Firmware for xiaomi wifi router 3

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Article Description

Due to enormous competition, gadgets for the Chinese domestic market, as a rule, have two important advantages at once - excellent quality at a low price. But there is also a drawback, at least in our eyes: such devices often lack localization, at least in English. And if the community has long learned to cope with smartphones, and their firmware does not cause any difficulties for anyone, then with, for example, routers, everything is not so smooth. In the review, we will talk about the capabilities of the Xiaomi Mi Router 3G router and how difficult it is to teach the gadget the Russian language. Technical characteristics of Xiaomi Mi Router 3G Processor: dual-core MediaTek MT7621, 880 MHz RAM: 256 MB Built-in memory: 128 MB LAN: 2 ports, 1 Gbit/ cWAN: 1 port, 1 Gbps Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz, MIMO 2x2USB: 1 USB 3.0 port Packaging and accessories Mi Router comes in a large cardboard box, which immediately A QR code is located in several places for quickly downloading an application to control the gadget. The kit is spartan - only the gadget itself and the power supply, but the router doesn’t need anything else. The main thing is not to forget to get an adapter from a flat plug to a Euro plug, otherwise you won’t be able to connect the device to an outlet. Appearance The router body is entirely made of white matte plastic. The design is minimalist and successfully combines sharp and smooth transitions between edges. On the front panel of the device there is a single LED, which in the “default” mode does not carry much meaning. All connectors are located on the back: one WAN port, two LAN ports (all three are gigabit), USB 3.0 port, power supply connector, as well as a reset button. The four antennas (two for the 2.4 GHz band and two for the 5 GHz band) are made non-removable. The remaining edges of the case are empty, but the bottom panel is perforated over the entire area for better ventilation. First turn on For the initial setup of the router, the easiest way is to use the Mi mobile application Wi-Fi, which the manufacturer offers to download via the link in the QR code. Simple logic also suggests doing this: the program has been translated into English (although hieroglyphs still remain in some places). After the application detects the router and allows you to set up a wireless network password, you can easily connect to the device from your laptop and open the Internet -interface. But first, Mi Wi-Fi will prompt you to register a Xiaomi account. We will need it further, so we will have to agree. Well, now you can definitely go to the router’s web interface. And here an unpleasant surprise awaits us: the device control panel is available only in Chinese. If you do not speak the Chinese language, then the only way to understand the interface is to use the RUMIWIFI extension, available for Chrome and Yandex.Browser browsers. RUMIWIFI does its job well and allows you to control most of the router’s functions, although some inscriptions in our case still remained untranslated. The interface of the router's stock firmware is as minimalist as the design of the gadget itself. It has all the basic settings for connecting to the Internet in various ways and the usual functions like DDNS, port forwarding or assigning static IP addresses to local network devices, but that's about it. There are no advanced hardware management capabilities or specific network settings here, and using an incompletely translated interface is not much fun. Installing custom firmware Fortunately, there is a solution to the problems described - installing custom firmware, which is not only fully translated into Russian, but also has much more extensive functionality. We should thank for its existence the forum members Andy.padavan - the author of the firmware itself, and Freize - the developer of the PROMETHEUS script for its compilation and installation. Yes, due to copyright restrictions, you will have to compile the firmware from the source code yourself, but this is still better than nothing. In order for the script to be able to upload the firmware to the router, you will first need to gain access to the device via SSH. Instructions for gaining access are on the forum, and to complete it you will need firmware for developers from the manufacturer’s official website, a Xiaomi account and a USB drive formatted in FAT32. Among the pitfalls, we note the need to download the firmware for developers not through the Xiaomi router (otherwise we will be transferred to the web interface) and the need to manually enter the https protocol twice in the browser address bar due to errors in the operation of the company’s website. The Chinese language of the site should not be an obstacle - we only need to press two buttons. Once access via SSH is obtained, all that remains is to run the PROMETHEUS script and follow the instructions. The script only works on the Debian operating system or Linux distributions based on it. Windows 10 PC owners can try using the Bash on Windows add-on, but we preferred to build the firmware in a virtual machine with Ubuntu 16 installed. 04. According to the developer of the script, recently it has been working on new versions of this OS, so you can try running it on Ubuntu 17.10 or later. If access via SSH was successfully obtained at the preparation stage, then after performing all preliminary operations like assembling the toolchain and compiling the firmware; to install it, simply select the “Flash Firmware” item in the corresponding menu. If you strictly follow the instructions and avoid the described pitfalls, the process of changing the router firmware will last no more than one to one and a half hours, the lion's share of which will be taken by compilation. New features After updating the firmware, the router's web interface will radically change. Don’t be surprised by the presence of the ASUS logo: according to the author of the firmware, it’s all about the same copyrights. Now the router has much more advanced capabilities that can be useful