Linksys EA6700 Install Guide

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Pastorbrendad
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Joined: 18 Apr 2019
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 16:50    Post subject: Linksys EA6700 Install Guide Reply with quote
These routers are super cheap on Amazon right now, and can be difficult to get running DD-WRT given the restrictions on firmware uploads in the newest stock firmwares. But it can be done, so I thought I'd document my steps in a way that's easy to find, so other people can take advantage of this router that was $34 refurbished on Amazon when I wrote this. I recommend reading through all the steps below and downloading everything you need BEFORE you start to make things go more smoothly.

1. My router shipped with stock firmware version 1.1.41.183873, which I believe is the most recent. That's the starting place for this guide.

2. Connect your router via Ethernet to your computer and set your IP address manually to 192.168.1.100 with subnet 255.255.255.0. (This is super basic, but important, so I figured I'd mention it.) You may want to plug in the router's power and check what version of the stock firmware you have now by navigating to 192.168.1.1 in your browser.

3. Next you want to upload firmware 1.1.40.160989 (which is available from Linksys) via TFTP. I used TFTP2 from the DD-WRT wiki. Select the file and put admin as the router password. It may be helpful to ping 192.168.1.1 so you can see when the router is ready to receive the firmware, but if you simply unplug/replug the router, count to 5, and press upgrade on TFTP2 you should be fine.

4. The router now has the firmware in it's memory, but it won't be installed yet. Navigate to 192.168.1.1, click manual setup, login with the password admin, and navigate to the Troubleshooting tab. In the Diagnostics submenu, click Restore previous firmware and wait for the router to reboot.

5. Log in to the router again and navigate to the Connectivity tab. Verify that firmware version 1.1.40.160989 is installed. This version will now let us upload a stable build of dd-wrt from the GUI. Click Choose File under the Manual section of the Firmware Update section. Upload BS build 23204 which you can find in step 1 of this install guide for the EA6500v2. Click Start and let the router do it's thing and reboot again.

6. When it's done, navigate to 192.168.1.1 and you should be in the dd-wrt GUI! Success! Next you're going to want to navigate to Administration->Commands and paste the following code in the Command Shell:

#Clear nvram null entries
nvram show | grep =$ | wc -l
for line in `nvram show | grep =$ `; do var=${line%*=}; nvram unset $var; done

Click "Run Commands" After it runs, click "Save Startup." Installing that code should help stave off the 32k NVRAM bug that Linksys EA series routers tend to have. I originally found this step in Step 8 of the EA6500v2 install guide I linked to in the previous step.

7. Go to Administration -> Management -> Firmware Upgrade and install BS build 36410. For some reason I had trouble flashing to newer builds from 23204 without going to 36410 first. You can find it here in the Router Database or at the main download site.

8. Now install whatever build you want!

Configure however you want and enjoy!!


Last edited by Pastorbrendad on Sat Apr 11, 2020 22:30; edited 8 times in total
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kernel-panic69
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Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 18:08    Post subject: Reply with quote
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=173589

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1141887

Looks like it's been discussed in some detail in the past, but always good to have a fresh write-up.
Pastorbrendad
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Apr 2019
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 18:30    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=173589

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1141887

Looks like it's been discussed in some detail in the past, but always good to have a fresh write-up.


Yeah, the most recent post in that 20 page thread is me detailing this same process when I first discovered it. Before that point, I couldn’t find anyone else detailing how to get around the newer stock firmwares’ restrictions. I just confirmed my process worked with a 2nd EA6700 right out of the box, so I figured I’d make a new thread detailing the process so people wouldn’t have to dig through that 20-page one to find out what works.
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 18:44    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pastorbrendad wrote:
kernel-panic69 wrote:
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=173589

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1141887

Looks like it's been discussed in some detail in the past, but always good to have a fresh write-up.


Yeah, the most recent post in that 20 page thread is me detailing this same process when I first discovered it. Before that point, I couldn’t find anyone else detailing how to get around the newer stock firmwares’ restrictions. I just confirmed my process worked with a 2nd EA6700 right out of the box, so I figured I’d make a new thread detailing the process so people wouldn’t have to dig through that 20-page one to find out what works.


Agreed. Someone needs to update the wiki: https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_EA6700 <-- there is no install guide whatsoever. I am half-tempted to see if I can find one to tinker with Wink Cool
jwh7
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 25 Oct 2013
Posts: 2670
Location: Indy

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 19:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
Someone needs to update the wiki: https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_EA6700 <-- there is no install guide whatsoever. I am half-tempted to see if I can find one to tinker with Wink Cool
Done; also the Supported Devices page Smile
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aPpYe
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Joined: 26 Sep 2019
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 20:19    Post subject: Stable? Reply with quote
Hello, does this router run stable without any issues on DD-WRT? I only have a 5mb down and 1mb up connection, so speed is not going to be a big issue, but my old router ( WRT54G v.8 ) is not gonna cut it anymore for me. So long as this will run without crashing or cutting off wifi, that sort of thing, I will get the one from amazon. I am seeing it for $35.95 at the moment.
Pastorbrendad
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Apr 2019
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 23:50    Post subject: Re: Stable? Reply with quote
aPpYe wrote:
Hello, does this router run stable without any issues on DD-WRT?


