Project Notes

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Custom expansion board

donderdag 15 december 2022 18:30

The router has two internal expansion slots that could be used to add USB compatible hardware to the
device.
I was thinking of using this to add additional storage devices and or a zigbee to bridge.

NOTE the first router had a different PCB then the later received router.
The internal USB hub controller chip has changed the rest of the board seems the same.

The current revision uses a GL3510 USB controller IC of which I cannot find a datasheet. but I found a
pinout diagram:
It seems this chip has the same functionality as the GL3523 (so I can use the datasheet of this part as
reference)
GL3523-OSY10 - GENESYS: Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 1 Hub Controller

I marked the USB3.0 port signals, of which there are 5 groups (1 upstream 4 downstream)

*VP is not actually part of USB port but an analog supply input pin (1.2V) [15-12-2022 18:49 confirmed
by measurement]
!Note in the router USB port P1 of the hub has not been routed.

Mini PCIE pinout

Home Assistant Page 1


Mini PCIE pinout

https://pinoutguide.com/Slots/mini_pcie_pinout.shtml

Top side standard router Bottom side standard router


1 WAKE# NC 2 3.3V 4.1V
3 Reserved*** ? 4 GND GND
*
5 Reserved*** NC 6 1.5V NC
*
7 CLKREQ# NC 8 VCC** SIM VCC
9 GND GND 10 I/O** SIM I/O
11 REFCLK- NC 12 CLK** SIM CLK
13 REFCLK+ NC 14 RST** SIM RST
15 N/C or GND GND 16 VPP** NC
Mechanical
key
17 Reserved NC 18 GND GND
19 Reserved NC 20 Reserved*** 5K1 PU to 4.1V
21 GND GND 22 PERST# 5K1 PU to 4.1V + ?
23 PERn0 RXN1_P3 24 +3.3Vaux 4.1V
(GL3510)
25 PERp0 RXP1_P3 26 GND GND
(GL3510)
27 GND GND 28 +1.5V NC
29 GND GND 30 SMB_CLK NC
31 PETn0 TXN1_P3 32 SMB_DATA NC
(GL3510)
33 PETp0 TXP1_P3 34 GND GND
(GL3510)
35 GND GND 36 USB_D- USB_D- (MT7621
USB2.0)
37 Reserved* GND 38 USB_D+ USB_D+ (MT7621
USB2.0)
39 Reserved* 4.1V 40 GND GND
41 Reserved* 4.1V 42 LED_WWAN NC
#
43 Reserved* GND 44 LED_WLAN# NC
45 Reserved* NC 46 LED_WPAN# NC
47 Reserved* NC 48 +1.5V ?
49 Reserved* 4.1V 50 GND GND
51 Reserved* 5K1 PD 52 +3.3V 4.1V
*Reserved for future second PCI Express Lane (if needed). Pin 51 has changed to be W_DISABLE2#
**Reserved for future Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) interface (if needed)
***Reserved for future wireless disable signal (if needed)
****Reserved for future wireless coexistence control interface (if needed)

Home Assistant Page 2


****Reserved for future wireless coexistence control interface (if needed)
PD = pulldown
PU= pullup

Things to note
the USB 3.0 signals going to the PCIE connector come from the USB hub controller port 3(P3), the
USB2.0 signal pair is NOT connected to the USB hub controller, instead it is directly connected to the
MT7621 host CPU.
Port 0 USB 3.0 is used as upstream port
Port 1 USB3.0/2.0 is not routed
Port 2 USB2.0/3.0 are routed to the M.2 connector
Port 3 USB2.0 is not routed
Port 3 USB3.0 is routed to the PCIE connector

The normal 3.3V bus is actually 4.1V!

Home Assistant Page 3


USB2.0 signals going to the MT7621

M.2 pinout

Expansion slots power supply


The power supply for the expansion slots is located behind the front panel status LED's.
This power supply is a step down converter that makes 4.1V from the 12V main power.

Step down converter part number: AP2955

Home Assistant Page 4


Step down converter part number: AP2955

No information can be found about this part except a single aliexpress listing.
The part number looks similar to the LP295x part from TI.
Looking at the pinout is could indeed be a clone of this TI part.

If this is the case. the output voltage should go to 5V when pin 6 and 7 are shorted together.
This can be handy if I want to build a custom USB breakout board for this router. This way I do not have
to convert the 4.1V back to 5V needed for USB devices.

USB SSD adapter


There are very inexpensive USB to M.2 SSD adapter boards available on aliexpres, these adapter boards
use the JMS583 IC (USB 3.1 Gen 2 to PCIe NVMe Gen3 x2 product page ). This chip is available for
purchase on aliexpress

mPCIE USB adapter board


I ordered a mPCIE to USB adapter board that can be used to breakout the USB2.0 from the mPCIE
expansion slot inside the router.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001229499037.html (~€7,- inc shipping)

Test if the adapter board is functional


I checked if an usb device is detected when inserted using the dmesg command:

Home Assistant Page 5


Yes it is detected when an USB stick is inserted.

NOTE: it is detected as high-speed device type. this indicates a USB2.0 device.


Looking at the PCB layout/traces, only USB2.0 signals are routed. This can be explained because the
mPCIE standard does not have any pins reserved for USB3.0 signals.

Home Assistant Page 6


mPCIE standard does not have any pins reserved for USB3.0 signals.

PCB thickness = 1mm

Add USB3.0 support to the adapter board


To add USB 3.0 (superspeed) support to the adapter board 4 additional signals have to be connected to
the PCIE card edge connector. First I searched for a similar USB connector to the one that is used on the
board so I could get the pinout. Next I marked the connections on the photo and made the required
connections by soldering. Finally I tested if an USB3.0 device is detected as superSpeed device when
inserted.

HC-ST-003-008-J - HCTL
USB 3.0 1.5A SMT

LCSC

Home Assistant Page 7


Added superspeed (USB 3.0) connections:

Home Assistant Page 8


Testing if USB3.0 is working

Result: Pass USB 3.0 is working as intended.

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Home Assistant Page 10

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