Guys I’m just wondering which external usb WiFi is supported by AR300M. I have ordered Alfa AWUS036NHA model will it be supported by the device ? Anyone manage to get external usb WiFi working with GL device ?
AWUS036NHA seems to use Atheros AR9271, which should work by installing the ath9k_htc drivers using opkg and changing the wifi config by running “wifi detect”.
I think it will work!
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I have spent the last several weeks working at getting a similar setup working with my AR300M16-ext, using a RT3070 based USB WIFI device. The AR300M hardware works fine with a USB WIFI adapter, but the current GL iNet firmware, 3.105, is not setup to handle a second radio, even when using LUCI in the advanced menu. To get my AR300M16 system to work, I have had to load the generic OpenWrt 19.07 firmware and then add extra OpenWrt packages to it to get back most of the GL iNet features I need. It is now stable, using the USB WIFI to attach to a remote AP, and the local internal radio as my local AP.
I recently wrote a post requesting that GL iNet officially support external USB WIFI adapters on their routers:
but there was no response from anyone who works for GL iNet on if they are thinking about adding this support. You may want to do a search for USB WIFI and RT3070 in the forum for pointers to help you get your USB WIFI working on the AR300M.
Thanks for the detailed response much appreciated. If I install OpenWRT I believe im gonna loose the GL interface …correct me if I am wrong
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Yes, loading generic OpenWrt removes the very nice GL iNet interface. That is why it has taken me so long to get my setup working, as the OpenWrt GUI is hard to learn, but it is great, once you understand it. The problem is the nice GL iNet interface knows nothing about a second radio, and sometimes it just overwrites your USB WIFI setup, so nothing works on the device, and you end up resetting the stock GL iNet firmware to get the router to function again.
If you don’t use a USB WIFI adapter, the GI iNet interface is great, and I am using it on several GL iNet routers. The one GL iNet router that I need to support a long distance link using a high gain USB WIFI adapter is now running generic OpenWrt 19.07 as it was the only way I found to make the USB WIFI adapter stable on my AR300M16. Good luck, and if you figure out how to make a WIFI USB adapter work with the stock firmware, let the forum know, as many users would like a GL iNet solution.
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:::SOLVED:: I bought Alfa AWUS036NHA wireless adapter and installed driver AR9271 and system immediately detected second Radio …it worked
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Hi i have alfa awus036nha also and would like to add it to my gl inet ar300 m16 ext router can someone please send me a link to the proper version of open wrt that i need to load to get it to work thanks
https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org/
I haven’t looked up that particular USB dongle, but don’t be surprised if latest OpenWRT is not up to date with the driver for it as compared to e.g. desktop Linux distros, it can lag quite a bit.
I have the Alfa AWUS036NHA and I have installed all the ath9k packages but while I get the second radio, it connects when both my laptop and phone or in the same room, however, when I am 300' away, even though the signal is 4 bars it says "unable to connect" both on a laptop and an android phone. I have tried software versions.23.05.04, 21.02.0, and 18.06.2 and while 23.05.04 will not connect with the devices at all via the Alfa radio, the old release will connect with exemplary performance until I reach walking about 300' away from the directional antenna of the Alfa AWUS036NHA. Any help would be appreciated. Note that the radio will scan and I can connect to a remote SSID but if I configure as an access point, there is a distance limit and even though the laptop shows 4 bars of signal.