Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 1:03 Post subject: WNDR3700: Restore Factory Firmware in Five Easy Steps
So you've bought a shiny new wireless router for your home network and loaded it with DD-WRT. Like myself, you've decided it's just not for you and you'd rather return to the factory firmware. I've read through the forums and still found the guides a little confusing. So here's how to restore the stock or factory firmware on your Netgear WNDR3700 router in five simple and easy to understand steps.
Before you begin you will need to gather these resources:
1. A push pin, safety pin or needle.
2. A copy of the latest WNDR3700 firmware which you can download [HERE]
Note that this guide was written for the Netgear WNDR3700-100NAS Revision: 02R1 using Windows 7 64-bit. This will work for any WNDR3700 router currently running DD-WRT.
Step 1: Setting Your Static IP Address
It is important that you setup a static IP address on your computer. Navigate to: "Start" -> "Control Panel" -> "Network and Internet" -> "Network and Sharing Center" -> "Change adapter settings" (left side). Now right click on your local area connection and open up the properties window. Select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click on properties. Enter the following information then click "OK".
Quote:
IP address: 192.168.1.2
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: <leave blank>
Preferred DNS server: <leave blank>
Alternate DNS server: <leave blank>
Step 2: Placing the Router Into Recovery Mode
Start by turning off the router using the power button on the back of the device. Now, using the small object of your choice, press and hold the "Restore Factory Settings", also known as the Reset button located on the bottom of the router (there is a red ring around it). While holding the rest button, turn the router back on. Continue to hold the reset button for approximately 45 seconds then release it.
** NOTE:Before you release the reset button, just be sure the power LED light on the router is flashing. If it isn't, continue to hold it for about another 15 seconds until it is flashing.
Step 3: Enable the TFTP Client in Windows
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, you will need to enable the TFTP client. To do this, navigate to: "Start" -> "Control Panel" -> "Programs" -> "Programs and Features" -> "Turn Windows features on or off" (left side). From there, scroll down until you spot "TFTP Client". Check the box if it isnt already and click "OK". Exit the control panel.
Step 4: Flash the Firmware
Start by opening up a command prompt. From there you will want to type "cd desktop" in order to change your working directory to your desktop. Assuming of course that is where you saved the firmware download. Now for the fun bit. In the command window type:
Quote:
tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put WNDR3700-V1.0.4.68NA.img
** NOTE:Be sure to use the appropriate name of the file you are trying to flash. It may be a later version then the one I used as an example.
Step 5: The Waiting Game
This would be the perfect time to go grab a drink or hit the washroom. You need to be patient. Do not turn off, restart, unplug cables or otherwise interact with your router. It may take a little while; this is normal! Watch the power LED light on the front of the router. It should remain orange throughout the process. Once it is complete, it will turn green. At this point you may proceed to point your browser to "192.168.1.1" and continue to setup your router.
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 17:39 Post subject: Linux method
Thanks a lot. It also works for recovering semi-bricked WNDR3700 (flashing light).
Since the Linux tftp command appears to use different options, here is your method modified for Linux users.
Step 1: Setting Your Static IP Address
It is important that you setup a static IP address on your computer. The following assumes you're using Network Manager, but should be similar using other managers.
Right click on the network icon top left of your screen, choose "Edit Connections..."
On the Wired tab, click on your connection and choose "Edit...". Select the IPv4 Settings tab, change Method: to Manual, then Add an Address: 192.168.1.2, Netmask 255.255.255.0 and leave the rest blank. Apply, then exit Network Manager and reconnect.
Step 2: Placing the Router Into Recovery Mode
Start by turning off the router using the power button on the back of the device. Now, using the small object of your choice, press and hold the "Restore Factory Settings", also known as the Reset button located on the bottom of the router (there is a red ring around it). While holding the rest button, turn the router back on. Continue to hold the reset button for approximately 45 seconds then release it.
