This repository publishes an OpenWrt port for the Realtek subsystem of the Alcatel LINKHUB
HH71VM (RTL8197FS + RTL8812FE), together with the source delta it is built from.
The supported deployment is a permanent installation into the Realtek SPI flash. The router then boots OpenWrt on its own and keeps its settings across power cycles.
Loading the build into RAM is still available as an optional dry run for owners who have a UART adapter and want to see the port work on their unit before writing flash. It is not the normal way to use this firmware.
Important
This port was developed and verified on one physical HH71VM. Other HH71VM board revisions, regional variants, and carrier variants are unverified. Read known issues before installing.
| You want to | Read |
|---|---|
| Download firmware and flashing tools | Latest flash bundle |
| Install OpenWrt permanently | Flash installation guide |
| Add optional modem controls or WireGuard | Signed package feed |
| See what the packages of this port do | Packages built for this port |
| Try the build first, without writing flash (needs UART) | RAM boot guide |
| Check what works and what does not | Known issues |
| Test a subsystem and report results | Testing guide |
| Rebuild from source | Sources and build instructions |
After any installation attempt, successful or not, please submit a compatibility report.
Builds are distributed as immutable Releases, each with matching checksums, source archives, and a signed package feed. The latest flash bundle contains the firmware, flashing tools, and installation guides. No generated firmware or IPK files are stored in the Git repository; cloning the repository is only needed for development.
See firmware Releases for the bundle checksum and individual image links.
The floating latest links are only for downloading new firmware. An installed image uses
the exact immutable Release tag embedded at build time for its package feed. See
package installation for that ABI boundary.
Read this section in full. It is short and it is the difference between a recoverable and an unrecoverable mistake.
- Take your own stock backup first. The installer reads the original flash contents of your router over the network and saves them. That copy is what restores your stock firmware if you decide to go back. Do not use a Realtek dump from another HH71VM for recovery: it can contain device-specific settings and may not match your hardware.
- The bootloader is never overwritten. Installation writes only the kernel and root
filesystem. The bootloader, the
hwsettingarea holding the MAC addresses, the vendor configuration, and the vendor JFFS2 partition are left alone. This is what makes recovery possible without opening the case. - Recovery does not need UART. The stock bootloader drops into its own console when the WPS button is held while power is applied, and brings Ethernet up by itself. The rollback tool uses that path.
- A hardware safety net is still worth having. An SPI flash programmer and a full-chip dump recover a device in any state. Nothing in this repository requires one.
- The Qualcomm modem subsystem is not touched. It is a separate system with its own firmware and settings, and installing OpenWrt on the Realtek side does not reset it.
| Subsystem | Status |
|---|---|
| OpenWrt 19.07 / Linux 4.14.275 | Boots from flash; settings persist |
| Ethernet and external gigabit PHY | Working |
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (RTL8197FS) |
Working through UCI/netifd |
5 GHz Wi-Fi (RTL8812FE) |
Working through UCI/netifd |
Qualcomm USB mux and RNDIS WAN (eth2) |
Working |
| Mobile Internet through the Qualcomm modem | Working |
| LuCI, HH71VM theme, modem-control pages | Working |
| SMS reading, including multipart messages | Working |
Firmware update with sysupgrade |
Working |
| Rollback to your own stock backup | Working |
Download the latest nfjrom image
and verify it against the Release
SHA256SUMS.
RAM boot is only a compatibility dry run. It does not exercise flash installation,
persistence, sysupgrade, or rollback, and all OpenWrt-side changes disappear at power-off.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| LAN address | 192.168.1.1 |
| Root password | not set |
| 2.4 GHz SSID / key | HH71VM / hh71vm12345 |
| 5 GHz SSID / key | HH71VM-5G / hh71vm12345 |
These credentials are public. Set a root password and change both Wi-Fi keys immediately after the first boot.
Both positive and negative results are valuable. Reports should identify the visible board revision, device model, region, stock firmware version, and exact image hash, then include the requested diagnostic output.
Review every log before publishing it. Redact device-unique data you do not want public, including full MAC addresses, serial numbers, IMEI/IMSI values, phone numbers, SMS content, credentials, and keys. Attach searchable text, not screenshots of text.
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
docs/flash-install.md |
Backup, permanent installation, update, rollback |
docs/ram-boot.md |
Optional RAM dry run over UART |
docs/known-issues.md |
Current limitations and expected quirks |
docs/testing.md |
Test matrix, log collection, and reporting |
docs/sources.md |
Source provenance and build instructions |
docs/releases.md |
Latest downloads and immutable Release identity |
docs/driver-reuse.md |
Advanced port-reuse guidance and coupling |
docs/extra/ |
The packages and kernel modules built for this port |
openwrt-feed/ |
HH71VM source delta and build config |
autobuild/ |
Unified firmware build and immutable signed feed |
tools/flash/ |
Backup, installation, update, and rollback utilities |
tools/ram_boot.py |
RAM-only loader and UART capture tool |
CHANGELOG.md |
Published snapshot history |
The source delta used for the published image is included and its OpenWrt and feed revisions are pinned in docs/sources.md.
The source tree contains components under their respective upstream licenses. Project documentation and the RAM boot tool use a separate license. See LICENSING.md for the repository map.