Cannot Flash DD-WRT on Archer C9v1 with 2020-11-19 FW

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^thumbs^
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Fri Jan 01, 2021 23:26    Post subject: Cannot Flash DD-WRT on Archer C9v1 with 2020-11-19 FW Reply with quote
I have an TP-Link Archer C9v1 flashed with OEM US FW 20201118. I've tried both the archer-c9v1-webflash.bin and factory-to-ddwrt.bin versions of the firmware from several different builds including the one from the Wiki.

I've tried using the OEM web interface and TFTP to upload the firmware. The web interface immediately shows an error, and the TFTP successfully uploads the firmware, but the router simply refuses to flash the bin file.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The OEM FW is attached.



archer_c9v1_us-up-ver3-17-1-P1[20201118-rel42895].bin
 Description:
TP Link OEM Firmware Archer C9(US)_V1_201118

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 Filename:  archer_c9v1_us-up-ver3-17-1-P1[20201118-rel42895].bin
 Filesize:  14.77 MB
 Downloaded:  176 Time(s)

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tester272001
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 29 Aug 2009
Posts: 29

PostPosted: Sat Jan 02, 2021 16:58    Post subject: archer Reply with quote
i preume you read this thread?
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1188379
just making sure. has a link to instructions and the 10 second reset.
^thumbs^
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Joined: 01 Jan 2021
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 02, 2021 21:41    Post subject: Re: archer Reply with quote
tester272001 wrote:
i preume you read this thread?
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1188379
just making sure. has a link to instructions and the 10 second reset.


Yes, and I've tried those instructions. It seems the 11/2020 firmware is dramatically different from the previous release from about a year before.
LordNerevar
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Joined: 19 Aug 2014
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Jan 02, 2021 23:06    Post subject: Reply with quote
Had the same issue a few years ago with the same router. Had to update manually from the command line.

https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Installation#Method_3:_Flashing_with_Command_Line
^thumbs^
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:59    Post subject: Reply with quote
LordNerevar wrote:
Had the same issue a few years ago with the same router. Had to update manually from the command line.

https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Installation#Method_3:_Flashing_with_Command_Line


Thanks, but I can't get those commands to work on the OEM firmware. I think those instructions are for updating an existing version dd-wrt?
thommy181
DD-WRT User


Joined: 16 Mar 2019
Posts: 353
Location: Szczecin, Poland EU

PostPosted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 14:33    Post subject: Reply with quote
When you can't install dd-wrt via gui, you can use the tftp. Use tftp tool build-in to windows. Flash this firmware https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2021/01-01-2021-r45229/tplink_archer-c9v1/archer-c9v1-webflash.bin.
You can rename file to more simple operation. Via command line type: " tftp -i <router ip> put <firmware file name> After finish operation l;eave device on without changes for ~5 minutes. Then disconnect power cord and power on afetr 30 second. Now you must wait to start the dd-wrt.
^thumbs^
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Joined: 01 Jan 2021
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
thommy181 wrote:
When you can't install dd-wrt via gui, you can use the tftp. Use tftp tool build-in to windows. Flash this firmware https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2021/01-01-2021-r45229/tplink_archer-c9v1/archer-c9v1-webflash.bin.
You can rename file to more simple operation. Via command line type: " tftp -i <router ip> put <firmware file name> After finish operation l;eave device on without changes for ~5 minutes. Then disconnect power cord and power on afetr 30 second. Now you must wait to start the dd-wrt.


Yes, that is my problem as I explained. I have TPLink 11/2020 firmware installed. You cannot use simple tftp. It has to be a TFTP server, and the file name needs to be "archerc9v1_tp_recovery.bin" TFTPD sends the dd-wrt firmware to the router, but the router seems to refuse to flash it. I tried both versions of the firmware (webflash and factory to dd-wrt) and neither work. There seems to be a change in the latest tplink bootloader or firmware that prevents the dd-wrt firmware from loading.

I cannot even downgrade to older tplink firmware using tftp or webflash any more.
AlphaCJ44
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Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 13:44    Post subject: Reply with quote
A newbie question but are you sure you're giving it enough time to process the image after being sent by tftp? You should wait 5 minutes or so.

Also factory to ddwrt image should work unless the oem firmware is already been patched to stop modification.
You should downgrade the oem firmware to an older version then try again.
^thumbs^
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Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 22:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
AlphaCJ44 wrote:
A newbie question but are you sure you're giving it enough time to process the image after being sent by tftp? You should wait 5 minutes or so.

