Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 20:25 Post subject: Netgear R7500v2 update today didn't go well. I need help!
I had been running Kong's mod for the Netgear R7500v2 (30965) for a while and I saw that there was a new build out today, so I downloaded it and ran the update. It acted like it worked, but then the router became unresponsive.
It didn't respond to pings and was unaccessible via web interface or telnet (and all three were functional before the upgrade). So, I unplugged it, waited, and replugged it in — no dice.
Desperate, I tried the 30/30/30 thing (even though it's apparently a Broadcom thing) and that dropped me into a situation where I could TFTP some firmware into the router. I tried uploading the Kong build, but the TFTP client complained that the checksum was wrong. I tried an older version and that failed too. More desperate, I uploaded Netgear's official firmware (older version, 1.0.2.4) and then I was able to get into the router.
Wanting to go back to DD-WRT, I tried to use the web interface to upload the "factory-to-ddwrt" image. After the upload is complete, I'm back to an unresponsive router. It'd not handing out DHCP addresses, I can't telnet into it, etc.
I'd love any help or insights. I'm hoping there's something simple I'm missing, but I don't know what step to take next. Thanks!
Joined: 19 Nov 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Madison, CT, US
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 22:11 Post subject:
The r30965 is the most stable. The new 1/7/17 release has new drivers, DNS, bugs fixes etc...If you can go back to 30965 that's your best bet. There is a r7500v2 thread, you might like to post it there. _________________ Netgear R7800(2), R7500v2(2) WDS, Asus RT-AC68R (2)
Thanks; I'd love to get back to 30965, but I can't get back to a place where I can successfully upload it. I can boot into the Netgear firmware, but the Linux/DD-WRT side seems to be messed up.
I read this other page and wondered to myself, since I had a USB flash drive attached (when I was on 30965) mounted through JFFS, did that cause an issue? Could it be that the internal flash is fouled up on the Linux/DD-WRT side? If so, how can I fix it?
Last edited by siege on Sat Jan 07, 2017 23:16; edited 1 time in total
In TFTP upload the factory fw (not ddwrt) do the 30-30-30 reset, completely turn the rt off to reset nvram and get back on factory fw.
Before I try this, I want to make sure I understand you (because this seems like something I've already tried).
You're wanting me to:
1. Use TFTP to upload the factory firmware (not ddwrt)
2. Immediately thereafter, do the 30/30/30
3. Unplug the router (for some amount of time)
4. This should put me back into Netgear's stock FW.
Currently I'm in Netgear's stock fw, and uploading the ddwrt mod from Kong (factory-to-ddwrt) gets me back into the unresponsive state. The only difference I see is that I didn't do the 30/30/30 after successfully getting the stock fw in place. Is that all I'm missing?
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I will try that in a few minutes. I'd like to roll back to your 30880 build (for testing reasons on a different problem I outlined here. Is there a repository somewhere of your old builds for the R7500v2, or could you PM me with a link?
Joined: 03 Jan 2010 Posts: 7568 Location: YWG, Canada
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:17 Post subject:
<Kong> wrote:
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I'm going to roll back the radio fw update.
could u do it only for this router & not across all ddwrt? 10.2.4-1.0-00016 is working fine in other qca9880 units that utilize it for ac/5ghz only. i guess only 2.4ghz operation is borked. _________________ LATEST FIRMWARE(S)
BrainSlayer wrote:
we just do it since we do not like any restrictions enforced by stupid cocaine snorting managers
Wanting to go back to DD-WRT, I tried to use the web interface to upload the "factory-to-ddwrt" image. After the upload is complete, I'm back to an unresponsive router. It'd not handing out DHCP addresses, I can't telnet into it, etc.
After flashing Kong/ddwrt from factory fw, did you reset to default settings and turn the rt off (power cycle the rt) to fully reset nvram? That is a very crucial step.
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I'm going to roll back the radio fw update.
Tremendous!
I had a copy of the 30910M build, so I used that to upload and wouldn't-ya'-know-it, I'm back in! All of my settings from before were still there as well.
I don't think my situation has been properly "sanitized," though. I used the "r7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img" file to get back to here. What should I do next? Should I go to the menu and choose "Restore factory defaults"? Should I flash the "ddwrt-netgear-R7500v2.bin" file and choose "after flashing, reset to default settings"? Should I just leave well enough alone?
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I'm going to roll back the radio fw update.
Tremendous!
I had a copy of the 30910M build, so I used that to upload and wouldn't-ya'-know-it, I'm back in! All of my settings from before were still there as well.
I don't think my situation has been properly "sanitized," though. I used the "r7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img" file to get back to here. What should I do next? Should I go to the menu and choose "Restore factory defaults"? Should I flash the "ddwrt-netgear-R7500v2.bin" file and choose "after flashing, reset to default settings"? Should I just leave well enough alone?
Thanks for all the help!
The factory-to-ddwrt is identical to the bin, just different header,no need to flash it and no need to reset. By the way for non broadcom a reset after coming from stock firmware is not necessary, since stock does not use nvram and therefore won't interfere with different params. _________________ KONG PB's: http://www.desipro.de/ddwrt/
KONG Info: http://tips.desipro.de/
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I'm going to roll back the radio fw update.
could u do it only for this router & not across all ddwrt? 10.2.4-1.0-00016 is working fine in other qca9880 units that utilize it for ac/5ghz only. i guess only 2.4ghz operation is borked.
It looks like it is not the radio firmware, the serial output looks strange, no idea yet what it is.
The fw also works on the EA8500, thus looks like specific R7500v2 problem.
But cool thing is now, that we know how to debrick this unit easily, never tried this before, but this is absolutely nice!!!
Update: It seem like it is neither kernel nor wireless driver, I have rolled back both and still have issue, also tried BS 31055 it has the same problem.
Must be some other change, maybe when BS added Asrock support. _________________ KONG PB's: http://www.desipro.de/ddwrt/
KONG Info: http://tips.desipro.de/
Joined: 03 Jan 2010 Posts: 7568 Location: YWG, Canada
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 13:50 Post subject:
<Kong> wrote:
tatsuya46 wrote:
<Kong> wrote:
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I'm going to roll back the radio fw update.
could u do it only for this router & not across all ddwrt? 10.2.4-1.0-00016 is working fine in other qca9880 units that utilize it for ac/5ghz only. i guess only 2.4ghz operation is borked.
It looks like it is not the radio firmware, the serial output looks strange, no idea yet what it is.
The fw also works on the EA8500, thus looks like specific R7500v2 problem.
But cool thing is now, that we know how to debrick this unit easily, never tried this before, but this is absolutely nice!!!
Update: It seem like it is neither kernel nor wireless driver, I have rolled back both and still have issue, also tried BS 31055 it has the same problem.
Must be some other change, maybe when BS added Asrock support.
hm.. ea8500 doesnt have qca9880? dual qca9980. _________________ LATEST FIRMWARE(S)
BrainSlayer wrote:
we just do it since we do not like any restrictions enforced by stupid cocaine snorting managers
It looks like the radio firmware update BS added causes a hang. I just checked how to recover from that, it is really easy on this unit.
Press the reset button and power it on, keep it pressed for around 15s until the power led starts blinking in white color, it automatically start TFTPD and you can tftp either my older build or netgear fw to it.
E.g. with linux tftp client:
tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put R7500v2-factory-to-ddwrt.img
I'm going to roll back the radio fw update.
could u do it only for this router & not across all ddwrt? 10.2.4-1.0-00016 is working fine in other qca9880 units that utilize it for ac/5ghz only. i guess only 2.4ghz operation is borked.
It looks like it is not the radio firmware, the serial output looks strange, no idea yet what it is.
The fw also works on the EA8500, thus looks like specific R7500v2 problem.
But cool thing is now, that we know how to debrick this unit easily, never tried this before, but this is absolutely nice!!!
Update: It seem like it is neither kernel nor wireless driver, I have rolled back both and still have issue, also tried BS 31055 it has the same problem.
Must be some other change, maybe when BS added Asrock support.
hm.. ea8500 doesnt have qca9880? dual qca9980.
Yes the same radios, that's why I first removed the EA8500 builds when I saw the problem with the R7500v2 but the EA8500 has no issue, thus I uploaded them again. It must be something kernel/driver independent like model detection etc., there have been a lot of changes in this area lately. Pretty much after sysinit it starts acting up and seems to finally get in a frozen state and no real error output. _________________ KONG PB's: http://www.desipro.de/ddwrt/
KONG Info: http://tips.desipro.de/
It is a problem in the latest glib/util-linux updates, depending on the config for the apps that get into a build for a specific target it happens, that utils from util-linux overwrites busybox utils and thus the whole init does not work.