for both ordinary users and experienced administrators. For example, each wireless interface of the access point can now be controlled separately, setting the Wi-Fi operating schedule, wireless network mode, channel width and other parameters. Among the professional Wi-Fi settings, we note the ability to adjust MIMO and isolate access point clients from each other. Happy owners of real IP addresses in padavan firmware can configure a VPN server. PPTP, L2TP and OpenVPN protocols are supported. The USB port in custom firmware has three main functions. The main one is file sharing when connecting an external storage device, be it a regular flash drive, SSD or hard drive. The router can be an SMB server (Windows network environment), an NFS server (Linux network), an FTP server, or even a UPnP/DLNA server with the connection of smart TVs and media players. The router also supports independent downloading of files to the drive. For this purpose, the firmware provides two applications at once: Aria2 for regular downloads and the Transmission torrent client. The second purpose of the USB port is to work as a print server, which allows you to use any printer as a network printer. Finally, you can connect a modem to the router’s USB port and use it instead of a wired connection to your ISP. This feature is useful when using a router in places remote from civilization (for example, in a country house) or for reserving the main channel. The user can control the priority of the WAN port and USB modem independently. Despite the mention of 3G in the name of the router, the gadget, of course, can also work with LTE modems. Let's verify this by testing Mi Router with the Huawei E3372 modem. In this case, the data transfer speed, of course, “floats” and depends on the capabilities of the telecom operator and the network load. Among the pleasant features of the firmware, we note the ability to control the LEDs on the front panel and Ethernet connectors, up to their complete shutdown to switch the gadget to stealth. mode.Advanced users will certainly be interested in the ability to install third-party software from the Optware and Entware repositories in custom firmware. This allows you to turn the router into a full-fledged web server with support for PHP and Python. Hardware A few words should be said about the hardware of the Mi Router 3G. The composition is based on the MediaTek MT7621 chipset, the processor has two cores built on the MIPS32 architecture, the maximum clock frequency is 880 MHz. This is a fairly powerful and modern SoC that supports speeds up to 2 Gbps, MIMO technology and is capable of working with five Gigabit Ethernet ports simultaneously. Despite this, Xiaomi limited itself to only two LAN ports in the Mi Router 3G. Most likely, this was done for marketing reasons. The amount of RAM is 256 MB - almost the standard amount for a modern home router. The internal memory is only 128 MB in size and is only available for flashing the router firmware and installing third-party software (like a torrent client). Unfortunately, we do not have laboratory conditions - we had to test the speed of the router in the busy air conditions of an apartment building. However, this is for the best - few people will use this gadget in an open field. The simplest method for measuring speed was also chosen - copying a large file between a laptop connected via Wi-Fi and a server connected to the LAN port. At a frequency of 2.4 GHz, the speed turned out to be expectedly low - only 40 Mbit/s. This is not surprising: in addition to the Mi Router 3G network, the laptop “sees” at least 13 more networks from other apartments. But at the 5 GHz frequency things are much better - the stable data transfer speed was 280 Mbit/s, rising to 320 Mbit/s at its peak. Just for fun, we tried disabling MIMO 2x2, leaving only one channel for receiving and transmitting data. In this mode, the speed did not rise above 184 Mbit/s, which once again proves the real benefits of this technology. As for the speed of surfing the Internet, the situation is as follows - as much as was received from the provider via cable, so much was broadcast by the router. This the speed was obtained one and a half meters from the device in the 5 GHz range: And so - through two walls made of gas silicate blocks 150 mm thick. The distance to the router is five meters, the 5 GHz band: Two ports are not enough? It turned out that the Mi Router 3G has two noticeable drawbacks, but each of them depends only on the point of view of a particular user. The first is the presence of only two LAN ports. For those who only use laptops, tablets and other wireless devices, one port would be plenty, while others need at least four at home. In other words, before purchasing, you should weigh your needs and decide whether the available connectors are enough for you. However, you can always buy an inexpensive switch to solve the problem of lack of ports in the future. The second drawback is the need for independent localization, which can take a lot of time in the absence of experience. Results About five hours were spent on flashing and other settings, taking into account the search for solutions to the problems that arose (the Xiaomi website did not work correctly and the scripts were incompatible with Ubuntu 17.04). If this doesn’t scare you, then the Mi Router 3G will be an excellent option for home use: thanks to the presence of four antennas and support for MIMO 2x2, the gadget is capable of delivering as high a speed as the clogged airwaves of an apartment building allow. Well, after flashing the router, it becomes a full-fledged combine, which no longer only serves as an access point, but can also be a full-fledged file server and allows you to connect to your local network from anywhere in the world. With a cost of no more than 2,500 rubles, Mi Router 3G has virtually no competitors in terms of price-to-features ratio. Pros: high speed; support for external 4G modems; large coverage area; excellent functionality after flashing; beautiful appearance. Cons: complex flashing; total two LAN ports. Author of the text: Vladimir Terekhov w3bsit3-dns.com

