Archer C7 v2 firmware fail

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StaticReturn
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 0:10    Post subject: Archer C7 v2 firmware fail Reply with quote
I was on (09-11-2017-r33345) I believe, couldn't update the firmware via the webGUI so I tried to do it manually. (telnet to router ; cd /tmp ; wget ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2017/10-17-2017-r33525/tplink_archer-c7-v2/tplink_archer-c7-v2-US.bin ; dd if=/dev/mtdblock6 of=/tmp/boot.bin bs=1 count=131072 ; cat tplink_archer-c7-v2-US.bin >> boot.bin ; mtd -f write boot.bin fullflash ; reboot) That all seemed to execute correctly.

Now the router boots into a "switch only" mode. No wifi signals, though one of the wifi LEDs is on. When I plug a computer and the internet into the LAN plugs, I get internet. (Appropriate LEDs light up and blink with traffic.)

I have downloaded tftpd32 & tftpd64, set my ethernet adapter to 192.168.0.66 and each firmware I download to 'ArcherC7v2_tp_recovery.bin'. I've tried the 32-bit and 64-bit tftpd to upload each firmware in turn, and they have all be uploaded successfully. All bytes sent. However nothing happens. The router just boots back into switch mode.

Does anyone have any software-only solution ideas?
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casualtester
DD-WRT User


Joined: 13 Dec 2015
Posts: 319

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
May be of interest: PROBLEMS WITH UPGRADE/DOWNGRADE from build 33375 (SOLVED)
StaticReturn
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
Except there's nothing to log into. My router acts like a switch.
ian5142
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 2318
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 4:04    Post subject: Serial / TFTP recovery Reply with quote
Read the TFTP recovery section here: https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer-c5-c7-wdr7500

Also, if that fails, try a serial connection: https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Serial_Recovery

You will need a device such as this then: https://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_itemId=null&_nkw=FT232RL+3+3V+5+5V+FTDI+USB+to+TTL+Serial+Adapter+Module+for+Arduino+Mini+Port&_trksid=p2047675.m4100.l9146

TP-Links use different commands then the dd-wrt serial article, they use:
Code:

tpl

(to interrupt the boot)

Then use the commands the following commands (from the Openwrt page):

Code:

tftp 0x81000000 [name of your firmware file].bin
erase 0x9f020000 +f80000
cp.b 0x81000000 0x9f020000 0xf80000
reset

_________________
Before asking a question on the forums, update dd-wrt: Where do I download firmware? I suggest reading it all.
QCA Best WiFi Settings


Some dd-wrt wiki pages are up to date, others are not. PM me if you find an old one.

Atheros:
Netgear R7800 x3 - WDS AP / station, gateway, QoS
TP-Link Archer C7 v2 x2 - WDS Station
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 v1 - WDS Station
TP-Link 841nd v8 - NU
D-Link 615 C1/E3/I1 x 7 - 1 WDS station
D-Link 825 B1 - NU
D-Link 862L A1 x2 - WDS Station
Netgear WNDR3700v2 - NU
UBNT loco M2 x2 - airOS

Broadcom
Linksys EA6400 - Gateway, QoS
Asus N66U - AP
Netgear WNDR3700v3 - not used
MediaTek
UBNT EdgeRouter X - switch
Jeroen_
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 21 Oct 2017
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
Has anybody updated using this method?
i've been trying to update my archer c7 v2 ((33345) trough the web interface and failed.

I've seen the topic about failed update:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311642

Don't want to brick my device, but realy want the update that fixes the krackattack.

Any dummy proof guide specific for the c7 v2. I havent found any info on the bootloader size for this router.
jean019
DD-WRT User


Joined: 25 Apr 2015
Posts: 124

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
see :
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311092
There is an issue beginning with this firmware.
33555 is ok.

_________________

netgear R9000 : r49934 (Vanilla)
netgear R7800 : [n°1] r50595 (Vanilla) / [n°2] r49934 (Vanilla) / [n°3] r49934 (Vanilla) / [n°4] r49934 (Vanilla)
tp-link archer C7v2 : r49934 (Vanilla)
tp-link archer C5v1.2@C7v2 : r33772
Jeroen_
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 21 Oct 2017
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
jean019 wrote:
see :
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311092
There is an issue beginning with this firmware.
33555 is ok.


