The post I wish I would have read! How-to for E3000

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hurried_user
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 22:00    Post subject: The post I wish I would have read! How-to for E3000 Reply with quote
Hi!
I will write in the following lines what I believe is a how-to about installing DD-WRT on a Linksys E3000. What I am asking: please clarify or correct my statements, and I will produce a cleaner post at the end of the topic.

Please: don't shoot, don't ask me to Google it, don't send me to Peacock, don't pogo me. I have spent about 10 hours researching DD-WRT over 3-4 days, I feel I have earned the right to write this post! Call me slow-brained, if it makes you feel better! I have an analytical mind (too analytical, I know), and I don't always do well in a semantic environment, such as this one! I know my weaknesses.

Here we go:
1- Always use Internet Explorer for the initial flash. Any browser can be used after the initial flash. Please confirm.

2- First thing to do is installing the E3000 Trailed Initial Flash Build. Why? I am not quite sure why, but I believe it's because those initial flashes have some "cleansing" properties. Could please someone confirm?

So, to install the E3000 Trailed Initial Flash Build, simply go to http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E3000 and follow Steps 1 to 10 in the section titled: Flashing instructions for the E3000

3- Ok, now, for 99% of people, this should be it. End of story. Stop here. Right? But some of us like pushing the enveloppe.

4- To flash a newer version, we need builds with a higher number than 14929 (the recommended "clensing" build) and that have either e2k-e3k or e3000 in their name. But, Starting at build 16773 (or was it 16785?), the upgrade can only be done if there is some kind of "failsafe mecanism" already flashed in the router. So, to go any higher, it is recommended to first install the 18000 build, which has that failsafe mechanism (see post 148350, Google it! (here: 148350, dd-wrt).

5- Once build 18000 is flashed (recommended is dd-wrt.v24-18000_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini-e3000.bin, which can be found at: ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/others/eko/BrainSlayer-V24-preSP2/2011/12-12-11-r18000/broadcom_K26/), we can go crazy and install anything, including *nv60k.bin builds.

6- To know the difference between the different version of a build go here: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/What_is_DD-WRT%3F#File_Versions

7- By the way, never use the *nv64k.bin builds, they are for other routers (ex.: netgear WNDR4000).

So, that's what I have learned in 10 hours of work... Quite simple honestly, I just wish I could have googled this post wihtin 15 minutes!

Thanks in advance for your comments.
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joecop67
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 22:50    Post subject: Reply with quote
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Last edited by joecop67 on Thu Aug 30, 2012 0:06; edited 1 time in total
hurried_user
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 0:04    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for your reply joecop67. You probably went through steps 1-10 in the wiki and stopped there. That's quite easy. I agree. But as I mentionned in step 3, it quickly gets more complicated past that. And I am trying to understand the why of each step. I'm just like that!
joecop67
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 0:14    Post subject: Reply with quote
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slobodan
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 0:17    Post subject: Reply with quote
That Internet Explorer tip is obsolete. I flashed mine with Firefox. Some say it is good to empty browser cache before flashing.
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2 times APU2 Opnsense 21.1 with Sensei

2 times RT-AC56U running DD-WRT 45493 (one as Gateway, the other as AP, both bridged with LAN cable)

3 times Asus RT-N16 shelved

E4200 V1 running freshtomato 2020.8 (bridged with LAN cable)

3 times Linksys WRT610N V2 converted to E3000 and 1 original E3000 running freshtomato 2020.8 (bridged with LAN cable)


hurried_user
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Joined: 18 Mar 2012
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 2:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the clarification Slobodan!
hurried_user
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
joecop67:
Here is the exact sentence from the wiki that threw me off:
<quote>
DON'T BRICK YOUR ROUTER! AFTER FLASHING WITH THE TRAILED BUILD, IF YOU THEN FLASH A BUILD THAT DOESN'T HAVE e2k-e3k in the NAME OF THE BUILD YOU ARE FLASHING YOU *WILL* BRICK YOUR e3000 ROUTER.
</quote>

Did that not make you wonder if it were a good idea or not to flash a nv60k build?
Murrkf
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 4:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
hurried_user wrote:
joecop67:
Here is the exact sentence from the wiki that threw me off:
<quote>
DON'T BRICK YOUR ROUTER! AFTER FLASHING WITH THE TRAILED BUILD, IF YOU THEN FLASH A BUILD THAT DOESN'T HAVE e2k-e3k in the NAME OF THE BUILD YOU ARE FLASHING YOU *WILL* BRICK YOUR e3000 ROUTER.
</quote>

Did that not make you wonder if it were a good idea or not to flash a nv60k build?