Good day to everyone, dear friends, acquaintances, readers, admirers and other joys.

The problem is solved by automatic translation, say, from Google, i.e. in the web interface, on the desired page, right-click and select " Translate to Russian", after which we get the Russian language on this particular page:

And repeat this every time you need to receive a transfer (of course, provided that you have already managed to set up the Internet on the router).. Or use the above-mentioned phone application. Here is an example of the same page with translation (clickable):

As mentioned above, there is even a display of the degree of processor and memory load. At a minimum, it’s pleasant, and if you know how to use it, it’s sometimes useful.

The setup process in standard firmware is not anything phenomenal; there are all the necessary items from Wi-Fi to detailed Internet settings, port forwarding, black and white lists, DHCP and other details (clickable):

The truth is for some reason missing, as I understand it, such a wonderful thing as a firewall, prohibiting response to pings from the WAN and other security things. It's depressing. I hope that they will do it in the future, or at least it will be in alternative firmware.

By the way, little has been heard about alternative firmware yet, apparently this is due to the newness of the router. On my favorite w3bsit3-dns.com there is information so far that you can try to install ASUS (Padavan), but I would not (specifically for this model, that is) recommend it, because there are chances that the device will turn into a brick. It’s better to wait a little, or use what you have, since, in general, the average user usually needs all the settings according to the “set it once and forget it” principle.

As mentioned in the specifications (and not only), the device supports 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies for Wi-Fi. The latter is very good, because 2.4 has long been densely packed everywhere, which affects stability, speed and God knows what else.

What’s nice is that you can configure each network separately, that is, give it your own name and password, as well as the type of encryption, etc. Turn on one and turn off another. In short, plus everything, it can work in “dual unity” (c) mode, and speaking reasonably, in fact, in dual-band, that is, switch from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz and vice versa, depending on what exactly and when you need .

As for speeds, power is not cut off. Here is an example for a wired connection:

Here is an example of Wi-Fi speed from a laptop (at this moment there are about 6-7 devices “hanging” on the router in different ranges):

I hope that the reader understands that Wi-Fi speed is determined not only by the power-speed of the router, but also by the speed-power of the device, i.e. in this case, the Wi-Fi transmitter on the router.

Okay, we've sorted out the synthetic tests. Then multi-day strength testing began. And here the ambush began. Even with an average load in terms of the number of connections per one (and the downloads and distributions themselves in the torrent):

The processor and memory make a sharp jump to the maximum and generally never get out of there:

The “regular” (surfing pages) Internet, Wi-Fi and everything in the world begins to choke. The problem is partially solved by enabling QoS, but to enable it you need to get into the router interface, and to get there you need to actually get through there, because instead we see the error:

In general, the power begins to clearly not be enough, he begins to choke and almost cannot breathe. Although we must give him his due - the connection does not break and does not overheat. If you reduce the loading intensity and all that stuff, then you can live and breathe:

But somehow it’s already becoming insulting and sad, because you have to wait longer and make more all sorts of gestures.

