[Direwooky]

Next week I'm expecting a delivery of a TP-Link TL-WR841ND v8.2 router (used from eBay). Before I flash it with DD-WRT, I'd like to make a backup copy of the original TP-Link software if possible (in case of regret, or in case some other user needs it). I skimmed the installation section of the wiki but I didn't see anything there about it. How do I save a copy of the original software before I overwrite it with DD-WRT? Thanks in advance to whoever can help.

[Alozaros]

nope you cant save it, the only thing is you can use stripped stock file to revert to stock
http://dd-wrt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=85237

make sure your router is supported
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

here you can find last firmware builds for it...
ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/

how to install
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Installation

good luck!

just to let you know this router is old and has a very slow CPU and low performance,
it does not support VPN and is good for basic needs only!!!

[Direwooky]

Thanks for all the info, and for the speedy reply!

The reason I bought the old router is because the DD-WRT Routers Database says 8.x is the most recent version of the TL-WR841N(D) that's supported by DD-WRT. I naively assumed the database is up to date.

[Xeon2k8]

I don't get why on earth would you want to do that. Just go to TP-LINK site and find the version you have installed right now. That's it.

[Direwooky]

Xeon2k8, thanks for the suggestion. I see at TP-Link's website that they have a recent firmware update for the v8, released in February 2017. Their description says the update offers new features, better performance of some features, and better security.

Three questions come to mind:
1. If I update the router's firmware before I install DD-WRT, is it possible the new firmware would cause the attempt to install DD-WRT to fail?
2. What's the procedure for switching back from DD-WRT to TP-Link firmware?
3. What's the chance that TP-Link firmware contains spyware? (TP-Link is a Chinese company.)

[Alozaros]

[Direwooky]

Thanks again Alozaros,

I guess I should avoid flashing the recent TP-Link firmware update, then, to avoid the possibility that that would lock down the router against third party firmware. (However, the TP-Link webpage mentions DD-WRT, and instead of saying it's locked out, it merely warns that damage caused by third party firmware would void the warranty. That's a hint that it's not yet locked down. On the other hand, the warning might not be up to date.)

What has been stripped from the stripped TP-Link stock firmware files you linked?

I'm unsure of the validity of your argument that the possibility of spyware in TP-Link is another reason to prefer DD-WRT. By symmetry, can't one equally argue that the possibility of spyware in DD-WRT is a reason to prefer TP-Link's firmware? Both TP-Link firmware and DD-WRT are open source. The only way to be certain neither TP-Link nor DD-WRT contains spyware would be to compile the source code myself, after scrutinizing the source code to verify it contains nothing malicious.

I wonder whether any anti-malware scanners have been designed to identify malware in router firmware. I'd bet not. But it would be nice to have.

[ramblin]

The warning against installing 3rd party firmware is a generic one found on most any factory website no matter the brand. The chances of bricking this model during upgrade lies mainly with operator error and not the DDWRT firmware. This is an easy model to upgrade and recover should things go wrong. That being said unless you want to do something not available with TPLink firmware I would suggest just stay with it as you will see no improvement in performance with DDWRT and the ver. 8.

[Alozaros]

well, Direwooky i suggest you start with reading first than, poll a questions....if you cant find your answer...
As routers are simple devices malicious codes on router level are nothing new, but mostly those codes are pointed to gaining a router's access or simply remote administration...
Most of the stock firmware's are bound with secret backdoor's or ways to get access using a specific order of techniques...that's valid for stock TP-Link, Netgear, Linksys and ect. firmware's...
However in the big companies, once a breach is discovered and published online or so, they immediately rush to provide a hotfixes....
So many PPL decided to avoid that with using 3-rd party firmware's where admin has the one and only control, no secret stuff no backdoor's no holes as long as admin knows what he is doing, so that's why the reading and knowledge counts, so far i haven't heard for major DD-WRT breach techniques or OpenWRT or Tomato or any other 3-rd party router firmware.
Of course there is something that nobody cant stop DDoS...
so if you are pointed to be a victim there is not much you can do... especially with stock firmware where you dont have that much flexibility and settings, so this is one more reason to use 3rd party firmware where you can mitigate some basic DDoS attacks
As i already mentioned on such an old and week router you will not see many performance upgrades using DD-WRT but yes there will be a slight improvement over the stock you will have a better WI-FI signal may be, and you will have some of the basic DD-WRT features offered on small flash size routers...
Do in mind 4MB flash size routers are becoming obsolete and developers are more pointed to a nowadays devices much more powerful and flexible to use DD-WRT
One last advise if you dont know what you are doing or how to do the things or how to unbrick your router
you have 2 options read and find the knowledge how to or just don't do anything if you are not certain...