Also factory to ddwrt image should work unless the oem firmware is already been patched to stop modification.
You should downgrade the oem firmware to an older version then try again.


Yes, I left it over night. Again, I am very sure the router refuses to flash.

I am 100% sure neither dd-wrt firmwares nor openwrt firmwares will flash on this router with the new TP-Link firmware.

Again, the 11-2020 TP Link firmware will not allow downgrade, which is why I am here asking for help. Can someone make a new factory to ddwrt firmware?

I am not the only one experiencing this problem. There appears to be another post at https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=327394.
thommy181
DD-WRT User


Joined: 16 Mar 2019
Posts: 353
Location: Szczecin, Poland EU

PostPosted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 13:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think you are incorrectly start router for flash. Device it's no in tftp mode probably. You have information about connection refuse. Put correct command in command line and start flash immidetly after power on router.
^thumbs^
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 17:59    Post subject: Reply with quote
thommy181 wrote:
I think you are incorrectly start router for flash. Device it's no in tftp mode probably. You have information about connection refuse. Put correct command in command line and start flash immidetly after power on router.


I am following the unbrick instructions posted several places on the web including openwrt. There is definitely a TFTP recovery mode. I launch a TFTP server on a PC, and the Router looks for a specific file. The TFTP server logs clearly show an upload to the router. However, nothing happens on the router to flash. I'm not the only one experiencing this.
AlphaCJ44
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Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Wed Jan 06, 2021 7:04    Post subject: Reply with quote
^thumbs^ wrote:
AlphaCJ44 wrote:
A newbie question but are you sure you're giving it enough time to process the image after being sent by tftp? You should wait 5 minutes or so.

Also factory to ddwrt image should work unless the oem firmware is already been patched to stop modification.
You should downgrade the oem firmware to an older version then try again.


Yes, I left it over night. Again, I am very sure the router refuses to flash.

I am 100% sure neither dd-wrt firmwares nor openwrt firmwares will flash on this router with the new TP-Link firmware.

Again, the 11-2020 TP Link firmware will not allow downgrade, which is why I am here asking for help. Can someone make a new factory to ddwrt firmware?

I am not the only one experiencing this problem. There appears to be another post at https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=327394.


If nothing else is working then the only way left is to flash directly to the chip using programmer. That's how i did it back then. I don't know which model it was exactly but the thing was refusing to flash via gui and tftp and i didn't know how to patch in via serial. So i flashed the chip via programmer. You may give this a try if everything else fails.
^thumbs^
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 01 Jan 2021
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 8:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
AlphaCJ44 wrote:


If nothing else is working then the only way left is to flash directly to the chip using programmer. That's how i did it back then. I don't know which model it was exactly but the thing was refusing to flash via gui and tftp and i didn't know how to patch in via serial. So i flashed the chip via programmer. You may give this a try if everything else fails.


That's above me. I don't have any equipment for that. But the question is what changed? Old TPLink factory firmware could flash from the factory to ddrwt.bin. The latest tplink factory firmware cannot. It seems easier to modify the bin file. Question is what would I loom for and change to?
MERF33
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Jan 2021
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 15:18    Post subject: Re: Cannot Flash DD-WRT on Archer C9v1 with 2020-11-19 FW Reply with quote
^thumbs^ wrote:
The web interface immediately shows an error,


Is there a error number like "-5533"?

If yes, that error and solution can be found with forum and/or google search.

step by step how to solve the problem 5533 in ARCHER C9 v1 with Firmware update

I did not test this, as i have a non US archer c9 v1 and i dont want to risk flashing a us firmware for fun.

This may be helpfull if serial recovery is needed:
Revert To Stock Firmware TP-Link Archer C9 Router V1 From DD-WRT Step-By-Step Using Serial/USB
msoengineer
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 21 Jan 2017
Posts: 1782
Location: Illinois Moderator

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 18:55    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hopefully the previous post is spot on in what the issue is.

Otherwise, it's possible TP-Link may have "locked down" the firmware from being flashed by a 3rd party firmware.

I don't own this router nor do I follow it on the forums to know what has happened.

The best advice I can offer is to find the oldest possible OEM firware file and flash that onto the router. If that works, then try the factory-to-ddwrt file for first flash on TP-Link's stock gui.

If you are trying tftp flashing, it's best to use a "dumb" (unmanaged) 1gbps switch between the router and your PC so that your network connection stays alive and connects "instantly" to tftp when you power on the C9.

You can apply the same instructions to the C9 and the A7v5 wiki instructions for TFTP server; and, you already know about the filename for recovery...so I have confidence you'll be able to flash dd-wrt onto the router.

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