Well... It’s probably worth stopping here and moving on to conclusions that will help you make a purchase.

Conclusions and results

Let's summarize.

• Stylish router, looks like a premium device;
• Supports 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands;
• Excellent price, despite the dollar exchange rate;
• Excellent coverage area due to 4 powerful antennas;
• Availability of USB and mobile applications for interacting with the router via Wi-Fi;
• Does not reduce connection speed, does not overheat;
• Has acceptable power.

• Does not (at the time of writing this review) have firmware that supports at least the English language;
• Under heavy load (torrents at a speed of 100 MB) it begins to choke;
• Lack of gigabit ports;
• No wall mounting.

My impression was strictly pleasant (I would buy it ;)), and therefore, let’s say this:

• If you want a router that looks good, costs well, has support for the 5 GHz band, and has excellent coverage, then this is definitely a good choice. Although, it is likely worth waiting for new official (or better yet, alternative firmware).

Well, traditionally, an afterword.

Afterword, discounts, coupons and where to buy

These are the pies.

The device was thoughtfully provided by a very good Chinese online store GearBest. By the way, they have a Russian version of the site, which can be found, and therefore, if you decide to buy there, then there will be a direct link to the router (by the way, it is now valid, and not only for this router).

As always, if you have any questions, thoughts, additions, etc., then welcome to comment on this post. As they say, hot on your trail and hands free;)

The products of the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi continue to rapidly conquer the electronics market not only with smartphones, but also with all sorts of multifunctional gadgets, which include the Xiaomi Mi Router 3. The current owners of this device have already been convinced of its quality and stable operation, but for those who only thinking about purchasing or has not yet installed it at home, you have to figure out the firmware.

To date, the original product does not have official firmware in Russian. As a standard, when you turn it on for the first time, you see only Chinese characters, and hardly anyone smiles at the prospect of learning the language or understanding everything intuitively. For this reason, the current Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi firmware is English or Russian.

Installing English firmware is much easier and more reliable, so users are recommended to choose this option. If this also causes great discomfort, you can use the Russian version from Asus at your own risk. However, it is important to keep in mind that it is unofficial for Xiaomi, although it works well.

Before you start, you need to download and install the VMware Workstation Player program with the VIRTUALBOX-PROMETHEUS virtual machine. After installing the first application, open the archive of the virtual machine and unpack the image from it. If everything is successful, there will be a VMware shortcut on the desktop, launch the program from it. We look for a window called Open a Virtual machine and indicate the location where the virtual machine is located, open it and launch it by pressing the green button, agreeing to the offer to download additional tools.

Further pre-installation work

Before flashing Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi class AC1200 directly into Russian rather than English, you need to wait about half an hour for the installation of add-ons from the virtual image to complete. Further steps for setting up the wireless device are as follows:

• In the main menu of the script for Russian firmware, click the item MI-NANO or MI-3 CONFIG;
• We see the assembly and update menu in the Mi-3 router and press Shift + C at the same time, and then immediately Y;
• Click any button;
• We download the current Padavan flashing file (for developers), without which it is impossible to access the router via SSH, for which we go to the website http://miwifi.com/ (you need router 3);

• We check the availability of Mi Wi-Fi to this same Wi-Fi;
• We enter the router interface by entering the address 192.168.31.1 or inserted in the settings;
• Go to the third menu at the top and click on the icon with the “i” sign;
• Click on the gray button, selecting the previously downloaded firmware file for your Mi;
• We are waiting for the download to complete and the Xiaomi router to automatically reboot;
• We refresh the page, log into our Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Router 3 using a personal password and see if the router firmware is installed.

Padavan script management

As mentioned earlier, setting up Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Router 3 and Russian firmware today is only possible with the Padavan script from Asus.

