Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2020 23:23 Post subject: D-Link DIR-615 E1 - Cannot upgrade DD-WRT from r33525
Currently installed:
DD-WRT v3.0-r33525 std (10/17/17)
Trying to flash:
dir615e1-firmware.bin
from:
https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2020/06-04-2020-r43334/dlink-dir615e1/
The computer IP has been set to 192.168.1.1 static.
When selected the image file and pressed "Upgrade" the process looks like started but "Upgrading firmware ..." rolls endlessly with no router reboot or whatever.
The option: "After Flashing, reset to:" is set to "Reset to default settings".
The result is - no changes.
If I open 192.168.1.1 the router reports the same firmware version as it was before.
Tried to flash w/o resetting - the same: no actual upgrade (the firmware version remains the same: 33525).
I tried to use tftp2.exe to flash the router w/o using router's web interface.
Selected 10 attempts.
All attempts failed because of "no response from the router" as tftp2 reported.
What might be important.
At that moment (03/2019) the latest available image dir615e1-factory-to-ddwrt-firmware.bin for DIR-615 E1 could not be used because its size was incorrect - the image was too large (~7MB) and did not fit in router's flash memory.
And a number of earlier images also were oversized.
At that moment the latest image which had appropriate size had the version 33525. And it was used.
Currently we have the following:
33525 - the size of both images was ok
33555 ... 42617 - wrong "factory-to-ddwrt" image size (~7MB)
42681 ... till now (43334) - sizes ok.
I guess these image size errors made me do smth wrong from the beginning when flashed DD-WRT initially to replace DIR-615 stock firmware.
Maybe the router was flashed "a bit" incorrectly and that's the root of my problem?
I have an idea to revert to latest stock firmware and then flash latest DD-WRT again but I'm unsure I understand how do I do it.
Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 14208 Location: Texas, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 4:28 Post subject:
33525 is good for initial flash, my previous note was 31899, but I just re-checked. Either new mysteriously appearing files were uploaded or I was amiss in my research. You shouldn't have an issue upgrading using the upgrade file via CLI as @ian5142 stated. I presume these don't have D-Link Emergency Room. And I *thought* the webUI upgrade issues were fixed on Atheros finally?
I am in the same boat, same router, same problem. My dir-615 e1 router currently has build r37442. It shows the same problem that it cannot update even with the same r37442 build.
Upgrading with webgui, the progress bar spinned forever. Tried emergency firmware upgrade, same as webgui, it upgraded forever. Also tried tftp, but I read somewhere saying dlink router does have the tftp server installed. Using command line, I could wget the file into /tmp, but once I did "write {firmware} linux &", the file disappeared and nothing happened, still the old version.
Now, I almost give up. I think some part of the current firmware was corrupted and it will never get updated.
When the downloading finished I entered ls command to check if the image has been received and placed to /tmp.
Ok. image is here.
write dir615e1-firmware.bin linux &
After the writing process printed: done
I entered reboot
The result: the router rebooted, permanent orange power LED, other LEDs off.
Powered the router off, pressed RESET button, keeping it pressed, powered the router on, waited until power LED started blinking orange, released RESET button.
Power LED continues blinking orange, other LEDs off.
When I connect Ethernet cable from PC the corresponding LAN LED starts steady green light. No blinking.
And no access to the router.
Now head to flash it via serial interface?
To brick it completely ...
You shouldn't do this, "Powered the router off, pressed RESET button, keeping it pressed, powered the router on, waited until power LED started blinking orange, released RESET button," because you are now in the recovery firmware upgrade mode where you can update the firmware with the default IP 192.168.0.1.
It seems you have already flashed your router with the latest build before you entered into the recovery mode. So you should be able to go back to the web gui by powercycle it. Please note that the default ip for dd wrt is 192.168.1.1.
The firmware flashing via emergency recovery mode finishes successfully at 100% progress (no errors indicated).
Then at 100% the browser indicates that it is waiting for connection. But it's endless ...
Thus I never get to the web UI.
In all cases after the firmware sending finishes at 100%:
- the power light continue blink orange
- single LAN light is permanent green (Ethernet cable is here)
- other lights are off.
If I then do power cycle to reboot the router - then I have the following:
- power light - permanent orange
- other lights - off.
There are reports that Chrome may corrupt the firmware file downloaded. So you may want to try another browser to download the firmware file and flash again.
You did not mention about changing the static ip. Just make sure you will need to change the static ip to something like 192.168.1.XX after the flash and access the web gui at 192.168.1.1.
I downloaded the latest official D-Link DIR-615 E1 firmware and tried to flash it via the router's emergency room. It does not require switching PC IP address from .0.2 to .1.2.
I tried to flash this stock firmware using IE11, FF 77.0.1 (in safe mode), Opera 68.0.3618.125 and Chrome 83.0.4103.97.
Strange, but I failed to make IE11 see the router's emergency web interface. "Waiting for 192.168.0.1 ..." is the best result.
FF, Opera and Chrome have no problems with accessing emergency web-interface but provide the same result:
the router does not normally boot and it's state after flashing is the same:
- power light permanent orange
- other lights off
Looking at all that - where's the actual problem?
The problem is that firmware image (in all my multiple attempts) was not properly "delivered" to router's flash memory (because of browser quirks or whatever)?
Or the problem is in the router's damaged bootloader or whatever it is like that?
Does it all mean that I would need to "unsolder" the memory chip and use some kind of programmer to flash it properly?
Or the whole task may be completed only using serial interface?
The point is that serial interface only way - it is an option. This is acceptable.
Using separate programmer unit to flash the firmware - it's definitely not an option for me.
