Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:35 Post subject: Dlink DIR-868L Lost Credentials - Unable to log in
Hi,
Wondering if anyone else has come across this issue or if / what I am doing wrong in the reset process. Here's the scenario - I decided to re-use my DIR-868L Rev B which had a 2017 build on it (running stock CFE) as my main WiFi router so that I was independent of the ISP's WiFi. It wasn't great coverage and I know from using the DIR-868L previously that it was pretty good - especially with DD-WRT on it.
I fell at the first hurdle - I can't remember the credentials I set to log into it!
Checking the forum pages it appears that for this particular router you need to do an "nvram erase && reboot" from a serial session. So after ordering the pins, solder, desolder wick etc I eventually was able to log in to CFE. Issued nvram erase && reboot and up it came. Still with same router name and not prompting for new user name
So far here's what I've tried:
1. nvram erase, Reload Dlink firmware, factory reset, reload factory-to-ddwrt from latest (March 2021) build via Dlink recovery. Still can't login to allow me to complete the DD-WRT update
2. nvram erase then immediate power off. Still original router name persists and can't login
Am I missing something blindingly obvious here? It's almost as if the nvram erase isn't doing anything! Just FYI erase nvram isn't supported in this (stock) CFE.
Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 1079 Location: Latin America
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 14:17 Post subject: Re: Dlink DIR-868L Lost Credentials - Unable to log in
Aberlake wrote:
Am I missing something blindingly obvious here? It's almost as if the nvram erase isn't doing anything!
Have you tried user=admin, passwork=(blank)?
Normally D-Link set one of these user/passwords by default. _________________ If you want support, please read first the announcements and forum rules.
Si usted desea ayuda, por favor lea primero los anuncios y las reglas del foro.
Resetting the router to factory defaults hasn't made any difference. I reloaded stock DLink firmware and carried this out. It reset password within the DLink interface butr as soon as I reloaded DD-WRT it retrieved the previous settings from somewhere! Even after an nvram erase && reboot from the CFE interface! This is really bugging me now
Read it again, as he was talking about the old erase nvram command until the last sentence.
Aberlake wrote:
Resetting the router to factory defaults hasn't made any difference. I reloaded stock DLink firmware and carried this out. It reset password within the DLink interface butr as soon as I reloaded DD-WRT it retrieved the previous settings from somewhere! Even after an nvram erase && reboot from the CFE interface! This is really bugging me now
Hard reset button for 10 seconds does nothing? Again, nvram erase is DD-WRT CLI (Telnet) and not CFE.
Read it again, as he was talking about the old erase nvram command until the last sentence.
Aberlake wrote:
Resetting the router to factory defaults hasn't made any difference. I reloaded stock DLink firmware and carried this out. It reset password within the DLink interface butr as soon as I reloaded DD-WRT it retrieved the previous settings from somewhere! Even after an nvram erase && reboot from the CFE interface! This is really bugging me now
Hard reset button for 10 seconds does nothing? Again, nvram erase is DD-WRT CLI (Telnet) and not CFE.
@blkt Thanks again so just to clarify for me when you access NVRAM via CFE you are not accessing the same section of NVRAM as via the DD-WRT interface / SSH?
That would explain a lot! Especially the restore to factory firmware then reload DD-WRT scenario where the old configuration keeps returning.
So how can I totally reset the DD-WRT configuration when I can't log in to any of SSH, Web interface or Serial console? The "hold reset in for 10s" doesn't seem to have any effect i.e. the router doesn't reboot when I do this and root / admin doesn't work to log in to SSH or web interface, but holding reset while powering on does work to force it into restore mode - so the button is physically working.
Thanks again for your help and for the DD-WRT education I honestly thought I'd read and understood just about every post here on the DIR-868L but I've obviously screwed up a bit on the "understanding" part! Wish I'd picked a slightly more conventional router than this one!
Just as an after thought would flashing an older version and making use of the earlier bug / exploit where shell commands could be fed into the browser URL get me out of this Catch-22 situation by feeding it 'nvram set http_passwd= '?
Unfortunately no it doesn't - certainly not on the standard CFE however the link you posted to updated version of CFE did look promising, but I did manage to finally get in to the router - by miraculously remembering the credentials I had set
Just for laughs (and after I'd backed up the CFE!) I decided to try the 'nvram corrupt' option in CFE and it actually worked! Got the same message as reported in your link and after a reboot I got the "set user" web interface so happy days!
Thanks for your suggestions as it does seem to be the only way you can rescue a DIR-868L if you can't get logged in to it! So for any other DD-WRT noobs like me that lose their credentials three pieces of advice.
Firstly use a password manager and record the login details!
Secondly CFE nvram is not the same as DD-WRT nvram - even though the commands are identical.
Finally if you do lose your creds you've got nothing left to lose by soldering some header pins onto the board, connecting a USB/TTL cable and issuing an 'nvram corrupt' command - however YMMV