Sorry, I only saw your post in the other thread at first for some reason. Yeah, I’ve got 3 EA6700s and one EA6500v2 (essentially the same router) all running dd-wrt super smoothly! The EA6500v2 has been going strong for like 4 years now.
Slinced
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Dec 2019
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:34    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hello all, trying to install dd-wrt on my EA6700 following the guide.

Pastorbrendad wrote:
3. Next you want to upload firmware 1.1.40.160989 (which is available from Linksys) via TFTP. I used TFTP2 from the DD-WRT wiki. Select the file and put admin as the router password. It may be helpful to ping 192.168.1.1 so you can see when the router is ready to receive the firmware, but if you simply unplug/replug the router, count to 5, and press upgrade on TFTP2 you should be fine.

I noticed the link to the Linksys' site for the firmwares is the Hong Kong region of the site and was wondering if it mattered what region I download the official firmwares from? Since I'm in the US I switched over to the US region of the site and the firmwares there seem a lot different.

So I was just wondering if 1.1.40.160989 from the Hong Kong side just a specific version that let's you install dd-wrt or something?
Pastorbrendad
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Apr 2019
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:42    Post subject: Reply with quote
Slinced wrote:
So I was just wondering if 1.1.40.160989 from the Hong Kong side just a specific version that let's you install dd-wrt or something?


Yeah, that’s basically what it is. I don’t think the US site hosts that firmware, because the whole reason you have to downgrade to 160989 first is the FCC requires manufacturers to lock out 3rd-party firmwares.
Slinced
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Dec 2019
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 2:42    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pastorbrendad wrote:
Slinced wrote:
So I was just wondering if 1.1.40.160989 from the Hong Kong side just a specific version that let's you install dd-wrt or something?


Yeah, that’s basically what it is. I don’t think the US site hosts that firmware, because the whole reason you have to downgrade to 160989 first is the FCC requires manufacturers to lock out 3rd-party firmwares.


Ok cool, right now I'm on step 6. Should probably mention how long it takes to flash that BS build in step 5, took me almost an hour for it to go through.

Right now I'm trying to run that command to shave off that nvram bug but I think I'm getting some kind of error. I get this when I try to run it
Code:
/bin/sh: eval: line 3: syntax error: unexpected word (expecting
Pastorbrendad
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Apr 2019
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 3:00    Post subject: Reply with quote
Slinced wrote:
Right now I'm trying to run that command to shave off that nvram bug but I think I'm getting some kind of error.


Yeah, I think the code still works even with whatever error is happening. Here's a modification of the code someone suggests later on in that same thread that should fix the error:

#Clear nvram null entries
nvram show | grep =$ | wc -l
for line in `nvram show | grep =$ `; do var=${line%*=}; nvram unset $var; done

I'm just gonna edit my guide to show this one that doesn't give the error. Make sure you save it to the startup after you run it so the router is clearing out every time it boots up!
Slinced
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Dec 2019
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:25    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pastorbrendad wrote:
Slinced wrote:
Right now I'm trying to run that command to shave off that nvram bug but I think I'm getting some kind of error.


Yeah, I think the code still works even with whatever error is happening. Here's a modification of the code someone suggests later on in that same thread that should fix the error:

#Clear nvram null entries
nvram show | grep =$ | wc -l
for line in `nvram show | grep =$ `; do var=${line%*=}; nvram unset $var; done

I'm just gonna edit my guide to show this one that doesn't give the error. Make sure you save it to the startup after you run it so the router is clearing out every time it boots up!

That worked, thanks. I got everything running on the latest build. Thanks again for the help.
jvmesa
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 19 Nov 2019
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 16:15    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi!

Please Pastorbrendad, could you tell me which is the latest stable build that I can run in my EA6700 router?. I'm fine now in v3.0-r40559 but I need to move forward for a project.

Thanks!
jvmesa
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 19 Nov 2019
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 19:38    Post subject: Reply with quote
jvmesa wrote:
Hi!

Please Pastorbrendad, could you tell me which is the latest stable build that I can run in my EA6700 router?. I'm fine now in v3.0-r40559 but I need to move forward for a project.

Thanks!


EA6700 with DD-WRT v3.0-r42287 up and running.

Uptime 5 min. Everything OK

Thanks anyway.
Pastorbrendad
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Apr 2019
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 0:42    Post subject: Reply with quote
jvmesa wrote:
Hi!

Please Pastorbrendad, could you tell me which is the latest stable build that I can run in my EA6700 router?.


Sorry, just seeing this! I'm currently on 42015 and it's been running smoothly for 10 days straight. I usually hang back a few weeks at least on builds to make sure there's no major issues. Glad that build is working for you, though!
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