# Inside the Meraki MR58 *September 10, 2016* — https://jade.wtf/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/ Tags: Hardware, MR58 --- We were recently gifted a box of old [Meraki MR58s](/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/meraki_datasheet_MR58.pdf) from a [friendly neighborhood consultant](http://www.seeus4it.com/) that had removed them from service. Since there is essentially no information available on using the Meraki MR58 outside of the Meraki environment I had little hope that we'd be able to put them to good use. Anyway, here I am a few months later sitting at home looking for a puzzle to solve while trying to get over a cold… ## MR58 with three panel antennas ![Meraki MR58 with three antennas (front)](/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/mr58-front-w-antennas.jpg) ![Meraki MR58 with three antennas (back)](/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/mr58-back-w-antennas.jpg) ## Inside a MR58 ![Meraki MR58 main board](/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/mr58-board.jpg) After some poking around with my [Bus Pirate](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12942) I was able to get console access using 115200bps, 8N1, no flow control. This revealed a useful bootloader message: `Platform: WP18/WP188/WPM188/NP18 Development Platform (IXP4XX) BE`. ![MR58 console pinout](/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/mr58-console.jpg) I discovered that the bootloader message was referring to a series of Single Board computers made by [Compex](http://www.compex.com.sg/) for the wireless system integrator market. The WP188 in particular looks just like the board in the MR58. See the [WP188 manual](/tech-notes/inside-meraki-mr58/mr58-PCBA-WP188_HW_Manual_Rev1.2.pdf) for more details. TL;DR: The MR58 appears to be a stock Compex WP188 in a nice case with three Mini PCI cards built around the Atheros AR9220 chipset. --- © 2016 Jade Angrboða.