 192.168.0.1
baudrate    = 115200 bps

Push '4' to enter UBoot

The following forum threads have been used to discuss the C2:

• https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=52625
• https://forum.lede-project.org/t/support-for-tp-link-archer-c2-v1/14301

Thanks to everyone that contribute to make this possible.

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