E3000_Wiki wrote:

Experimental Builds

There are some very new, very experimental builds available for the e3000. These have not been thoroughly tested and should not be used unless you have a problem with your current build that cannot be resolved with the builds you are using. Any build past 16773 requires a different build, rather than e2k-e3k, d for subsequent flashing. The only build that is showing stability is the 18000 build (17990 and 18024 are effectively the same build) In order to use one of these experimental builds, you must ALREADY HAVE dd-wrt installed on your router using the instructions above. Following the steps in the peacock announcement note 1, http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51486 :

If you have a pre 16773 build on the router, FIRST flash the trailed mini of 18000 for the E3000 first, (with E3000 in the name) then AFTERWORDS you can upgrade to a nv60k.bin for 18000. NOTE THAT YOU NEED TO USE THE 18000 build twice. FIRST the e3000 build and THEN the nv60 build. More info is here AND YOU SHOULD READ THIS BEFORE PROGRESSING: http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=569485


It is actually not a great idea to flash an nv60 build. That is why the wiki is worded as it is.

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hurried_user
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 5:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks Murrkf
I guess this almost answers all my questions.

To summarize:
1- Flash the E3000 Trailed Initial Flash Build, as explained in steps 1-10 at http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_E3000

2- You suggest not going farther than 18000. OK then.
a) Flash dd-wrt.v24-18000_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini-e3000.bin
followed by:
b) Flash dd-wrt.v24-18000_NEWD-2_K2.6_mega-nv60k.bin

which both can be found at:
ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/others/eko/BrainSlayer-V24-preSP2/2011/12-12-11-r18000/broadcom_K26

3- To know the difference between the different version of a build (mini, big, mega, etc.) go here: www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/What_is_DD-WRT%3F#File_Versions

4- Finally, never use the *nv64k.bin build, it is for other routers (ex.: netgear WNDR4000).

Final question:
What is the purpose of the 14929 build (Trailed Initial Flash Build). I understand it MUST be done first over the stock Linksys build, but what does it do so special? Just curious Wink
LOM
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 5:55    Post subject: Reply with quote
Murrkf wrote:

It is actually not a great idea to flash an nv60 build. That is why the wiki is worded as it is.


Hmm, I don't fully agree with you.
The older builds may have a slightly better wireless driver but they are dangerous because they don't reject non e2k-e3k builds and many users has bricked their E2000 and E3000 by flashing wrong builds.

The nv60k builds has built in protection against that - once you are on nv60k builds then you can only upgrade with nv60k builds and any attempt to use a wrong file type will be rejected.

I have done an edit of the Experimental build section of the wiki page, adding a simpler way of going from e2k-e3k over to nv60k.

I don't even think the old method (now called Alternative Wink ) works, you can not flash a trailed -e3000 file if you are already running dd-wrt, that file type can only be used when on stock firmware.

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LOM
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 5:59    Post subject: Reply with quote
hurried_user wrote:

Final question:
What is the purpose of the 14929 build (Trailed Initial Flash Build). I understand it MUST be done first over the stock Linksys build, but what does it do so special? Just curious Wink


The purpose is too fool Linksys stock firmware into believing that this is a stock firmware update.
You only use an -e3000 file once so skip the 14929 and load the 18000 -e3000 file as first step.

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FlyHigh
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 6:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
In other words, can I go directly from 17201 to 18767 ?
hurried_user
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 6:34    Post subject: Reply with quote
FlyHigh wrote:
In other words, can I go directly from 17201 to 18767 ?


From what I understand: it is higher than 16773, so it has that failsafe feature, so yes.
hurried_user
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Joined: 18 Mar 2012
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 6:52    Post subject: Reply with quote
LOM wrote:
Murrkf wrote:

It is actually not a great idea to flash an nv60 build. That is why the wiki is worded as it is.


Hmm, I don't fully agree with you.
The older builds may have a slightly better wireless driver but they are dangerous because they don't reject non e2k-e3k builds and many users has bricked their E2000 and E3000 by flashing wrong builds.


I am only a total noob, and I see you have over 4,000 posts, so I won't argue long with you Wink but would it be more accurate to say that SOME builds (under 16785) don't have the fail safe (you call it the ability to reject e2k-e3k). Those could be dangerous if a wrong subsequent build is selected (there won't be any warning).

So, going the initial flash, 18000 mini, 18000 nv60k is perfectly fine (hence: no problem with these older versions).

Still, if a guru says dont' go above 18000, I won't go above 18000, reasonable?
Murrkf
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Posts: 12675

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:40    Post subject: Reply with quote
hurried_user wrote:
but would it be more accurate to say that SOME builds (under 16785) don't have the fail safe


No. ALL e3000/ e3k-e2k builds under 16785 don't have the fail-safe.

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SIG:
I'm trying to teach you to fish, not give you a fish. If you just want a fish, wait for a fisherman who hands them out. I'm more of a fishing instructor.
LOM: "If you show that you have not bothered to read the forum announcements or to follow the advices in them then the level of help available for you will drop substantially, also known as Murrkf's law.."
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