Skip to main content

Abandonware to OpenWRT: Google OnHub WiFi Router, model PGR1900 by TP-Link

Here are my OpenWRT adventures with the Google OnHub WiFi Router, model PGR1900 by TP-Link.

The Backstory

I found a new looking Google OnHub WiFi Router, model PGR1900 by TP-Link on the street... in the box! I thought it could have been a great win.

But alas, NO.  This WiFi Router has been abandoned by Google, magically turned into eWaste by the fuck-the-planet losers at Alphabet.  Cloud-managed hardware CAN be evil, and this is Case Study #1.

This is very distasteful of Google, as these devices have good hardware and could have had 5 or 10 more years of life left in them.  It's just that Google and its partners can't make any money on something they already sold, so they prefer them to be landfilled to induce you to buy more expensive junk.

Even more evil: They are incorrectly listed as "in production" on Amazon. 

So what to do with this Google Paperweight?  I'm going to pursue OpenWRT, in hopes to address the nasty problems caused by Google.  Before getting too far ahead of ourselves, see the OpenWRT page on this model.

Here are the steps I took to install OpenWRT on this device:

Power Adapter

My trash-found Google Router didn't have a power adapter, so first I had to find out what kind of power it needed.  The device, of course, doesn't list the adapters full specs on the label, so what to do?  Look at the eBay pictures of these devices that people are selling, and hope they're selling them with the original power adapter.

In a couple minutes I found a PGR1900 being offered for $20, including the power adapter.  Good luck selling it for more than $5.  But anyhow, the power adapter's label was clearly visible:

12 VDC @ 3 Amps, center-positive.  Looks like a 5.5mm x 2.1mm barrel jack.

I'm not going to buy the adapter just yet, as I don't want to spend any money on this until I get it working.  

Instead, I decided to use my general purpose adjustable power adapter to power it up.  These things are very handy if you often deal with missing power adapters (trash finds or whatever).  I plugged my adjustable adapter into the the router, and ta-da, the PGR1900 starts up with lights a-glowing... and after a minute, my iPhone can see the former user's SSID.  So generally, the router is alive!

If I end up finding that this router is useful, then I will find (or buy) an adapter that specifically provides 12 VDC, 3A with a center-positive barrel jack. 

[Security Side note: Since I now know the former user's SSID, I did a quick search of the SSIDs in my neighborhood, and there it is!  Looking up the MACADDR of this person's new router reveals that the former owner of this distasteful Google router has migrated to GL.iNet hardware. This is a far, far better choice, as GL-iNet is capable and natively runs OpenWRT software.]

Revealing the Developer Mode Switch

One of the steps to getting this to work with OpenWRT is to press the developer mode switch, but Google has buried the Developer Mode switch:  The switch is hidden under a screw, under the bottom rubber foot.  Why did Google spend good money to bury this switch?  Screws and threaded holes cost real money.  The only valid reason I can think of: since they're not stupid, it must be because they're jerks.

Anyhow, I pealed off the rubber foot with the help of a hot air station set to 150 ºC, revealing the screw.   That was easy.  

Since I've been there, you probably don't have to remove the rubber foot!  The screw can be revealed if you do a little strategic cutting with an X-Acto #11 knife (see photo).  

After locating the screw, I stuck the foot back on and cut a notch in the rubber.  

The screw is easily removed from the router with a 1.5mm Allen (hex) wrench.  From there, I can stick a bent paper clip in the screw hole and feel the "click" of the switch. 

Revealing the Developer Mode Switch
Foot Cut, Revealing the Developer Mode Switch Screw

 OpenWRT Firmware Preparation

I downloaded the OpenWRT firmware, to my Mac, as revealed on the OpenWRT page on this model.

I got an old 4 GB USB-A thumb drive (with a cheap USB-C adapter) and used Disk Utility to re-partition the stick as FAT.

I copied the firmware file to the stick, via drag and drop in the finder.

Installing OpenWRT

So I went and installed OpenWRT via the procedure documented on the OpenWRT page.  And it tanked.  Nothing.  Tried it 7 times.  Never worked.  Anger,  Frustration.

And then I decided to use a new 32 GB USB-A thumb drive.  And it worked!  Yay!  Sometimes I hate USB for being so finicky.

And that's where I am now.  I haven't deployed it yet, but for now, my PGR1900 seems to have a new lease on life.

 


Popular posts from this blog

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, part 1: Disassembly Guide

I've had my SodaStream Jet for years, and once in a while something has gone wrong. Disassembly is the first step to repair.  Start with this article to see how to disassemble the SodaStream, and then once you have that down, scroll through my other articles to see how I repaired specfic SodaStream problems. SodaStream Jet Disassembly Guide Tools Required Flat head screwdriver Phillips head screwdriver 1. Remove the Carbonator.  Duh. 2. Remove the black panel lever The front big black tilt lever needs to be removed first. Removing this panel is tricky, but it isn't impossible. Looking up at the bottom of the black panel, there are two tabs, one on the left and one on the right. These tabs fully secure the panel in place. The trick is to use a flat-head screwdriver under the plastic to gently lever the tabs out of the way.  Note in the pictures how I approach these tabs with my screwdriver.  I usually release the left side first, and then I release ...

Fixing my Wahl 9918 Groomsman Beard and Mustache Trimmer

Not everyone would bother repairing a $25 beard trimmer, but why not fix something for under $5 instead of spending another $25? My  Wahl 9918 Groomsman Beard and Mustache Trimmer  has admirably performed its beauty duty for many years, but the time came when the battery just wasn't holding a charge any more.  Most people would just put the trimmer in the trash and buy a new one, but I figured I could repair my otherwise excellent Wahl and save some money. In fact, even high priced trimmer and rotary shaver brands, like Norelco and Remington, can be easily repaired using a process similar to the one I used to fix my Wahl.  Read on to find out how. I opened up the Wahl by popping off the black plastic faceplate with a tiny flathead screwdriver, which revealed two screws.  By removing the two screws I was able to easily open up the unit, revealing the guts of the device. Backplate off, Revealing the screws The internals are rather simple: a motor, a...

Robust Installation of an HDHomeRun Networked TV Tuner. 64 OTA channels!

I added an HDHomerun (HDHR) over-the-air (OTA) streaming box to my home network, bringing over-the-air broadcast TV to my computers, phones and tablets.  The HDHR is a big upgrade from my previous setup: using a simple "window mount" antenna directly connected to my TV. A TV-attached antenna is good for watching some TV for free, but the HDHR offers so much more flexibility. Figure 0: HDHomeRun on my basement wall   My original OTA TV setup was haphazard at best. It was finicky, ugly, and hard for other people at home to use. I would actually tape my antenna to a window whenever I wanted to watch OTA TV. Plus, it only worked on my TV and not with my other devices. I wanted a cleaner and more modern OTA setup. After looking at possibilities, I developed two goals: (1) bring my OTA TV into the modern Internet-connected era, and (2) set it up in a reliable and pretty way so that other family members wouldn't have to fool around with the antenna or anything else.  With that,...

Dustbuster Switch Repair

My Dustbuster vacuum - a CHV-1410, gets a lot of use.  We use it several times per day, every day.  It is a workhorse. Sadly, it was becoming unreliable.  It would be fully charged, and I'd hit the switch and maybe it would begin to start and then stop, or it would lurch and stop - or maybe it would do nothing. My CHV-1410 had a broken switch At first I thought it was the battery, but then I found that by carefully wiggling the switch I was sometimes able to get the vacuum to work.  All that on-off action over the years made the switch unreliable. Instead of throwing away an otherwise perfectly good vacuum, I decided to replace the worn switch.  It's an easy and worthwhile repair with the right part. The one special part needed: A specific $5 Switch There seems to be two types of switches used in these, based on the charging mechanism: For the Lithium models (CHV-1410L and similar), I notice that there are only two conductors are attached to the sw...

MacBook: burnt out magsafe connector repair

My MacBook (A1342 model from 2009-2010) stopped working, thanks to a cheap knockoff magsafe charger. The magsafe connector looked burnt with heat-distorted melted plastic and some black carbon surfaces.  Plugging in the charger resulted in no lights and no action.  My MacBook was dead. First I tried to clean up the connector with some Q-Tips, tooth picks and solvent, but that did little, as seen in this "after" picture (below).   The heat generated by the aftermarket charger permanently deformed and distorted the MacBook's magsafe connector.  Clearly the damage was significant. Burnt Magsafe Connector - Replacement Required! Looking at iFixIt , I determined that it would not be difficult to replace only the magsafe connector with the right tools.  I hoped and prayed that the problem was isolated to the connector assembly and not the logic board. I bought a replacement magsafe connector assembly (available from Amazon) for under $20 and started to rep...

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, Repair #2 - Broken Fill Button

My Soda Stream Jet's fill button broke, which means I can not longer carbonate water by pressing the pushbutton. This caused all sorts of grief in my household. Here is how I managed to repair my Jet to give it another 10 years of life (hopefully). First, a look at the button The fill button on the top of the SodaStream is actually a simple lever. Pressing down on the button moves a pin that does the actual work of pressing open the Carbonator's valve. Unfortunately, the axis point is fairly thin and can see a lot of stress. That's where my Soda Stream button cracked. [ I think the usage tip here is "don't over-press the button like a gorilla, it doesn't do anything but put high stress on the button."] Cracked levering point of the button The Pesky Lever Retaining Pin The Fix It was pretty easy for me to replace the button: Take off the back of the Soda Stream and remove the carbonator. Push out the the button lever's steel retaining pin. This takes qu...

Other Posts

Show more