Restoring TP-Link Archer C7 V4 (US) back to stock firmware

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ikvikv
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Feb 2013
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2018 8:43    Post subject: Restoring TP-Link Archer C7 V4 (US) back to stock firmware Reply with quote
I have been trying to follow this guide:

videobruce wrote:
His wording is confusing and contradicting which leads to mistakes. He never proofread it. I don't just mean just typos. Rolling Eyes

Hopefully this wording is correct:
-------------------------------------------

Revert C7 v4 back to stock using a LEDE intermediate FW revised

1. First change the PC NIC setting to:
- IP adress: 192.168.0.66
- subnet mask 255.255.255.0
- default gateway 192.168.0.1
(this assumes you have a wired Ethernet connection to the Router),

2. Download TFPD32 Server v4.60 (Portable version);
http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html

3. Download the TP-Link C7 v4 factory firmware (be sure it's v4);
http://www.tp-link.com/us/download/Archer-C7.html#Firmware
rename it to 'ArcherC7v4_tp_recovery.bin' (in separate folder w/ original file name to ID that file)

4. Download from LEDE Project;
https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v4-squashfs-factory.bin
then rename that to 'ArcherC7v4_tp_recovery.bin' also (in separate folder w/ original file name to ID that file)

5. First, useing the renamed LEDE firmware (openwrt-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v4-squashfs-factory), run TFPD32, select the folder destination for the LEDE firmware renamed by clicking 'Show Dir',

6. Select the server interface from the list to be: 192.168.0.66

7. Turn off the router,

8. Press the reset button and keep it pressed, power up Router, keep holding the reset button until the WPS LED lights, then release,
TFTP will transfer the LEDE firmware to the router. After that will install the LEDE firmware but without web interface,

9. Wait until the router updates the firmware.

10. Repeat that process with the TP link original firmware (renamed) using the same steps from 5 to 9.
----------------------------------------------------

The above was revised with additional links and instructions.


from this post ( https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=313095 )

But I've had no luck, the router never connects to my tftp server, I do everything step by step but the router fails to do anything and just boots successfuly into dd-wrt with all settings reset.

I'm trying to restore back to stock to check if dd-wrt is the culprit of the router creating a huge bottleneck in internet speeds (my 100mbit connection tops on about 40mbps when connected to the archer c7, but when plugged directly into my main router my pc gets full speed). If anyone could help me fix either of the 2 problems (internet bottleneck / restoring back to stock) I would greatly appreciate it, my router is not bricked, I have not tried flashing the stock firmware straight into the webgui because according to what I have read it would brick my device.

My current DD-WRT config has the C7 working as a wireless access point that I configured by following the wiki's guide ( https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_access_point )

This is my first post, since I am basically a lurker that has searched all over for a way to fix this issue without posting but I see no other choice, so bear with me If I missed something obvious. Thanks in advance!
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pocahontas
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Jan 2018
Posts: 25

PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2018 9:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
You have to first tell us whether or not the LED lights/flashes to indicate that the router has entered recovery mode.
ikvikv
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Feb 2013
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2018 9:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
When I turn on the router while pressing the recessed restart button the first thing that happens is all LEDs flash once, then they all turn off for a second or two and then only the WPS LED turns on; after approximately 30 seconds of just the WPS LED being on, the power LED turns on followed by whatever Ethernet ports are connected, I assume at this point the router is fully booted up.
pocahontas
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Jan 2018
Posts: 25

PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2018 9:27    Post subject: Reply with quote
Turn off any firewall that may be active.

Make sure you have the correct IP address configured on your PC for the LAN adapter.

Make sure the PC is connected to a LAN port on the router.

There's only a few things that can go wrong in this process.

If you still cannot get the router to retrieve the firmware then I would install a packet sniffer so you can at least see what the boot loader is trying to do and where the problem is.
ikvikv
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Feb 2013
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2018 17:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have tried everything you suggested, disabled both my firewall and shut down malwarebytes, double checked my ip settings (tried both 192.168.0.66 and 192.168.1.66, same thing for both, and the router just won't communicate with my tftp server.
Is there anything I should configure on the tftp server first? I followed the instructions on this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdVEonLMWYs
pocahontas
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Jan 2018
Posts: 25

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 17:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
As long as the TFTP server is bound to/displays the correct IP address then it should be fine.

I would honestly install Wireshark so you can observe what attempts if any the router is making.

