Just for my curiosity, I just bought a cheap TP-Link WR1043ND from Digital Mall in Petaling Jaya.
I did a quick search on Openwrt.org page to check if this model appeared in the supported devices.

And it is.. so the adventure begin..

We start with unboxing it..

Ok. once played a bit with it..
check the default IP address as : 192.168.1.1

First, I connect it to my existing LAN to get to internet..

Then.. once verified..
I downloaded the folllowing two files from OpenWRT.

1. http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03.1/ar71xx/openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-factory.bin

2. http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03.1/ar71xx/openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

Then once. the package fully downloaded. checked..

Get into Systems Tools -> Upgrade Firmware.

Choose the #1 file.. and upload.

Once completed.. it will reboot..
Just wait.

First time.. login. it would prompt for the new Password.


( oh.. I did Telnet/SSH’ed to this box. You can actually use the web interface to first time login to it too.)

Like this one..

anyway.. set the password to your preference..

Get in.. to the web interface again..

explore the different..

then backup the current setting first..

Verify everything is OK.

then only perform system upgrade with the #2 packages..

and it will reboot again..

Done. !

Shining new OpenWRT in TP-Link 1043ND..

We will post about the configuration to make OpenWRT work on Unifi later.

p/s : .. never trade neither your free time nor family time for money !
weekend is for family , regardless of what, you will appreciate when the time
have come when you have to stop working, but the kids is no longer there..
( either they lead their own life.. or grown up already.. or already left us for good.)
same goes to your hobby.. do whatever need to be done.. not so greedy..
spare time.. use wisely for others..
there are not just work .. work.. and work in life.
go and have fun. !