Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 22:39 Post subject: [SOLVED] R7000 Damaged after trying AsusWRT NG branch
Hey guys,
A couple nights ago, I decided to try AsusWRT Merlin for R7000, the initial flash was OK, but I ended up having wifi problems, and it felt sluggish. While, I was able to follow the instructions on how to go back Netgear stock firmware, when I try to load DD WRT again, it resets on reboot, not saving settings. There were a couple older threads on here regarding the same issue, but since they were older, I wanted to bring up a fresh one.
Since I wasn't able to fix the Router as the main Router and have it back on DD WRT, I got a new router TP-Link C4000. Everything is stable with stock firmware, and I am happy with it. I've decided to still try to fix the R7000 since it's no longer my main router, and it doesn't matter if it's fixed now, or not. I did manage to get Netgear stock firmware stable on it, and I have it set up as a Double NAT so it has it's own isolated LAN so devices connected to the good router, and devices i connected to the R7000 are isolated locally, but can all access the internet.
My testing so far, has shown that firmware right now is stable, but the Router is running slower than it should. Is there anyway to fix the CFE so I can install DD WRT again, and have it save changes ? I followed the flash back instructions including using mtd-write to flash the stock CFE back onto the router, however something is still screwy, when using anything but Netgear stock. Any help at this point would be appreciated.
Thanks for the link, I just took a look at it, I'll decide later if I want to go through with getting a serial adapter, and going through with this. As I mentioned, I bought a new router with better specs, and much nicer stock firmware than Netgear. So, If I do proceed to do this, it will be mainly for educational purposes at this point than need.
With that said, I don't think this particular router is bricked. As it's able to take firmware, the Stock Netgear firmware seems to run ok, but ever since flashing AsusWRT Merline NG branch, if I try to go back to DD WRT, the router works, but once rebooted, or power cycled, the settings are reset to factory defaults.
According to the older threads on this forum regarding this issue, it looked like while a serial adapter was mentioned to look at messages, the person (s) involved were able to fix their router with ssh / telnet. I am just unclear which file (s) they restored and that's what I'm trying to find out as what happens in this case seems separate from the main firmware.
sounds like CFE is corrupt - CFE needs reflashing, there are threads about it not got time to look but its here on forum
I have a link saved with the information I think will be correct at this point.
I'll say this though, if I had known the Vortex firmware had this bug, I never would have flashed it. I just always found the Asus firmware UI appealing so I wanted to try it. Oh well. It will be a learning experience to fix the R7000, since I bought a new router, and it's stable, and has better specs, it won't be devastating if I can't fully fix the R7000. I could just use it with Netgear's stock firmware as a secondary AP, but I don't trust NG's stock firmware for stability. Also even though the router is stable with stock, (apparently), it runs somewhat slower, so there again I wouldn't trust it as a main router at this point. I will update this post if I ever get DD-WRT working correctly again on the unit.
The good that came out of this is, I was planning on replacing the router anyway for something better, and newer hardware / firmware, but this just rushed it. Oh well.
Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 14221 Location: Texas, USA
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 13:14 Post subject:
XWRT-Vortex / AsusWRT-Merlin for R7000 replaces the CFE with a modified CFE that contains the Asus mini CFE web server for de-bricking. This CFE doesn't always work well with DD-WRT, especially in the case of the R7000. Somewhere in amongst the many-page thread on linksysinfo forums, it states to backup your stock CFE prior to flashing it. It's also been discussed here on this forum in the past. You should always do your due diligence and research thoroughly before flashing custom firmware. _________________ "Life is but a fleeting moment, a vapor that vanishes quickly; All is vanity"
Contribute To DD-WRT Pogo - A minimal level of ability is expected and needed... DD-WRT Releases 2023 (PolitePol)
DD-WRT Releases 2023 (RSS Everything)
----------------------
Linux User #377467 counter.li.org / linuxcounter.net
XWRT-Vortex / AsusWRT-Merlin for R7000 replaces the CFE with a modified CFE that contains the Asus mini CFE web server for de-bricking. This CFE doesn't always work well with DD-WRT, especially in the case of the R7000. Somewhere in amongst the many-page thread on linksysinfo forums, it states to backup your stock CFE prior to flashing it. It's also been discussed here on this forum in the past. You should always do your due diligence and research thoroughly before flashing custom firmware.
You're right, and I thought I had. I did research on how to install it and restore, after restoring is when I discovered the CFE problem. That's why I initially wanted to replace the R7000 because I wanted a router with stock firmware I could depend on. I love DD-WRT, as an open project, but in most cases, I wouldn't be able to get support from the manufacture if I were to have an issue. The only other reliable Router I have besides the new TP-Link I just got is, my older Apple AirPort Extreme (2013) model. It works, and it's AC enabled, but it's not the newest specs, and it doesn't get firmware updates a lot now. So that's what really started me looking at other routers in the first place. I have a link saved from the Linksys forum on how to restore the CFE on the R7000 I'll get the stuff together I need at some point and follow those steps.
Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 6437 Location: UK, London, just across the river..
