Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 16:57 Post subject: bricked e4200
Hi everybody
I've a serious problem after a firmware update for my Linksys E4200.
I flashed the update and afterwards it doesn't boot anymore. However, normally not a big deal. I had this in the past also and flashed the router over tftp again but not this time.
Now if I try to flash it by tftp I get two different situations.
First I try to flash a mini image which I know it works in the past. The tftp log is ok... Says sucessfully flashed but after waiting and waiting nothing happen. After a reset I got the issue as before.
Second I tries to flush the original firemware. Here comes an error "server not responding" after about 60% of the update procedure.
This could be based on th size of the original firmware.
I also tried several other ways with different tftps and so on, but always the same situation. Can anybody give me a hint before I buy a new router?
Read the peacock announcement, note 6. Top of the broadcom forum. _________________ SIG:
I'm trying to teach you to fish, not give you a fish. If you just want a fish, wait for a fisherman who hands them out. I'm more of a fishing instructor.
LOM: "If you show that you have not bothered to read the forum announcements or to follow the advices in them then the level of help available for you will drop substantially, also known as Murrkf's law.."
The last workin firmware (I've two e4200 as bridge) was...
dd-wrt.v24-21676_NEWD-2_K2.6_XXX-nv60k.bin
The next I tried but has issues with wifi was...
dd-wrt.v24-22118_NEWD-2_K2.6_XXX-nv60k.bin
This was working but WIFI was broken
The one which bricked my router was now the latest...
dd-wrt.v24-23082_NEWD-2_K2.6_XXX-nv60k.bin
Serial and Jtag...
no and no.
I don't have a serial adapter for the router now. I will diasassable the device tomorrow and have a look to build one.
JTag same.
I'll give that I try (bought). It's a shame and my heart is bleeding throwing that device away. However...
Currently I install my backup device which is a DIR-635.
I works well in combination with my second e4200 which works as a bridge router.
So I'm not suriously in trouble... (lot of my buddies called me cause of that internet breakdown).
Currently I'm searching for a new device, cause I'm not confident, that I could repair the broken e4200.
Unfortunatly the v1 of that device is replaced with v2 which isn't compatible with dd-wrt.
Any hint for an almost similar device?
It should have 2,4GHz and 5GHZ as well as dual wifi controllers like the e4200?
Tried upgrading an e4200 from dd-wrt.v24-22960_NEWD-2_K2.6_std_usb_nas-nv60k.bin to dd-wrt.v24-23082-big-nv60k.bin but bricked the router on the upload. It never recovered on the reboot, but only blinked a few times then went dead. The lan port was still active so it was possible to ping the router so I tried to TFTP it with the original e4200 Linksys software. It seemed to upload the software, but would never complete the erasing the flash and would just hang.
To resolve it was necessary to connect to the router using a serial connection and “erase nvram” followed by setting the “flash –ctheader : flash1.trx” command followed by TFTP’ing the original firmware. Once the original firmware was installed it was possible to move it back to DD-wrt. _________________ Netgear XR500, R7800
Asus AC87Ua1
Repeater Bridge
Netgear R6400v2otp
Tried upgrading an e4200 from dd-wrt.v24-22960_NEWD-2_K2.6_std_usb_nas-nv60k.bin to dd-wrt.v24-23082-big-nv60k.bin but bricked the router on the upload. It never recovered on the reboot, but only blinked a few times then went dead. The lan port was still active so it was possible to ping the router so I tried to TFTP it with the original e4200 Linksys software. It seemed to upload the software, but would never complete the erasing the flash and would just hang.
Yep, that issue sounds almost the same here. 4/5 times blinking, then dark. Lan always ok.
jrscs wrote:
To resolve it was necessary to connect to the router using a serial connection and “erase nvram” followed by setting the “flash –ctheader : flash1.trx” command followed by TFTP’ing the original firmware. Once the original firmware was installed it was possible to move it back to DD-wrt.
I belevie that work for you, but in my case there are several own made issues.
First, I was too damn stupid to get familiar with serial voltages. So firstly I tried with a regular serial adapter. This causes a hyperterminal-log (on Win7) which shows only cryptic chareters at all, but feels like it should be.
...Like... When connection was esteblished, there was rushing charecters in... As it should be (I know how it should "feel", I know hyperterminal)... And this is reproducable.
With the exact same config at linux, I never get any response from minicom -> Still working with the "wrong" serial adapter like at Win7.
Then I recognised my mistake and switched to the raspi with the onboard serial controller and still get not response at all from the router.
So same as before.
However.
There are several possible issues.
First, I break the serial controller of the router (what I don't think, cause on Win7 hyperterminal still gets messages (with cryptic chareters))
Second, Linux is not working well with der serial port (same Hardware/Dualboot).
Summerized, I've no idea where the problems came from. There are too much possble issues. I cannot sort them out.
Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:48 Post subject: Bricking with the latest build
Confirmed updated to latest firmware and bricked my E4200. Tried to do a TFTP to restore the firmware but was unsuccessful. Receiving a TLL 100, tried to do the Linksys firmware but the TFTP program gets to 75 percent and fails. Teaches me not to update firmware and wait a couple of days to determine if other people are having issues with it.
