All right, I went ahead and built an OpenWRT firmware using the latest stable branch (backfire_10.03), after removing the .mask_flags = MTD_WRITEABLE, from target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/ar71xx/mach-wndr3700.c
No luck. mtd commands still fail. But I now have a nice firmware with ntfs read/write and the luci interface... Still no wifi though
All right, I went ahead and built an OpenWRT firmware using the latest stable branch (backfire_10.03), after removing the .mask_flags = MTD_WRITEABLE, from target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/ar71xx/mach-wndr3700.c
No luck. mtd commands still fail. But I now have a nice firmware with ntfs read/write and the luci interface... Still no wifi though
If you want a fully functioning openwrt backfire 10.03 you can download this one: link. You must flash from netgear firmware.
Ok, I got my wifi back. Here is what I did (as far as i can remember):
With the stock NETGEAR V1.0.4.68 firmware
First, you need to download the caldata dump from https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?pid=111600. Ideally you should modify that file to change the MAC addresses. I didn't, as I did not expect this to work but I'll change them later on.
Next, put that file onto a FAT32 formatted usb drive. Plug the drive into the router and make sure usb is enabled and active in the web admin interface.
Run telnetEnable and open a telnet prompt to the router.
Copy the caldata dump onto the router, for example :
Code:
cp /mnt/sda1/caldata /tmp
Then run :
Code:
cd /tmp
mtd unlock caldata
mtd -r caldata caldata
The router will reboot automatically. After the reboot, you should have your wifi back.
I have no idea why I was able write to the caldata from the stock firmware. I thought I had tested that. Well, I've tested so many things in the last few days I haven't kept track of everything.
But hey I'm not complaining, wifi is working again ! I haven't been able to try the 5GHz wifi, since I don't own a client device that supports it. But the blue 5GHz LED is on and the 2.4GHz is working fine.
stock firmware is based on the previous version of openwrt and probably don't have mtd locked... nice done ! What firmware are you using now ? stock , openwrt or dd-wrt ?
I am still using the stock firmware for now. I think I'll wait a bit before trying a custom firmware again . As soon as the FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF problem is fixed I'll go back to DD-WRT, the stock firmware is no fun at all 8)
Wifi is working, but very weak. I can't connect reliably from outside the room where the router is, which is the reason I was trying DD-WRT in the first place.
Ok, I got my wifi back. Here is what I did (as far as i can remember):
With the stock NETGEAR V1.0.4.68 firmware
First, you need to download the caldata dump from https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?pid=111600. Ideally you should modify that file to change the MAC addresses. I didn't, as I did not expect this to work but I'll change them later on.
Next, put that file onto a FAT32 formatted usb drive. Plug the drive into the router and make sure usb is enabled and active in the web admin interface.
Run telnetEnable and open a telnet prompt to the router.
Copy the caldata dump onto the router, for example :
Code:
cp /mnt/sda1/caldata /tmp
Then run :
Code:
cd /tmp
mtd unlock caldata
mtd -r caldata caldata
The router will reboot automatically. After the reboot, you should have your wifi back.
I have no idea why I was able write to the caldata from the stock firmware. I thought I had tested that. Well, I've tested so many things in the last few days I haven't kept track of everything.
But hey I'm not complaining, wifi is working again ! I haven't been able to try the 5GHz wifi, since I don't own a client device that supports it. But the blue 5GHz LED is on and the 2.4GHz is working fine.
Good to see that someone managed to resolve the MAC Adress issue.
The only thing what is keeping me from upgrading to DD-WRT are the WiFi Issues. As soon as the WiFi issues are resolved I will go to DDWRT. The stock Firmware isnt usable how its propagated through Netgear.
Glad to see so much improvement in the DDWRT Firmware.
Greetings ron _________________ WRT54GS v1.1 with TOMTAO & SD-Card Mod
WNDR3700 with stock Netgear FW-V1.0.4.55
Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 2:41 Post subject: weak 2.4ghz wireless
Hello everyone,
I would like to thanks the developer for taking their time to create a wonderful firmware with many options. Recently, I bought a wndr3700 and since I just that dd-wrt supported so I went ahead and installed. Everything went very well. The signal was good, speed was good too. I can have option to increase the wireless's power. This is a wonderful option. Here is what going on right now. After couples of days of using the router and all of sudden the 2.4ghz became very week. It drops from 5 bars to 1 bar and the rate drops from 150 to barely zero.
When I first installed this, I saw the atenna chain option of at (TX 1+3), (RX 1+2+3). When the wireless became weak, I did 30-30-30 reset. Everything reset to default, but then the wireless ssid became undetectable. If I change the tx chain to 1+2, then the ssid is visible.
Can anyone help me out how to get this back to normal?? I have tried to go back to stock firmware by following the wiki's instructions.
The one thing I dont get it, why is it only affecting the 2.4ghz but not 5.0 ghz
Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 0:30 Post subject: Re: weak 2.4ghz wireless
outfire wrote:
Here is what going on right now. After couples of days of using the router and all of sudden the 2.4ghz became very week. It drops from 5 bars to 1 bar and the rate drops from 150 to barely zero.
When I first installed this, I saw the atenna chain option of at (TX 1+3), (RX 1+2+3). When the wireless became weak, I did 30-30-30 reset. Everything reset to default, but then the wireless ssid became undetectable. If I change the tx chain to 1+2, then the ssid is visible.
Can anyone help me out how to get this back to normal?? I have tried to go back to stock firmware by following the wiki's instructions.
Unfortunately there is no known way of fixing this at the moment. Even reverting to stock doesn't help. That's why some of us are asking to remove the 'supported' status for the wndr3700...
Did you actually fixed your bad perception with flashing back to newest Firmware from Netgear?
For now this is the only thing which is holding me away from flashing DD-WRT on the ENDR3700. THe MAC FF:FF:FF:FF Issue seems to be fixable.
BTW.Did DD-WRT work for a couple of days with 2,4GHz without problems and then suddenly became weak? _________________ WRT54GS v1.1 with TOMTAO & SD-Card Mod
WNDR3700 with stock Netgear FW-V1.0.4.55
Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 1380 Location: Pacific North West, USA
Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 11:12 Post subject:
Is it possible that DD-WRT overloaded the wi-fi chip?
I.E. DD-WRT typically allows much higher power values than stock.
That being the case, maybe the default DD-WRT values were too high and 'kind of cooked' the wifi chip?
Would there be any way to test it? _________________ Soylent Green Is People ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Netgear Nighthawk R7000 - DD-WRT Build R46220
Linksys EA8500 - OpenWRT IPQ806x Trunk R16375 5.4 Kernel
Doesn't seem to be working for me ... is there a different default telnet username and password for the 3700 than the device this was intended for? I'm trying Gearguy/Geardog as the documentation says but just keep getting "send failed: 10057" over and over
Soylent Green Is People ! 
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