** NOTE: Before you release the reset button, just be sure the power LED light on the router is flashing Green. If it isn't, continue to hold it for about another 15 seconds until it is flashing.
Step 3: Install tftp if you don't have it.
If you don't have it installed, install the tftp program using you distribution's repositories and your method of choice.
Step 4: Flash the Firmware
Open a terminal, then
Code:
cd Desktop
(or the directory where the firmware is).
Lauch the tftp program, connecting it to the WNDR3700:
Code:
tftp
At the prompt, set tftp mode to binary, and the host to the WNDR3700
Code:
mode binary
connect 192.168.1.1
You can check everything is set fine with the status command,
Code:
status
to which tftp should reply:
Code:
Connected to 192.168.1.1.
Mode: octet Verbose: off Tracing: off
Rexmt-interval: 5 seconds, Max-timeout: 25 seconds
Time to transfer the firmware:
Code:
put WNDR3700-V1.0.4.68.img
You should see in return:
Code:
Sent 6160577 bytes in 0.7 seconds
You can then exit tftp:
Code:
quit
and wait (see Step 5).
** NOTE: Be sure to use the appropriate name of the file you are trying to flash. It may be a later version then the one I used as an example.
** NOTE FOR LINUX USERS: tftp doesn't seem to accept absolute paths. Just cd in the directory where your firmware is before launching tftp.
Step 5: The Waiting Game
This would be the perfect time to go grab a drink or hit the washroom. You need to be patient. Do not turn off, restart, unplug cables or otherwise interact with your router. It may take a little while; this is normal! Watch the power LED light on the front of the router. It should remain orange throughout the process. Once it is complete, it will turn green. At this point you may proceed to point your browser to "192.168.1.1" and continue to setup your router.
Thanks, worked fine for me too. One addition, as it wasn't clear to me: in order to do this, the network cable needs to go directly from your computer to one of the LAN ports of the router.
Joined: 19 May 2007 Posts: 283 Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:49 Post subject: WNDR3700
Is the recovery mode accessible via browser as well? In some broadcom based routers it is. Just for my information due to being new to Atheros based routers. _________________ e3200 stock <- waiting for support
wrt400n v26 std with modded antennas
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:02 Post subject: Thank You!
This worked flawlessly! Very simple instructions that worked perfectly. I have the Netgear WNDR3700 on a Windows 7 x64 machine.
Thought I was in trouble after loosing connection and being unable to fix it on my Alienware laptop so I thought I would change firmware from Netgear WNDR3700-V1.0.4.68NA to dd-wrt wndr3700-factory_NA but after switching I didn't like it.
Then I tried to switch back to stock Netgear, Uh Oh... I didn't read ahead, LOL. Big mistake! Searched for hours trying to figure this out to no avail. Then luckily found this post and finally a way to switch back that actually works!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for the tutorial, everything worked perfectly and simply!
im having problems trying to do this. if i hold the reset button and turn it on i first get a orange flashing light. if i release the button then, it continues to boot up like normal. if i keep holding it down, i get a green flashing light. i can uplode the fw to the modem but when i try to log into the modem in a web browser. i keep geting page not found with the green flashing light going.
hope some one can help me out on this
im having problems trying to do this. if i hold the reset button and turn it on i first get a orange flashing light. if i release the button then, it continues to boot up like normal. if i keep holding it down, i get a green flashing light. i can uplode the fw to the modem but when i try to log into the modem in a web browser. i keep geting page not found with the green flashing light going.
hope some one can help me out on this
I'm on the same boat.I want to go back to the stock firmware but getting in recovery mode doesn't allow me to put the factory firmware back even if I can ping the router and transfer the file to it.
If I use tftp2 GUI I get a "Erasing flash...Please Wait" message and it fail the attempt.
Dont worry if it's flashing green, just make sure you get it to that point.
Also, if you're getting those timed out requests, make sure the cable is going from your computer to one of the 4 ethernet ports, and not the internet port on the router.