So i read the topic a few times, so the way to update is follow the video instructions to reset it back to stock and upgrade from there?
ian5142
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 2318
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 14:00    Post subject: Upgrade via SSH Reply with quote
This is how:
First determine bootloader size:
1) cat /dev/mtdX > /tmp/mtdX.bin
where X is number of fullflash partition

I have tplink_tl-wr841ndv8 and in my case
it was /dev/mtd6

2) copy mtdX.bin with scp to your PC

3) download (on your PC) factory-to-ddwrt.bin (build 33375)
but I think that every firmware build for your router
should start with the same string

4) open factory-to-ddwrt.bin with ghex editor/viewer
I used a viewer in midnight commander
in my tp-link router it starts with

01 00 00 00 │ 54 50 2D 4C │ 49 4E 4B 20 │ 54 65 63 68 │ 6E 6F 6C 6F │ 67 69 65 73 ....TP-LINK Technologies

5) open mtdX.bin on your PC with ghex editor/viewer,
search some characteristic string
in my case it was "TP-LINK"
when I found that string
I moved cursor to the first number "01" before "TP-LINK"
(because firmware starts with "01")
and viewer showed the offset equals 20000 in HEX
after converting to DEC I got 131072
so my tplink_tl-wr841ndv8's bootloader size = 131072

Then flash new firmware, this is just the process to get off of 33375.

1. Enable SSHd on your device

2.from Win CLI both files pscp.exe and factory in the same directory than issue this command:

pscp.exe factory-to-ddwrt.bin root@192.168.1.1:/tmp/factory-to-ddwrt.bin

or if you have internet just wget ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2017/10-10-2017-r33492/your router/factory-to-ddwrt.bin

4.than log on via ssh to routers CLI usually at 192.168.1.1

5. dd if=/dev/mtdblock6 of=/tmp/boot.bin bs=1 count=131072

6. cd /tmp

7. cat factory-to-ddwrt.bin >> boot.bin

8. mtd -f write boot.bin fullflash

9. wait for 3-5 min until W/E stops

10. reboot

Kudos to Alozaros and epsilon, all I did was combine their posts.

_________________
Before asking a question on the forums, update dd-wrt: Where do I download firmware? I suggest reading it all.
QCA Best WiFi Settings


Some dd-wrt wiki pages are up to date, others are not. PM me if you find an old one.

Atheros:
Netgear R7800 x3 - WDS AP / station, gateway, QoS
TP-Link Archer C7 v2 x2 - WDS Station
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 v1 - WDS Station
TP-Link 841nd v8 - NU
D-Link 615 C1/E3/I1 x 7 - 1 WDS station
D-Link 825 B1 - NU
D-Link 862L A1 x2 - WDS Station
Netgear WNDR3700v2 - NU
UBNT loco M2 x2 - airOS

Broadcom
Linksys EA6400 - Gateway, QoS
Asus N66U - AP
Netgear WNDR3700v3 - not used
MediaTek
UBNT EdgeRouter X - switch
Jeroen_
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 21 Oct 2017
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 17:11    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you, found quite some info, but didn't feel confident yet to execute... this made me confident enough to try... and success! i'm now on 33555.

Extra info: I had no clue how to determine my "full flash partition". What i did:

cat /dev/mtd0 > /tmp/mtd0.bin
cat /dev/mtd1 > /tmp/mtd1.bin
cat /dev/mtd2 > /tmp/mtd2.bin
cat /dev/mtd3 > /tmp/mtd3.bin
cat /dev/mtd4 > /tmp/mtd4.bin
cat /dev/mtd5 > /tmp/mtd5.bin
cat /dev/mtd6 > /tmp/mtd6.bin
cat /dev/mtd7 > /tmp/mtd7.bin
cat /dev/mtd8 > /tmp/mtd8.bin

copy them all to my pc and started with the largest file. That had the TP-LINK technologies in there (search was case sensitive). And it was also nr6 in my case.
I had the same offset (20000) so i used the exact same numbers you provided.

fyi:
step 9 took about 1-2 minutes for my router.

once again, thank you for sharing.
StaticReturn
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 6:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok, I think I know what I did wrong. I followed the instructions here: http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311642, however instead of using factory-to-ddwrt-US.bin I used tplink_archer-c7-v2-US.bin.

https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer-c5-c7-wdr7500 States:
Quote:
further recovery attempts will therefore fail because the header hardware id and version values will no longer match. If this happens, you'll need to try either a serial connection, or building an image with the header values overridden.


