FAQ

FAQ

What is this, in plain words?

It puts a real Linux system (Ubuntu or OpenWrt) on the ZTE F50 / MU300 or ZTE U30 Air 5G hotspot, next to Android. The hotspot becomes a small Linux computer and router with its own 5G modem. See Home.

Will I lose Android?

No. Android stays on the device. On the usual 64 GB device Android, its data and the partition table are never modified. Only on the 32 GB variant can you choose to shrink Android's data partition, which erases Android's data. See Going Back to Android.

Which devices work?

The ZTE F50 / MU300 and the ZTE U30 Air (same board, with a battery). The U30 Pro uses a different chip (UMS9632) and is not supported.

Do I need to root the device?

Yes. The device must already be rooted and unlocked (booting a modified Android boot image) before you start. How to do that is not part of this project, and it is done at your own risk.

Does it work from Windows?

Yes: install.ps1 (PowerShell) or install.cmd (cmd.exe) on Windows 10/11. macOS and Linux use install.sh. You need adb on every system.

Can I install without a computer?

Yes, if Magisk 26 or newer is on the device: install the Magisk zip of a release from the Magisk app. See Installation.

Ubuntu or OpenWrt?

Ubuntu for a general Linux computer, OpenWrt for a lean router, OpenWrt with the control panel for a router with a web dashboard for the modem. You can install both. See Choosing a System.

Which kernel?

5.4 if unsure (the longest tested); 6.18 or 7.2 for Ubuntu 26.04, U30 Air USB host mode or WireGuard. You can change it later. See Kernels.

How do I connect to it?

Plug it into a computer with USB and run ssh ubuntu@192.168.77.1 (Ubuntu) or ssh root@192.168.77.1 (OpenWrt). On a U30 Air the address is 192.168.78.1. OpenWrt also has a web page at the same address. Or join its Wi-Fi hotspot.

What is the default password?

There is none: you choose it during installation (at least 6 characters). A Magisk zip generates one and shows it.

Does 5G work?

Yes: 5G NSA and LTE, shared with Wi-Fi and USB clients, reconnecting by itself after modem resets. See Mobile Data and APN.

Can it join my home Wi-Fi instead of using the SIM?

Yes, with wifi-client, as long as the network is WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed (not WPA3-only). The hotspot is off while it does. See Wi-Fi Hotspot and Client.

Can it run a VPN for everything connected to it?

Yes, with the optional module (WireGuard, OpenVPN, VLESS/VMess/Trojan/Shadowsocks, Clash/mihomo, Xray/sing-box JSON), with a kill switch. See VPN.

Is there a web page on Ubuntu too?

Optionally, from v2026.10.20: sudo mu300-extra install panel adds Cockpit (Ubuntu's web console) with an MU300 page for the modem, SMS, VPN, power, Wi-Fi and updates, at https://192.168.77.1:9090, on the LAN only. See Control Panel (LuCI).

Can I use adb shell with Linux, like with Android?

Yes, from v2026.10.20, and it is off by default: authorise your computer's key with sudo mu300-usb adb key adbkey.pub, then sudo mu300-usb adb on. Anyone whose key is authorised gets a root shell, and there is no way in without a key. See Installation.

Can I make calls or play sound?

No. The board has no speaker or microphone; call audio is work in progress and carries no sound yet.

Can I plug in a screen?

No. HDMI over USB-C does not work (the USB-C power-delivery chip never answers). It is a headless machine.

How much memory and storage do I get?

About 1.4 GB of RAM (the modem firmware reserves most of the rest of the 2 GB) and about 32 GB of storage on the 64 GB device. On the F50 an SD card can hold Linux instead.

Can I run Docker, VMs, other distributions?

The kernels include KVM (/dev/kvm) and container support. Debian, Kali, Arch Linux ARM and ImmortalWrt can be built from this repository; see docs/DISTROS.md.

What happens if Linux breaks?

After a number of failed starts in a row (5 by default, 1-6 at your choice), the device goes back to Android by itself. From Android, su -c mu300-linux starts Linux again.

How do I update?

sudo mu300-update check, then sudo mu300-update apply, then reboot. It never updates by itself. From v2026.10.20 the packages you installed yourself come back after the update. See Updating.

How do I remove it?

Go back to Android and run ./uninstall.sh (or uninstall.ps1 / uninstall.cmd). See Going Back to Android.

Does the release contain Android or ZTE files?

No. The images contain no proprietary files; the installer copies the Wi-Fi firmware and the Android modem and GPU userspace from your own device.

Can I use OpenWrt's sysupgrade?

Never. It would overwrite the device's storage. Use mu300-update.

Is this safe?

It is designed to touch as little as possible and to fall back to Android, but it is an experimental hobby project with no warranty. A power cut or a mistake can still brick a device. Back up first with tools/backup-device.sh.

Where can I get help?

Read Troubleshooting, then open an issue at https://github.com/dikeckaan/mu300-linux/issues with the --check output or the logs from tools/collect-logs.sh. Never post your IMEI.