Final flashing according to the script:

• We look for item 27 called MI-3 CONFIG and click the Enter button;
• We see the menu for working with scripts and press “0” to get access rights (ROOT) to manage the router;
• Manually enter the device address (IP) if it has been changed, or immediately press the Enter button when we see 192.168.31.1 already entered;
• We enter your password (the standard one that had to be entered when the equipment was connected for the first time);
• We wait until the script finishes working and get access to SSH, without which it will not be possible to flash the device correctly;
• Click update scripts, wait for the update to be completed, and click the source code update section, and then click “build Toolchain”;
• In Mi routers, the flashing process takes from 15 to 30 minutes, we wait and don’t touch anything;
• Upon completion, we see the main menu and click Firmware (here you can configure many functions), select the update and finally flash the firmware by pressing the Enter button;
• At the end of the automatic process, a notification will appear stating that the script has successfully flashed the equipment; we will reboot the equipment.

After all the sequential steps you need to find a new Wi-Fi network, enter the password and see the desired result instead of Chinese or English. If we carry out the process inattentively, we will reflash the device incorrectly, and this will lead to failures or the router not working at all. Therefore, be sure to sew everything in strict sequence.

Xiaomi routers are a budget solution for the most sophisticated Internet and local network users. The Xiaomi Router 3G model will most likely suit you in all respects as an ultra-fast wireless network router.

Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Router 3G review

It looks like a regular enlarged (due to non-removable antennas) packaging.

Xiaomi 3G router: it comes with a power adapter and instructions

The LAN and WAN interfaces are separated from each other by one of the antennas - as is the USB port from all Ethernet ports.

Ethernet/USB sockets are located between the router antennas

Like Xiaomi Router 3/Mini, Xiaomi Router 3G has only one blue LED.

One LED is a proprietary feature of the Xiaomi router display

Nothing superfluous: there are no buttons or switches on the side of the Xiaomi 3G router.

There are no physical controls on Router 3G

Taking a closer look: indication of Ethernet traffic exchange on site (a pair of LEDs). There is a reset button (small hole on the left).

The Ethernet indication is more varied than that of the Xiaomi Router 3

Ventilation in Xiaomi Router 3G, like its counterparts, is almost ideal: the lower surface of the case is a sieve with long holes.

The Xiaomi 3G router is well ventilated during operation

The adapter is standard - for American sockets. An adapter for European sockets is purchased separately.

Adapter for router plug is not included

Externally, the Xiaomi 3(G) routers are indistinguishable: they only show the number of Ethernet ports (Router 3 has two) and the color of the USB port.

The differences are only visible when viewed from behind.

General indication of the operation of Ethernet ports on the Xiaomi 3 and the presence of an indication of traffic exchange via Ethernet on the Xiaomi 3G.

The differences are also visible on the LAN/WAN display of both routers

Xiaomi Router 3G is slightly more compact than Router 3. It is also easy to hang on the wall by drilling a couple of elongated holes in order to install the case on pre-fixed screws (there is more than enough space inside). The printed circuit board with a radiator is located as compactly as possible, leaving room for cooling the device during operation.

The radiator is massive and dissipates heat well

Under the radiator there is a processor, RAM, a Wi-Fi radio subsystem (excluding output stages for amplifying the signal to the antenna) and flash memory. Ethernet chips do not require additional cooling. It is possible to install a pair of miniature fans from a non-working PC or laptop inside.

Leading Xiaomi 3G chips are hidden under the heatsink

The MediaTek-7621AT processor will “pull” up to 4 LAN ports - but this is already the prerogative of Xiaomi Router Pro (in the future - and higher models, when they are released).

Before the MT-7621AT processor reaches its end of life - before the MediaTek-7621x CPU series (MT-76xx processor family) is updated - new versions of the Xiaomi Router will still prove themselves.

Table: characteristics of the Xiaomi Router 3G router

Using third-party firmware (modified firmware from Asus, TP-Link, ZyXEL, free software OpenWRT/DD-WRT/Padavan), previously unavailable functions are implemented, such as: repeater and (hybrid) bridge modes, WiFi2LAN client mode, additional guest networks and etc.

Video: Xiaomi 3G router review

Setting up a Xiaomi 3G router using the MiWiFi program

Beginners generally start setting up Xiaomi Router 3G not with third-party firmware Padavan or DD-WRT (full version of OpenWRT), but with the MiWiFi application.