Could anyone help me to get a firmware with the correct header? Or is it all just a wash and I have to attach a serial cable and do it through that?

After I tftpd flash a firmware it drops directly into "switch mode" unless it's tplink_archer-c7-v2-US.bin or tplink_archer-c7-v2.bin. If I use one of those two it reboots twice and then goes into "switch mode".

Also, is anyone familiar with this "switch mode" that my router is in? It acts like a switch and that's it, no wifi no way to access the router. I was hoping to get more info on it.
ian5142
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 2318
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:27    Post subject: Switch Mode Reply with quote
It is not a switch mode, it is when the router is acting as a tftp server, not a client like most routers have (d-link, linksys, asus). TP-Link wanted to be different and decided to put a tftp server in there routers. As per the openwrt link above.

If you connect a serial cable (USB-TTL 3.3V), you will see that this is the case.

TP-Link routers are actually really easy to debrick, usually. Just read the openwrt page on them, specifically the tftp recovery section.

_________________
Before asking a question on the forums, update dd-wrt: Where do I download firmware? I suggest reading it all.
QCA Best WiFi Settings


Some dd-wrt wiki pages are up to date, others are not. PM me if you find an old one.

Atheros:
Netgear R7800 x3 - WDS AP / station, gateway, QoS
TP-Link Archer C7 v2 x2 - WDS Station
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 v1 - WDS Station
TP-Link 841nd v8 - NU
D-Link 615 C1/E3/I1 x 7 - 1 WDS station
D-Link 825 B1 - NU
D-Link 862L A1 x2 - WDS Station
Netgear WNDR3700v2 - NU
UBNT loco M2 x2 - airOS

Broadcom
Linksys EA6400 - Gateway, QoS
Asus N66U - AP
Netgear WNDR3700v3 - not used
MediaTek
UBNT EdgeRouter X - switch
Alozaros
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 16 Nov 2015
Posts: 6410
Location: UK, London, just across the river..

PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 15:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
StaticReturn wrote:
Ok, I think I know what I did wrong. I followed the instructions here: http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311642, however instead of using factory-to-ddwrt-US.bin I used tplink_archer-c7-v2-US.bin.

https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer-c5-c7-wdr7500 States:
Quote:
further recovery attempts will therefore fail because the header hardware id and version values will no longer match. If this happens, you'll need to try either a serial connection, or building an image with the header values overridden.


Could anyone help me to get a firmware with the correct header? Or is it all just a wash and I have to attach a serial cable and do it through that?

After I tftpd flash a firmware it drops directly into "switch mode" unless it's tplink_archer-c7-v2-US.bin or tplink_archer-c7-v2.bin. If I use one of those two it reboots twice and then goes into "switch mode".

Also, is anyone familiar with this "switch mode" that my router is in? It acts like a switch and that's it, no wifi no way to access the router. I was hoping to get more info on it.



if im not wrong your router had to be same like those described here http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311642

switch mode is nothing special every router with power on can work like that, i have bricked DIR 615 ver H2 that works as a switch olny, so very likely your router is bricked or buggy...
to try tftp you might need few tings:
1. recovery file, either stripped or factory file will do must be renamed...
2. sometimes if the Tftp doesn't start you might need a simple switch between router and PC

for serial recovery you need :
1. USB to TTL adaptor with drivers for your OS
2. you 'd need map where to connect this TTL adaptor and what settings
its easy to find
3. in most of the cases you don't need to connect 3.3v wire at all only
GRD, TX and RX notice TX and RX go opposite RX to TX and so on...
4. You need renamed recovery file to what the routers is looking for...
look at serial recovery tp link on youtube

_________________
Atheros
TP-Link WR740Nv1 ---DD-WRT 55179 WAP
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 55303 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 55460 Gateway/DoH,Forced DNS,AP Isolation,4VLAN,Ad-Block,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 55363 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/SmartDNS/DoH,AD-Block,Firewall,Forced DNS,x3VLAN,VPN
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
------------------------------------------------------
Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
StaticReturn
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 17:34    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've ordered a "FT232RL FTDI Mini USB to TTL Serial Converter Adapter Module". I've tried a lot of different methods to recover through tftp and none have worked.

Thank you all for the help and suggestions. Smile
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