Upgrade E2500 with 6 year old firmware. Path/firmware ?

Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    DD-WRT Forum Index -> Broadcom SoC based Hardware
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
JohnyB
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 09 Jan 2016
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:13    Post subject: Upgrade E2500 with 6 year old firmware. Path/firmware ? Reply with quote
Good morning/afternoon
I have a Linksys E2500 with DD-WRT v3.0-r27858 mega (09/28/15). Ram 64mb, Flash 8mb so not a v3.

Worked fine many years, until some changes with my vpn provider forced me to do some troubleshooting. Vpn working ok again, but now see how old the firmware is. So looking to upgrade to a stable more recent version


I previously changed firmware (other threads on this site), but now utterly confused now about how to proceed. The more I read, the more I get confused.

- On here, advice is 'dd-wrt.v24-33555_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e2500.bin'
And further I read "You can go directly from Linksys stock to this K3.x build or you can go from any dd-wrt build to this build"
(mrjvcd, also helped me many years ago, so trust this is good information Smile )


However, on this recent thread, kernel-panic69 advises to follow an upgrade path to go to new kernel 4.4

I searched high and low for more information on an upgrade path related to Kernel but my google-fu failed me.

Could I please be given some pointers ?
Don't mind doing more reading.

Thanks for your help

Edited to correct some mistakes
Sponsor
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:31    Post subject: Reply with quote
A fairly straightforward approach is to upgrade the K26 to:

dd-wrt.v24-35531_NEWD-2_K2.6_mega-nv60k.bin

then:

dd-wrt.v24-35531_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e2500.bin

then:

dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin

then:

dd-wrt.v24-43028_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin

and finally:

dd-wrt.v24-44213_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin

You also have the option of going directly to:

dd-wrt.v24-44213_NEWD-2_K2.6_mega-nv60k.bin

As throughput on the K3.x (K4.x) builds may not be as good as the K26 builds.

https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E2500

@mrjcd may chime in with some more sage advice than mine, but that is my input.

_________________
"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
JohnyB
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 09 Jan 2016
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 15:11    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks so much @kernel-panic69 for your very detailed reply !

Would you mind explaining how you build this 5 steps upgrade path ?
I am genuinely interested: I can only imagine each of those firmware needing at minimum the earlier firmware level you chose, but do not know where this information is available.


@mrjcd's view would be also interesting to me as I think I saw (in one of the many threads I retrieved with keyword E2500) that he still today has a E2500 in use.

Thanks !
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 15:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, the 35531 transition is based on a time during wireless issue fixes were going on, and it was a known good stable build, and going from K26 to K3.x is fairly benign on that build. The 42954 release is the last 3.x kernel build for Broadcom MIPS, and 43028 is the first 4.x kernel build; So, to avoid possible issues jumping from 35531 to present on K3.x/K4.x, it just seems to make sense to me to have that transition in upgrading. Once that jump is made, it's all downhill from there.

I could have given a much more detailed K26 upgrade path, but not absolutely necessary since most of the things to avoid would be solved with a direct upgrade to the latest release.

_________________
"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
jwh7
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 25 Oct 2013
Posts: 2670
Location: Indy

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2020 0:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've been running the latest k3x (k4.4) builds on the E2500 AP at my in-laws house (and my home test router for it).
kernel-panic69 wrote:
As throughput on the K3.x (K4.x) builds may not be as good as the K26 builds.
Note: that's not the case if SFE is being used and this device is a gateway (or...not an AP nor bridge). Wink

Though there might be limitations w/ QoS and PBR/etc.? I don't recall the latest info. :-/

_________________
# NAT/SFE/CTF: limited speed w/ DD # Repeater issues # DD-WRT info: FAQ, Builds, Types, Modes, Changes, Demo #
OPNsense x64 5050e ITX|DD: DIR-810L, 2*EA6900@1GHz, R6300v1, RT-N66U@663, WNDR4000@533, E1500@353,
WRT54G{Lv1.1,Sv6}@250
|FreshTomato: F7D8302@532|OpenWRT: F9K1119v1, RT-ACRH13, R6220, WNDR3700v4
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2020 1:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
I could also toss in there public vs community builds, but that would probably spark more trouble. Anyhow, read @mac913's posts in the 44191 thread:

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=326198

mac913 wrote:
Linux Kernal 4.4.x is sluggish on the E3000 and prefer the Broadcom K26 for the non-ARM SoC router.

