Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 20:11 Post subject: the options for restoring settings after firmware update
On this site, I read that, "It's always recommended that you reset to default settings before and after the flash."
I am trying to understand the ways that you can approach getting your settings back after the flash. From reading this forum, I think that these are the options:
1) Don't reset the settings at all. (Often works fine?)
2) Use a script or some kind of a "crutch" to do this.
As an example of "crutch," I mean running diff on nvram show results before and after clearing your settings.
3) In this thread
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=331163
yoyoma2 mentions the idea of having some limited persistent storage. Does that mean that you can use a USB thumb drive to store some/all of the router settings and then be able to always carry the settings over to the new firmware?
I am most interested in option 3, and so I am trying to understand that one better.
Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 7065 Location: UK, London, just across the river..
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 21:41 Post subject:
when flashing via GUI do not choose the reset option after flash, its not good option...and your settings will stay after the flash...if you need to reset use the button hold it for 10-20 sec...
same is when you are flashing via CLI if you do not nvram erase settings will stay after the flash...
usually settings are not reset after flashing unless you want to do so on purpose...
you can save your settings via GUI option (backp)...
you can also save your settings via CLI too..
you'd need a USB drive with mouted partition either /opt or /jffs or in case if you don't have router with mounted USB, than you need to export those via the TMP folder and than copy using SCP.. https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=263735 _________________ Atheros
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 62606 Gateway/DoT,Forced DNS,Ad-Block,Firewall,x4VLAN,VPN
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -Gargoyle OS 1.15.x AP,DNS,QoS,Quotas
Qualcomm-Atheros
Netgear XR500 -DD-WRT 63257 GTW/SmDNS/DoT,AD-Blk,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 62606 Gateway/DNSCryptv2,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla,VPN cli
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 62606 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Dynalink DL-WRX36-DDWRT 62606
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 63257 GTW/DNScrypt-proxy2/AD-Block,IPset Firewall,Forced DNS,x4VLAN,VPN cli
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
------------------------------------------------------
Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
you'd need a USB drive with mouted partition either /opt or /jffs or in case if you don't have router with mounted USB, than you need to export those via the TMP folder and than copy using SCP.. https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=263735
Ok. I had read on this forum that the bin file is made as a backup of settings only for the firmware version that it was exported from.
Joined: 18 Mar 2014 Posts: 13880 Location: Netherlands
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 8:27 Post subject:
Quote:
Ok. I had read on this forum that the bin file is made as a backup of settings only for the firmware version that it was exported from.
That is true indeed, you can cheat a little if builds are not changed in essential parts.
What is not useful is making a backup, reset to defaults and upload the old config, that is garbage out, garbage in.
Do you have to reset to default and build from scratch after each upgrade?
No, unless you experience problems that is not necessary, you can simply upgrade.
However it happens that after some time there might creep some inconsistencies in the settings so once in a while a reset to defaults and rebuilding from scratch is not a bad idea, I do it about once a year as spring cleaning, so I can also check my settings.
I add my static lease to the Additional config so that those can be copy pasted.
A reset to defaults and rebuild from scratch is also recommended after major changes e.g. major kernel updates like going from K4 > K6
If you reset you do that after the upgrade, resetting before upgrade is not necessary nowadays (there might be exceptions with routers with very little nvram, where a reset before upgrade is necessary to make an upgrade possible)
thank you for all of your responses so far. I am learning and I understand that what you say might not work 100% of the time. Instead, it's a trade off between 'saving time' and 'having the firmware/router work as intended.'
egc wrote:
What is not useful is making a backup, reset to defaults and upload the old config, that is garbage out, garbage in.
Is this an accurate rephrasing of what you are saying? I'm just trying to be clear.
1) making a backup via exporting to .bin file
2) update firmware and reset to defaults
3) upload the .bin from step 1 of this list
is garbage in, garbage out.
Instead, your recommended approach is
1) making a backup via exporting to .bin file
2) update firmware and DO NOT reset to defaults
3) upload the .bin from step 1 of this list
egc wrote:
A reset to defaults and rebuild from scratch is also recommended after major changes e.g. major kernel updates like going from K4 > K6
when you say
going from K4 > K6
This means...
going from firmware that is based on Linux kernel version 4.xx to firmware that is based on Linux kernel version 6.xx
The hassle is that the output is not quoted and quotes are needed when re-entering them with "nvram set variable="value". Finish with nvram commit.
Thanks. This seems like a path worth exploring. It can't be that hard to put quotes around certain things in a bulk manner.
I am guessing that's an SSH or Telnet command? I am not familiar with all of the ways to connect to the router that result in a command line interface.
The large jump referred to is DD-WRT version number, regardless of kernel changes.
Rudimentary discussion that is discussed several times and places in this forum.
