Switch on side of MT-300A

Technical Support for Routers
1

Just picked got my MT-300A-EXT off Amazon - neat little device.

My question: What is the purpose of the slide switch on the side of the unit (between the reset button and the antenna?

Also, when will you have some documentation online - I know the web page is under construction, but this would really help!

2

The switch doesn’t have any function except for printing some message in your console. So you can configure them manually by wring some scripts.

We are trying to explore different options but seems this make things too complicated.

  • It can be used to hide the ssid (we have done this in AR150 V2.19)
  • It can be used to switch between two different network configurations. For example between Pure AP and Router
  • It can be used turn on/off services, for example Tor and VPN.
  • It can be used to turn on/off the admin UI to ensure more security.
For any applications, you have to be an advanced user. So we still don't have a clear idea of how to use it. But we will use this for Tor etc.

 

3
It can be used to turn on/off the admin UI to ensure more security.

do you me the GLI Gui? or something else?

4

@AxeBro, I mean its potential usage. This is not in the default firmware.

Yes, I mean GLI UI. You can use this switch to disable it completely for security reason. However, you need to write script to modify http server and firewalls.

5

Thanks - I think that would be a cool use for it. though i’m starting to like the gli gui, so i’d probably keep it.

i’m wondering if I can use this to trigger/reset wifi config when the WISP provider isn’t around. So that I can access the gui without need for an ethernet cable.

Is this where I would start?

https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/hardware.button

https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/uci/wifitoggle

 

6

I suggest you use the reset button to toggle repeater mode on/off.

Just modify /etc/rc.button/reset

to turn sta off

uci set wireless.sta.disabled=‘1’

uci commit

7

Thank you! I will give this a try.

I am currently using the wifiManager thta RangerZ posted a while back. Another option for me for the switch is to toggle between “private” hotspots (framily and friends) and “public”/free. This way I only have a handful of profiles to cycle through depending on where I am at.

 

8

Can I use the switch to toggle the wireless radio on/off? If so, what would be the command?

9

@mcaron1234, yes, here is how

modify /etc/rc.button/BTN_0

change the contents in the if … then… else…

Here is the way to turn wireless on/off

uci set wireless.sta.disabled=’1′ #change to 0 to turn it on
uci commit
wifi

you also need to change this script: /etc/init.d/initswitch, to let the router turn wifi on/off when reboot.

 

10

anyone know how i may use the switch on the AR300M-Ext 128mb version ,to switch between the GL-iNET firmware installed on the 128mb NAND and Tor firmware installed on the NOR?

i am still figuring out how to get both firmware’s onto the AR300M-Ext.

thanks all for any suggestions or tips.

v

11

We hadn’t been maintain tor firmware anymore. If you want to use it, you can upgrade to v3.x firmware, and install tor ipk. Here is a guide. Using Tor on GL.iNet's mini-routers - op-docs