_________________
"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
nolimitz
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 26 Nov 2010
Posts: 597

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2020 8:34    Post subject: Re: Upgrade E2500 with 6 year old firmware. Path/firmware ? Reply with quote
JohnyB wrote:
Good morning/afternoon
I have a Linksys E2500 with DD-WRT v3.0-r27858 mega (09/28/15). Ram 64mb, Flash 8mb so not a v3.

Worked fine many years, until some changes with my vpn provider forced me to do some troubleshooting. Vpn working ok again, but now see how old the firmware is. So looking to upgrade to a stable more recent version


I previously changed firmware (other threads on this site), but now utterly confused now about how to proceed. The more I read, the more I get confused.

- On here, advice is 'dd-wrt.v24-33555_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e2500.bin'
And further I read "You can go directly from Linksys stock to this K3.x build or you can go from any dd-wrt build to this build"
(mrjvcd, also helped me many years ago, so trust this is good information Smile )


However, on this recent thread, kernel-panic69 advises to follow an upgrade path to go to new kernel 4.4

I searched high and low for more information on an upgrade path related to Kernel but my google-fu failed me.

Could I please be given some pointers ?
Don't mind doing more reading.

Thanks for your help

Edited to correct some mistakes


If you have the means to debrick and dont want to do all those flash steps, just flash latest

https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2020/08-18-2020-r44213/broadcom_K3X/dd-wrt.v24-44213_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e2500.bin

I did that on E3000 coming from Kong’s 22000 And didn’t face issues. I flashed 43904 though as that was the latest then, YMMV though.
houdini
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 06 May 2021
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 4:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
A fairly straightforward approach is to upgrade the K26 to:

dd-wrt.v24-35531_NEWD-2_K2.6_mega-nv60k.bin

then:

dd-wrt.v24-35531_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e2500.bin

then:

dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin

then:

dd-wrt.v24-43028_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin

and finally:

dd-wrt.v24-44213_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin

You also have the option of going directly to:

dd-wrt.v24-44213_NEWD-2_K2.6_mega-nv60k.bin

As throughput on the K3.x (K4.x) builds may not be as good as the K26 builds.

https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E2500

@mrjcd may chime in with some more sage advice than mine, but that is my input.


Hi KP69,

Thanks for pointing me to this thread.

Not having been able to upgrade my Linksys E3200 from dd-wrt.v24-46446_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini-e3200 to dd-wrt.v24-46446_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega (or dd-wrt.v24-46446_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e3200), I tried the upgrade path you suggested above and successfully first flashed dd-wrt.v24-35531_NEWD-2_K2.6_mega-nv60k.bin followed by dd-wrt.v24-35531_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e3200.bin, but when I then tried to flash dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin (or dd-wrt.v24-43028_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-e3200) I found that the upgrade progress simply kept counting and counting without ever completing and rebooting showed that the version remained at 35531.

Considering the E2500 and E3200 were released on the same date, and their only difference is the number of internal antennas (4 vs. 6), I'm at a loss as to why this won't work (or what to do instead).

Any ideas you might have would be greatly appreciated!
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 4:29    Post subject: Reply with quote
Try doing it via CLI over telnet / ssh:
  1. cd /tmp
  2. wget ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2020/04-20-2020-r42954/broadcom_K3X/dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin
  3. write dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin linux &
  4. reboot

That should tell you if it is a firmware size issue. Only other option is to TFTP flash the trailed K3.x builds or try serial recovery to tftp them.

