Can we install OpenWRT on Acer Predator W6 router

Pole

I do not see an option in the web interface to manually install custom open-source firmware. Openwrt recently released support for this device. Many customers and tinkerers would appreciate this feature.

AnhEZ28

@Pole

There is already OpenWRT firmware for this router: https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/23.05.0/targets/mediatek/filogic/

Pole

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1241530#Comment_1241530

but how are we expected to install it?

Pole

@AnhEZ28

I should elaborate further. I know there is OpenWRT firmware available for this router. What I'm asking is if there is a supported way to install this firmware in the web UI of the router. I see an option in the web UI to update firmware, but it only seems to support the offical acer firmware. I am looking for an option to upload the custom OpenWRT firmware via the web UI of the router.

If this feature does not already exist, would it be possible to request it?

billsey

Those kinds of mods likely fall into the category of things that shouldn't be discussed here, the same as BIOS mods for computers. Best to ask the OpenWRT folks how they do it.

AnhEZ28

@billsey

I just found the article from official Acer about supporting 3rd party firmware. https://community.acer.com/en/kb/articles/16316-predator-connect-w6-dd-wrt-support

Although installing this will likely make it hard to get further support from here, they still say using Open-WRT works better than DD-WRT because of security reasons. I think it is like installing a different OS on the computer rather than modding BIOS. I'm still not sure much.

billsey

That sounds like Open-WRT is already installed from the factory. Maybe they just have a custom skin on it?

AnhEZ28

@Pole

You can check with the OpenWRT forms since flashing a custom firmware is risky. Also, ask them for the recovery option if the flashing is failed.

BrokeAndBoosted

If anyone happens upon this in a search for the much more extensive feature set vanilla OpenWRT would bring vs the neutered version the W6 ships with, Acer made it impractical to use the vanilla open source software even though that's what their factory firmware is based on, in essence going against the spirit of open source software in the first place.

https://forum.openwrt.org/t/acer-predator-w6-with-openwrt/168979/66

bezeria

Hello Acer,

you are basically using OpenWRT for this router. Just be a good citizen and let us install vanilla openwrt ourselves, without requiring to re-enter the bootloader upon every router reboot.

@AnhEZ28

bezeria

Acer has done a great job in the hardware side of this router, that it could very well become the go-to choice for the OpenWrt community **if** there was a way to easily flash it.

Unrelated: does anybody know what is the max. power output of the usb 3 port? Is it the standard 5v900mA or can it go higher?

billsey

Very likely it's the standard. Power budgets on routers are a big factor in the designs, so adding non-standard extras like that aren't typically done.