Setting up the Xiaomi Router line of routers is simplified: Router 3G is not much different from its predecessors - the Mini and 3 models. For the convenience of users, all commands in the instructions are translated from Chinese to English/Russian.

Connecting to a Xiaomi 3G router from a PC or laptop

After turning on for the first time (or resetting the settings), the Xiaomi 3G router will turn on the open wireless network “Xiaomi_(device_labeling)”. Connect to it from a PC, laptop or tablet, type mifiwi.com in the address bar of your browser.

Select Xiaomi 3G network

Now do the following.

1. Accept the agreement with Xiaomi and click “Next”.

   Confirm that you agree with Xiaomi's PM

2. Secure your Wi-Fi network by entering a new name (you don't have to change it) and a WPA-2 password.

   Set a strong, hack-proof wireless password

3. For maximum protection, enter a different password for the router's web interface.
4. Wait for the Wi-Fi networks on your Xiaomi 3G router to restart.

   Wait, the router will now restart

The router is ready for further configuration.

Connect to the router with a new Wi-Fi password

Reconnect to the Xiaomi Router 3G network with a new password.

Changing the firmware language of the Xiaomi 3G router

In some cases, when you connect the provider's cable, Internet access may already be enabled, so you can use Google Translator to simplify the settings.

1. Go back to miwifi.com and enter the router settings.

   Enter your Admin password

2. Go to the "Routing Status" tab.

   Xiaomi Router 3G operating status

3. Give the command “General settings - System status”. Download the English version of Xiaomi Router 3G software.

   You can easily change the Chinese version of Xiaomi 3G to English

4. Click the gray button - “Update manually”. Select a folder on your PC to save the Xiaomi 3G firmware file, wait until this update is downloaded.
5. Select English in the Xiaomi Router 3G software settings.

   To begin, select English

6. Log in again to the router settings (using your login and password) and give the command “Status - Connected devices”.

   The router also reports about available 5GHz Wi-Fi devices

7. Give the command “Internet” - “Test (more)”. Internet speed will be checked.

   The router will report Internet speed and IP connection settings

8. Write down (or take a screenshot of) all IP addresses. They will come in handy when reconfiguring the router.

Advanced Wi-Fi settings for Xiaomi Router 3G

Do the following.

Setting up a local network Xiaomi Router 3G

General configuration of the local router is performed only when the Internet is turned off. If the router automatically connects to the Internet, temporarily disconnect the provider's cable.

For example, the main IP is 192.168.0.1 and the DHCP range is 192.168.0.(100–200).

Setting up network sharing for Xiaomi Router 3G

Do the following.

Fine-tuning the security of Xiaomi Router 3G

If malware has entered your router or your passwords have become known to everyone around you, change them.

Reset, restore settings and update Xiaomi Router 3G

Resetting the settings may reset the web interface to its Chinese language. Use Xiaomi 3G reset in case of emergency.

Working with disks and modems on a Xiaomi 3G router

The Xiaomi Router 3 USB port supports USB drives and 3G/4G modems. By replacing the firmware with freely distributed software, universal for routers of many brands and models (OpenWRT Pro and its analogues), you may get the functionality of printers, scanners, copiers and other office equipment controlled via USB.

Of particular interest is the operation of the router as a separate gadget/router with USB-RS485, C2000-USB interface converters and other microcontrollers - over a local network, for example, controlling a fire alarm or main entrance turnstiles in a protected area. The last of the above may require programming skills - at least minimal - to change part of the software code of Xiaomi routers (before updating). You may also need to reprogram (or at least update the firmware) of the USB converter itself.

Do the following.

1. Connect an external drive, for example an SSD drive, give the “Storage” command.

   You can download the apps directly from here

2. Download the MiWiFi application from Google Play.

   Open MiWiFi app after downloading

3. Register on miwifi.com and launch the MiWiFi application. Click the “Set up a new router” button.

   Opening the vault will take you to the contents of the flash drive or SSD drive

The “Arrange”, “Unload”, “Download”, “Mark” and “Back” buttons are the main actions with files when managing them from the Xiaomi Router 3G device. When you select a file (a group of files, a folder or a group of folders), the functions “Copy”, “Delete”, “Rename”, “Move” and “Remove selection” are activated.