_________________
"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
tedm
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 554

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 7:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have two of these both in production at a customer site, one as a pure router on a bridged wifi net, the other as a wifi AP. The CPU is plenty good for ethernet-to-wifi routing IMHO even with the latest K4.4 kernel.

At some point the web update broke with the old version of IE. It works with Chrome. Yes I know this goes completely against all advice but I have found it to be true.

Another thing I have found with the E1500 and E2500 (and the WNDR4000 and a few others) is after getting to a current build if you factory reset them they will stop talking out the LAN ports. This is documented here:
https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E1500
Under "No Ethernet, LAN port connection" The instructions may or may not work. Playing with the device (saving pages and such or following then reverting the instructions) eventually gets it talking out the LAN ports again.

According to https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E2500 the 5Ghz radio does not work. That's not a concern where I use one of these in AP mode but it may be a concern of yours. If so, even though the wiki cautions against Tomato, I would definitely try FreshTomato. I don't have a lot of patience with the actual Tomato project but the FreshTomato fork is quite good. It is all based on the K2.6 kernel which dd-wrt seems to have abandoned in the latest since March 2021 (I'm not sure why) but for some of these older devices where you are using them mainly as internet-to-wifi routers, the K2.6 wifi drivers work better - I have had issues with modern laptops connecting to wifi on a WNDR4000 running the latest dd-wrt firmware that went away after running K2.6 builds on the devices. So YMMV
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 14:53    Post subject: Reply with quote
@tedm: The current situation involves an E3200, and webflash worked fine for me during this transition. Thanks for your insight, but it was completely unnecessary.

@houdini: Also, keep in mind, do NOT select "reset to defaults after flash" via webUI flashing. That could be why it kept going; but also there was a lot of changes in the webflash mechanism within the firmware, so patience and waiting 5-10 minutes is always a *must*. Could've been just a soft brick, but if power-cycling the router only brought you back to 35531, then CLI or TFTP flashing is your best chance to see what is going on.

_________________
"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
houdini
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 06 May 2021
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 17:05    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
Try doing it via CLI over telnet / ssh:
  1. cd /tmp
  2. wget ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2020/04-20-2020-r42954/broadcom_K3X/dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin
  3. write dd-wrt.v24-42954_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega.bin linux &
  4. reboot

That should tell you if it is a firmware size issue. Only other option is to TFTP flash the trailed K3.x builds or try serial recovery to tftp them.


I tried this without issue but after rebooting the version still showed as 35531. Are you implying that DOES mean it's a size issue - and that I should therefore proceed onto TFTP? (If that's much riskier, I could simply see if version 35531 satisfies my needs.)

Why would flashing 42954 work for the E2500 but not the E3200?
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 17:13    Post subject: Reply with quote
So there were no errors output to your terminal via ssh or telnet (NOT the webUI commands box!)? That is weird.

So, what browser were you using, what OS, what terminal program? This doesn't seem right to me, and I am not in a position to have anything sent here for at least two weeks. I presume you are using private browsing mode and cleared your cache.

_________________
"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
houdini
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 06 May 2021
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 18:47    Post subject: Reply with quote
I tried flashing from (the web UI in) Firefox and it worked!

Followed up by flashing the remaining two version upgrades (from Firefox) and they worked as well!

Weird that Chrome worked for the first two upgrades but no more (and that TelNet Lite on the Mac didn't show any errors).

Anyway, glad we sorted it out just in time, before your two weeks of being indisposed, as you said!

Thanks a lot KP69!
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 19:27    Post subject: Reply with quote
I kinda figured it was something simple and screwy. Glad you got it sorted out. I would've just said send it hear and dealt with the consequences, lol.
_________________
"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
Goto page 1, 2  Next Display posts from previous:    Page 1 of 2
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    DD-WRT Forum Index -> Broadcom SoC based Hardware All times are GMT

Navigation

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You can attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum