I'm in the same boat with you for stuck with the new firmware from EU i though it the newest here is my solution ~ ~ now I'm using other 3rd firmware
Thank you Lantis it work well i will post instruction in case some one have in same boat with me
1. First This are the file you need (I put all file in desktop for my convinient)
- Putty.exe
- Gargoyle /DD-wrt to factory/Any firmware you want
- Lede project firmware (For EU 3.15.1 Build 160616)
(https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/lede-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-eu.bin)
2. After have all of the file let's login to the router normally with webUI that you normally get 18005 error code. Then upgrade it with Lede firmware in the link. Now you should out of the problem with stock firmware that not allow you to go to other 3rd firmware.
3. But the problem is LEDE project don't have web UI. So for me i use the putty to login
Host : 192.168.1.1 (Default for LEDE project)
Then it will ask for the username. Just use root that all. LEDE normally don't have password setting now.
4. Now for me I'm try to ping see if my router work (8.8.8..The router should work fine now. Actually we can flash through the command but for me i prefer through web UI. So now let's install web UI for lede project firmware with following command
4.1: type this command: opkg update (This should download some file for a while depend on your internet speed)
4.2 after finish download first one type this command opkg install luci-ssl (Wait for it to complete install the webUI for you)
5. Now close the windows that use putty to open and try to open webUI with your browser you should get standard Openwrt WebUI login.Use root as username and leave the password blank. Then go to upgrade firmware. At this point you can flash to any firmware you want from LEDE-project. You can flash to DD-WRT/Gargoryle / Stock firmware before locking firmware happens
Hope this help the people who make the same mistake as me. Now enjoy your Archer c7 v2 again ^^
Hi there,
As Lede's firmware does not have a GUI, could you please advise us the command to just flash our desired firmware without the need of updateing or installing any other package?
My internet connections is a PPPOE so I would like to jump over the configuration of this just to install a GUI.
many thanks!
I believe we can use method mentioned bu chigo58, through TFTPD32, if we are already running Lede's firmware?
Like:
1. install Lede's firmware from TPlink stock latest firmware.
2. reboot rooter
3. Rename factory_to_ddwrt.bin to ArcherC7v2_tp_recovery.bin
4. Change your Ethernet adapter to IP 192.168.0.66 static IP, subnet 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.0.1
5. Download Tftpd32 by Ph. Jounin at http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html
6. Browse to the directory that hold ArcherC7v2_tp_recovery.bin file.
7. Copy here TFTPD32 files and run TFTPD32
8. Choose 192.168.0.66 for your "server interfaces"
9. Choose Tftp server tap
10. Activate TFTP Recovery press and hold WPS/Reset Button during powering on
11. Wait for it to transfer... and further wait till it boots.
Is this correct?
I will try it this evening.
you need to hold down the WPS button and POWER OFF and back on and keep holding the WPS button for a while till it downlads teh file id you use "Tftpd32" you can see it start downloading and complete teh TFPT and then the routher will flash all the light and go dead and come back on
I just purchased this router, and it's the US hardware version which I'm very upset about because I live in Canada, and ordered from Amazon.ca.
Anyway, it came pre loaded with the newest firmware version. This would be my first experience with flashing custom firmware, and just wondering if it's worth the hassle of trying to downgrade the firmware?
Also does anyone have a link to the oldest non-locked firmware for us archer c7? It's not on their website
I just purchased this router, and it's the US hardware version which I'm very upset about because I live in Canada, and ordered from Amazon.ca.
Anyway, it came pre loaded with the newest firmware version. This would be my first experience with flashing custom firmware, and just wondering if it's worth the hassle of trying to downgrade the firmware?
Also does anyone have a link to the oldest non-locked firmware for us archer c7? It's not on their website
It's easier to just install LEDE first and then DD-WRT or whatever you want. No need to downgrade.
Honestly unless you need something that stock doesn't give you I really wouldn't bother, stock ran fine and stable for me.
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 22:16 Post subject: Bricked?
I followed this guide coming from the eu 160616 build. I think i made a stupid mistake. By mistake i flashed the ArcherC7v2_tp_recovery bin from the Lede WebUI. Now I can't connect to my router anymore. Tried to follow the recovery method using Tftpd32 but i can't get the thing in recovery mode. Lights blink on startup but after a few seconds only the power and cable lights are on/blink. Any help would be very much appreciated because i don't have a clue on if this is something that can be fixed. Thanks in advance. Gr Nick.
I'm in the same boat with you for stuck with the new firmware from EU i though it the newest here is my solution ~ ~ now I'm using other 3rd firmware
Thank you Lantis it work well i will post instruction in case some one have in same boat with me
1. First This are the file you need (I put all file in desktop for my convinient)
- Putty.exe
- Gargoyle /DD-wrt to factory/Any firmware you want
- Lede project firmware (For EU 3.15.1 Build 160616)
(https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/lede-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-eu.bin)
2. After have all of the file let's login to the router normally with webUI that you normally get 18005 error code. Then upgrade it with Lede firmware in the link. Now you should out of the problem with stock firmware that not allow you to go to other 3rd firmware.
3. But the problem is LEDE project don't have web UI. So for me i use the putty to login
Host : 192.168.1.1 (Default for LEDE project)
Then it will ask for the username. Just use root that all. LEDE normally don't have password setting now.
4. Now for me I'm try to ping see if my router work (8.8.8..The router should work fine now. Actually we can flash through the command but for me i prefer through web UI. So now let's install web UI for lede project firmware with following command
4.1: type this command: opkg update (This should download some file for a while depend on your internet speed)
4.2 after finish download first one type this command opkg install luci-ssl (Wait for it to complete install the webUI for you)
5. Now close the windows that use putty to open and try to open webUI with your browser you should get standard Openwrt WebUI login.Use root as username and leave the password blank. Then go to upgrade firmware. At this point you can flash to any firmware you want from LEDE-project. You can flash to DD-WRT/Gargoryle / Stock firmware before locking firmware happens
Hope this help the people who make the same mistake as me. Now enjoy your Archer c7 v2 again ^^
Thanks a lot.
successfully flushed archer C7 v2 through lede to latest ddwrt beta.
i've faced some issue with luci-ssl installation, one package was not found and web gui didn't want to start.
"opkg install luci-ssl -force-depends" solves the issue.
i have again received error during installation but i was able to connect to web gui and flush ddwrt
I have similar problem with 18005 error.
I have weird version of firmware: 3.14.3 Build 150811 Rel 67693n.
Hardware version Archer C7 v2 0000000
I tried all possible methods and nothing is working, that what I tried:
- Upload older version of firmware (oryginal from tp link website, newer or older I always get 18005)
- Upload dd-wrt the same error
- different open wrt version with different headers IL, US general as well the same error
- lede firmware - the same error
- Any possible firmware always gives me 18005.
Finally I installed tftp, with proper set up, Im putting router in recovery mode
I can see that router is downloading firmware but after successfully download, nothing is happening :/ Router is coming back to the same state.
Im really losing my hope :/
Maybe some hint, in radio section country is locked to switzerland I cant change it... But as well I tried to download firmware from swiss tp link website and as well error 1805.
Hey roman9441 thanks for this guide. I flashed over my locked 160719 firmware. Worked like a charm! Thanks to everyone else who worked on this as well. Had I known TP Link locked their firmware I would have gone with something else. I've been using DDWRT for a long time on my TPLink 1043ND and thought it would be easy as pie to upgrade my C7 v2... Lots of reading but when I hit your guide roman9441 it was short sweet and pretty concise. Only thing I had to do was cut down the file name of the firmware.
roman9441 wrote:
I'm in the same boat with you for stuck with the new firmware from EU i though it the newest here is my solution ~ ~ now I'm using other 3rd firmware
Thank you Lantis it work well i will post instruction in case some one have in same boat with me
1. First This are the file you need (I put all file in desktop for my convinient)
- Putty.exe
- Gargoyle /DD-wrt to factory/Any firmware you want
- Lede project firmware (For EU 3.15.1 Build 160616)
(https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/lede-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-eu.bin)
2. After have all of the file let's login to the router normally with webUI that you normally get 18005 error code. Then upgrade it with Lede firmware in the link. Now you should out of the problem with stock firmware that not allow you to go to other 3rd firmware.
3. But the problem is LEDE project don't have web UI. So for me i use the putty to login
Host : 192.168.1.1 (Default for LEDE project)
Then it will ask for the username. Just use root that all. LEDE normally don't have password setting now.
4. Now for me I'm try to ping see if my router work (8.8.8..The router should work fine now. Actually we can flash through the command but for me i prefer through web UI. So now let's install web UI for lede project firmware with following command
4.1: type this command: opkg update (This should download some file for a while depend on your internet speed)
4.2 after finish download first one type this command opkg install luci-ssl (Wait for it to complete install the webUI for you)
5. Now close the windows that use putty to open and try to open webUI with your browser you should get standard Openwrt WebUI login.Use root as username and leave the password blank. Then go to upgrade firmware. At this point you can flash to any firmware you want from LEDE-project. You can flash to DD-WRT/Gargoryle / Stock firmware before locking firmware happens
Hope this help the people who make the same mistake as me. Now enjoy your Archer c7 v2 again ^^
I'm in the same boat with you for stuck with the new firmware from EU i though it the newest here is my solution ~ ~ now I'm using other 3rd firmware
Thank you Lantis it work well i will post instruction in case some one have in same boat with me
1. First This are the file you need (I put all file in desktop for my convinient)
- Putty.exe
- Gargoyle /DD-wrt to factory/Any firmware you want
- Lede project firmware (For EU 3.15.1 Build 160616)
(https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/lede-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-eu.bin)
2. After have all of the file let's login to the router normally with webUI that you normally get 18005 error code. Then upgrade it with Lede firmware in the link. Now you should out of the problem with stock firmware that not allow you to go to other 3rd firmware.
3. But the problem is LEDE project don't have web UI. So for me i use the putty to login
Host : 192.168.1.1 (Default for LEDE project)
Then it will ask for the username. Just use root that all. LEDE normally don't have password setting now.
4. Now for me I'm try to ping see if my router work (8.8.8..The router should work fine now. Actually we can flash through the command but for me i prefer through web UI. So now let's install web UI for lede project firmware with following command
4.1: type this command: opkg update (This should download some file for a while depend on your internet speed)
4.2 after finish download first one type this command opkg install luci-ssl (Wait for it to complete install the webUI for you)
5. Now close the windows that use putty to open and try to open webUI with your browser you should get standard Openwrt WebUI login.Use root as username and leave the password blank. Then go to upgrade firmware. At this point you can flash to any firmware you want from LEDE-project. You can flash to DD-WRT/Gargoryle / Stock firmware before locking firmware happens
Hope this help the people who make the same mistake as me. Now enjoy your Archer c7 v2 again ^^
Thanks for this guide, I've just a quick question:
After flashing the LEDE firmware, is it possible to install any suitable DD-wrt firmware (i.e. any for archer_c7_v2)? Or should I still go with 2015-03-05-r26446 as indicated on the hardware specific page (https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/TP_Link_Archer_C7)? Besides that, I couldn't find any information on a recommended firmware version for the Archer C7 V2. I have the European model.
Thanks for this guide, I've just a quick question:
After flashing the LEDE firmware, is it possible to install any suitable DD-wrt firmware (i.e. any for archer_c7_v2)? Or should I still go with 2015-03-05-r26446 as indicated on the hardware specific page (https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/TP_Link_Archer_C7)? Besides that, I couldn't find any information on a recommended firmware version for the Archer C7 V2. I have the European model.
Any version will work, some better than others. I've been using 30082 for about 6 months with zero issues which seems to be a well regarded build AFAIK.
However I am having challenges in accessing my C7 via terminal/putty, in spite of the instructions it is asking me for a password as soon as I ssh into 102.168.1.1. It doesnt ask for a username but just the password and neither root, password, blank or other do not work
Pls help as I also cannot get TFTP running on the mac as I am using TFTP server and for some reason its also not working
Pls help, flashing the C7 has been a real challenge
Huh. I just picked up an Archer C7 v2(US) serial 216Cxxxxx with factory firmware version 160719. I tried flashing the lede firmware ("lede-17.01.2-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-us.bin") without success. File name was too long, so I tried renaming the file to something shorter and tried to upgrade through the factory interface again - nothing.
I reset the router holding the WPS button in for 30 seconds and it came back up with the factory firmware at 192.168.0.1 still. So I searched some openwrt forums where I came across a BrainSlayer post along the lines of "why all this trouble when it's fixed in the "US" file versions of dd-wrt?".
Not thrilled with wasting $75 if I bricked my new Archer C7, but really wanting to use dd-wrt, I used the factory firmware to upgrade to dd-wrt r31899 for the Archer C7 v2, file name "factory-to-ddwrt-US.bin" and crossed my fingers. This time it took, and the TP-Link firmware reported that it was upgrading. I went to get a beer, enjoyed it, did another factory reset and...done. I went straight into 192.168.1.1 and the familiar dd-wrt interface greeted me. Yay! Everything worked just like it did when I upgraded my TL-WR841N v8 and v9 routers years ago.
Maybe current dd-wrt versions do not need to start with flashing lede anymore (Thanks BrainSlayer!). Maybe TP-link has lifted upgrade restrictions in 160719. I don't know, but figured I'd share that the usual process, other than selecting the "-US", worked for me.
All is not lost. I have a new PC and I had not installed PuTTY on it yet, so that at least is corrected
I'm in the same boat with you for stuck with the new firmware from EU i though it the newest here is my solution ~ ~ now I'm using other 3rd firmware
Thank you Lantis it work well i will post instruction in case some one have in same boat with me
1. First This are the file you need (I put all file in desktop for my convinient)
- Putty.exe
- Gargoyle /DD-wrt to factory/Any firmware you want
- Lede project firmware (For EU 3.15.1 Build 160616)
(https://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/targets/ar71xx/generic/lede-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-eu.bin)
2. After have all of the file let's login to the router normally with webUI that you normally get 18005 error code. Then upgrade it with Lede firmware in the link. Now you should out of the problem with stock firmware that not allow you to go to other 3rd firmware.
3. But the problem is LEDE project don't have web UI. So for me i use the putty to login
Host : 192.168.1.1 (Default for LEDE project)
Then it will ask for the username. Just use root that all. LEDE normally don't have password setting now.
4. Now for me I'm try to ping see if my router work (8.8.8..The router should work fine now. Actually we can flash through the command but for me i prefer through web UI. So now let's install web UI for lede project firmware with following command
4.1: type this command: opkg update (This should download some file for a while depend on your internet speed)
4.2 after finish download first one type this command opkg install luci-ssl (Wait for it to complete install the webUI for you)
5. Now close the windows that use putty to open and try to open webUI with your browser you should get standard Openwrt WebUI login.Use root as username and leave the password blank. Then go to upgrade firmware. At this point you can flash to any firmware you want from LEDE-project. You can flash to DD-WRT/Gargoryle / Stock firmware before locking firmware happens
Hope this help the people who make the same mistake as me. Now enjoy your Archer c7 v2 again ^^
Great, thank you. I managed to finally flash dd wrt.
I had to adapt a little from step 3 on though. Maybe someone else has a similar situation, so I thought I share it.
With my setup I had no internet connection, so all the package installing wasn't an option. So before you start:
- Download python
- Make sure you can run the python web server
-- (for windows) open a command prompt, go to your python installation and type:
--- for python 2: python.exe -m SimpleHTTPServer 8000
--- for python 3: python.exe -m http.server 8000
-- Open a browser and go to address: http://[your local ip]:8000
-- You should see the content of your python dir
-- Copy the factory_to_ddwrt.bin in the python dir so it is listet when you refresh the browser
- Flash LEDE as decribed above
- SSH to 192.168.1.1 (login: root , no pw)
- type: wget -P /tmp http://[your local ip]:8000/[name of ddwrt image].bin
- check if file is in /tmp. If so...
- type: sysupgrade -v /tmp/[name of ddwrt image]
You should see now a little bit logging and your SSH will be terminated.
Wait a couple minutes. At some point dd wrt should be available at 192.168.1.1
@Tigger42: Thank you very much for your post. I have managed to install DD-WRT with a method started from your idea. The only difference is that instead of the Python I have used IIS from Windows which can be enabled with 2-3 clicks.
My initial firmware version was the same as yours.