Alternative firmware options

Third-party firmware is free software “OpenWRT”, “Padavan”, as well as firmware from Asus, ZyXEL, D-Link, TP-Link, Tenda and other routers, edited through special compiler applications. Free software is comprehensively tested for compatibility with routers from both well-known and recently entered the network equipment market manufacturers.

Setting up Xiaomi 3G to work with a USB modem in Padavan software

Before working with Padavan firmware, you need to install it instead of the proprietary “stripped-down” DD-WRT (or “native” from Xiaomi).

Xiaomi 3G firmware using Prometheus utility

Prometheus is available at prometheus.freize.net.

1. Launch the Prometheus application and select the Mi-R3G router (follow the Prometheus command console instructions).

   Pre-processing source files for the new Padavan firmware

2. Practice the action under the letter S (open script settings). Specify the IP, login and password for the SSH host of the router.
3. Work through step 4 (preparing the firmware), then step 3 (assembling the firmware).

   Before starting the firmware, the software must be processed by the Xiaomi 3G code

Initiate step 4 (router firmware). Xiaomi Router 3G will be updated and restarted.

Padavan settings are all in Russian and even more diverse than in MiRouter

New IP - 192.168.1.1 (Asus-RT program settings).

3G/4G settings in Padavan Asus-RT on Xiaomi 3G routers

Setting up a 4G modem in the Xiaomi-Asus-RT (Padavan) firmware is not much different from similar actions in the “clean” Asus firmware. In fact, Padavan is a transplant of the Asus web interface onto the source code of Xiaomi routers.

The Xiaomi 3G router will restart. You can configure Wi-Fi and LAN routing - it is similarly configured in Asus-RT routers (refer to the manual for any of the models in this line) - and use the Internet from your cellular provider.

Xiaomi routers are easy to set up. This ease of operation has not bypassed the ultra-modern Xiaomi 3G model. With Xiaomi 3G routers, you will have access to almost any of the currently known tariffs from any of the providers. Have excellent Internet speed - and comfortable work!

Continuing the series of reviews and articles on repairing Xiaomi routers, we will consider one of the ways to restore the Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Router 3 (in some editions MiWi-Fi 3) after unsuccessful firmware. One of the owners of the subject approached our workshop with such a problem and asked for help in solving it. From his words, it became clear that the router did not boot after it was “fed” the prepared and modified firmware. It may well be that the client prepared it incorrectly or used an assembly intended for another model. But let's take a closer look at the process.

So, since the router does not boot, we will have to disassemble it. We remove the cover and in front of us is simple hardware, quite standard for such modern equipment. To assess the state of the router, we need to connect to the UART port and “listen” to its terminal.
We connect the console to the port, thanks for the concern of the manufacturer, who kindly brought the connector to the board, and see what happens there when the router starts up.

As can be seen from the event log, the entire process stops when the kernel starts and nothing happens further. We also see some inconsistency. The log clearly shows the version of the software image called Mi-R3G. Which makes me think that the subject was updated with firmware from an older model, which is in no way compatible with this router, because... Even the processor is different. Now it becomes clear why it does not load. However, the great news is that it is hardware correct and can be worked on without surgery. First of all, we need to force it to enter update mode, to do this we write error flags in its config, this will force the router to stop the download process and wait for the firmware. Having registered a special config, save it, then insert a USB flash drive with the software prepared in advance into the USB port and reboot the router. After waiting for a message in the terminal that the router is ready to receive the firmware, briefly press the “Reset” button. All that remains is to wait for the process to complete. So the firmware process is completed, in the terminal window there are joyful messages about the successful launch of various software modules, we just have to make sure of this.
We load the page in the browser at the address “192.168.31.1” and see an invitation to set up a connection.

By the way, the client asked for the original firmware with an English interface, apparently he no longer wants to experiment. A completely logical decision after the amazing “bricking” of the device.

All that remains is to close the lid and the repair is completed successfully. Great news for the owner, and another high-quality repair for us.

We wish everyone reliable equipment and bug-free firmware, and of course... don't break down.