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 17:44 Post subject:
hmm i R7000 had a CFE back up (don't remember from where), may be from here https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=919689 , but lost it due to sdd failure, now im far away from my R7000 to do so...
you can, either ask someone to help you with CFE back up or have a look here:
next time, if you need a stable firmware, stick to the forum new builds threads/reading, in fact most of the consumer market routers stock firmware sucks or has security holes and ect....well...my personal opinion...
that's why im on DDWRT...my R7000 or R7800 never had serious issues..issues more often are due to miss-configuration...or some incompatibility like wi-fi clients or connected flash drives, file systems and ect. nothing serious that you cannot find out with reading SVN or the new builds threads... _________________ Atheros
TP-Link WR740Nv1 ---DD-WRT 55630 WAP
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 55723 Gateway/DoT,Forced DNS,Ad-Block,Firewall,x4VLAN,VPN
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -Gargoyle OS 1.15.x AP,DNS,QoS,Quotas
Qualcomm-Atheros
Netgear XR500 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoH,Forced DNS,AP Isolation,4VLAN,Ad-Block,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 55819 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/SmartDNS/DoH,AD-Block,Firewall,Forced DNS,x3VLAN,VPN
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
------------------------------------------------------
Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
hmm i R7000 had a CFE back up (don't remember from where), may be from here https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=919689 , but lost it due to sdd failure, now im far away from my R7000 to do so...
you can, either ask someone to help you with CFE back up or have a look here:
next time, if you need a stable firmware, stick to the forum new builds threads/reading, in fact most of the consumer market routers stock firmware sucks or has security holes and ect....well...my personal opinion...
that's why im on DDWRT...my R7000 or R7800 never had serious issues..issues more often are due to miss-configuration...or some incompatibility like wi-fi clients or connected flash drives, file systems and ect. nothing serious that you cannot find out with reading SVN or the new builds threads...
Thanks, I got the CFE file from the first link, found the instructions to flash it via telnet My question is, can I flash it with the stock firmware installed, or do I need to flash the router with something else before I can fix my CFE. I'm still unclear on a few details.
Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 6437 Location: UK, London, just across the river..
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 19:03 Post subject:
well if you read properly, the chap mentioned...'upgrade to an old 2015 BS ddwrt, build to be able to use mtd commands'... _________________ Atheros
TP-Link WR740Nv1 ---DD-WRT 55630 WAP
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 55723 Gateway/DoT,Forced DNS,Ad-Block,Firewall,x4VLAN,VPN
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -Gargoyle OS 1.15.x AP,DNS,QoS,Quotas
Qualcomm-Atheros
Netgear XR500 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoH,Forced DNS,AP Isolation,4VLAN,Ad-Block,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 55819 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/SmartDNS/DoH,AD-Block,Firewall,Forced DNS,x3VLAN,VPN
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
------------------------------------------------------
Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
OK, I got everything setup to run the commands, and i used scp to copy the cfe file downloaded for the R7000 from this forum to the router to /tmp. When running mtd unlock mtd0, i get the message not supported, unable to unlock mtd0, does this mean this particular R7000 is dead and i should just give up on it, or have I missed something ?
Install that first then try the following commands in telnet.
1. mtd unlock mtd0
2. mtd write -f /tmp/stock-cfe.bin mtd0
3. erase nvram
4. reboot
If all is good and settings hold after reboots you can then update to a current build.
Good luck.
Thanks, I had installed the last release of 2015, and those are the commands I tried, I even copied them to a text file to have them handy.
When I ran mtd unlock mtd0
it said could not unlock device mtd0
Not Supported.
Maybe I gave up too quick but I threw the R7000 out because nothing I had tried from this forum, or the Linksys forum for XWRT worked. I was able to put stock on it, but I didn't want Netgear stock.
The other thing I noticed is,
when I ran the MTD command, it was refereeing trx files which is the Asus file format, so it looks like whatever it did it is now acting like an Asus router instead of a Netgear. I got a new better Spec TP-Link router to replace it, the Archer C4000 which is a Tri-band router, and has a 1.8 Ghz cpu and 512 MB ram. I did look to see if DD-WRT supported the new one, but apparently not. It's not listed under the TP-Link models. this router is the same router as the A20, apparently according to a TP-Link rep, the C4000 and the A20 are the same router, but one is for retail, and the other is for online sales. There are also different revisions of it. I have the C4000 version 3.0. by the way, I'm not giving up on projects like DD-WRT, but that R7000 after it got screwed up got to the point where buying a new router was the least stressful choice. I did try to restore It though, it just didn't seem to want to be fixed.
Oh, one more thing, I used SSH instead of telnet, because I don't have a telnet client, but SSH is built in.
Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 88 Location: North Carolina
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 22:48 Post subject:
Telnet is built in to Windows 10, but you must first add the feature.
Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off > Telnet Client
Telnet is built in to Windows 10, but you must first add the feature.
Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off > Telnet Client
I'm doing this through a Mac, which is Unix based. I did installed the telnet command, and I decided to rescue the R7000 before it wasn't recoverable from the trash. so I am installing the suggested firmware now the first of 2015 DDWRT so will try with telnet and that version will report back.