Once launched double click on your ethernet adapter and type in "arp or tftp" or similar in the display filter box at the top (without the quotes).

If you then ping an IP address in your network that doesn't exist you'll see the relevant traffic appear. Similarly if the router is trying to find your PC you will also observe that.

If you don't see any traffic related to the router then it's not attempting to retrieve the firmware file.
videobruce
DD-WRT User


Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 267
Location: New York State

PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 21:34    Post subject: Reply with quote
How did you make out with this?? Question
vadio
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Jun 2018
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 22:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
its worked fine here
but i dont use last stock firmware version , i used first in this case Archer C7(US)_V4_171101 since everytime time i tried reflash direct to Archer C7(US)_V4_180425 get failed

after this just upgrade to last one as usual
kfnds
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 11 Oct 2018
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 0:56    Post subject: DDWRT to OpenWRT Reply with quote
Anyone knows if it's ok to flash an openwrt image to an Archer C7 v4 running ddwrt via tftp? Or is it mandatory to flash back to stock first?
titoyd
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 31 May 2019
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2019 4:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
Work for me with this method. Have to install tftp server.when you have to power on the router the same time with keep pushing the reset here you have to press WPS also then you will see at the window of your tftp will open a small window to show you the file being transfer.just releash all the pushing off and wait and redo again with the recovery stock fw.use the old version it works.your router will came up with as new and it will asking you to creat new password.that's all
jarmandovarelar
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 05 Apr 2020
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 14:18    Post subject: Reply with quote
Try changing the server IP (192.168.0.66) to 192.168.1.66 if it doesn't work for you, you can do an analysis with wireshark and observe the server IP, client.
ghl
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Apr 2020
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 16:50    Post subject: Can't Flash yet Reply with quote
Hey guys.. can't flash to stock yet.. I follow all the procedure..
verify everything but nothing.. I can flash this one, but when i'm trying to flash the stock firmware, it's not working. I can see the router request in log, get the firmware with the name as it should be. But it's not working. I can ping the router, and it's give me a IP throught dhcpd server. But it's still running this lede proj. Than I try to put again 192.168.0.66 and another try to flash.. see the router get bin, but, nothing.

4. Download from LEDE Project;
https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v4-squashfs-factory.bin
then rename that to 'ArcherC7v4_tp_recovery.bin' also (in separate folder w/ original file name to ID that file)

Any ideia? I've been trying all the actural firmwares in tp-link website for Archer C7 v4.. but it's not working yet.

thanks in advance.
ghl
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Apr 2020
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 16:55    Post subject: Reply with quote
vadio wrote:
its worked fine here
but i dont use last stock firmware version , i used first in this case Archer C7(US)_V4_171101 since everytime time i tried reflash direct to Archer C7(US)_V4_180425 get failed

after this just upgrade to last one as usual

Here, it's not working even with this file..
As i said, i can see the router gets file throught tftp.
I'm using Ubuntu and tftpd-hpa.
It's working cuz I was using dd-wrt and now it's boot in LEDE Proj firmware. (without webui).

thanks
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 17:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
You may want to wireshark to see what the router is looking for in TFTP recovery mode, both IP address and filename. You also want to use at TFTP server, not client.

http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html (sometimes using the older v4.52 32-bit standalone version works better)

https://openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer-c7-1750

Worst case is serial recovery per the OpenWRT documentation.

EDIT: Now I see that you are on Ubuntu. I only use the standard tftpd, atftpd, or configure dnsmasq.

EDIT #2: You *should* be able to flash the stock firmware from LEDE/OpenWRT without an issue, but YMMV.

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ghl
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 26 Apr 2020
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 14:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
You may want to wireshark to see what the router is looking for in TFTP recovery mode, both IP address and filename. You also want to use at TFTP server, not client.

http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html (sometimes using the older v4.52 32-bit standalone version works better)

https://openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer-c7-1750

Worst case is serial recovery per the OpenWRT documentation.

EDIT: Now I see that you are on Ubuntu. I only use the standard tftpd, atftpd, or configure dnsmasq.

EDIT #2: You *should* be able to flash the stock firmware from LEDE/OpenWRT without an issue, but YMMV.


it's very strange behavior, .. I'm able to put any firmware here. I flash again with openwrt and it's work. its like my router reject any "original" firmware from tp-link website. Still trying here.

Just for information: Model: TP-Link Archer C7(US) v4.0

is someone with eny clue?
thanks
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